Joie de Vivre

Knowing The Strangers

The first half of my day was great.Medyo marami na rin akong nakilala sa room. Makukulit lang naman pala sila pero mababait naman.

I learned Lyra was one of the top students here in St. Ezekiels. Kaso napaka sobrang mahiyain niya. She's just all about academics. And I know she misses half of the high school life. We decided to have lunch at the canteen. Kasama namin si Jane at Liz. Mga kaibigan rin sila ni Lyra at kaklase namin. Si Jane ay bubbly at si Liz naman medyo astig na tahimik. Ang cute nga nila at mabait sila sa akin.

Nang maka- order kami ay umupo kami sa may dulo. Dito daw ang usual table nila dahil low profile lang silang tatlo. I see our other classmates eating their lunch at may kanya- kanyang grupo.

Pinakamaingay ang grupo ng mga kaklase naming lalaki. Ofcourse, they're seniors at walang gustong sumaway sa kanila.

"As if they own the whole canteen, right?" tanong sa akin ni Jane ng makita niyang nakatingin ako sa mga kaklase namin.

"Yes. They look so happy."

"And they're noisy." sabat naman ni Liz sabay salampak ng earphones sa kanyang tenga.

"You never meet them diba?" umiling ako sa tanong ni Lyra sa akin.

"Well dont worry. I'm here to give you all the information you want to know about them." may pagmamalaki na sabi ni Jane. May tapik sa dibdib pa siyang nalalaman.

"The informant herself. You have the floor Miss Jane." natawa ako sa sabi ni Lyra.

"Whatever Lyr." sagot sa kanya ni Jane sabay harap sa akin. "Let's start the whole class introduction for you."

Pinaharap niya ako sa mesa ng mga kaklase naming maiingay. At masasabi ko na halos half ng klase namin ay nasa barkadahang iyon. We're just thirty in our room. Konti lang pero parang may bagyo kanina pagdating ko sa sobrang ingay at kalat.

"The twins." simula ni Jane sabay turo sa dalawang lalaking may pula at blue na buhok. "Their names are Red and Blue. You'll know them in their hair. Lagi yang nag- aaway. Pero normal lang yun sa kanila. Minsan nga dinadala sila sa clinic dahil nagkakasakitan na. But still they're always together."

Naalala ko, sila yung kaninang nagtutumbang braso. Grabe naman silang magkapatid. Normal pala para sa kanila ang magkasakitan.

Sunod na tinuro sa akin ni Jane ay yung magsyota na sobrang sweet sa isa't isa. Yung kanina sa room na parang nasa motel lang. Hanggang dito sa canteen ba naman?

"That couple is Liv and Rayne. Both of them are officers of the Student Council. Parang relationship goals na nga kasi matalino silang pareho at parehong anak mayaman. There is a rumor that their parents fix an arrange marriage for them. Wala naman problema dahil mukhang mahal na mahal nila ang isa't isa. Tingnan mo, para na silang mag- asawa. They're inseparable."

"Nakakahiya nga lang minsan dahil sa harap ng maraming tao." nahihiyang sabi ni Lyra na nagpatango sa akin. Liv and Rayne should know their limitations, especially they're part of the Student Council.

"They're disgusting." sabat naman ni Liz na nakikinig na pala sa amin.

"Huwag kang bitter Liz." sabi ni Jane sa kanya. Inirapan lang siya ng isa. "Okay, lets continue."

She pointed the girls who were busy on their make ups instead of eating. They look so stylish.

"The girl in the middle is Dominique. She's the leader of their group. Her friends are Hailey, Tina and Darlene."

"Of course! She's the Queen Bee and the captain of the cheering squad. They're just after for her fame." sabi naman ni Lyra.

"Well. You can say that. So if you dont want to be their target, stay away from her and her group. Mahilig silang mambully." patuloy ni Jane.

"So bullying is okay in this school?" tanong ko sa kanila.

"Hey!! This is St. Ezekiel's Academy. We're popular because of the excellent education but we're much famous because of the bad ass students we have here." proud na sabi ni Jane.

Napailing na lang ako at si Lyra.

"But dont worry. Dahil friends mo si Liz hindi ka makakanti ni Dom. Kay Liz lang takot yan ehh." dagdag impormasyon ni Jane sa akin. Napatingin ako kay Liz at umirap lang siya.

"And those super ingay naman ay sina Jim, Reese, Shin and Mak. They're members of the football team. Mga walang kwenta yan except kay Reese my loves. Maingay lang sila at matakaw. They always get my gummies. Okay lang sana kung si Reese, pero pati yung tatlong asungot nakikisali." naiiritang sabi ni Jane.

Natawa ako sa reaksyon niya.

"Si Reese lang ang importante sayo. " nakangiting komento ni Lyra sa kanya.

"Sus!! Kung di ko pa alam crush mo rin naman si Shin ha. Nakita ko yung notebook mo na halos mapuno na ng pangalan ni Shin." pangbubuko ni Jane kay Lyra. Ang cute dahil sobrang nagblush si Lyra sa sinabi ni Jane. Hindi na siya naka- deny.

"Tahimik ka nga. Marinig ka ehh." sita ni Lyra sa kanya. Ngiting aso lang naman ang sagot ng isa.

I smile at their conversation ng makuha ng isang tao ang atensyon ko. The guy who's sleeping in the entire discussion.

"Who is he?" tanong ko kay Jane sabay turo sa lalaki.

"Ayiee..Type mo Uzume?" tukso sa akin ni Jane.

"Ohh. Dont get me wrong. He's so quite at parang may sariling mundo siya habang nasa gitna ng lahat. At tulog siya kanina sa buong klase."

"Hahaha. You really noticed him ha. He is the might Ford Xavier Aragon. Ang pinaka- hot at pinaka cold na estudyante ng St. Ezekiel. Pero pag nasa mood yan, siya ang puno't dulo ng kalokohan sa klase. Pero once in a blue moon nga lang mangyari. Mas madalas mo siyang makikitang tulog o di kaya nasa Student  Council's Office. He's the President." paliwanag ni Jane sa akin.

I just can't believe that he's the president. He's always sleeping. But when our eyes met kanina sa klase ay makikita mo ang authority. He's a mystery for me.

"I heard he's not going to college daw after in highschool. He really wants to piss off his father." nangunot ang noo ko sa dugtong ni Jane. That guys must have some issues in life.

"Naku! Wala namang bago dun diba? Ford is really a rebel." sabat naman ni Lyra.

"All of us has our own demons." napatiningin kami kay Liz. "We just fight it or hide it. It's our choice. All of us. Look at them. They laugh their butt out, but the truth is they're fake. To the people around them and to their own self."

Medyo natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. I also have my own demon. Im hiding and fighting it. I will defeat it before everything is out of hand.