Living Dead

LD: 6

DANAE

"Okay class, you have a new classmate. Iha, come in." the teacher said.

Almost half an hour ding late siyang pumasok. Isang oras bawat subject kaya naman sa tingin ko ay baka wala na rin kaming magawa nyan.

Pumasok ang isang babaeng mukhang... manika. Maayos ang buhok, maganda ang mukha, maganda ang kutis, at maganda din ang pangangatawan.

"Hello classmates! My name is Erica Evans, 16. I'm from USA and I hope to be friends with all of 'ya!" says she with all smiles. "And oh, Emmanuel Raven there, is mine. Please be good to me. Thank you."

The last time I checked, puno na ang classroom na 'to. I mean, wala ng vacant seat nang dumating ako dito. Kaya nga dito na 'ko naupo dahil ito na lang ang bakante. Pero ngayon, may isang upuan sa third row na bakante.

Akala ko doon siya uupo pero dumiretso siya sa akin, or more like sa pwesto ko. Tumigil siya harapan ko na nakangiti.

"Hi missy, can I take that seat?"

I looked at her. Nakaupo ako at nakatayo siya kaya kinailangan ko pang tumingala. I don't plan to transfer seat so I shook my head.

"Erica, go to that vacant chair and sit there." I heard Kiddo say.

"What? El, don't you want me to be seated beside you?" parang nagtatampong sambit ni Eba.

"She already occupies the chair, Erica."

"But El! I should be sitting beside you! Hey girl, back off."

Tss, brats. No one is the boss of me unless necessary. So I remained silent and impassive. The two of them continued arguing while the whole class was only watching. Until the teacher spoke.

"Miss Danae, pwede namang ikaw na lang ang lumipat 'di ba?"

I don't know what kind of rule circulates here in RU. Nung Friday pa 'to ah. Why do I always have to be the one to adjust? Last Friday, the other teacher told me to get a chair 'cause this brat Kiddo doesn't want me beside him and now this?

"Bakit?" I asked.

"Para wala ng gulo. Sige na, Danae, iha. Ikaw na ang lumipat nang makapagsimula na tayo." nakikiusap na sabi niya pa.

"Heard that? You can now go to that chair." turo nitong Erin sa lugar niya dapat.

But still, I didn't stand. I didn't even bother to look at her again. Instead, umiling ako sa teacher, showing my disapproval.

"Why don't you want to lipat ba?! You're nakakainis na! Alis na you dyan!"

Nagulat ang lahat sa biglang pagsigaw niya. Edi lumabas din ang tunay niyang kulay. But I stilled. Hanggang sa sobrang inis niya siguro ay hinila niya ang buhok ko. It was painful. Parang pinupunit ang anit ko.

"Erica!"

EMMANUEL

As much as  I want to get even to Danae, I just can't watch this happen. Erica kept on pulling Danae's hair and the latter wasn't even doing anything! Parang pinapabayaan niya lang na ingudngod siya ni Erica!

"Erica! Fuck stop it!" I demanded as try to get her hands off Danae.

Pero hindi siya nagpaawat. Ni hindi ko man nga maalis ang kamay niya! Ito talaga ang problema kay Erica eh, masyado siyang brutal kapag inis!

Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!

"The three of you, go to the guidance office! Now!"

Everyone was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the principal. Even Erica, she was stunned for a moment until she decided to let go of Danae. And Danae, on the other hand, stood up as if nothing happened!

__

"Now, explain." kalmadong sabi ni Dean.

"Eh kasi po, I was asking her calmly to give me my seat but then she kept on refusing! I should be the one sitting beside El but then this bitch doesn't want to move!" panimula ni Erica. Napasapo na lang ako sa noo ko.

"Watch your words Miss Erica." nagbabantang sabi ni Dean na nagpayuko ng kaunti kay Erica.

Kung meron ka mang dapat na iwasan dito sa RU, hindi ang mga estudyante o teachers, kundi ang dean. Dean Raven has proven himself to be someone who you should avoid crossing paths with. And now, we're here, having a face to face session.

And yes.

He's my grandfather.

"Ikaw Mr. Emmanuel, why were you included?" I straightened my body.

"Dean, as you may see, I was p-partly the reason of this." I respectfully said.

"What? No! It was this Danae's fault! If only she followed my instruction asap, then this wouldn't have happened!" depensa ni Erica at tinuro pa si Danae.

We all looked at Danae.

She was there, in front of me. Her arms were crossed. Her eyes were bored. Her face was blank. She seemed so calm! As if hindi man lang siya nasaktan.

"At ikaw?" tanong ni Dean dito.

"Napano ako?" walang kagalang-galang na sabi niya and for respectful's sake she was talking to the Dean!

"Bakit hindi ka na lang lumipat? That could've prevented this."

"Nauna ako don."

"Erica? Is that true? Nauna siya sayo sa upuang 'yon?" he turned to Erica.

"Y-yes but... b-but I wanted to be seated beside El and she was an hindrance and she kept on refusing that's why she deserved it! She deserved what I gave to her! For being a bitch to me!"

Damn. I don't even know where does Erica get her logic! And what I don't know more is that why is Danae so calmed and stilled! Naiinis ako! Naiinis ako dahil parang wala lang sa kanya! Why can't she just show that she was freaking hurt!

"Tss." ang tanging tugon ni Danae.

"Erica, I am so disappointed in you. The three of you, whatever your reasons are, still caused a commotion that caused an interruption of class. Detention for 4 hours!" fuck, four hours? Edi wala nyang lunch?

"B-but G-granpa, you see she did not fight back because she knew I was right! So she should only be the one to have a detention!" reklamo ni Erica.

"First, I am the dean right now," he eyed Danae, "Second, Danae, bakit hindi ka lumaban? Hindi sa sinasabihan kitang dapat ay pinatulan mo siya but then, look at yourself. You were obviously defeated." Dean asked curiously yet with authority.

"I'm sorry D-dean, but see? It was because I was right! And surely, she cannot beat me that's why. And maybe she was afraid that I'd drag her again if she ever fought back." nagmamalaking epal ni Erica.

And for the nth time, what Danae replied made my world stop. Even Dean Raven was taken aback. Erica seemed to be shocked and feared. The words she said weren't even heavy! But the way she delivered it...

She smirked.

"Isang beses mo lang akong pwedeng saktan. Dahil sa susunod... hindi na kita pagtitimpihan."

Calm.

Yet too...

Danger-fucking-ous!