Michelle
"Are you ready?" those were the words I heard when I got downstairs. I immediately headed to the kitchen where the voice came from. I placed my handbag on the top of the table and took a glass from the cabinet to drink Milk. I can't go anywhere without drinking a glass of milk. I just can't. "Grabe, hindi man lang ako pinansin."
"You know I always am, Ma." I replied with a smile. An awkward one though.
"Ang aga aga, nakasimangot ka. Ang aga aga, fake pa yang ngiti mo." she said as she placed the food she cooked on the table. "O ayan, favorite mo. I hope this will cheer you up kahit slight, Mich."
This time, I gave my Mom a sweet smile. She really knows how to cheer me up. Besides, she always does. Kayang kaya niyang gawing smile yung simangot ko.
"Hurry up, Mich. First day, hindi ka dapat malate. You still have a—"
"Campus tour?" I cut her off as I sighed. "Ma, sabi ko naman sayo. I can manage. Hindi ko na kailangan ng campus tour."
"Anak, you're enrolled in a university now. Ofcourse you need a campus tour. For sure lahat ng estudyante diyan, nakaranas niyan." she said in a convincing way. "Besides, Delacro-, delacroiks—"
"It's Delacroix, Ma." I cut her off once again. Natawa naman ako kasi pati siya, nahihirapan magpronounce.
"Ayun, Delacroix." she said as she laughed. See? Ni-enroll niya ako sa isang university na hindi niya alam ang pronounciation nito.
I'm enrolled in Delacroix University (pronounced as "dellacroy"). Transferee lang ako because we needed to go home dito sa Pilipinas because of some reasons. I spent 17 years in the states. Dun na ako lumaki, environment na nila ang na-adopt ko pero hindi ko alam kung bakit umuwi pa kami dito.
After breakfast, since it's my first time, hinatid ako ni Mama sa DU. The moment our vehicle stopped, my heart started beating fast. Hindi naman dapat ako kinakabahan pero I guess adrenaline lang rin talaga.
"I know you'll love it here, Mich." she said as she planted a kiss on my forehead and I got out of our car.
My mom told me na dumiretso daw ako sa Faculty Room ng school pero sabi ko nga, ayokong magpa-tour. Tinignan ko nalang yung schedule ko and sure akong malalate ako if dadaan pa ako sa Faculty kaya naman I independently searched for our building.
The campus looks peaceful pero naiintimidate ako sa mga tao dito. I'm on my way sa building namin and I think nasa tamang daan naman ako and all their eyes are on me. Patuloy lang akong naglakad and I just ignored them. Maybe because sobrang unfamiliar ko lang sakanila kasi nga, bago pa lang ako.
After minutes of walking, no sign of our building. I looked at my wristwatch and damn it, late na ako. That's it, Michelle. Kapalan mo na mukha mo.
"Uhm excuse me." I shyly approached a random student. "Do you know where this building is located?"
"Mukha ba akong hanapan ng building? Do I look like an information center to you?" wow ang kapal. Pigilan niyoko, may masasapak ako. First day na first day, may makakaaway ata agad ako. Napakabastos.
"Oh my apologies. I was just asking. Thank you anyways." I said as I started to walk away. Diba? Namanage ko pang mag thank you kahit nabastos na ako.
"I was just kidding!" he ran towards me and his friends are laughing. Hindi ko siya pinansin and patuloy lang akong naglakad. Definitely not a good joke.
