The Thomasite

Chapter 1

"I'm sorry Miss Bennett, I can't give you your certificate of enrolment unless you do what the other enrollees did. The step-by-step process. And please don't bring someone to do it for you. You should do it yourself."

Napanganga ako sa narinig ko. Tumingin ako sa likod ko at napansin kong iba ang tingin sa akin ng mga estudyanteng nakapila. Were they trying to overhear my conversation with the registrar? Shit.

Umalis ako sa pila at hinanap si Erika. Nakita ko naman siya na nakaupo sa isang bench habang nakikipag-usap sa isang lalake.

I cleared my throat. Their conversation was interrupted.

Biglang nagbago ang expression sa mukha ng lalake. He looked at me like he'd seen a ghost. Tumayo siya at inilahad ang kamay niya sa akin, "Camille Bennett, the topnotcher. Hi, name's Dixon." He let out a charming smile. And of course, I knew what it meant.

I shifted my gaze to Erika who seems uneasy. "It's nice to meet you Dixon but I'm afraid I have to steal Erika from you. We have to talk in private." I replied without accepting his offer for a handshake.

He nodded and left immediately.

"Ba't hindi ka man lang nakipag kamay? Ang sama mo." Sabi niya habang inaayos ang gamit ko. She's my childhood friend and PA.

"Masama ba na iwasan ang lalaking gusto ng kaibigan mo? Cmon, Erika. Obvious naman na nakikipagflirt siya sa akin, diba? I did it for you."

Umiling siya at nagsimulang maglakad. "Tama ka. Obvious naman na ikaw ang gusto niya at hindi ako. So, why bother avoiding him for me? I'm hopeless, anyway." Erika isn't hopeless. She's pretty and petite. Just the right amount of blusher and the right shade of lipstick will make her as gorgeous as me.

I rolled my eyes. Are we seriously talking about nonsensical things?

"I'm the one who's hopeless, Erika. Hindi binibigay ng registrar yung COE ko kasi hindi raw ako ang nag-asikaso. Paano na yan? Samakalawa na ang start ng classes. I don't know if they are accepting late enrolees."

Tumigil sa paglalakad at humarap sa akin. "Bakit ka ba kasi nagpa-late?"

"Kasalanan ko ba na dinala ako ni Mama sa Spain as reward for topping the entrance exams?"

"And now you're bragging..." I pouted at siya naman ay nagpigil ng tawa. Natawa kami pareho.

"Samahan mo na kasi ako." I pouted even more.

"Sunday bukas. Monday ka na nyan makakapag-enroll. Di naman siguro masyadong magkaklase ng first day kaya maaasikaso mo naman yung COE mo. Tsaka siyempre papapasukin ka na kahit wala ka pang COE kasi ikaw ang topnotcher."

I smiled at her. It's a really good thing that I have her as a friend.

"At dahil dyan, ililibre kita sa caf!" Hinigit ko ang kamay niya at nagsimula ng maglakad. Napatigil kami pareho ng biglang nagbukas ang office ng dean. Napansin naming maraming tao sa office at parang may celebration na nagaganap. Celebrating what? I have no idea.

Nasa unahan ko na ngayon si Erika at pinapatigil na rin ako sa pag-i-eavesdrop. I stepped forward but as I catch a last glance to the opened door, I caught a sight of a foreigner sitting on the sofa opposite to the dean, probably an American or British in his mid-twenties. What's more surprising is that he also looked at me with a sight of... horror? I don't know. He looks weird.

"Camille!"

Erika seemed irritated kaya nagmadali na rin akong umalis at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papuntang caf.

It was 9 in the evening when Erika and I got home. After lunch, we went to our favourite book store and spent hours there and went to the mall afterwards. Nagdinner na rin kami dun.