CREAM OF THE CROP

Chapter 12 - May Darating

Tunog ng telepono ang gumising sa akin. My head hurts. Ang bigat ng mga mata ko. I'm betting namamaga na naman ito.

I ignored the call and drifted back to sleep. If it's an important call, the caller will call again.

My phone stopped ringing then after a few seconds it rang again.

"Damn it," I cursed before slowly getting up. If this isn't a matter of life and death I'm gonna strangle this person to the ground.

Sharisse Ferido calling...

"Hello," inaantok kong bati

"Wow! Kagigising mo lang?!"

"Mmm."

"This is very unusual. You always wake up early even if it's weekend. Anong ginawa mo kagabi?"

I cried, I wanted to say but instead, "Movie Marathon."

"Ah kaya pala," she paused a bit. "Anong pang hinihintay mo Arissa Vintorez? Get up and get ready!"

"Get ready for what?"

"May practice tayo ng Nutri Jingle ngayon!"

I mentally cursed. Sa sobrang down ko kagabi hindi ko na naalala na may gagawin pala ngayon. Maybe that's what happens when you're experiencing a strong emotion. You dwell in the present, forgetting about the past and what the future holds.

"Yeah, I forgot. See you later, I'm just gonna take a bath."

Umabot ng limang minuto bago ako bumangon. Nag-inat ako at lumundag-lundag para magising ng tuluyan. I usually wake up not later than seven o'clock but I woke up at nine because of... you know.

I opened the door to my terrace and went outside. The weather was gloomy, my favorite among the other kinds of weather.

"Sana ganito palagi. Less heat, less sweat," I said. But the truth is, I want this gloomy weather because it mirrors mine. Parang nakikisama ang panahon sa nararamdaman ko. And it comforts me because pinaparamdam nito na hindi lang ako ang malungkot sa mundo.

The sala was vacant so I headed for the dining room.

"Good morning everyone!" I greeted using a British accent, trying to lighten up the mood in this house. Mom was preparing for lunch already. Her eyes were swollen but she's smiling like nothing happened last night. I know she's more broken than I am. But I bet she's pretending to be alright.

My mom looked at me with a you're-crazy-look. "Kinain ka ng Harry Potter."

"Well you should be grateful, mother. Atleast ako kay Harry Potter naaadik, unlike other kids na kinakain na ng droga and everything."

"You keep on loving people who don't even exist in real life."

"But Ma, they're real in my mind."

"Whatever you say." She just shrugged. "May pupuntahan ka na naman?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

I nodded. "Jingle practice."

"Even on weekends?"

"Yeah. Even on sundays."

"May pahinga pa ba kayo?"

"That's life, mother."

I wanted to ask how is she and if ever they fixed their problem last night but I didn't want her to remember it.

***

Nagmadali akong maglakad patungo sa Science Department. From the Faculty room, I could see my mates carrying chairs and putting them just outside our classroom. Hindi pa sila nag-umpisa?

Medyo gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko pagkapasok ko palang sa gate.

Nakita ko si Sharisse na kumakaway mula sa loob. She gave me a sign na bilisan ko and so I did. I ran hard so when I reached the room, I was out of breath.

"Aga a," sarkastikong sabi ni Hovea.

I just rolled my eyes in reply.

Sasagot sana ako nang matuon ang atensiyon ko sa tawanan mula sa shed. Jamei was with them, laughing hard. May barkada kasi siya. All girls.

They're so happy when they're together. Palaging nangingibabaw ang mga boses nila kesa sa iba kaya madalas ang atensiyon ay nasa kanila. Pero gaya nga ng sabi nila, kapag masaya ka, mayroon at mayroong maiinggit. Kaya marami ang may ayaw sa kanila.

"Inggit ka nu?" tanong ni Hovea

"Nah. Natutuwa lang ako sa kanila. Parang ganito kasi, despite of all these stressful requirements they found something beautiful and that's their friendship."

"Walang forever, masisira rin yang friendship nila," panirang sagot ni Hovea.

"Alam mo ikaw, ang bitter mo." I glared at her

"Oo kaya, nasesense ko mabubuwag yan next school year. May dadating, may mawawala, may bibitaw."

Binatukan ko na. Parang baliw eh.

"Aray ko naman Avi!" reklamo ni Hovea

"Buti nga sa'yo, ang bitter kasi eh," sabi ni Desteen na kakalapit lang sa amin. Si Madsen ayun tahimik pa rin. Patawa-tawa lang.

"Let's get started people!" sigaw ni Jay

Pumunta naman kami sa gitna pagkatapos ay umupo sa baba.

"So tapos na yung songs. Ang poproblemahin na lang natin ay ang choreo. Let's start. Gayahin niyo ako. Slow-mo lang muna."

"5, 6, 7 go."

"Hindi ganyan."

"Hala ulit nga."

"Concentrate kasi guys."

"Focus."

"That's right."

Nakakapagod at namakaumay kasi yung isang step inuulit ulit dahil may mga hindi pa nakakasunod. Nauubusan na rin ako nga energy.

"Water break muna for 5 minutes. Wala sanang pasaway," Jay announced

"By the way, Jamei pakisulat yung lyrics sa manila paper para mas madaling imemorize."

"Okay."

Kinuha ko yung bag ko at inilabas ang mineral water na binili ko kanina sa labas. Medyo malamig pa ito kaya nakaka-relax. Umupo ako sa may lockers at sumunod yung apat.

"Saan tayo maglulunch?" tanong ko

"Kahit saan na lang," sagot ni Hovea

"Pero wait," si Desteen. "Nagyayaya sina Darren, e."

Darren, Steven, and Russel were their friends when we were still in Grade 9. Bale hindi pa kami gaanong malapit kasi iba ang section namin pareho ni Sharisse last year. But they introduced them to us and they're cool.

"Sige, kami na lang ni Sha ang magkasamang kakain," sabi ko

"Duh, we'll go together," Desteen rolled her eyes

"Hala nakakahiya, wag na," I said.

"Oo na baka ma out of place lang kami," Sharisse backed up me.

Sasagot pa sana yung tatlo pero nangibabaw ang boses ni Jay.

"Concept Group may natapos na ba kayo? Please papuntahin niyo dito yung leader niyo." pakiusap ni Jay.

Jeremiah entered and they talked. "Tapos na yung backdrop pero hindi pa napipintahan."

"May kailangan pa ba kayo? Paintbrush?"

"Kumpleto na. Bumili na kami kanina."

"Okay. Thank you, pres." Jeremiah smiled and he went outside.

"Dancers! Umay kayon! (Halina kayo!)" sigaw ni Jay.

-
AN: May darating, may mawawala.