Mystic Falls

DOS

It was a sunny day for me to waste my time again. Sabado ngayon pero nandito ako sa school dahil may make up classes kami. Kinda good thing, half day lang ang klase.

"Ang boring!" bulong sa akin ni Bea. Seatmate ko siya at natatanging taong nakakayanan ang kaartehan ko. Some people get irritated with the way I react to things given that I'm maarte. But, Bea is one of the exeptions. She finds it funny, cute pa nga raw, kung tawagin niya.

What's so cute about being grossed on things?

"We'll be home soon, don't worry," irap ko sa kaniya. Hanggang tenga ang ngisi ko nang may maisip na ideya, "Or you know, we can cut classes."

Ako naman ang inirapan niya ngayon. How she hates school, like I do, but also hates it when I give that idea to her. Hindi na bago sa kaniya ang pangdedemonyo kong mag-cut classes, and she never missed on rejecting me every time I tell her to.

After meeting Atticus, or should I call Tico, it was Bea that I first talked to in the class. Like the typical newbie, I found it hard making friends. Hindi naman ako intorvert, hindi ko lang trip ang mga trip nila. 'Yong iba, walang pake sa akin. Karamihan, jejemon. 'Yong iba, mukhang bully, nakakatakot lapitan lalo na't hindi naman ako sanay sa environment nila. 'Yong iba naman, feeling superior dahil matagal na silang nag-aaral dito.

Thankfully, Bea was nothing like them.

She approached me by inviting me to eat with her during our vacant. Then, she introduced me to her squad. Kahit papaano naman pala, may matino sa klaseng napuntahan ko. There were six of them, now seven, including me. Kaya lang, si Bea talaga ang pinaka close ko dahil nga seatmate ko din siya.

Her friends welcomed me warmly and in a span of 3 weeks, naging kumportable naman na ako sa kanila. They were nothing like my friends in Manila yet they made me feel like I've been with them for a long time. It may sound judgy, but the moment I met them, life status agad ang naisip kong itanong sa kanila. Most of them are from middle class, some were actually rich, sadyang gusto lang maranasan ang simpleng buhay na katulad ng ginagawa sa akin ng magulang ko. No one beyond poor, 'yong tipong makikita natin sa documentaries na tumatawid pa ng ilog makapasok lang ng eskuwela.

I have nothing against it— if it sounded a bit off. I actually admire those students who work harder than I do, it's just that I didn't grew up doing things that they do. Hindi ko mawari kung bakit kung sino pa ang gustong matuto, siya pa 'tong pinagkakaitan. If only I could help them, I would. I could even build a school close to their community if I can. And one day, I'm hoping that I could really.

"Alam mo namang hindi pwede 'yan, Uno," bulong pabalik ni Bea. "My mother's the principal, if you don't remember."

Umirap pa ito para maipakita sa akin na hindi niya nagugustuhan ang ideya ko.

"Nothing's impossible, Bea! Trust me!" sagot ko sa kaniya. Isang nagtatakang mukha ang binigay niya pabalik. Mukha namang nakuha namin ang atensyon ng iba pa naming circle  of friends kaya't sabay kaming napalingon ni Bea kay Ranel.

Napangisi ako sa naisip kong bagong ideya, "Ma'am, can we cut classes? Me and my seatmate Bea is so bored na, eh!"

And as always, naagaw ko na naman ang atensyon ng klase kahit isang tao lang naman ang gusto kong kausapin.

"Excuse me, Ms. Olivarez? Did I hear you right?" tanong sa akin pabalik ng professor namin. Malakas naman ang pagkakasabi ko pero bakit hindi niya marinig? Is it because she's too old so her hearing skills are kind of off? Or is it because this room is too dirty that the dusts were so thick it went to her ears?

Sasagot na sana ako pero naunahan ako ng isang dakilang epal—si Tico. Of course, may bago na naman siyang mai-susumbong kay Daddy. Akala ko Fulgoso ang pangalan ng aso namin, Tico na pala.