Choices I've Made

4th Choice

[Mark]

It's a good thing my sister asked me to buy her pads. If not, I wouldn't be seeing my crush tonight, my future girlfriend.

She's still looks so beautiful from the first day I laid my eyes on her. Her sweet chocolate brown eyes makes me fall to my own knees, they are just si lovely. Her coffee-colored shiny and long straight hair. Her tipped nose. Her rosy cheeks. Her pink lips. Her smile. Her voice when she speaks so sweetly. Her attitude. All of them. All about her. Three words I can only say to this girl, I love her.

I still remember that day. It's as fresh as yesterday.

******

I was grade 4 way back then. I was at the school garden's cottage, eating alone with my snacks.

Knowing that it's our break time, most of the kids were in the playground and in the canteen, though may mga bata din nun sa katabi kong garden. I'm fond of staying here because it was the only place I can be relax. I like it when I am alone. No one would annoy you. By that, I considered myself a loner. But that was 8 years ago. I'm no longer a loner anymore. Someone told me how to mingle with the society.

"Huhuhuhuhuh" My heart skip a beat when I heard a voice of a girl who was crying. I thought it was a ghost, kasi may hearsay na may batang babae daw na namatay dito at nangmumulto daw. Since bata pa ako nun, naniwala naman ako agad. That made me scared, pero hindi ko nalang pinansin. Big brave boy daw ako sabi ni Mama.

So I continued eating my snacks. But to my surprise, naririnig ko na naman ang iyak niya. Sa one week na palagi akong kumakain dito, ngayon lang ako nakarinig na may umiiyak.

"Huhuhuhuh.'' Her crying sound sent goosebombs to me. Talagang takot na takot na ako nun. Tumingin-tingin ako sa paligid ko nun, sa ibang cottages pero wala akong nakitang umiiyak. Parang ako lang din ang nakakarinig na may umiiyak. Busy kasi ang iba ng tumatawa ang naglalaro.

I guess the big brave boy now is scared. Pinagpapawisan na rin ang mga kamay ko at mukha ko, ready na rin akong sumigaw at tumakbo.

Tatayo na sana ako nun para tumakbo ng mabilis papaalis sa garden, when a boy's voice caught my ear. "Hahahaha. Bleeeh. Payatot. Payatot." Nawala ang takot ko nun.

Being a curious grade schooler, I stand up from my bench and headed to where the commotion was happening, leaving my snacks and bags sa cottage.

"Hahahaha. Mukhang papatol pa ito eh. Hahahaha." There were about three boys I saw at the garden. Base sa nakikita ko, they're bullying her and I confirmed na hindi ghost ang narinig ko kanina kasi ang batang babae pala na binubully nila ang umiiyak. Uminit ang ulo ko sa mga nambubully sa kanya. Unconsiously, nakasarado ang dalawa kong kamay at ready nang suntukin ang tatlo. Kumukulo na din ang dugo ko sa kanila bigla at feel kong umuusok na ang tinga ko sa galit, kung ano ang reason? I don't know, bigla nalang naging ganito ang immediate reaction ko.

"Huhuhuhuh" I still hear the girl crying and the voice of the bullyboys were vibrating the surroundings.

Tinignan ko ng mabuti ang babae. "Kawawa naman siya. Nakadapa siya sa grass at umiiyak na nakayuko, di ko tuloy makita ang mukha niya." I thought to myself. Napansin ko rin sa may tuhod niya na dumu-dugo. Mga lalaki ba talaga sila? Bakit sila nananakit ng babae? Lalo pang kumukulo ang dugo ko at umuusok ang ilong ko. Hindi ako marunong sa suntukan nun pero nasisiguro kong tumba ang tatlo nun sa 'kin pag nagkataon.

"Mg..." pero wasn't able to complete my sentence when someone butts in. A petite, curled hair girl shouted as she runs towards the bullied girl.

"Hoy!!! Ano yang ginagawa niyo sa kanya??! Isusumbong ko kayo kay Ma'am." I looked at the girl who was shouting. Pupunta pa sana ako sa direksyon nila pero I decided na hindi nalang maki-alam. Kaya niya naman sigurong ipagtanggol ang babae.