Beware of the Class President (To be published!)

CAPITULO 49 - Stupidity Is Doom

CAPITULO 49 – Stupidity Is Doom

HINDI MAUBOS ANG PROBLEMA.

Bills, food budget, and transpo allowance.

Tuition pa ni Julian sa private university. Hindi lang iyon, nagbabayad pa kay Manang Evelyn, kasi ang matandang kapitbahay ang nag-aasikaso sa bahay namin, habang wala kami. She was also the one watching over Kena and looking after her.

Kena. Kailangan pa ng mga gamot niya dahil paubos na. Ipagpapatuloy na rin ang therapy niya na hindi biro ang halaga. Pero sa lahat ng gastos, sa gastos sa kanya ako hindi manghihinayang. She needed it. And I was willing to give her whatever she needed, no matter what it cost me.

Bumukas ang pinto ng kuwarto ko at basta na lang pumasok ang kapatid kong si Julian. "Bakit mo pinaalis si Sister Gelai?"

"Kailangan niya nang umalis. Hindi na siya nakakatulong dito."

"She was helping take care of Kena."

"Manang Evelyn is here for that. Kailangan na rin natin magtipid dahil ang laki ng gastos."

"You just hate that Sister Gelai thinks Kena is possessed."

Hindi ko siya pinansin. Inilapag ko lang ang akin phone sa bedside table.

"What if she's right?"

"What if she's not?" I snapped back.

He gave a small, knowing smile. "I thought you were really struggling with Kena's situation. Looks like you're not as affected as I thought."

My eyes darkened as I looked at him again.

"You know why I'm saying this? Because if you're really that worried about Kena, you should be desperate by now. Alam mo kung paano ang desperado? Iyong lahat ay susubukan mo. Kahit iyong imposible pa."

Tumalikod na si Julian at lumabas ng pinto. Nang wala na siya ay napahilamos ako ng palad sa aking mukha. "Fuck," mariing usal ko.

Hindi ko ba ginawa iyon? Hindi ko pa ba ginagawa ang lahat? Ako na sa lahat, walang katuwang, dahil nag-aaral pa si Julian. Ako ang nagpapaaral sa kanya, dahil wala naman na kaming sustento sa abroad na inaasahan.

I was drained from work, buried in loans, and still owed money to my aunt abroad. Lalong hindi naman nagbibigay si Papa. Kaya putangina, wala na ako dapat na panahon pa para sa ibang bagay. Katulad ng kababalaghan na kalokohan lang naman!

KENA WAS NOT POSSESSED. SHE WAS JUST SICK IN THE HEAD.

After three weeks on her medication and four rounds of therapy, she was starting to show small improvements. Sumusunod na siya, nakakakilala na ulit minsan, kahit pa madalas pa rin na tulala.

I almost laughed at myself for ever entertaining Sister Gelai's claim that Kena was possessed. I even let the nun bring a priest here. Come on. We were now in the modern times, may naniniwala pa ba sa ganoon? Even their God, totoo ba talaga iyon?

Fine. There were times when I got confused, too.

Some moments made me question things I never believed in, the spiritual and the unseen, because of what I had witnessed myself. El waking up from his coma without any medical reason. The door in his room refusing to open, no matter how many people tried. And Kena's behavior shifting into something strange and impossible to explain.