Escaping from her family demands, Audrey found herself in the midst of gangsters drama in an exclusive high school. In these gangs were princes and students from powerful families. Would she choose to go back to her family and be a prisoner of thei...
"Simon, please...'wag ka namang makipag-break sa akin." I was walking in a secluded part of the school one morning nang makarinig ako ng nag-uusap.
"Enough, Maureen. You can't change my mind. And, besides hindi naman ako kawalan sa'yo, di'ba? I saw you with Matt last time. I know he's willing to have you." said the guy with obvious sarcasm. Hindi ko naman talaga ugaling makinig ang pag-uusap ng ibang tao but I think I know those voices. Hindi sila masyadong kalayuan ngunit may punong nakaharang sa'kin kaya alam kong hindi nila ako nakikita.
"That's not true. Matt is...he's just a friend. Please, Simon.." Simon? Sabi ko na nga ba...Wrong move! I need to get out of here!
"Maureen...You should give him a chance. And, I'm dating someone else. Actually, she's with us right now," muling sabi ni Simon. Wait! She's with us right now daw?
"You can come out now, Audrey." malambing na sabi ni Simon. Huh? Audrey? Ako? Wait, baka naman may iba pa'ng Audrey na nandito.
"Audrey..." muling tawag ni Simon. Ako ba talaga 'yung tinatawag niya? Dahan dahan akong lumabas muli sa pagkatakip ko sa puno. They are both looking at my direction. Ako nga....
"You!?" nanlilisik ang mata ni Maureen nang makalabas ako nang tuluyan. She was the sarcastic girl. Remember? First day of school... I asked her the direction pero sinupladahan ako.
"Yes, Maureen. As I've said, Audrey and I are dating. I hope you don't mind..." malumanay na sabi ni Simon . Hindi ko alam kung maaawa ako kay Maureen for having been dumped by a guy na parang wala lang ito. Parang nag-eexcuse lang ito sa isang tao para makadaan.
"You, bitch! Ilang araw ka pa lang dito nakikipag-flirt ka na! At talagang tinarget mo pa si Simon? What did you do? Or, maybe the question is, what did you take off?" galit na galit na sabi ni Maureen. Wait, wait, wait, ako? Bitch? Binabawi ko na ang awa ko. Wala pa'ng nakapagsabi sa akin ng ganun. At ano 'yon? What did I take off daw? Akmang susugurin ako ni Maureen nang biglang humarang si Simon sa harap ko.
"Stop it, Maureen." Mahinahon ang pagkasabi ni Simon pero maririnig mo ang galit sa boses niya. Huh? Ngayon ko lang yata nakitang nagpakita ng emosyon 'to maliban sa boring-look niya. Mukhang nahalata din iyon ni Maureen at napaurong din siya pero matalim pa rin ang tingin sa akin. Lumabas ako mula sa likuran ni Simon.
"First of all, hindi ko ugaling ibaba ang sarili ko para lang magustuhan ng lalaki. Pangalawa, kahit sino walang karapatang pagsalitaan ako ng ganyan." Matapang kong sabi nang magkaharap kami. Ang tapang, noh? But, I was too annoyed to care anymore.
"Something tells me this is going to be fun to watch," biglang sabi ni Simon na parang nasa amusement park lang. Wait! These are all his doings at ngayon nag-eenjoy pa siya?
"Ikaw, huwag mo nga akong idamay sa mga kalokohan mo. And, stop preying women," naiinis kong baling sa lalaking ngingisi-ngisi lang nakasandal sa puno. Tinalikuran ko na silang dalawa at akmang aalis na nang biglang nagsalita si Simon.
"You make me sound like the big bad wolf," he said.
"And, you're not?" I snapped.
"Only if you're Red Riding Hood." Napatigil ako sa sa sinabi niya. Wrong, sa pagkasabi niya pala. Parang may dumaloy na kuryente sa katawan ko at hindi ako makakilos. Weird! Parang ako na-hypnotized sa boses niya. Hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko. So, I SHOT HIM A DIRTY LOOK at iniwan silang dalawa nang padabog.
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Shocks! Nakakahiya... Bakit may effect siyang ganun sa akin? 'Yong parang napapatigil niya ang mundo ko. First, his smile and now his whisper. Baka sa susunod marinig ko lang ang pangalan niya titirik na ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Tsss...hay naku! Paranoid, Audrey?
"Hey, wait!" Hindi ko namalayan na sumunod pala si Simon.
"What do you need?" tanong ko na hindi man lang siya sinulyapan.
"We're supposed to be dating, right? So, stop acting like you're mad at me." he said.
I faced him with a smile and said, "But, I am mad at you and WE.ARE.NOT.DATING. Saka, hindi ba nabisto ka na kanina pa. So, why are you still bothering me?" Bakit, siya lang ba ang puwedeng maging nakakaasar? Mukha niya!
"Audrey, Audrey, Audrey... Stop being so difficult. I know you like me," nakangiti din niyang sagot. Like him? For real?
"Gwapong-gwapo ka din sa sarili mo, noh?," Di ko na naman mapigilang mainis sa kayabangan ng isang 'to.
"You're not bad yourself," Ahhhhhhh...Tulala...tsss. I hate him!
"Stop pestering me. Maghanap ka ng ibang maiistorbo mo. Wala kang mapapala sa akin!" Sabay talikod for the second time today. Aist... Ano 'to? Dramatic exit lang lagi?
Pumasok na ako sa ladies' room para hindi na niya ako masundan pa. And, I also need to compose myself. Why does he affect me that way? He brings out the worst of me.
I was in the cubicle when I heard girls talking. "My gosh, akala ko pa naman she's prim and proper. 'Yon pala nilalandi din niya si Simon, my prince? Kaya pala nakita ko kanina si Audrey galing sa likod ng school tapos biglang sumunod si Simon. May ginagawa palang kalaswaan."
Bigla na naman akong natigilan, but, this time, it's not because of Simon. Well, partly because of him kasi siya ang may kasalanan nito. Bakit ko pa ba kasi naisipang magawi doon? What should I do now? Maybe I can still clarify things...
"Sabi pa nga ni Maureen, talagang pinagpipilitan pa daw ni Audrey ang sarili niya kay Simon." pagpapatuloy ng isa pang babae. Ohemgee...paano na 'to? This is bad. Transferee lang ako, siguradong si Maureen ang mas paniniwalaan nila.
I stayed inside the cubicle even after they left. I needed to think of a way to clarify those accusations.
I was about to carry out my plan when I heard a commotion. Well, it wasn't a loud commotion. More seems like everyone was in awe. It reminds me of our kingdom when the king visits his subjects.
"Dad, what brought you here?" I know that voice. So, it was really a king who enthralled everyone. Well, the place is full of important people (and people who are full of themselves...echos!), but once in a while lang naman bumibisita ang isang hari.
"It's good to see you, too, son." sabay yakap kay Simon na parang di narinig or 'di na lang talaga pinansin ang sarcasm ng bati ng anak. Then, the strangest thing happened to me that day. The king roamed his eyes as if he was looking for someone, then he spotted me. He stared at me for a long time as like he was assessing me. Then, he smiled as if he approved what he saw. There was also triumph in the smile. I felt uncomfortable and nervous.
Simon and his father passed by me while talking. I didn't hear what they were talking about because I was busy wondering what has happened. Why did I catch his attention? Kilala ba niya ako? If it's because of the gossips, ang bilis naman makarating sa kanya. And, does his son's high school love affair interest him that much?
Natapos ang araw na walang nasagot sa mga tanong ko at tanong ng iba tungkol sa kumakalat na kuwento tungkol sa amin ni Simon. Well, I guess that's what tomorrows are for.
