"Quinn, are you sure you don't want to be in the play? Sayang naman." Sir Torres asked a week after the incident. Usap-usapan sa buong eskwelahan ang "walk-out" na nangyari. "Sayang because you fit the role physically sana. If your decision is final, then mapipilitan akong ibigay nalang yung role sa understudy mong si Hannah. We cannot keep on postponing and adjusting the schedule dahil lang sa tensiong namumuo the past few weeks.""I'm sorry, Sir. Di ko na talaga kayang makipagplastikan sa lalaking yun." Quinn apologized. "I cannot work with him. He is impossible! So kung hindi siya ang papalitan, which I know hinding hindi mangyayari because this event is for him and by him, then ako ang aalis. Di ko masikmura ang pang-iinsultong ginawa niya sakin. I have my pride, Sir. I won't allow anyone to say that to me, kahit Greyson Lopez pa yan."
"I sure hope you'll study hard. To tell you honestly, so far, sa quizzes mo, mukhang walang pinagbago. Kung hindi lang nangyari yung bangayan nyo last week, I would honestly tell you na you don't have a choice. But it's always up to you, Quinn. You asked for the chance, I gave it to you. Ikaw pa rin magdedesisyon."
Old habits die hard. Shopping dito, shopping doon. Travel dito, travel doon. Party dito, party doon. Di naman magbabago overnight ang isang bulakbol na estudyante.
"Pagbubutihan ko nalang po ang Midterm exams next week." And I promise, I wouldn't even have to force myself into that goddamn play.
"Somebody help meeeee." sigaw ni Quinn kay Alex and Sophia. Nagsleepover ang magbarkada sa bahay ni Quinn, planong mag-aral buong weekend for the midterms. "This is hopeless. Masusuka na yata ako sa binabasa ko. Let's pause for a moment and say a prayer for my brain cells that have died."
"Sinong makakaintindi sa binabasa nyan, IG ka ng IG. Ano na naman ba tong pinost mo?" sabi ni Alex. "Kailan ka pa kaya magtatanda babae ka? Kung di online shopping, social media account naman." As always, si Alex lang ang mature mag-isip sa tatlo.
"Alam mo, Quinn.." Sophia started, habang kumukuha ng pagkain sa loob nag ref. "It was actually a compliment."
"What do you mean?" Quinn and Alex asked at the same time.
"Yung sinabi ni Greyson. Greyson ACTUALLY gave you a compliment." Sophia replied. "Alam mo naman ako, I don't complicate things. Simple lang naman ako mag-isip. Perks of people with small minds. ehem. First of all, he said you are rich... Second, he said you are pretty... And third, he called you a princess." Saad ni Sophia while counting through her fingers.
Nagtinginan si Quinn and Alex na parehong nalilito.
"Oh diba, di pa nga kayo, may pet name ka na. Haba naman ng hair mo, mahal na prinsesa." Patuksong sinabi ni Sophia while running her fingers through Quinn's hair. Patuloy pa niya, "Salute nga ako sa'yo, gurl at mas sumikat ka pa overnight. Pati freshmen and grad school kilala ka na. Sino ba namang tao ang brave enough to walk out on Greyson Lopez?!" at tumawa si Sophia.
huhuhuhhuhuh. Now that I really, really think about it... Ano ba pumasok sa utak ko at winalk-outan ko pa si Greyson? Baka wala na akong eskwelahang papasukan nito. Ah basta! I have my pride. At least may dignidad pa rin ako! Girl Power!
But he said I was pretty.. he did, right?
"Ang sakit kaya masabihang spoiled brat." sagot ni Quinn na nagpapaawa.
"Masakit kasi totoo. Aminin mo!!!!", sabay sabi ng dalawa. At nagtawanan ang tatlo. Credits to Quinn naman, aminado naman ang bruha na likas siyang spoiled. haha.
"Mag-aral na nga tayo. Baka useless na naman tong sleepover nato at walang studying na mangyayari. Kilalang kilala ko na kayong dalawa hoy!" Alex reprimanded.
"Yes, mommy." tukso ng dalawang bulakbol.
MIDTERMS WEEK (late October to early November)
"Aleeeex!" sigaw ni Sophia habang nasa malayo, tumatakbo papunta kay Alex na nasa labas na ng examination room. "Check mo phone mo! Nag-iwan si Quinn ng voicemail.""Hi guys... Sorry wala ako dyan for Midterms. Dad had a heart attack last night. (humihingos ng ilong habang umiiyak) Had to fly to New York right away. Sorry at di na ako nakatawag, nagmamadali kasi kami nila lola papuntang airport kaninang umaga. Good luck sa midterms."
"I hope Tito is okay..." sabi ni Alex kay Sophia. "We have to tell Sir Torres. He has to know why Quinn can't take the exams."
"First time ko pa namang nakita yung di natulog kaka-aral." sagot ni Sophia.
BINABASA MO ANG
The New Year Kiss
RomanceKung ganda lang naman ang pag-uusapan, Quinn Buenavista has always been the prettiest of her peers -- katawang hindi kailanman tumataba, mukhang di na kailangan ng make-up para gumanda, a natural-born fashionista, at a true-blooded alta pa. Pero kun...