LUNA: The Rebellion

22: House Miraghan

Tinitigan ko ang mga anak ni Eliseo na kumakain ng tahimik sa hapag kainan habang nginunguya ko ang kinakain kong matamis na tinapay para sa umagahan. Kada isa sakanila ay hindi man lang kayang iangat ang kanilang mga ulo mula sakanilang plato para bigyan pansin ang mga sariling kapatid. Tahimik lamang sila. May mga sariling mundo. Kahit si Ravi ay tumahimik.

Palipat lipat lamang ang tingin ko sakanila.

It had been weeks, and none of them had given me any headaches from their behaviors as far as I could remember. I would have clapped and praised them for doing good but I knew it'd only pissed them off. To be fair, I wasn't good of a praiser either. Any compliments from my mouth might come off as teasing and mocking for them. Maybe if I at least tried a little too, I might pull it off. Next time.

I took another bite of my bread that was sprinkled with sugar powder and was jammed with what they called a strawberry spread. "Mga pipi ba kayo?"

Mukhang hindi naman sila bingi at sabay sabay pa nila akong nilingon. Sumimsim ako sa kape ko at hinintay silang magsalita ngunit wala akong narinig kundi ang tunog lamang ng kanilang kubyertos sa plato. Sabay sabay pa silang yumuko uli--- pwera na lang kay Ravi na pinagtaasan pa ako ng kilay.

Really?

Pinagtaasan ko 'rin siya ng kilay ng kausapin ako nito sa utak.

Wala kang bibig?

I'm not talking if they're around.

Para kang tanga. Para kayong tanga.

Obviously, they don't want to be here. Obviously, I don't want to be sitting at the same table as them.

Sinaksak ko ang bread knife sa tinapay ko. That movement might have affected everyone and not just Ravi, they all stiffened from it. "Everyone who wants to leave the table right now, raise their hands"

There was the silence and the exchanging of glances before Ravi confidently raised his. Immediately, everyone followed after. I took a deep breath, stopping myself from bursting. I looked each one of them in the eye. If the only reason for their attendance at today's breakfast was because I ordered them to be here, I shouldn't have even tried bridging for Ravi and the others. Why the heck would I waste my time on them?

Walang ekspresyon ko silang tinignan sabay senyas sakanila na pwede na silang umalis.

No one moved.

I rolled my eyes. "You can go"

Again with the exchanging of glances.

Tumalim ang paningin ko sakanila.

Sahar.

Ravi tried to communicate again but I shut him out of my mind. All thanks to Arius, who taught me how to cut telepathy off. It was easy. I just needed to imagine a wall, then cut. No voices. Nothing.

Nung wala pa 'ring umaalis ako na ang unang tumayo. Ramdam ko ang pagsunod ng kanilang mga mata saakin. I finished my coffee and gestured at the chewing Francis. "Pumunta ka sa opisina ko pagkatapos mo dyan"

"Aren't you going to finish your bread?" The question was pure curiosity.

"Nagsasalita ka pala"

He stopped chewing.

Kinuha ko ang tinapay ko at binigyan sila ng tingin lahat. "After breakfast, make sure to do your work. I will collect reports from everyone at the end of the day as usual" Binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Francis, "Kapag hindi ka pumunta, ako ang pupunta sayo" I emphasized each word, my eyes gave out nothing. "What will happen to you by then will no longer concern me"