Monster University (Completed)

Chapter 6

I poured the cheese flavored popcorn and tacos separately in a huge bowl. Mom is in the sala, setting up something for our 'movie date'. Tomorrow is Sunday. Every Saturday night is our date night. But as far as I could remember, more than six years ago na nang huli kaming nag-date night. Kasama pa namin no'n si dad. I don't have any idea why mom suddenly wants us to bring back the old times.

Pagkatapos kong i-prepare ang drinks and snacks sa ibabaw ng marble table, napaupo ako sa isang stall. May naalala ako bigla.

"Stermon University is not our ordinary university."

I kept on thinking about what my cousin Nate told me about Stermon University. It was not because she said something unusual. Lahat ng sinabi niya tungkol sa university na 'yon ay karaniwan ko nalang din naririnig sa mga malalaki at sikat na campus sa Delton City. It's huge, famous, and the tuition fee is obviously something we can't afford. Hindi naman kami sobrang yaman para mag-enroll sa mga gano'n kagarbong school. Kaya nasabi ni Nate na 'it's not our ordinary university' dahil can't afford ang tuition fee. Plus pa raw na mahirap makapasa sa entrance exam. Kaya kung wala ka talagang pera, hindi ka makakapasok. So, most of the students there were born with a silver spoon in their blissful mouth.

Pero kahit na anong gawin ko, hindi pa rin ako mapakali about sa university na 'yon. Okay ... na-confirm ko na nag-e-exist nga siya, at normal school lang din, but my freaking head kept on thinking that there's something more about it. What if totoo rin ang Royal Order, si Mr. S, si Colton, at si Alpha?

Should I submit my application there?

Then I remembered the one hundred thousand pesos tuition fee per semester for Business Management, and take note, that is only for freshmen. It goes up for another fifty thousand habang tumataas ang year level mo. My mom would suffer a lot if I enrolled there. Hindi ko naman puwedeng ipilit dahil lang curious ako kung nag-e-exist din ba yung mga bagay at tao na nakita ko lang sa panaginip ko.

"Eri, kailangan mo ba ng tulong?"

Bigla akong napatayo nang marinig ang boses ni mom. Napansin ko kaagad na iba na ang suot niyang damit. Nakasuot siya ng terno pink silk pajama and blouse na may design na teddy bears. She's serious. Ganyan na ganyan ang sinusuot namin noon tuwing date night.

"Bakit? May problema ba suot ko?" She asked with a wide smile. Pero nakikita ko naman na katulad ko, naalala niya rin yung times na kasama pa namin si dad.

"Nothing. It's perfect." I said.

"It's perfect ka diyan! Go up in your room and change your clothes." Kinuha niya ang bowls ng popcorn at tacos. "You know what I mean. No buts." She added before she walked out of the kitchen.

Surprisingly, I feel happy right now. Seeing how my mom has been working hard for the past six years and having less mother-daughter time, this is just a perfect night. I know how much she wanted to spend a lot more time with me. I can't just ruin this night for her.

Nagmadali akong umakyat sa kuwarto ko at nagpalit ng pantulog. Wala akong katulad ng silk terno pajamas and blouse katulad ng kay mom kaya yung gray sweatpants at white loose t-shirt nalang ang isinuot ko.

Pagbaba ko sa sala, naka-set up na ang lahat: snacks, juice drink, and different kinds of CD's to watch. Tumabi ako kay mom na agad akong tinanong kung ano'ng movie ang gusto kong panoorin. Tiningnan ko ang mga 'yon at laking pasasalamat ko na walang corny and cheesy romance sa mga 'yon.

Out of five, tatlo ang horror at dalawa ang drama genre. We both agreed to watch a horror movie: Make Me Shudder. It's Taiwanese horror-comedy film, I guess. Minsan ko na 'tong narinig na bukang-bibig ni Pepper noon. Ang sabi niya panoorin ko raw dahil nakakatakot pero makakaiyak ka kakatawa. Hindi talaga ako mahilig manood ng horror movies. Ewan ko ba. Hindi naman kasi ako matatakutin. Mas natatakot pa ako sa mga wirdong napapanaginipan ko.

Nang magsimula na ang movie, napansin kong chill lang si mom. Nakatutok na ang atensyon niya sa tv habang paisa-isang sumusubo ng popcorn.

After more than an hour, napatunayan kong tama nga si Pepper about sa movie. It could be a really scary movie for others, but at the same time, it has a lot of humor. Mom and I enjoyed the whole movie experience of Make Me Shudder. Plus, the guys who starred in the movie are cute, especially Nick.

Pagkatapos ng isang movie, dinalaw na kaagad ng antok si mom. Ilang beses ko siya nahuling humikab. Gusto niya pa sanang ipilit na manood pa kami ng isa pang movie, pero alam kong inaantok na talaga siya at pinipilit niya lang dahil sa akin. But I insisted that we should continue this next week. Alam ko kasing pagod din siya dahil sa trabaho. She needs a lot of sleep.

"Good night, Eri." Mom said and kissed me on the cheeks.

"Good night, mom."

I was about to go inside of my room when mom called me again kaya nabitin ang pagpihit ko sa doorknob.

"Honey, may napili ka na bang school?" Tanong ni mom.

"I'm still undecided, mom. Pero baka doon nalang din po sa Ford University na pinasukan ni Nathalie noong Senior High. Hindi na kasi siya lilipat ng school for college." Sagot ko.

"I heard it's a good university. Pero wala ka bang ibang napuusuhan bukod do'n?"

Stermon University ang agad pumasok sa isip ko.

"I think okay na po ako sa FU." Nakangiti kong sagot.

"Okay, then ... go for it."

Akala ko doon na natatapos ang conversation namin ni mom, but she said something I never expect.

"What do you think about Stermon University?"

I was speechless for a few seconds when I heard mom blurted out that question. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya na hindi pa rin makapaniwala. Is she even aware how much money we need if I decided to enroll in that expensive university?!

"Mom, do you even know-" hindi ko na natapos pa ang sasabihin ko nang sumingit siya.

"I know, honey. Pero meron naman silang scholarship na ino-offer. Mas makakamura tayo kapag naipasa mo yung exam." Dahilan ni mom.

"But mom, what if hindi ko maipasa yung scholarship?! That's hundred thousand!" Okay, I'm freaking out.

"Honey, ako lang dapat ang namomroblema sa gastos 'di ba? I only want all the best for you. All you need to do is to register in Stermon University, focus on your study and finish your college. No buts! Good night!" She said before she finally enters in her room.

Hindi niya man lang ako hinintay na makapag-react. She left me speechless. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na gusto ni mom na mag-aral ako sa university na 'yon! So, yung pagtatanong niya sa akin kanina kung may napili na ba akong school, eh way niya lang para maisingit yung about sa Stermon University. But why?! Of all people, as my mother, siya dapat ang nagsasabi sa akin na maging matipid at masinop sa pera.

Bakit kinakabahan ako?

----------†----------

Sweet dreams, my love.
To be continued ...

*Not a pro. Sure there's a lot of mistakes. Please point it out for me. Your comments and vote will be very much appreciated. Thanks a ton :)*