Alley To Your Way

1

lip tint

Embarrassed to my own self, nasapo ko ang noo ko matapos makita ang hawak na resulta ng katatapos lang na quiz sa Science. 11/40? I'm sure my Kuya and Ate will give me endless sermon again. Alam nila na may quiz ako kahapon kaya naman for sure ay tatanungin nila ang naging marka ko pag-uwi ko. 11/40 is never satisfying for them, even for me.

My Ate Hasmin, who's the oldest among us, just graduated last school year here in USC as a Summa Cum Laude. Si Kuya Vico naman, he's in eleventh grade and his grades are impressive. Dito din siya sa USC as well. This is actually my first year studying here kasi sa Montessori ako nag-elementary.

And me? Kilala lang naman ako sa section namin na pala-aral pero bobo. I'm in grade seven, by the way. Kasi daw panay ang paggawa ko ng mga reviewers, ang dami-dami kong highlighters at walang nasasayang dahil sa pagrereview, pilit akong nagrereview pero kahit anong gawin ko mababa pa din ang grades ko. Nakikinig naman ako sa mga discussions at nagte-take note pa nga! Ngunit hindi pa rin nag-iimprove ang aking mga marka. Sa tuwing irerelease ang report card ay halos ayaw kong umuwi.

Nakakahiya nga para sa mga kapatid ko dahil kilala silang achievers samantalang yung bunso sa pamilyang Borja, boplaks. Palaging sinasabi ng aking mga magulang na they're still proud of me and that I'm doing a good job but it feels the other way around. My kneejerk reaction is I just smile kasi feeling ko ginagago lang naman ako sa mga compliments na 'yon.

Gusto ko nang matapos ang school year na 'to! Time feels so slow. Last quarter na pero parang ang bagal bagal pa din.

"Same!" I saw Robi, my classmate who just confessed to me last week that he has a crush on me, running towards me and asked, "Going home?" This doesn't feel awkward but some junior high students are looking at us right now making me think awkward. Robi is known for being the son of the dean in a particular college here in USC but I'm not sure which. Their family is richer than mine because his Dad was an heir of one of the biggest companies here in the Philippines. I think they're based in Marikina but he stays here in San Castellana, Mindanao to study.

I simply nodded because I don't even wanna make a conversation with him right now. I'm not in the mood to talk to someone like a friend. Maski nga ang dalawa kong kaibigan ay iniwan ko sa room.

"Hatid na kita. Andyan na rin kasi ang driver ko. Your house is on the way naman." He sweetly smiled. I know he is sincere, and he just wanna help but I don't wanna go with him. Or with anyone but Kuya Vico. I don't hate Robi. I like him, I actually do. He is kind, smart and always concerned about me. But I only like him as my classmate and friend since grade school. We weren't schoolmates but our Moms are friends.

"No thank you. Hinihintay ko ang kapatid ko." I casually replied.

"Ooh. Si Kuya Vico ba? Okay, take care. See you tomorrow." He waved before he went inside the white Fortuner that just parked across the road.

"Hi Same!"

Nilingon ko ang tumawag sa gawing kanan at nakita ang ilan sa mga grade 9 students. Maraming nakakakilala sakin, probably because of my family. Pero I don't like attention from these people na kilala ko lang sa pangalan o di kaya sa itsura.

I curved my lips as my greeting and gazed at my watch after. Nasaan na ba si Kuya Vico? Ang sabi niya ay susunduin niya ako ng 5 pm pero malapit na mag 5:30 ay wala pa rin siya. Marahil ay naatasan na naman siya sa open tutor.

Tinext ko na lang siya na ako na ang pupunta sa Nueva Pablo which is senior high school's building. May mga benches naman sa paligid nito.

"Kuya please." I murmurred when I started to get irritated. Wala lang naman ako sa mood kaya ako naiirita. I'm just feeling so heavy these past few days I'm not sure exactly why. Muli kong nilabas ang quiz paper ko at tinitigan ang pangalan ko. My name is already printed because our school provides printed quiz papers.