Auburn High

Chapter 2: New Girl

Jodette Anais Villaverde

I GOT SUSPENDED.

Buti nga suspension lang inabot ko, hindi pa kick-out. Makikick-out kaya ako? 

I cringed by the thought of what I had done. Shit! Bakit ko ba siya sinapak? What the hell happened to my temper? I lied down on my bed, thinking of what happened again. Somehow, it also felt good. This was the first time I fought for myself, the first time I cursed, the first time I didn't behave, I lost my composure, it was the first time that I stopped pretending to be an angel. 

So I really am a pretentious bitch, huh? Well, fuck. 

Someone knocked on my door, I crossed my fingers hoping it's not my mom or dad suddenly rushing back home from the States. When I opened it, it was our maid. 

"Miss Jodette, pinapatawag po kayo ni Ma'am sa office niya po" 

"O-office? Saang office?" Madami kasing office ang magulang ko, may home office, at office sa limang branches ng family company. But the fact that they're already back here in the Phils. made my knees melt. It didn't surprise me, but it definitely made me weak. 

"Sa main po, nakahanda na po yung driver" 

Looks like I have no choice but to go there. 

By the time I arrived at the office, many employees were greeting me. I tried to smile, but my lips hurt when I do. Iniisip ko pa lang na papagalitan ako, parang gusto ko nang umiyak. All I ever wanted to do, was to make my parents happy.

To be what they want me to be. I'm an angel for them, the perfect little angel Jodette. But, I don't think I am. 

With trembling hands, I tried to open my mom's office door. My legs are a bit shaky as I walked in, I saw my dad sitting on the couch, and my mom reading some papers. The sight of me made her forehead creased, her face easily tensed. And my dad was pretty calm. He was always like that. Dad, please save me. 

"You have a minute to explain your behavior during that party, Jodette" she firmly commanded. 

"Uhh..." I was startled, I didn't know where to start! 

"She... uhm... Hannah.. the girl that I punched. She was really getting on my nerves! I gueas she hired someone to take those bikini shots of me, alam niyo namang ayaw ko ng nagpipicture kapag naka-bikini diba? And those pictures with my ex..." I wasn't able to explain this because I knew that it was too much for them. I'm quite ashamed to be honest. "Uhm..uh tapos pinagkalat niya yun sa school, she spreaded rumors about me being a slut. She's ruining my image, binabastos na ako ng iba duon kaya I cannot take it anymore! She also said something really offensive, and it just... it made want to..." my fist curved into a ball. Kung pwede lang talaga! Tatapyasin ko yung plastic na nosebridge ni Hannah! 

"Hindi mo na lang dapat pinatulan, what she did was low, and you didn't have to stoop down to her level. What you did was also low... Hindi kita pinalaking basagulera" mom said. 

What surprised me the most is that she's not yelling at me, I mean, she's not even looking at me! She was surprsingly calm, and I was worried the whole time! 

"Y-you're not mad? Aren't you going to scold me?" 

"Scolding is for children, you're approaching 18 years old and you don't deserve to be scolded. You have to accept the consequences of your actions....." she paused for a while, then her face turned red, her grip on her fountain pen tightened, "and that little brat Hannah should learn her lesson, I hope her nose will rot..." gigil na sabi ni mommy. 

"M-mommy..." 

"H-honey..." dad chuckled. 

"I can't believe she called you a slut! My angel? A slut? I cannot believe her!" Mom is starting to get hysterical.