ALEXIS and the Bet

Chapter Six: The Club Room

I was surprised later that afternoon when Joey asked me what my visual acuity was and grade of my glasses. I mean, why would she even ask me about that? Then I noticed she was eyeing my recently repaired-by-scotch-tape glasses. So, I gave her the answer then asked her, "Ba't mo naman naitanong?"

She gave me a shrug. "Wala lang. Curious lang ako. Kasi baka kaya naman kahit 'di ka magsuot ng salamin."

We went to our club room together that afternoon, since it was every Friday that we held our club meetings. I was a bit excited because it was my first time joining. Earlier, Alicia said she needed to leave early to fix the club room. Luckily, I bumped in to Joey and we agreed to go to the club room together. Joey led me to the room at the far end of the hall.

My new friends and I were all in different sections: Alicia and I were on the same section, Madie was all alone in another section while Robyn and Joey were classmates.

"Tara," Joey invited. I gave her a nod as my reply.

Joey was the type of girl who didn't act like one. She was a bit on the boyish side who prefered wearing a baseball cap to hide her messy shoulder lenght hair rather than using hair clips or headbands. She was also into sports, particularly basketball. And the Pink Angels would often sneer and scoff at her for being unlady-like.

"Dedma lang ako sa kanilang mga judgemental humanoids," she once told me. "Hindi naman ako mamamatay kung ganito talaga ako, eh."

The minute I stepped inside of the club room, I instantly knew it was the Purple Flower Book Club. It was not because of the rich purple color that plastered the four walls of the room; or the flimsy white curtain with small purple flowers that framed the windows. It was not even because of the shelf of books that stood on one side of the room. No. It was the ambiance that the room exuded—with a vase filled with flowers atop a table, a simple set of couches that surrounded a coffee table in the middle of the room and the comfortable looking cushions on the carpeted floor that looked so inviting. There was even a small counter table on one corner. The entire place made me feel at home and at ease. It made me want to curl my feet under me while sitting on one of those comfortable cushions with a book on my lap and a hot chocolate on one hand. Speaking of which, the room did smell of warm chocolate.

"Welcome to the Purple Flower Book Club room!" Alicia said with her usual bright and sunny smile.

Joey and I went inside. Madie was already in the club room, setting up cookies on the plate at the counter table. Robyn was arranging the cushions on the floor.

"Club room ba talaga ito?" I asked incredulously. "Mukhang nasa bahay ka lang at, ang ganda naman ng club room n'yo."

Alicia giggled. "Syempre! Kahit konti lang ang members, dapat 'yong the best pa rin ang para sa kanila."

"Salamat kay Alicia at sa nagagawa ng kanyang pera," Robyn added. Ah. Now I learned something about Alicia: She belonged to a rich family. Why hadn't Alicia ever mentioned this piece of information with me?

Alicia gave Robyn a pout. "Parang sinasabi mong masama ang nagawa ko. At saka 'di ba nagbenta naman tayo ng cupcakes at cookies last year para may pambili tayo sa decorations ng club room natin?"

"Na siya namang binili lahat ng tatay mo," Joey supplied.

Alicia turned to me and gave me one of those puppy eyes look. "Masama ba ako, Alex? Dahil sa ginawa ko?"

I didn't know what to say, really, since I have no idea of the real story on how the club started.

"Alicia, wala kaming sinabing gano'n," Madie said, as she moved around from behind the counter and carried a plate of cookies and placed it on the coffee table. "Ang gustong sabihin nina Robyn at Joey, sa aming lahat ikaw 'yong sobrang dedicated at mahal na mahal ang club na ito at gagawin ang lahat para sa club at club members."