Down Bad

Chapter Four

"Oh, bakit parang hindi maganda ang timpla mo?" Si Stella iyon nang pumasok siya sa aking silid para maghatid ng isang baso ng gatas.

I sighed, tossing my phone aside. Muli kong inabot ang libro na hindi ko pa tapos basahin at binuksan iyon. Hindi ako umiimik, naiinis kasi ako. I didn't know if Catherine was telling the truth, but she had the audacity to post about it in social media.

Nagtuloy-tuloy siya sa loob at inilapag ang dala sa bedside table. She pulled up a chair next to my bed, sitting down with a knowing look. "Ano na naman 'yan? May problema ba?"

Dito sa bahay ay kay Stella lang ako nakakahinga. I knew I could tell her everything without fearing she would tell Mom, dahil wala pa naman akong nasabi sa kaniya na lumabas sa aming dalawa. I groaned, slamming the book shut and throwing it back on my bed. Stella had been with us for years—she practically raised me alongside my parents, and she was one of the people who knew about my ridiculous obsession with LA.

"Si Catherine," I finally blurted out, crossing my arms. "That bitch from my school. She's telling everyone that LA asked her to prom, and I can't even disprove it! Nakakagalit!"

Stella raised her eyebrows slightly, though she wasn't surprised. "Catherine? Ah, iyong mahilig gumawa ng chismis? Alam ko 'yan. Nakuwento mo 'yan sa akin noon, 'di ba? Nagkakalat ng mga balita na hindi naman totoo. Kaya bakit mo naman iyon paniniwalaan?"

I frowned, the frustration bubbling up again. "I know naman. But nakakainis pa rin, she's making it sound like LA wants to go to prom with her. And you know how he is—he doesn't ask anyone to do anything! He's so... distant. Kung pupunta man siya doon sa prom nila ay mas gugustuhin kong 'yung best friend niyang nerd ang isama niya! She's not maganda, eh. I wouldn't be this furious."

Medyo natawa siya sa sinabi ko, mula sa mesa ay kinuha ang gatas at inabot sa akin. "Inumin mo na ito, huwag mo nang sayangin ang oras mo sa kaiisip sa Catherine na iyon dahil malay mo ba kung gumagawa lang iyon ng kuwento."

I took the glass of milk Stella handed me and sipped, kahit paano naman ay napakalma ako nito. I licked the top of my lip, catching any trace of milk that lingered there before setting the glass back down on my nightstand.

"Anong gagawin ko, Stella?" I groaned, leaning back into my pillows. "I can't go to the prom. It's for juniors and seniors, and I'm not either. How am I supposed to even know if Catherine's telling the truth? Hindi ko rin naman puwedeng i-ignore lang... I couldn't stop thinking about it, eh."

Stella's lips curved into a smirk, humalukipkip siya habang pinakatitigan ako na para bang may ideya siyang dapat ay naisip ko na pero hindi kaya balak niyang ipaalala sa akin. Hm, ano naman kaya?

"Alam mo, Kali, you're forgetting something."

"Forgetting what?"

"You're the daughter of Mayor Sumatra!" Bigay diin niya. "Sa tingin mo kaya hindi imbitado ang mommy mo sa mga ganyang event? Sa mga pageant nga ay madalas siyang imbitahin na maging hurado, eh. Iyon pa kayang prom niyo? Halos lahat kayo doon ay galing sa mga prominenteng pamilya! Puwede mo naman kausapin ang mommy mo na dalhin ka rin doon. Madali na lang iyon para sa'yo."

The idea sent a jolt of excitement through me. My mom was invited to practically everything in town. Big events, social gatherings, even high school proms, lalo kung tulad ng escuelahan namin na panay mayayaman at malalaking tao ang mag-aaral. If I could convince her to take me as her plus-one, I'd have a legitimate reason to be there—and more importantly, puwedeng si LA ang first dance ko kahit pa nga ba hindi ko pa naman iyon prom. It would be a special night. Tama! Tama si Stella. Hindi ako dapat na nagmumukmok dito. Ang dapat kong ginagawa ay binabasa at iniintindi ang libro para naman mabango ako kay Mommy bago ako humingi ng pabor!