High School: Take A Ride

Episode #6 The Sign

It is getting really noisy. I think a lot of kids are already making friends.

*ding ding ding*

“All students, all students please proceed to the Auditorium for the Orientation.”

Orientation. I need my book for that. As we went out we formed a line first. The one in the front in is the one that came late. She dropped her hanky. I looked around and I think nobody else notice. If we proceed to the Auditorium now she might not never find it again. I picked up and still she didn’t notice. Should I just give it to her or I have to say something also?

Hanky, hanky, handkerchief, handkerchief. What was it in Filipino again? Gosh! It starts wit “P”. I know it!

The other students are outside of their classrooms too.

Pa, pa, payo, payong! Hindi! Pa, pa, pan, pano, panyo! Panyo! Panyo!

Gosh. This is it. My first conversation ever.  I need to make is short as possible to hide my accent. I handed her hanky and said, “Panyo mo.”. She took it without looking at me and said thank you.  She said thank you. Really? After what I’ve been through to remember PANYO? I think it’s okey to speak in English too. I don’t think they would really mind.

We reached the auditorium and the orientation went as expected, boring. Thanks to my Paolo Coelho I endured it. We came back to our room and there we are expecting to really start our classes.  The English teacher came in. I thought we would be expecting the second period. The teacher was sophisticated and young. She proposed to play a game and I was really curios. It’s not that I want to participate or anything, I just want to watch.  The game is not really a game. It’s more like a conversation. I understand most of what they are saying but not all. Some speak too fast. Then the late comer raised her hand.

“Bakit po sa dinami rami ng eskwelahan e dito pa po ninyo napiling magturo? ” Diniinan ko ang pagkasabi ng “po”.

She is having this weird facial expression.

“Hhmm. May kamag-anak kasi ako dito.”

Commotion erupted inside the room. But her, she just stood there with her mouth wide open for a moment.  Why was she shocked? The teacher just answered her question. What’s with the question anyway? I think she asked about why this school and then the teacher said that she have a relative here. So? What’s the point? It’s not like she IS the relative the teacher is pertaining to. As is, as . . . . but it can be. With the reaction she did a while ago there is a possibility. Everything went on as scheduled and then the bell rang again. Recess

As soon as the line reached the cafeteria, I quickly detached myself from the line. I don’t want to eat. I’m still full from what I had for breakfast. I think I’ll just read my book. I need to find a hushed place. I almost reached the end of the vicinity. I saw a tree and decided to stay under it. I think this place will do. I hope no one will disturb me here. I opened my book and got lost to it. After a few pages, I heard footsteps approaching. The late comer! Oh men. I hope she won’t pester me if she would I have no choice but to leave. She sat on the bench across the tree were I’m hiding.

Please make her go away.

Footsteps again. It’s coming to me. Oh men. Now what?

“Boo!”

I think she’s trying to scare me. Where are we? In third grade?

“I already saw you coming even before you sat on that bench.”

“Aah.”  She stood still, thinking. “Magkakaklase tayo di ba?”

“Oo.”  I waited for her to leave I think she have no intention at all. “If you have nothing else to say, could you please go away?” Gosh. I think that’s too much. I did hurt her. Judging by her face it did! What did you do? The plan was to stay away from people not be mean to people. I need to do something.

“I’m sorry. I know I’m rude but to tell you the truth I’m already polite in that case. I’m not good in t talking. I’m not good around people. I hope you understand”

Well, good thing she choose to stay ‘cause I would really feel guilty about it. We talked a lot, actually she talked a lot. We talked about that book that I’m reading and offered lend me others works of the author if I’m through with it. Somehow I find her nice and sweet. Along the conversation she invited herself for lunch and I have no idea I said yes.  Then out of nowhere I just blurted,

“When Ms. Olivares said she has a relative here . . .  she was pertaining to you right?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t even try to deny it. You already answered me just by your reaction.”

“Haha. As if.”

“I don’t know why you are making such a big deal out of it.”

“Seryoso. Hindi nga.”

“Okey. If that’s what you say.” There’s no need to push her if she don’t want to tell me.  I bring back my attention to my book. I was into the book already when she broke the silence.

“Oo.”

“I’m sorry?” I didn’t get it.

“Oo. She is my sister. I mean half-sister.”

“Hhmm”. She is a little sister. That’s cute.

“So?”

“So?” What does she want me to say?

“Iyon, na iyon? Hhmm ka lang diyan? Paano mo nalaman?”

“I told you it’s no big deal.” She’s acting weird. Should I shout for help?

“Para sayo oo, pero para sa akin hindi. Secret dapat iyon. Secret okey?”

Gosh. Gosh. Gosh. Did I heard it right?

“What?”

“Anong what?”

“What did you just said?”

“Na oo magkapatid kami. Ngayon mo lang ba na-gets?”

“No. No. After you said that.”

“Na dapat secret lang na magkapatid kami. Dapat walang makaalam.”

What the? Is this a joke?

“Ahmm. Hello?”

I caught myself smiling. She must think that I’m crazy. But what the hell?! It is funny !Now she looking to me as if I’m really crazy.

“You have no idea what you just did missus.”

*rrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggggg!!!!!!!!!!