Why can't it be?

Chapter Ten

Isang linggo ang matuling lumipas pagkatapos ng huli nilang paguusap ng binata. Tinotoo talaga nito ang mga binitiwang salita. She's almost a non-existing person in his class. Even her name were somewhat disappear because everyone was being called to participate in class discussion except hers.

She tried to talk to him after class but he'd go out of the room first upon his dismissal. When she tried to wait at parking lot, she can't seem to find his car so she don't know if he's still at school or if he's out already.

At the end, she decided to just let this week pass. Maybe everything will be back into place after this. She thought to herself.

Malalim ang isip niya habang naglalakad papunta sa classroom Mayroon pa siyang mahigit thirty minutes bago magsimula ang unang klase. Kahit wala siya sa sarili kaiisip ay hindi pa rin nakaligtas sakanya ang mga mapanuring tingin ng mga tao.

Kanina pa siya nagtataka kung bakit siya pinagtitingan at may nga nagbubulungan pa. May mga nang-iirap pa na tila naiinis sakanya. Ano bang problema nila? Is there something on my face? Am I wearing a wrong uniform? Tanong niya sa isip na naghihintay ng kasagutan.

Patuloy pa rin siya sa paglalakad ng may tumabi sa kanya. Isa sa mga kaklase niya na "returnee", si Barbie. Dati na itong nag-aral sa SIU noong elementary pero umalis at bumalik lamang ngayong fourth year high school na sila.

"Just don't mind them. They'll eventually stop, believe me." Sabi ni Barbie. Pinakititigan niya ito. Maganda ito at totoong mukhang manyika kaya siguro Barbie Doll and ipinangalan ng mga magulang nito

She was in Grade two and she transferred here in SIU from Australia when she became classmates with Barbie. She looks like a barbie doll, with a dark strawberry blonde hair. She's pretty and smart and they became friends. She had a childhood sweetheart who's four years senior than them. They were pretty close to each other.

And then one day, her family needed to go back to England, so she left school before their vacation starts. She never heard from her since then.

Then she came back this year to finish high school. She is still pretty and smart but her size becomes double. Sa kanilang mga naging kaibigan nito ay wala silang paki-alam kung tumaba man ito, pero mukhang hindi naging maganda ang pagtanggap ng childhood sweetheart nito. At madalas ay tampulan din ito ng tukso ng iba.

"They'll stop if they'll found someone to talk about again." She heard Barbie again.

"Ano bang problema nila?" Tanong niya rito. Mukha kasing may alam ito sa nangyayari eh.

"As usual, they are not minding there own businesses. Mas gusto nilang pag-usapan ang ibang tao. And waste their fucking time in rumors and fake news! What a lame people aren't they?" Pahayag nito na ikinakunot ng noo niya.

"Rumors? A-about me?.. What rumors?" She asked.

"I really don't know the details of it. But what I heard from nosy people is that.." She paused, and that makes her nervous as she waits for the next words that will come out of her mouth. "There is something going on between you and Mr. Hayes. They said that you are in a relationship with him."

She was stunned upon hearing what she said. She can't believe that this is actually happening. How did this happen? Who did this? Sila lamang ng mga kaibigan niya ang nakakaalam ng kabaliwan niya sa guro. Imposible naman na ang mga ito ang nagkalat ng tungkol doon. Oh no! Hindi kaya may nakakita sa kanilang magkasama at binigyan iyon ng kahulugan? Wala pa nga silang nasisimulan ng guro ay mukhang kailangan tapusin na nila iyon.

"It's not true right? You are not having a relationship with our teacher?" Tanong nito sa kanya.

She shook her head while looking down. "There's nothing going on between us." She said.