DEAR CUPID

Apple Kiss

Mataray. Maldita. Masungit. Feelingera. Lahat na.

Yan ang pumapasok sa isip ng lahat kapag naririnig nila ang pangalang APPLE KISS GARCIA.

Sa tingin niyo rin, ako ang kontrabida sa lovelife ni Yssabelle Hestia. Aminin niyo.

"Inagaw" ko daw yung boyfriend niyang si Martin. Oh please! I know how to respect other people's relationships.

Naiinis talaga ako dyan sa mga taong mali ang pinagkakalat na balita sa buong campus.

Pero honestly, di ako ahas. Super close lang talaga kami ni Martin. Best friend ko kasi yun noong Grade 5&6.

But, since nalaman kong sila na ni Yssa, medyo dumistansya ako para wala nang mangyaring away.

Yun nga lang, di rin maiwasan ni Martin na lumapit sakin. Kaya, no choice kundi pansinin ko siya. Kasi kung iiwasan ko siya, akward na diba?

Eh, unfortunately, maling balita ang lumabas. Maling-mali. Kaya, ang buong angkan ni Hestia ay against me na. Sucklaugh.

But, I admit, mataray ako. Feelingera, yes, at some points. Maldita? Kinda. Especially when I have my period. Masungit? Well, mabilis akong magalit and I am not that good when dealing with people.

But I have a heart, even though some people don't know that I have one.

Feeling kasi nila sila lang ang meron. Biniyayaan din ako noh! Edi sana dead na 'tong sexy body ko.

They also backstab me and call me stupid names, like "ahas", "four-eyed b*tch", "nerd antagonist" and so much more. Hay. Very creative.

Don't be confused why they call me a those. I wear fake eye glasses. Iba na kasi ngayon, kung sino pa may salamin at mukhang nerd, sila pa ang famous at popular.

Don't blame me! Here are the reasons why I was bullied: First, its beacause of my height, which is 5 feet only. 2nd, I am super clumsy and last, bilot ako sa letter "S".

I was sooo down and ashamed those days. Sinasabi nilang tumayo ako kahit nakatayo naman talaga ako. Lagi akong nasa unahan ng linya. Halos lahat na dinadaanan ko nababanggaan ko. At ginagaya-gaya nila ako kapag nabibilot ako sa S.

Kaya, umalis ako dito sa school for 2 years. Nagpatangkad ako, I maintained my balance at I learned how to speak every word with a letter S absolutely perfect. Then, bumalik ako dito para mag-aral ng 4th year highschool.

At sa aking pagbabalik, ako naman ang mambu-bully. But, unang banat ko pa lang, akala na nilang lahat, ang evil ko, ang taray ko. Pero yung mga nambully sakin noon, hinayaan lang nilang apihin ako.

Nasaan ang hustisya???

Nasakin ang hustisya. Dahil sa pagbabalik ko, magbabayad sila.

But, hindi ko talaga intensyon na pagawayin sina Martin at Yssa. Wala yun sa revenge plan ko.

Anyway, I'm going to school.

"Hi Apple! You look so blooming today, girl!" bati ng group of girls sa hallway. Pero, pagtalikod ko, nagbulungan sila ng, "Joke lang yun. Paniwalang-paniwala ka naman. Ang pangit naman ng ugali mo eh."

See?

May isang isang girl na nakangiti nung dinaanan ko siya, pero pag tumalikod ako, I know tinarayan na niya ako.

Hayy. That's my daily life. Araw-araw, backstab-Apple-day.

"Good Morning Kiss." here we go again. Pero, for your information, hindi siya backstabber, manliligaw ko siya. Yes, you read it right! Manliligaw.

Meet Eross Pimentel, my suitor. "Mornin' Ross."

"Tulungan na kita."

"No thanks. I got it."

"No, I got it. I insist."

"Edi lamunin mo na yung bag ko!" binigay ko nga sakanya yung bag ko.

"Ano ba yan, tinutulungan na nga, ang sungit pa."  narinig kong bulong ng isang lalaking dumaan.

"Psh. Let's go, Eross. I'm gonna be late." sabay kami ni Eross papasok sa classroom ko.

"Thankie." sabi ko kay Ross.

"Of course, Kiss. Para sayo."

"Ang sweet mo naman. Sasagutin na kita." biro ko.

"Talaga? Tayo na?" na-excite naman dun si Eross.

"Hahahah. Nope. Not yet."

Sumimangot bigla ang loko. "Anyway, thanks."

"You're welcome." umalis na si Eross sa classroom at umupo ako sa armchair ko habang nagsusuklay.

"What a bitch. I feel so pity for Eross."  bulong ni Nicole kay Jellai. Pareho sila friends ni Yssa.

"What did you just say?" hinarap ko sila ng naka-pamewang.

They rolled their eyes and pretended that I just said nothing.

"Be careful with your words, Nicole! You don't know who you're messing with." I walked out the classroom.

Nakabanggaan ko si Yssa. Urgh.

"Tingnan mo nga yung dinadaanan mo!" sabi ko sakanya.

"Pasensya na ah. Di ko kasi alam na nandyan ka pala!" she said back.

"Urgh. Namumuro ka na saking Hestia ka!" but she didn't listen because she left me.

I ran across the hallway na walang pakialam kung nababanggaan ko sila. Finally I reachd the school ground. I sat under a tree and I cried there.

I just let my emotions out. I wanna let go of all my grudges and burden, my anger and pain.

I heard footsteps getting near. "Kiss?"

I wiped my tears and pretended that I'm okay.

"Are you crying?" he asked.

"No I'm not!"

"Hey. Its okay, just tell me. Your secret's safe with me." tumabi siya sakin.

"Ugh. I hate you. Why is your voice so calming and your face is so promising!"

I paused for a while.

"Okay! I cried because I realized that the whole school is like against me. Everybody hates me because of Yssa and her stupid misunderstanding. Nobody wants me!"

Shete. I started crying again. I felt Eross hugging me. "If you think they don't want you, you're wrong. Because I've always wanted you. I love you, actually."

"I hate you! Mas pinapaiyak mo ako lalo!" hinampas ko siya sa braso.

"Oo kaya! Mahal kita kahit sinusungitan mo ako at ako lagi umi-effort para satin."

"Wow ah. Ang guilty ko na. Sige ako na inborn na masungit, mataray at maldita!"

May isinuot siya sa leeg ko. It was cold. I looked at it and it was a gold necklace with a red apple as a pendant.

"I am giving this to you para malala mo na mabuti kang tao. Kahit minsan masungit ka, may puso ka parin. Kapag inaaway ka nila, isipin mo lang ako. Magkakampi tayo. Ypu and me against the world."

Since that moment, I felt inspired. Inspired to do better things, inspired to lighten up my dark side, inspired to rethink my past as a test and inspired to face everything with my new partner in crime.