Not-so-Ordinary Ordinary

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/12/

          Pumasok ako ng classroom ng tahimik. Hindi pa tapos ang recess kaya kakaunti palang ang mga tao.

Agad akong umupo sa bago kong seat at maya maya pa'y pumasok na yung dalawa. 

I decided to ask them to act like they don't know me. They hesistated at first pero pumayag din sila sa huli. I don't really like attention and those two are obviously getting it all kaya I think it would be better na 'wag magpansinan kapag nasa loob ng campus. 

That is the reason why I decided to meet with them at the coffee shop instead in the classroom na one seat lang ang pagitan namin. 

"Think about it, Sam."  Vaughn's words echoed in my mind. 

I am currently having a big debate on my mind. 

Sasali ba ako o hindi?

I am having hesitations sa magiging desisyon ko. I need to be sure on my desisyons. 

Unti-unting dumadami ang mga tao sa classroom pagkatapos ko marinig ang bell. 

"Uy! Samara! Andyan ka pala nakaupo?" nakatakip ang bunganga na nakaturo saaking sabi ni Jem nung nakita niya ako. 

I awkwardly smiled at her. 

Ganun ba siya na-star struct sa dalawang yun at pati ako hindi niya napansin? Wow.

Bigla siyang lumapit saakin at umaktong may ibubulong saakin.

"Myghad, gurl. Hindi mo alam kung gaano ako kasaya ngayon!" medyo napalayo ako sakanya nung bigla siyang sumigaw. 

Bulong ba 'yun o sigaw? 

"Halata." sabi ko and mentally rolled my eyes. 

Umupo siya sa upuan niya at humarap saakin. 

"May sasabihin ako sa'yo, gurl." sabi niya tapos bigla niyang ikinumpas ang kamay niya saakin.

Naiilang naman akong lumapit sakaniya at itinapat ang tainga ko sa bibig niya. 

"Gwapo si Gavin pero mas attracted ako kay Bon." bulong niya. 

Kunot-noo ko siyang tiningnan na kasulukuyang tumatango-tango na parang may sinabi siyang isang hindi kapani-paniwalang bagay. 

"Bon? You mean Vaughn?" I corrected her.

"Yun nga. Si Bon." she said in a 'matter-of-a-fact' tone. 

"It is Vaughn." I emphasized. 

"Yun nga, Bo—teka nga, ba't alam mo pangalan niya?" she suspiciously asked. 

Again, I mentally rolled my eyes, "They introduced themselves a while ago." 

"Ahhh... pero hoy! 'Wag mo aagawin saakin si Bon ko!" she shouted while whispering—if that is possible.

"It is Vaughn." I corrected her again. 

"Yun nga! Bon—" 

"Oo na. Oo na. Bon na." I surrendered. Walang mangyayari kung hanggang mamaya ay pagdedebatihan namin kung paano i-pronounce ang pangalan ni Vaughn. 

She smiled sweetly tapos bigla akong tinuro, "yung sinabi ko ha!" and smiled creepily, "secret lang natin yun ha." and winked. 

I smiled and laughed awkwardly, "yeah. ha ha ha." 

. . . . .

I have been contemplating since the our third subject started. I need to think about this really hard.

Damn, do I have to do it or not?

It would be stressful kung sumali ako doon but to think of it, maganda rin ang mga kapalit ng gagawin namin. 

I could even meet my former classmates through this. It's been more than a year and I kinda miss them already. Since our graduation, I never had any connection with them. It's my choice too. I don't want anyone comforting me when my parents died... on the day of my graduation. That's the thing I hate about myself. If I am sad, I don't want anybody to be by my side at para pagaanin ang loob ko. I felt weak if someone is there to comfort me, i don't know. I deal with my problems alone and I don't want anybody in the scene.

But, it is an opportunity knocking on my door. I could be working on my parent's company after this. Pwede ako sumunod sa yapak nila. Even if they wanted me to have a normal life, hindi na maaalis saakin ang kagustuhan na maging katulad nila. 

All they wanted is an ordinary life for me, that's the main reason why I entered this school. They want me to live like any other normal teenagers out there. They want me to experience the life I haven't lived all my life. They want me to be an ordinary girl living a normal life. Pinangako ko na gagawin ko ang gusto nila bago sila mamatay. 

And that is why I am hesitating. Kahit na gustong-gusto ko makapasok sa kompanya nila mom at dad, my life will be different there. The life they wanted me to live won't be guaranteed once I entered the competition. 

Their company is the opposite of the word "normal". It is basically a group of scientists formed into a big organization whose main objective is to make the world a better place to live in. 

I am stuck in between. 

I was startled when I heard the bell rang. Recess na agad? Ang bilis. 

Inayos ko muna ang gamit ko bago ako pumunta ng canteen. 

I felt the presence of the two guys behind me kaya napailing nalang ako. 

"Miss, saan po yung canteen?" Gavin asked me while smiling teasingly. Vaughn remained silent.

I rolled my eyes at sasagutin na siya when a group of girls came. 

"Hindi niyo alam saan yung canteen, baby Gavin? Sasamahan nalang namin kayo." the girl flirted.

I saw Gavin smiled at the girls, "sure." 

Napailing ako at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papuntang canteen. 

"Isa pong hawaiian pizza, blueberry muffin, at tubig." 

I took my tray and look for a nice place to eat. I ended up sitting on my usual seat. 

Umupo ako at nagsimula kumain. 

Nakita ko si Vaughn at Gavin na kasama ang isang grupo ng mga babae mula sa ibang section. Hindi ko sila kilala pero mukhang masaya sila Vaughn at Gavin in their company—especially Gavin.

I scanned the canteen. Looking for Ayah and Vince pero nabigo ako. Asan kaya sila? Wala ang buong brain team pero ang basketball team ay kumpleto except for Vince. 

Lisa, on the other side, hindi ko rin siya napansin. Dice and Inigo is also not here. Am I missing out something? 

I suddenly felt bored. Wala akong mapagtuunan ng atensyon ko. 

Mabilis kong naubos ang pagkain ko kaya minabuti ko nalang na umalis sa canteen. 

Tinahak ko ang maingay at magulong corridor. Looking for something interesting.

Naglakad lang ako ng naglakad hanggang saan ako dalhin ng mga paa ko. 

I saw myself at the front of the old century tree kung saan ko nakita si Lisa na bugbog sarado at kung saan ko kitang-kita ang mga corridors.

Umupo ako sa bench na inupuan ko dati.

I closed my eyes and felt the wind hit my face. Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang mga mata ko at agad itong nanlaki nung nakita ko ang nangyayari sa corridor. 

"Ate!"

. . . . . . . .