"Uy bes! Bes okay ka lang ba?" Nag-aalalang tanong ng aking matalik na kaibiga'ng si Candy.
Agad naman akong umupo ng maayos at sinagot siya.
"Oo naman bes, I was just thinking-" sabi ko ngunit agad itong pinutol ni Candy.
"About Illian?" Sabi nito habang naka-kunot ang noo.
"You're such a-"
"Manghuhula?"
"Yes." Tumawa ako.
Tumayo na ako at nagsimulang magligpit ng gamit para kumain ng lunch.
"Where to go?" Tanong nito
"Cafeteria muna. Wala pa 'kong budget." I chuckled.
"Kesha, you can't just pay his bills forever." Puno ng pag-aalalang sabi ni Candy.
"What's so bad about paying his bills? Think of it as... a help." Nagsimula na akong maglakad at sumunod naman ang natatawang si Candy.
"Hey." Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang biglang pumasok si Dash.
"Oh Dash! What're you doing here?" Tanong ni Candy.
"For her." Tsaka tinuro niya ako.
"Stop that, Dash." Seryosong sambit ko.
"What? I just came here to buy you both a lunch." Inosenteng sabi nito.
"Saan?" Excited na sabi ni Candy.
"Mc, mc, mc, do!" Masayang sambit ni Dash.
"We're busy, right Can?"
"You said we'll eat at the caf-" sabi ni Candy ngunit pinutol ito ni Dash.
"We'll eat at the Mcdo instead." Aniya.
"Kayo nalang." Sabi ko.
"Oh don't be such a killjoy Kesha." Ani Candy.
"I'm not." Seryosong sabi ko
"You are kung hindi ka sasama samin." Ani Dash.
"Fine, i'll go." Sagot ko. "to stop this shit." Bulong ko.
"I heard that, Kesha." Ani Candy.
Sumunod na kami kay Dash na ngayo'y naglalakad na patungo sa pinto.
"Wait up!" Ani Candy.
I hope Candy's attitude will stop just for today.
•••
"We gotta go, Candy." Sabi ko. I checked my watch and it's already 12:45.
"What? Why?" Tanong nito.
Nilapit ko sa mukha niya ang aking relo. "12:45"
"Holy crap!" Mura nito.
"What happened?" Nag-aalalang sambit ni Dash habang kumakain ng sundae.
"12:45 na, 1:00 ang klase namin. Our terror teacher will surely kill us both." Sabi ni Candy sabay tingin sa mukha kong walang kaemo-emosyon.
"We should go then." Ani Dash at inubos na ang kanyang sundae just in one spoon. He giggled because of the cold he felt.
"Why are you so calm?" Ani Candy.
"Because I have my own reasons?" Kalmado kong sambit.
"Smartie. Make sure na kasali ako dyan sa reasons mo ha?" Masayang sabi nito.
"No way." I chuckled.
•••
"Hillstun and Furty. 5 minutes late. And why is that?" Sabi ng aming terror teacher.
Ginalaw ako ni Candy.
"What?" Bulong ko sakanya.
"Reasons." Bulong niya pabalik.
"Why are you two 5 minutes late!" Padabog nitong sabi na labis na ika-takot naming dalawa ni Candy.
"M-Ma'am..." Ninenerbyos kong sabi.
Nakatingin lang silang lahat saaming dalawa ni Candy na para bang hinihintay ang aking sasabihin.
Muli ay nilipat ko ang aking paningin saaming terror teacher na ngayo'y naka-taas ang isang kilay saaming dalawa ni Candy.
"You guys look so constipated, what happened?" Tanong ng aming nagaalalang guro.
Wait. Nag-aalala?
"Sit down." Aniya "we'll let it pass just for today." Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang sinabi iyon ng aming guro.
Naglakad na kami ni Candy patungo sa bakanteng upuan dala ang aming mga gamit.
•••
"That was a miracle." Ani Candy sabay buntong hininga.
Nasa cafeteria kami ngayon para mag-snack.
"Yeah. But Ma'am Santos looked like...lost." Sagot ko. Bahid sa boses ko ang pagtataka.
Ma'am Santos wasn't in drugs right? Ako lang ba o totoo talagang malalim ang mata niya? Eyebags. Maputla. Basta there's something wrong about her.
"Creepy." Ani Candy.
"No it's not!" Sagot ko.
Next thing we knew. We were dragged by someone.
"What the fuck?" Mura ko.
"Get off me! Us!" Sigaw rin ni Candy.
"Shh..shhh. It's me guys, Dash." Nakahinga kami ng maluwag nang malaman naming si Dash yon.
"What happened?" Tanong ko sakanya. Kay Dash.
"I was walking at the hallway and accidentally napadaan ako sa office ng Principal. I heard someone crying. Sinilip ko sa bintana and I saw Ma'am Santos crying. And. And I heard that..." Sandaling napatigil si Dash dahil bigla itong parang maiiyak.
"What?" Me and Candy said.
"Her son's dead from brain cancer yesterday. But she still managed to teach here." Sagot ni Dash.
"I will take back what I said earlier." Seryosong sambit ni Candy.
"What did you say?" Dash asked.
"I said Ma'am Santos' creepy but she was pityfull." Ani Candy.
I just stood there listening to what they've been talking about.
They both looked at me and I nodded.
Visit her.
