He's Loving Girl

Chapter 1

Irene pov

"Guess who?"

Samantha's warm, clammy palms press hard againts my cheeks. And even though my eyes are covered and closed, alam kong nakataas na naman ang isang kilay niya.

Umayos ako sa kinauupuan ko at tinignan ko siya ng diretso! Ng bilga ulit siyang nagsalita.

"Irene! Guess! The bells gonna ring!" Sabi nya sa namamaos na boses, na para bang nakasigarilyo ng isang pakete buong araw. Even though she only tried smoking once.

Nagkunwari akong nag-isip "is it Andrea Sanchez?"

"Eww guess again!" She presses tighter, having no idea that i don't have to see to know.

"Is it Mrs. Janet Havier?"tumawa siya while licking her thumb, hahawakan nya sana yung mukha ko! Pero itinaas ko yung kamay ko para pigilan siya, hindi naman sa nandidiri ako sa laway niya. (I mean, i know she's healthy), ayaw ko lang kasing hawakan niya ulit yung mukha ko. Hello! masakit kaya yung pagpisil niya kanina sa mukha ko.

She grabs the hood of my sweatshirt and flick it off my head, then squints at my earbuds and ask, "what're you listening to?"

Inilabas ko yung iPod pocket sa bulsa ko, tapos kunwari tinignan ko siya ng masama! When she say's "what the? I mean can it be any lauder? And who is that?"

"Ipod duhhh!"sabi ko habang kinakalikot yung iPod ng nag-salita ulit siya.

"I'm surprised you could even hear me?" She's smiles at the same time the bell rings.

Nag-kibit balikat na lamang ako! I just tell her i'll see her at lunch. At tuluyan na akong pumunta sa aking klase.

I head toward my seat in the back, iniwasan ko nalang ang wallet ni Stacy! Na sinadyang ihulog sa aking dinadaanan.

While ignoring her daily serenade of "Looo-ser!" She croons under her breath. Dumiretso nalang ako sa aking upuan! Pag kaupo ko inilabas ko na yung book, notebook, and pen from my bag,

I insert my earpiece, pull my hood back over my head, inilagay ko yung bag ko sa bakanteng upuan dito sa tabi ko, and wait for Sir Albert to show.

Sir Albert is always late. Madalas nga nahuhuli ko siyang may dalang alak na nakalagay sa plastic bottle para kunwari hindi halatang alak! Tapos iniinom sa kalagitnaan ng klase! Mautak din itong si sir eh, pero hayaan na nga buhay nya yun eh.

I closed my eyes and wait for him! Makikinig nalang muna ako ng music. Nakakairita kasi yung ingay ng mga kaklase ko, "hoy eskwelahan ito hindi palengke" nasabi ko nalang sa sarili ko, habang naghahanap ng magandang kanta sa aking iPod!

hindi naman ako dating ganito! Nag-bago lang ako nung mamatay ang mga magulang ko and my little sister named Aicelle. I lived in a nice house, in a good neighborhood, in Makati. I was popular happy, and could hardly wait for junior year to begin since I'd just made varsity cheerleader. My life was complete, and the sky was the limit. At kahit medyo cliché yung last part, it's also ironically true.

Yet all of that's just hearsay as far as I'm concerned. Dahil noon pa man yung nagyaring aksidente na yun ang tanging naaalala ko ay sana kasama ako sa namatay.

Naalala ko yung tinatawag nilang NDE,or "near death experience." Only they happen to be wrong. Because believe me, there wasn't anything "near" about it. It's like, one moment my little sister Aicelle and i were sitting in the back of my dad's SUV, and the next thing I knew all the air bags were blown, the car was totaled, and i was observing it all from outside.

Napatitig ako sa mga nawasak at nagbabasagang salamin, ang nagyuyupiang pintuan ng sasakyan. The bumper clutching a pine tree. Sa isang nakamamatay na pangyayari napayakap nalang ako sa aking sarili, at nagtataka ako kung bakit nangyayari ito sa amin. Hababg nagdadasal ako, inaasam ko na sana lahat kami ay nakaligtas tulad ko! Then i heard a familiar bark, lumingon ako para makita ko silang lahat! Then i saw mom, dad, and my little sister! With riley wagging her tail and leading the way.

Sumunod ako sa kanila. Noong una sinubukan kong tumakbo, para mahabol ko sila. Pero unti unti silang nawawala sa paningin ko!.

I promised myself I'd only be a moment. That soon, I'd go back and find them. Ngunit nung tumingin ako nakita ko sila na nakangiti, at kumakaway habang papalayo sa akin, mere seconds before they all vanished.

Nag-panik ako, lumingon lingon ako sa paligid, takbo dito at takbo doon ang ginawa ko! Pero tulad lang din pala ng dati. The white, glistening, shimmering, beautiful, stupid, eternal mist.

Bigla nalang akong bumagsak sa lupa, nilalamig na din ang buong katawan ko! My body twitching, crying, sreaming, cursing, begging, making promise i knew i could never ever keep.

And then i heard someone say, "Irene? Is that your name? Open your eyes and look at me."

I stumbled back to the surface. Back to where everything was pain, and misery, at may narandam akong basang bimbo sa aking noo. I gazed at the guy leaning over me, looked into his dark eyes, and whispered, " I'm irene," bago ako nawalan ulit ng malay.