Science and Faith

Three -- Spell GENIUS

That's Sandy on your right ---->

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“Now put your laptop back on the table and come back when you already have the payment.”

Sandy, with her paawa face, bore her eyes into mine. Mukhang konti na lang, tutulo na yung luha sa mga mata nya.

“Listen… Ice… I know, we don’t know each other yet pero alam mo yun? I really have this feeling na mabait ka, pinautang mo nga ako ng 10k in just a click eh. I know I know. It’s weird. I mean look at me, konti na lang, pwede na kong ilevel kay Paris Hilton for being an heiress, but… It’s just that, desperate times need desperate measures, right?”

Kunot-noo akong tumingin sa kanya. “Hmm. Then?”

“Look here fantastic-four-toy-story-lover geek. I’m desperate now. AS IN DES-PE-RATE! Kuha mo? I need my laptop. I need this para makasulat ako ng novel ko. And then, once na mapublish na yung sarili kong book at mapabilang sa New York’s best sellers list, that’s the only time na mababayaran kita – ng triple!”

“Okay ka lang Miss? Alam mo ba kung gaano kahirap humanap ng publisher? At New York’s best sellers?” I said, amused. This girl is really unbelievable!

She threw her deadly stare at me. She sighed. “Fine. Okay. Okay. I know it’s kind of unbelievable, but…” She let out an exasperated sigh. “… yun lang ang tanging paraan para mabayaran kita.”

Silence.

Bigla na namang lumungkot ang mga mata nya. I don’t know if she’s just acting or what… pero, at the moment, I felt like helping her with what she’s going through.

“Hmm… wait… alam mo, muka na namang mayaman, base na din sa suot at itsura mo. But why are you being like this? I mean… you know—“

“Desperada?”

I gave her a slight but awkward nod.

She smiled but did not quite reach her eyes. She looked down and then to my surprise, she caressed her tummy. “It’s for… it’s for my baby.” She said, in an almost-crying tone.

My eyes widened hearing what she said, looking at her with the saddest expression written on her face. She… she’s pregnant?! My… She looked like an 18-year old college student to me and she’s saying she’s pregnant?!

“Are you serious?!” I said, almost yelling.

“Y-yes. Two months.” Her voice was sad with hint of regret.

Another beam of silence followed.

I couldn’t believe what I heard. How in the world this kind of thing happens? She’s too young to bear her own child. Kumuha sya ng tissue mula sa bag nya at pinunasan ang muka nya. Umiiyak ba sya? She starts blowing her nose on the tissue. Umiiyak nga siguro sya.

Pumunta ako sa kusina para kumuha ng baso, binuksan ko yung ref at nilagyan iyon ng tubig pagkaraan ay pinuntahan ko ulit sya. Umupo ako sa katabing couch na inuupuan nya at inabutan ko sya ng tubig.

Tiningnan nya yung basong hawak ko bago nya iyon inabot pagkaraan ay uminom sya. She drained the glass in just a few gulp. Nakita ko pa ang patak ng luha sa pisngi nya.

“Where are your parents? Where’s the father of your child?” I asked, concerned about her situation.

Muli syang kumuha ng tissue para muling suminga doon bago tuluyang humikbi muli. “My parents… pinalayas nila ako nang malaman nilang buntis ako… The father of my child… I don’t know… When I told him about our baby, he just disappeared. I tried to contact him pero wala eh. Hindi na sya nagpakita. He’s such a d-bag, you know.”