"Good morning guys!" I said that, high-pitched and full of energy. Hala! Nakatingin na silang lahat sakin. Oh my! Gosh! What to do?! Moment of silence. Then, nag-smile na lang ako. That was really AWKWARD. After a few seconds, nag-smile na din sila sakin. At makalipas ang ilang minuto...
"Hi. Hyper ka naman pala." Said the girl sitting on the second row, third chair, habang matawa tawa sa bati ko papasok. "By the way, I'm Krizza Layug. And you are?" Sabay abot ng kamay niya.
I shook her hand. "I'm Rachel Elizabeth Levine."
Krizel looks familiar. I think I saw her somewhere. And I think I'll like her. Magkakasundo kami nito panigurado. New set of tropa nanaman to. That's what I'm talkin' about! Suddenly, someone talked. I think she's the girl at the back.
"So girl, I heard galing ka sa US? Los Angeles to be exact?"
As I've thought. Pano niya nalaman? May pagka-psychic ba to? This girl did some digging aye?
"Yeah." Panimula ko. "But almost 2 years na kami dito. My dad and kuya are still in the US. Inaasikaso ni Dad yung business namin dun. While kuya's busy studying there. Once in every 3 months lang umuwi dito sa Pinas si dad just to visit us. Namimiss niya daw kasi Mom ko. Sweet right? My, ang daldal ko talaga. Sorry." Stopping myself from talking.
"Nah, you're fine. I admire your dad for doing such gesture." The girl at the back said while walking towards me.
"So what's your name?" I asked her.
"Hi, I'm Kate Luzy De Leon. You can call me Luzy. Nice meeting you, Rachel Elizabeth." She said that with a matching smile. She's cute.
"Please, call me Chel. Rachel Elizabeth is really a long name. You might get tired calling me that." Pagbibiro ko.
The conversation went longer and longer until...
"Good morning class. I'm Ms. Sicat. I'm your instructor for Communication Arts."
She looks kind. I bet she really is.
"Good morning ma'am."
We all said in unison. Then Ms. Sicat gave us a warm smile like she's saying, "welcome to all of you". Great goodness! Ms. Sicat is really gorgeous. Well, if Ms. Sicat's gorgeous, how 'bout the others? What do they look like? I reaaally hope there isn't any terror instructor here.
"Hey Chel, nakatulala ka diyan? Lalim ng iniisip ha?"
Panira naman ng moment si Krizza e! At oo, siya na ang nakatabi ko mula kaninang nagsimula kaming magdaldalan. Siya sa right side ko, at si Luzy naman ang nasa left ko. First day pa lang namin, at may new buddies na agad ako. Iba na ang hyper.
"Ah wala. Wala naman. Iniisip ko lang naman kung may terror instructor dito." Sagot ko sa kanya.
"Well, girl, to tell you honestly, meron daw. At balita ko nagbibigay daw ng 5.0 yun." Krizza said. Friggin fudge! Sino kaya siya? Nacu-curious ako sa instructor na yun. I need to know his or her name para naman mapaghandaan ko at ng mailagan ko. Charr! Medyo loka-loka din kasi ang lola niyo. Cutting pag bored. Please don't be like me. 🙄
"Hah?! Talaga? San mo naman nasagap yan aber?" I asked.
"Duh?! Chel, ang dami ko kaya source dito." Sagot niya habang matawa tawa.
"Chel, please allow me to inform you, si Krizza ay isang runway model. She has a lot of connections here. Expect her na pag may hot gossip circulating here, believe me, she'll know." Luzy said while winking at me.
"Oooh juicy. Wait, you said Krizza is a model? Saan?" Tanong ko kay Luzy.
"Model siya ngisang sikat na clothing line. Pang-international pa ang beauty niyan. Ilang beses na siya lumabas sa TV at naging cover pa yan ng magazine." Luzy answered.
"Ah. Kaya pala familiar mukha niya sakin." Sabi ko. I faced Krizza. "So, model ka pala. Kaya pala you look familiar to me. Di mo naman agad sinabi." Nagtatampong sabi ko.
"Eh bakit? Tinanong mo ba ako?" She laughed as she answered me. Medyo nanahimik na lang ako. Ilang saglit pa...
"Hey Chel? To naman. Bat ka nanahimik? Sorry na." Yugyog ni Krizza sakin. Di ko parin siya inimikan. Asar naman kasi eh. Kakawala ng mood. Oy alam ko iniisip niyo. DI AKO PIKON, OK?!
"Uyyy Chel, sorry na." Pilit niya pa rin akong niyuyugyog.
No response. Tampo ako sa kanya. At the same time, gutom na ako. Since first day pa lang namin, wala kaming ginawa sa Communication Arts kundi magpakilala. Mas ok na nga yun kesa naman sa lessons agad. Then the bell rang.
"Chel, sorry na please?" pilit niya.
"At dahil medyo tampo ako sayo, at gutom ako, i-libre mo 'ko ng Ice Cream sa Canteen at Ok na tayo." Tumingin ako sa kanya tapos tumawa.
"Oh sige ili-libre kita. Basta ok na tayo nun ha?"
"Oo naman." nakangiting sabi ko.
Naglalakad na kame papuntang canteen. Maya-maya naisip ko nanaman yung sinasabi ni Krizza na terror instructor. Di ko na namalayan na may nabangga ako sa paglalakad. Nahulog tuloy mga dala niya.
"Oooooooooooooops! Sorry. Di ko sadya." Tinulungan ko siyang pulutin ang mga gamit niya. Napatingin ako sa kaniya. Then namukhaan ko siya. Classmate namin to ah!
"H-huh. O-ok lang yun." Pautal-utal niyang sabi.
"You sure you're OK? Di ba classmate ka namin?" Tanong ko sa nabangga ko.
"Yeah. You're the girl who sits at the back." Sabi ni Luzy.
"Ah so ikaw yung mahiyain naming classmate?" Sabat ni Krizza.
"Y-yeah." mahinang sabi nung nabangga ko.
"Why do you keep on stuttering? Chill. Is something bothering you?" I asked.
"Wala naman." Sabi niya.
"Alright. What's your name?" I asked her.
"P-paola. Paola Salonga."
"I'm Rachel Levine. Chel for short. Paola, this is Luzy. And this one's Krizza." Pakilala ko.
"H-hi." Sabi ni Paola.
"Hello." Sabay na bati nina Luzy at Krizza.
Inaya na namin si Paola na sumabay na samin kumain. Pumayag naman siya. I guess this is the start of something new, new batch of friends, and the fresh start of friendship that will last forever. Umupo na kami sa may pantry. Isa-isa kaming nag-order. While we're chatting or getting to know each other thingy, napansin kong nakatingin si Paola sa isang guy dun sa may counter. Tumingin ako dun sa guy and to my surprise, I know him. He's Sean Paul Vino. It's been a long time since I last saw this guy. The last time I saw him was before we went to Los Angeles. He's a really good friend of mine. Teka matawag nga tong gwapong nilalang na 'to.
"SEAN PAUL VINO!"
I don't care kung ilan silang nakatingin sakin right now. Nilingon niya ako. I smiled and waved my hand. He smiled back. Kilala pa pala ako ng mokong na to. Lumapit siya samin. I can feel Paola's tension. I looked at Paola. She's blushing. I think she had a crush on Sean. I'll be the cupid. Paglalapitin ko kayo.
