When I was 12, I ran from the school on my way home.
I had found out in the most humiliating way that I had become a woman: there was a big red stain on the back portion of my skirt.
*flashback*
“Aisha what was that red thing on the back of your skirt?” Quinn asked.
I was confused and so I turn my head back to see my skirt. Then I see there’s something red! I really don’t know what that is!
“That’s blood” Brick said.
“what?? Blood?”
“Menstruation for girls” Brick replied.
I was so shocked. My classmates were laughing at me. So I run as fast as I could. Para lang makalayo sa school.
The jeers and taunts followed me through the school corridors.
“Aisha!” hindi ko pinansin yung tumatawag. Tumatakbo pa din ako.
“Aisha wait!” and I heard a familiar voice. I stopped.
“Here” Terrence. At ipinulupot niya yung jacket niya sa skirt ko para matakpan yung blood.
“T-thanks!” nahihiya kong sagot.
“halika hatid na kita.” He said
I declined, of course.
And he seemed to understand my discomfiture. He just said na, siya nalang daw kukuha ng mga things na naiwan ko sa classroom.
When I reached home I was told that I needed to jump three times on the stairs, which I did.
And wash my face with my blood, which I didn’t do.
*end of flashback*
Terrence dropped by in the afternoon, sporting a black eye and a bruise on his arm.
*flashback*
“Terrence, what happened? Bakit may mga mga ganito ka?” I’m talking about his bruises.
“Nothing, nabangga lang sa pintuan.” Terrence
*end of flashback*
I believed him. But a few days later, I found out that Terrence got into fisticuffs because some guy made a disgusting remark about me.
