Voice Over Flowers

Voice 008

Voice is the lie we tell others when we try to deceive ourselves. The elite reputation of Daang Matuwid was slowly crumbling—the teachers habitually compare them with the lower sections, call them the worst class, scold them for hours, and to top it all, shower them with unwanted surprise recitations, quizzes, additional homework and projects—and yet they were totally blind to their own faults and were always finding someone to blame.

"Hay naku, kung hindi dahil sa isang tao d'yan, hindi sana nauubos ang oras natin sa mga karagdagang requirements," nakapalumbabang pagpaparinig ng isang babaeng may matatalim na mga matang nakairap sa bise.

"At may balak pa siya sa lagay na 'yan na palitan sa pwesto si Shogo," natatawa nang sarkastikong gatol ng isa pang babae, "eh, wala naman siyang kwentang leader. Dinaan lang tayo sa mabubulaklak na mga salita, sa pinakita niyang pekeng malasakit sa kapakanan ng klase natin. Akala mo kung sinong santa-santitang nagpapanggap lang pala na mabait. Tinuring mong kaibigan, pinagtanggol mo pa, tapos 'yun pala, sarili lang pala niya ang mahalaga sa kanya."

Ayaw nila kay Shogun, ang aroganteng diktador. Ayaw rin nila kay Lauren, ang tinaguriang 'oportunistang' bistadong nagpapanggap lang na malinis. Siguro lahat ng posibleng umupo sa pinakamataas na posisyon sa Daang Matuwid ay 'matik na ayaw nila, babatikusin, at hahanapan ng baho.

Pero sino ba ang bumuboto at nagdidikta kung sino ang dapat mahalal sa pwesto, hindi ba't sila-sila rin?

Elle breathed out, feeling the weight of the trash can she's holding with both hands. Patungo siya sa likod ng Macapagal Building dahil siya ang nakatokang magtapon ng basura para sa araw na iyon.

Now, with Shogun's absence and Lauren washing her hands of the matter, everyone did whatever they pleased, acting in accordance with their own desires. Nandiyan 'yung mga matitigas ang ulong walang pakundangan kung magdaldalan habang ongoing ang klase, sadyang pumapasok nang late, hindi gumagawa ng assignment, at sumasagot nang pabalang kapag pinagsasabihan ng guro. Dahil wala na'ng batas, wala na ring kaayusan ang lahat.

They're like a country with no government steadily falling into ruins.

Elle didn't want to admit it, but she knew deep within her heart that the only person who could possibly save their class from further humiliation and disgrace was none other than Shogun. Ang ironic na kung sino pa 'yung nag-iisang hindi straight sa Daang Matuwid ay ang siya pang namumukod-tanging kayang umayos sa baluktot na pag-uugali ng kanilang klase, ang tanging nilalang na makapagpapatuwid muli ng malubak at nalihis nilang daan.

Papalapit na siya sa basurahan nang mapansin niya si Lauren na kagagaling lang sa may incinerator. Saglit na nagtama ang kanilang mga mata ngunit agad nag-iwas ng tingin ang bise. Elle's eyes slowly widened in shock as she belatedly noticed Lauren's hair looked wet and sticky, with broken pieces of eggshell attached to it.

Her eyes darted from Lauren to the incinerator and saw a pair of filthy rubber shoes placed on its ash-filled mouth. It looked like they were dipped into what she assumed as poop and dirt. She looked at Lauren's feet wearing nothing but her socks.

That moment, Elle felt something inside her was crumbling down and it was painful, like she was being stabbed by a sharp fiery blade. But this feeling was not unfamiliar to her.

Ever since that day, when she chose to shut her eyes and cover her ears when the guys from their class punched Shogun repeatedly, the same day she quietly watched him walk out of the room all by himself, from that day onwards, she would often feel it—this excruciating pain rotting her soul away until she turned into nothingness.

Elle bit her lip and clenched her shivering fists. Nang magpatuloy sa paglalakad si Lauren ay binitawan ni Elle ang hawak na basurahan at hinatak sa braso ang bise. Lauren's eyes briefly flashed surprise before they became cold and sharp, drowning with hostility. Elle wanted to say something to her, but no words came out of her open mouth.