Not-so-Ordinary Ordinary

/3/

/3/

        Pumasok ako sa loob ng sasakyan ni Aunt Mia. Tahimik kami parehas mula nang manggaling siya sa loob ng classroom namin hanggang sa pag punta dito.

I am used to her reactions whenever there is a conference. Matutuwa nalang siya kung may tumaas sa mga grades ko kahit na isa o dalawa. 

"Samara," narinig kong tawag saakin ni Aunt Mia.

Nanatili akong tahimik sa kinauupuan ko at hinintay siyang mag-salita muli.

"To be honest, I'm disappointed... again." sumunod ang isang malalim na buntong hininga.

I know. I thought.

"Mas bumaba pa ang grades mo kaysa noong last grading niyo." she said with disappointment.

Hindi ako nagsalita. Blanko ako tumingin sa harap at pinagmasdan ang dinadaanan namin. 

"It was all in line of 7. Science is even in the verge of line of 6. Natuwa nalang ako na atleast nakaabot sa line of 8 yung Values mo, which is a minor subject at puro common sense questions lang naman ang meron doon." pinagpatuloy niya.

"Why don't you use your skills there?" 

"I just don't feel using it." sagot ko pagkatapos ang kaunting katahimikan.

She sighed, "I don't really understand what is going on in your mind, Mara. Why would you spend your money in studying there when you're already graduated?" 

"I'm not spending it for nothing, Aunt Mia." I said with a-matter-of-fact voice.

"So, ano ba ang pinagkakaabalahan mo doon? Ano bang naisip mo at pagkatapos mong mag-graduate ng college at the age of 16 ay ginusto mo ulit na mag-aral? Explain it to me." 

This time I sighed, "I just want to study again, is that a problem?" 

"Then why do you keep on failing your grades when we both know that your brain is more than what you are showing in that school?"

"I told you, I don't want to." kalmado kong sabi.

"E kung ayaw mo bakit kailangan mo pang pumasok sa high school?" medyo mataas ang boses na tanong niya saakin.

"You really want an answer?" I asked her. She's been asking me that question since I entered that school and I am so irritated whenever she ask me that every single conference she attend.

"Yes. I've been wanting an answer since you entered that school."

"I want to experience how high school life is, satisfied?" I answered her.

Natahimik siya at nagpatuloy sa pagdadrive. I know she knew I've got a point there. 

I've been home schooling since I finished kindergarten. Why? Because I'm too smart to be in kindergarten. Laging sinasabi ng mga teachers ko noon sa mga magulang ko na masyado daw advanced ang utak ko for a 3 year old kid. I know that I'm different from the other kids there. They enjoyed playing in the playground while I enjoy myself reading Shakespeare's books. They once let me answer a 3rd grade exam and I perfected it. That's when my parents decided to home school me until I reached college at the age of 12. College life? It's the worst. When I attend my first year in college, I already feel how I am out of place there. They would always tease me as the 'abnormal-one', 'a-middle-schooler' or the 'weird-one'. Knowing my life at the normal college school, my parents enrolled me in a college school that suits me more. I remembered how the school was more of a nursery school because it was more like a small building.