Mister & Miss Virtuoso

15: The Bullies

Sa loob ng isang linggo, wala akong palya sa paghuhulog ng messages sa loob ng locker ni Andrea. Puro self-made quotations ang mga sinasabi ko sa sulat about life, reality and love. I address the letter as her secret admirer hiding in the pen name "Lonely Man".

Wala ding tigil si Liam sa kakaharang sa akin para magtanong kung gumagawa na ba ako ng paraan. I keep on telling him na heto't may ginagawa na ako pero tinitignan nya padin ako ng masama.

The past week had been the most chaotic event of my life. Si Isaiah, hindi na ulit kami nag usap. I tried to catch him in the gym every end the of the class hour pero wala naman sya sa gym. Tuwing magkakasalubong kami hindi nya ako papansinin. He will look at me for a second then he will ignore me until we separate ways.

It hurts. Pakiramdam ko he is putting distance between us dahil sa rumor na may relationship kami ni Liam. Maybe he is distancing himself dahil ayaw nya madawit pangalan nya sa rumor.

Hindi ko pa din alam kung kailan ko gagawin ang public apology. Actually wala akong balak ang kaso wala akong choice. Saka ko na lang gagawin pag naibalik ko na si Andrea kay Liam. And then after my trouble with the dumbo Liam, aamin na ako kay Isaiah. Everything is set. Everything is already planned. Oras na lang ang kalaban ko.

Its Friday, and as usual, pumunta ako sa gym pero wala parin si Isaiah. I miss him. I miss our small talks and exchange of smile everytime magkikita kami sa hallway. Kung kailan naman kami nag umpisa magpansinan, saka pa ako nasira sa kanya.

My head were held low. Pinapanuod ko ang paa ko habag patuloy na naglalakad papalayo sa gym. My mind is in a whole different diversion. Its been a whole week pero hindi pa humuhupa ang issue. Kailan ba matatapos to? I'm already tired kahit kakaumpisa pa lang.

Habang naglalakad, nabangga ako sa kung sino. Matik akong napaatras at napatingala para tignan kung sino ang nabangga ko.

They were Andre's friends. Dourisse, Julieus, Justine and Therese. All are girls, all are GAS students and member of the cheering squad. Kilala din bilang savage chic dahil sa sobrang katatarayan.

Meeting them is the last thing I wish to happen.

"Kamusta naman, miss number two?" Dourisse smirked on me.

"There is a name na mas bagay sa kanya. Miss mangaagaw," says Justine habang naka pamaywang.

Apat lang sila. Wala si Andrea. I'm sure kung kasama nila si Andrea, hindi nila ako guguluhin because Andrea is a kind hearted lady. Unlike this war-freaks.

"I'm sorry, kailangan ko nang umalis. I have better things to do." I said.

"Hah!" Julieus sighed as she rolled her eyes.

Lalagpasan ko na sana sila kaso may humila naman ng braso ko't pilit akong pinaharap. It was Therese. She scream on me, "ano bastusan tayo dito??" Mahigpit ang hawak nya sa braso ko. Her long and polished nails are digging deep on my skin.

"Ano ba! Bitawan nyo nga ako! Hindi nyo ba binasa yung student handbook?? This is bullying! You're bullying me in the school ground! If nalaman to ng admin, you will be punished."

"Edi dadalhin ka namin out of the school ground kung yan lang ang pantakot mo." Dourisse said.

"Let me go! Ano ba! Bitawan nyo ko!"

The four of them started dragging me hanggang sa nadala nila ako sa makipot, mabaho at maduming eskinita near the school. My right foot is aching dahil sa sadya kong iniwan ang sapatos ko papasok sa eskenita hoping na sana may makapansin na signal yun na someone needed help.

Itinulak ako ni Julieus kaya malakas ang kalabog nang magdikit kami ng pader tapos diretso akong natumba. I fell in dirty mud. Balot sa putik ang kamay at tuhod ko. My situation made them chuckle.

"Wala naman sana tayong problema, Amor e. Who wants to messed with a smart girl? Ang kaso kasi nasa loob yang kalandian mo which we hate." As if Justine is trying to explain.

The bullying continues. They called me in different names. Slut. Freak. Plastic. Pa-innocent and stuffs.

May kinuha si Dourisse na bote from her sling bag. Isang average size na bote ng cologne. She took the seal off tapos binuhos nya sa akin yung buong pabango. She pour it on my head at dire-diretso ang pagtulo ng liquid yung iba sa damit ko napupunta, yung iba direkta sa lupa.

My face becomes wet. My advantage because they won't notice na umiiyak na din ako.

"Actually, alcohol dapat ang ibubuhos ko sayo. Kaso baka hindi maalis yang kati mo kaya cologne ko na lang. Babango ka pa." Dourisse said making the rest of them faked a laugh.

I kept my head bowing. I head few snapshots sound. Alam ko kung ano yun. They took picture of me. In this pathethic situation. Ikinuyom ko ang kamay ko. No matter how angry I am, hindi ko parin magawang lumaban. I'm such a complete weakling.

"See you around, Amor. Bye~" I heard Justine says. Tapos naramdaman at narinig ko na yung paglakad nila papalayo. I need to bite my lower lip to seal the sobs. Saka ko na lang papakawalan paglayo nila.

When they are finally far from me, saka ko na inilabas lahat ng galit ko. Galit in a form of weakness. Walang iba kundi ang umiyak at magmukmok sa maduming gilid na yon.

Crying helplessly for like five minutes or so, I felt another presence. Someone kneel in front of me hindi nya iniinda yung putik ng paligid. Then he hold my right feet gently at isinuot ang sapatos ko. When I look at him. I wanted to cry even more dahil it is Isaiah not some stranger with a good heart.

*           *             *

[Third Person's Point of View]

Liam put his earbuds on. He cover his head with the hood of hia jacket. He kept his palm warm inside of his jacket's pocket and he completely ignore the world.

That's the best time of the day for Liam. Yung maglalakad lang sya papunta sa high way, yung magisa sya at walang umiistorbo.

Hindi pa sya masyado nakakalayo sa School ground ng may makita syang white rubber shoe. Liam put the earbuds off his ear and he bends down to see the shoe.

He examined the position of the shoe and he have two conclusions. First, it was dropped maybe without knowing it. Second, something not right is going on. Dahil nakaturo ang nakadapa na sapatos sa makipot na eskinita ay pinasok iyon ni Liam.

At the dead end, he wasn't expecting to see Andrea's friends hurting Amor. Gusto sana tumulong ni Liam kaso pakiramdam nya it's just right for Amor. And besides, if he helped her from Andrea's squad, para na rin syang gumawa ng sariling dahilan para mas lalo sila magkalabuan.

Liam put his earbuds back on and then he walk away as if he didn't witness bullying.

Riding his motorbike, nakita ni Isaiah si Liam na nanggaling sa maruming eskinita. Itinabi ni Isaiah ang motor at iniwan ito sa side street pati na rin ang helmet nya. He saw a familiar shoe. But he can't remember kung kanino nya nakita ang sapatos na yun.

Aching to feed his curiosity, pinasok nya ang eskenita.

Isaiah turned furious nang makita ang sitwasyon ni Amor. The girls took picture of her.

Inabangan ni Isaiah ang mga babae sa labas ng eskenita. All of their smile fade away when they saw him. Hawak ni Isaiah ang sapatos ni Amor.

"Give me your phone." Ani Isaiah kay Dourisse.

"W-why?"

"Give the damn phone."

Nagaalangang binigay ni Dourisse ang cellphone nya. Napasigaw silang apat sa sunod na ginawa ni Isaiah. He smashed the phone on the ground at nagkalasug-lasog ang device.

"I'll replace it, don't worry. And by the way. Kapag may kumalat na picture ni Amor, all of you will receive worse than that." Isaiah warned tapos ay pumasok sya sa eskenita.