Melancholy Night

Page 4 : Abrupt Greetings

This is endless, I am still walking here in the hallway for almost a half hour. When I reached the other way through the building, I quickly opened my locker where I put my homeworks. A black stuff called my attention after I put my papers in my bag...it's a black card with small white roses painted in every edge of it. I opened the envelop and read the letter printed in a short coupon bond.

  ×××××♥×××××♥×××××♥×××××

Atlast, we found you...
I know you were the one they're pertaining to.

Be careful, nobody's around...
you're absolutely helpless this time. You're probably scared right now because of fear we were giving.

I can't wait to escort you to Hell.

                                       Thorns  

  ×××××♥×××××♥×××××♥×××××

I scanned the whole place but there's no one could be seen. Huminga ako ng malalim upang pakalmahin ang aking sarili. My phone rang so I fished it from my pocket and answered the call. Whoever put this damn thing in my locker, I swear they'll regret this.

"Who the hell is this?" My tensyon sa boses ko. I'm too tired of being threatened.

"Hindi mo na kailangang malaman pa." Sagot ng nasa kabilang linya.

"Kung ganon wala na tayong dapat pag usapan pa." I ended the call. I'm not used to talk to strangers especially when I'm fricking pissed because of the  threats...

Kung sino man ang tumawag sa akin kanina ay siguradong nainis yun...pero ano bang pakialam ko sa taong yun, may mas dapat akong pagtuunan ng pansin kaysa sa mga walang kuwentang estranghero.

Everything is complicated and I could visualize what will happen in the near future. I was so stupid of bringing myself in chaos...what will I do now?

The clouds began to cover the light coming from the sun preventing it from dazzling the people under it. The class is over so I quickly went home for refreshment. Speaking of that black stuff, do I have to tell her about the threat? Nonsense questions, stupid ideas and even useless options began to invade my mind. This conflict is a different one to handle, I could almost feel death every time the danger appears...I have to shut my mouth to assure her safety... 'cause I don't want her to get involved in any harmful situation.

I opened the door slowly. As I entered the house, no one burst in front of me nor called my attention because of the absence of lights. I was going to grope the switch when someone suddenly put her hand on my shoulder from behind and shouted the words 'Happy Birthday! At kasabay ng pagsigaw nila ng mga katagang yun ay ang pagbukas ng ilaw na dahilan ng pagliwanag ng paligid. Dito ko napagtanto si mom na nakaakbay na sa akin habang tinuturo ang mga pagkaing inihanda niya sa mesa.

Sa bandang gilid ay nakita ko ang aking dalawang tita, si grandpa at ang aking dalawang pinsan na babae na kumakanta ng birthday song habang suot ang mga party hats.

Pagkatapos nilang kumanta ay

nagsipalakpan silang lahat tsaka tumahimik saglit na tila umaasang may sasabihin ako.

I swallowed hard and said,
"Birthday ko ba ngayon?" Mahinang tono kong saad.

Mas tumahimik ang paligid dahil sa sinabi ko.....nakalimutan kong kaarawan ko pala ngayon.

"Y-yes." Sagot ni Aunt na mukhang naiinis sa akin dahil pati kaarawan ko ay binalewala ko na. "What's your birthday wish sweety?" Pag iba ng aking isang tita at inilapit sa akin ang cake na may kandila.

Nag isip muna ako kung ano ba ang aking sasabihin. Saglit kong naalala ang black card na nakita ko kanina sa aking locker...

oo nga tama, sa wakas nakapag isip rin ako.  I blew the candle and spoke to them,

"I want my Aunt Ladelle to  transfer me to another school."

Diretso kong tinignan si aunt.

Kahit ngumingiti at nagsisipalakpakan silang lahat ngayon sa harapan ko ay alam kong may bumabagabag sa isip nila na isang salita na sapat na upang ilarawan ako...at yun ay ang salitang 'weird. Hindi ko masagot ang sarili kong tanong kung bakit gusto kong lumipat ng eskwelahan, basta kusang lumabas na lang yun sa bibig ko.

Pagkabihis na pagkabihis ko ay bumungad sa pintuan ng aking kuwarto ang dalawa kong pinsan na babae at kaagad akong hinila pababa papuntang dining room. I just rolled my eyes at them because of their childishness.

Pinaupo nila ako sa isa sa mga upuan at napapagitnaan na nila ako. Si Aunt, grandpa, ang isa kong tita, ang dalawa kong pinsan at ako ay magkakatabi at magkakaharap na naka upo sa dining table habang kumakain.

"Ah, kung gusto mo sa pinapasukan na lang namin na school ikaw magtransfer." Suhesyon ng pinsan kong babae na nagngangalang 'Sky Perluigi.

"Oo nga Hellen, maganda sa school na yun dahil may dormitory para sa mga estudyante at marami ka ring  makikilalang kaibigan." Dugtong naman ng isa ko pang pinsan na si 'Vanessa McSmith.

Silang dalawa ang makukulit na pumilit sa akin kanina.

"It depends on her if what decision she's going to make." Tugon ni grandpa na mukhang tinutukoy si Aunt.

Magsasalita sana ako nang biglang sumingit si Sky.
"Please Aunty, payagan nyo na si Hellen matalino naman siya kahit hindi gaanong nag aaral."

She's a complete imbecile because of the interference she did. Inirapan ko lang siya sa pagka isip bata niya. Mukhang naghihintay silang lahat sa desisyon ni Aunt. Sa kabilang banda ay nakikita ko ang nagmamakaawang mga mukha nina Vanessa at Sky...ugh,imbeciles. Aunt took a deep breath.

"Fine." Matabang na saad niya.

I smirked at her.

Alam kong hindi siya magtatanggi sa harap nina grandpa at tita dahil sa oras na hindi siya pumayag sa gusto ko ay pagtutulungan siya. Halata rin ang galak sa mga mukha ng aking dalawang pinsan.

"And by the way." Pag iba ko na nagpatigil sa lahat, "Speaking of my car, I wanted it to be fixed before I transfer as soon as possible." Dagdag ko.

Mukhang dumidilim na ang mga mata ni Aunt sa tuwing tinititigan niya ako. Ang sarap pala niya pagtripan minsan.

"Ayos lang ba sayo yun, Ladelle?" Tanong ni Tita.

Subo lang ng sumubo si Aunt dahil sa pikon.

"Silence means 'yes, I guess."

Tugon ko.

They all chuckled and continued taking dinner. The decision I made earlier was quite better.

As what Vanessa told me, their school has dormitories for sophomores, neirds, freshmen, sporty girls and boys, dorks and transferies like me so I don't need to go home anymore...I prefer this choice because my aunty would be safer without me, I don't even want her to notice that I am a threat receiver. Life is full of surprises, I never expect that my birthday would have been my savior from complication.

That was an abrupt greeting anyway, It was quite surprising...