Virtually Yours

Chapter Two

"OH, HEY! Look who's here!" Si Mori ang unang nakabawi sa biglaang pag-entrada ng TP, which is Tropang Potchi to be exact. "You're just on time," nakangiting dagdag pa nito at pasimpleng kinindatan ako. Napangiti ako sa tinuran nito. I get what she meant by that wink. I stood up and faced the TP.

"Mori is right, you came at the right moment!"I exclaimed. "We need an 'extra' for our slapping scene, and I think the role suits you. Wanna give it a try?" I playfully said, enough to annoy them.

"Oh, no thanks. We don't have to be, uh,  what do you call it again?" Astrid paused as if trying to recall what I just said.

"Sige lang, mag-english ka pa. 'Extra' lang hindi mo pa maalala, boba!" Muntik na akong matawa sa sinabi ni Ash. Mahina lang ang pagkakasabi niya ngunit hindi nakatakas sa pandinig namin ng mga kaibigan ko. They were laughing as well.

"Ah, extra? Kami na kasi ang bida," she confidently said as she flipped her hair.

"Kontrabida," magkapanabayang pagtatama naman nina Liz at Lein. "Just because we don't fight back doesn't mean we are losers," dagdag ni Lein.

"Oh, really? Isn't it because you are afraid of us? Kasi hindi niyo kami kayang kalabanin," Janna commented as she raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, may maipagmamalaki pa naman kayo because you know where you stand," nakangising komento rin ni Alice na dahilan upang humalakhak ang mga kasamahan niya.

"Of course, we know where to stand. High above you. Kaya nga kami nananatiling 'cool' sa mga pinaggagagawa ninyo sa amin," I blankly stated as I crossed my arms across my chest. "We will never stoop down to your level, remember that."

Irritation mixed with anger is evident on their faces. Astrid's fists were trembling as well as Janna's hands. I know they're itching to slap me but they can't. The whole class is watching, and we all know for a fact that eveyone hates them. Just then, the bell rang. They were lost for words and luckily saved by the bell.

Eksaktong nakaayos na kami ng upo nang pumasok sa klase ang second period teacher namin. She's a woman in her late 40's, I guess. Naka-bun ang itim niyang buhok where some gray strands were visible. Ito ang unang beses na nakita ko siya, so I'm guessing na baguhan pa lang siya rito sa campus. Halata sa tindig at pananalita ang katarayan nito. Whenever she talks, she raises an eyebrow. Kapansin-pansin din ang pag-snap ng mga daliri niya habang nagsasalita.

"So, as I was saying, I will be your Basic Calculus teacher and I expe--" she paused for a while and everyone gasped when she suddenly threw the whiteboard marker at Jacob who was currently massaging his forehead. "Listen when I am talking," she said with authority.

Lihim akong napairap sa ugaling ipinapakita nito sa harap ng klase. Halata rin ang inis sa mukha ng mga kaklase ko. Well, that's natural. We have our own classroom motto, and that is, "If you hate us, we hate you, too. The feeling is always mutual." We are aware na may gap sa pagitan namin sa classroom, pero kapag may isang bagay kaming napagkakasunduan, we are fighting as one.

"May attitude," Lein uttered. She was seated beside me, on my right to be exact. Ash remained in her usual poker face, seated on my left. Liz, on the other hand was seated next to Lein followed by Mori beside the window. Actually, we planned this seating arrangement. Hindi lang naman kami kundi buong klase. We were arranged per group. Hindi naman ito bawal as long as we set our limits. Hindi kami pwedeng magkopyahan during quizzes and exams.

"Scared?" bulong ko pabalik, since nasa second row lang kami at malapit sa center aisle.

"Of course, not," sagot niya at mahinang tumawa. I was about to say something but someone butt in.

"Uh, excuse me, ma'am. We are trying to focus here, but some aren't listening and it's distracting us. Too bad, they're just in front of us," biglang sabat ni Cassy kaya napatingin lahat sa direksyon niya, and later on, nasa amin na ang atensiyon.

I mentally rolled my eyes upon hearing their complaints. Nakalimutan kong attention seeker nga pala ang grupo sa likuran namin. If I know, they're trying to get even with us. I should have known na gagawa at gagawa sila ng bagay na ikapapahiya namin. I was about to defend ourselves when someone butt in for the second time around. Napapikit na lamang ako dahil sa inis. Why is it that wheneverI try to say something, may sumisingit?

"Is that so?" Nakarating na sa harapan namin ang Calculus teacher na kanina lang ay pinag-uusapan namin. Nakataas na naman ang kilay niya as if it's gonna fall from there kapag pinanatili sa natural na ayos. "How dare you speak while I am still talking? Didn't you hear what I just said earlier?!" she roared. Her eyes were screaming mad. I looked at Lein. She knows that I am not good at explaining kaya ipinapaubaya ko na sa kanya ang pagsagot.

"Sorry, ma'am, but you were not talking when we spoke," depensa ni Lein sa kalmadong boses. Parang gusto ko na lang lumubog sa kinauupuan ko ngayon. Seriously? Gumagana pa rin ang pagiging pilosopo ni Lein sa ganitong sitwasyon? She should've just apologized, cutting the latter part of her statement.

The woman faked a laugh. "Pilosopo, aren't you? Nagsasalita man ako kanina or not, you cannot deny the fact na sumuway kayo sa sinabi ko," she insisted.

Halata na sa mukha ni Lein ang inis and I'm sure as hell that anytime by now, when she opens her mouth, she'll burst out. "Look, I am trying to explain our side here but you won't listen. Rather, you are throwing pointless accusations. Are you looking for a fight, ma'am?" may bahid ng panghahamon sa boses na sagot ni Lein. Umani ng iba't ibang reaksyon ang linyang binitawan niya. Some were amazed by how she managed to talk to our teacher that way, while of course, the group behind us were irritated.

Napangiwi ako sa sinabi ni Lein, at gano'n din ang mga kaibigan namin. She really is the meanest among us. She can slay through her words.

"Ang galing mo rin namang sumagot, ano?" sarkastikong sabi ng teacher ngunit bakas sa boses ang galit.

"Thanks," sarkastiko ring sagot ni Lein. Alam ko na ang susunod na mangyayari kaya hinawakan ko na ang bag ko, and waited for the signal.

"Get out of my class! NOW!" And that's our cue. Lumabas kami ng classroom ni Lein ngunit bago pa man kami makalabas nang tuluyan, napatigil kami.

"And you, three, where are you going?" rinig naming sabi nito. Nagtatakang napalingon kami sa harapan only to see Ash, Liz and Mori walking towards us with their bags on their back.

"We talked, too, ma'am!" Liz said.

"Yes, and we are leaving, too," dagdag ni Mori. They lied. Kami lang ni Lein ang nagsalita kanina. Napasulyap ako sa harapan at nakita ang hindi maipintang mukha ng guro namin dahil sa pinaghalong inis at galit. Hindi rin nakaligtas sa paningin ko ang ngiting tagumpay na nakapaskil sa labi ng bawat miyembro ng TP. Instead of getting irritated, I felt my lips move to a curve. If they think they can step on us freely, then they should think again.