Carnage of Vicinity (At a Not-So-Ordinary Senior High)

CHAPTER 08: Their Odds and Mine

VICINITY

"Ikaw lang talaga mag-isa ang nakatira rito, Vi?"

I looked over at Michaela na siyang kakapasok lang ng pintuan. Cameron was already wandering his eyes on the sala. Si Rainier naman ay tahimik na nakatingin sa mga picture frame sa tabi ng pintuan. It's around 4 o'clock in the afternoon at nasa bahay namin sila.

It's the same day it was announced that we were going to be the representatives of our class in the upcoming Battle of the Brains at the school fair. I was still shocked to be chosen kahit pa ilang beses ko nang narinig na kami nga ang napiling representatives. Who knows? Sa dami ba naman ng may galit sa'min- especially the daughter of our adviser herself, hindi na nakakapagtaka kung masabotahe kami at iba ang piliing maging representative. Idagdag pa ang bitterness ng ama niya.

Kung may mas nagulat dito, 'yon ay ang magkapatid na kasama namin ngayon. Hindi nila akalain na sila ang mapipili na maging karagdagang players sa palaro ng province namin. Michaela almost punched the two of us nang maglakad kami kanina palabas ng campus. She insisted all along na dapat ay hindi sila ni Rainier ang pinili namin.

On our- or should I say, my defense, sila lang ang nasa isip kong pwede naming piliin. We haven't had seen the capabilities of our classmates. Dahil nga sa pagbabakasyon namin, nawalan kami ng chance ma-observe ang mga kaklase namin at kung ano ang kaya nila sa hindi. Choosing someone we already know would be advantageous sa amin.

Isa pa, kung hindi man gano'n ka-edgy sila Michaela at Rainier, alam kong mabibigyan namin sila ng guidance nang hindi kami nagkaka-conflict sa kanila. Familiarity is a key to a harmonious group. Harmony was my main concern when we were asked to suggest our possible teammates, and they were the best candidates at hand.

"My parents are abroad, that's why wala akong kasama rito," I replied as I put my bag on the couch. "I once lived with my lola, pero dahil sa Alzheimer's niya, napilitang ibalik siya sa probinsya at hayaan na lang akong mag-isa muna."

Hindi kasi siya nagpapatulog dahil sa pangungulit, and my parents thought that it's better to get her back to the province than having an adult in the house. Tingin naman nila ay kaya ko nang mag-isa kaya hindi sila nag-alala pa. Isa pa, my mom's friend who lived in the same village as ours visits me when she had free time. Siya ang nag-a-update sa parents ko ng mga bagay na hindi ko binabanggit sa kanila.

"Still, they should send you a relative," Cameron insisted while looking over from the couch.

Rainier agreed. "Iba pa rin ang may kasamang mas matanda."

"Don't worry, uuwi na rin naman na si mama before I graduate. Hindi lang kasi talaga nila kayang umuwi because of the terms of their company," I said with an reassuring smile. "Can we now leave the topic of my independency? Pwede na ba nating pag-usapan ang tungkol sa school fair?"

Bago kami nagsimula, pumunta muna ako sa kusina para maghanda ng miryenda. Kumuha ako ng tinapay at ininit 'yon sa microwave. While waiting, nagtimpla ako ng orange juice. Wait. Everybody drinks orange juice, right? Wala naman sigurong magrereklamo sa kanila and would say na ayaw nila sa flavor na ito.

If it would be other people, siguro ay nataranta na sila dahil sa biglaang bisita sa bahay nila. Thankfully, my experience in living alone had taught me to be ready at any moment. Dapat malinis ang bahay, hindi dapat kalat-kalat ang mga gamit kahit pa sa mismong kwarto ko, and lastly, may naka-ready dapat na snacks at pang-ulam kung aabutan ng tanghalian o hapunan ang bisita.

"So you're a wife material, huh? You're so calm when you're not supposed to."

I looked over my shoulder at nakitang nakatayo roon si Cameron while leaning on the door frame. Nakakrus pa ang mga braso niya, as if watching his wife make his breakfast early in the morning. He was even wearing a smile, pero this time, it wasn't a smirk, but a genuine one.