Loving Sal,

CHAPTER 2:

I woke up exhausted. Siguro napasobra ako kagabi, my body feels like it has been hit by a truck then by a bus then left to be hit by a train. My back aches and i feel super tired, if masterbation can kill people, eto na siguro yun.

Bebe, baby, love:

Good morning babe,

May pasok ka today

Yep

sabay tayo maglunch?

Sure

Sa cafeteria nalang

I like Mitski because she never made me feel lonely. Maybe I found a friend in her. She made me feel love and accepted for who I am and sometimes I feel guilty that somehow I am not able to reciprocate any of it.

Despite being tired, I managed to work quickly, I took a bath, prepared my lunch and commuted all the way to school. I was 15 minutes early when I arrived at school. I was greeted by my schoolmates, I like SVU kesa sa dati kong school, maldita mga tao don, masayahin ang tao dito, naghiilahan pataas, I feel like I belong here in a community that never judged me, in a place that never does anything except help me grow.

In the hallway, I saw a girl with long curly hair wih silver rimmed glasses together with a tall, slender looking girl who looked like the real life version of princess jasmine. I remember these two, they came from campus journ then they might know my ate?

The one with silver glasses turns to me and smiles "si krista?'

"Ahhh nasa bahay pa po"

"Sabihin mo meet me in our rendezvous spot. hintayin ko sya don" she said and left. Rendezvous spot?

Agad kong chinat si ate at agad siyang nagreply.

Pretty ate:

Si rei?

Bakit raw?

ewan

I turn off my phone as I enter the room but I can still feel the vibration of it in my pocket. Something is fishy. Lagot sa'kin si ate mamaya.

I feel a hand tap my shoulder and I turn around to find Sandra, my classmate, looking at me. "May assignment ka?"

"Anong assignment?"

"Baliw, yung math assignment natin. Hindi ba graded yun"

"Talaga ba? kala ko challenge question lang." I shrugged. We stared at each other and just laughed. "andyan ba si Gigi, don nalang tayo gumaya"

"Wala si bebe, excused, di ba may practise sila sa journ kasi malapit na DSTP" she said and shrug. Hays pano na kami? bat kasi kung sino pa yung matalino siya pa yung laging excuse. Wala tuloy kaming magayahan.

"Ayy oo nga"

"Sa bebe mo?"

"Gaga ka ba, as if matalino naman si mitski"

"Ang harsh ah"

Natigil ang paghuhultahan namin ng biglang pumasok ang math teacher nmin. Our teacher realized that none of the students answered the assignment and scolded us until the end of our period.

"hayss. Ganon pala para hindi maglesson si ma'am, galitin!" usal ni sandra at napatawa nalang kami.

"Gaga ka! Mamaya i-zero nun tayo lahat"

The lunch came at agad akong pumunta sa cafeteria, sa table na lagi naming kinakainan. Andon na agad si mitski and I hugged her. "how's your day?"

"Eto ayos naman, busy from acads" she said, as she set her lunch up. She brought adobo at sinangan while ang ulam o naman ay walang katapusang itlog. Eto lang kasi alam kong lutuin eh. Inalok nya ko ng ulam ko at agad naman akong kumuha, kumuha rin sya mula sa scrambled eggs ko.

"Malapit na and ball. Sasama ka ba?" she suddenly asked. We never talk about the ball, even though gusto kong pumunta, there's a huge chance na hindi ako makapunta.

"Depende, hindi ko pa alam.tanong ko pa kay mama. Ikaw Mitz, pupunta ka?"

"I'll be there if pupunta ka"

"what if hindi?" I said. She just shrugged her shoulders and continued eating. I stared at her, her eyes sad and disappointed. On most days, you can barely see her eyes, like from her japanese descent, she has a small nose and a small face. She looks like a puppy whose owner didn't come home in the evening. I feel guilty. It is our last chance to enjoy before senior high and then hindi ko man siya mapagbigyan. Wala eh, mahirap lang kami, kahit may budget pa, I don't think that my parents will give me any money.

"Ganito na lang if ever hindi ako makakasama sa ball, date nalang tayo" I proposed and she just smiled as if that's the best idea in the world. "Gusto mo?"

She nodded in agreement.

The bell rang, I hugged her once more before running toward my class.

Ang hirap talaga pag may kabebe time, lagi kang late.