8- Gold Mysteries [[hiatus]]

Chapter 2

Jerica

Mag-aalas tres palang ng hapon at pauwi na ako. Maayos naman ang aking unang araw sa eskwelahan at mababait at approachable din naman ang aking mga kaklase ngunit nahihiwagaan lamang ako sa ilan dahil sa sobrang tahimik nila o baka naman tahimik lang talaga sila. Nakatingin ako sa labas ng jeep habang tahimik na nagmamasid ng mga nadaraanan ng huminto ito sa tapat ng gate ng aking bagong eskwelahan. Sumakay ang ilang estudyante kabilang na ang isang babae na lagpas lamang ng kaunti sa balikat ang itim na buhok at mayroong manipis na full bangs na malapit ng takpan ang kanyang mga mata.

"Uy kaklase kita diba? Ikaw si Mist?" tanong ko sa kanya. Naalala ko siya dahil sa paraan ng kanyang pagpapakilala at isa sa mga mga kaklase kong nahihiwagahan ako.

"Yeah. You're the transferee, Jerica? Is that right?" balik tanong niya sa akin. Hindi maipagkakailang mahusay siya sa wikang ingles dahil sa tono ng kanyang pananalita. May accent kasi siya.

"Yup! So sa Mulban ka din nakatira?"

"Yes. We've been living there since I was a kid." sagot niya. Tumango lamang ako. Nang mapansin niyang wala na akong sasabihin ay nagsuot siya ng earphones at tumingin sa labas.

Misty.

"I'm home," I shouted softly as I entered our front door the smell of air freshener and cold breeze from the open aircon welcomed me. 

"Lala, dapat sinabi mo na maaga kang uuwi. Anong gusto mong miryenda? Ipagluluto kita." a woman with short grayish hair, probably in her fifties approached me, with a smile.

"Nothing Nanang, I'll skip snack, I'm still full. By the way where's mom and dad?" I asked our housemaid politely.

"Naku, sigurado ka ha? Nasa business trip ang daddy mo tapos ang mommy mo naman ay inaasikaso yung ipapatayong eskwelahan sa Caluban" she answered me. "Hindi ata sila uuwi. Anong gusto mong ulam para sa hapunan?"

"Caldereta will do Nanang. I'll be upstairs." I answered and I went to my room upstairs on the third room from the stairs in left wing of our house. I can hear my footsteps as I walked down the hall. It is quiet here, as usual. My Ate is studying in Ñosbalos and she has her own apartment there and goes home here every Friday. My mom is a teacher and she's planning to build a school to help the poor while my dad is a business man, I'm always with Nanang and or two housemaids, Ate Lisa and Ate Berta. But I'm planning to get an apartment a few blocks away from my school. The distance from this house to our school in Scratuz is a bit of a hassle. My mom and dad agreed with me so there's no problem with that. I will go home here maybe thrice a week if there's classes and the house will be taken care of Nanang.

"Miss Lala, luto na po yung hapunan. Ihahain na po ba namin?" I heard a soft voice as I finished putting on my nighties. A woman in her twenties with hair above her shoulders and chinita eyes greeted me as I opened my bedroom door.

"You can address me informally Ate Lisa. Yes please, I'm hungry already. I'll be right there." I answered her with a smile.

I finished dinner in a few minutes and my conciousness left me the moment I felt the warm comfort of my bed.

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