Barely Captivated

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Halos hindi ako nakatulog ng maayos kagabi.

My mind was all over the place—running through checklists, booth plans, outfits, even the playlist for our section’s mini-event. Every time I closed my eyes, I’d think, Did we print the signs? or What if the props break again?

And now here I was, sitting in a tricycle, the city still half-asleep around me, but my heart already racing like it was lunchtime rush. I woke up way too early—4 a.m, to be exact. 8 pa naman ’yong event, pero madaling araw palang gising na agad ang diwa ko. It seems like. . . It’s the day that I have been waiting for.

It’s Foundation Day. Finally.

After weeks of planning, late-night group chats, chaotic dry runs, and stress-eating over glitter glue and tarp layouts—it’s happening.

I leaned my head slightly out the trycicle to feel the warm breeze on my cheek. The air was sticky already, even if the sun wasn’t fully up. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear when it whipped by the wind. I tried to calm down because my hearts beating too loudly for no reason.

Natanggal lang ang atensyon ko doon ng mag ring ang phone ko. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa light pink na maliit kong bag at sinagot ang tawag.

“Hello?” mahina kong bati.

“Kalea!” Astraea’s voice came through, loud and direct. Like she had only been awake for five seconds and was already at 100%. "Good morning! Nasaan kana? Anong suot mo? Papunta kana ba sa school?” sunod-sunod na tanong niya. Mula sa ingay at mga boses na nasa likod ng telepono ay mukhang nasa school na siya.

Napakagat ako ng labi. Alam ko namang darating ang tanong na ‘to—pinag-usapan na namin ‘to buong linggo. Pero iba pala ‘pag aktwal mo nang suot. Lalo na ‘pag ikaw na lang mag-isa sa tricycle at pakiramdam mo, lahat ng mata, kahit wala pa, e nasa ‘yo na.

“‘Yong… pinagplanuhan natin,” sagot ko, halos pabulong. “Naka mini skirt ako, tapos coquette na top. I also did igari make up..”

Pinagpractisan ko ’yong make up na ’yon kagabi, lalo na kanina. I just wanted it to look good. I wanted to feel good.

I looked down at my pale skirt, the pale fabric resting againts my skirt. The hem of it resting delicately against my thighs. It was short—shorter than anything I’d ever dared to wear outside.
But not indecent—just… daring, for me. Sinukat namin 'yon noong sabay kami bumili ni astraea ng damit, 2 days after foundation day.

“May suot akong shorts sa loob,” dagdag ko, parang kailangang ipaalam sa kanya. O sa sarili ko.

Narinig ko ‘yung maikling tawa niya. “Baliw, alangan naman na wala? Hindi naman ’yan maikli, kahapon mo pa sinasabi na maikli! Hindi kalang kasi sanay," sabi niya. “Ako rin. Suot ko na. Pareho tayo.”

Napangiti ako nang bahagya. “Kinaya mo?”

“Barely,” sagot niya. "Grabe ang cute-cute nga eh! Sabi ni Audrey kanina parang nasa DTI nga daw ako."

Nagtaka ako. DTI?

"Anong DTI?"

"Dress to impress!” she said, giggling. “Laro daw iyon, pero hindi ko naman alam ’yon kaya hindi na ako nagtanong pa and i just let the conversation."

Tumango ako at napatingin ulit ako sa suot ko.

Huminga ako nang malalim. Kung ako lang siguro, baka nagpalit na ako bago pa sumikat ang araw. Pero dahil alam kong suot din ni Astraea ‘yung pareho naming outfit—na pinili namin habang nakaupo sa sahig ng kwarto niya, habang tumatawa at nagfa-fantasy ng kung paano kami titigil ng traffic sa gate ng school—parang okay lang.