Auburn High

Chapter 3: Welcome

JODETTE ANAIS VILLAVERDE

Nakatayo si Gabriella sa corridor, pinakiusapan ko siya na samahan ako sa unang araw ko sa Class. It's 9 am, usually dapat may classes na, pero dahil nga abnormal ang schedule ng Class X, I guess magsisimula pa lang ang klase.

Gaby was no different today, she wasn't wearing her blazer, she was only wearing her white blouse with sleeves folded up to her elbows.

"Yo" bati niya sa akin. She gave me a warm smile.

"Hey" I looked around. Looking for the classroom.

"Tara" Gaby signaled me to follow her.

Kung madaming tao ngayon sa hallway, siguro ito na ang WALK OF SHAME. Kaninang umaga lang eh, maaga akong dumating sa school and everyone was looking at me like I was some criminal, na parang nakakadiri ako. So is it true then? Have rumors really spreaded about me? I can't even defend myself. I just don't really give a fuck anymore.

I have never been mistreated by anyone before, except for Hannah. Ngayon, everyone's looking down on me. Not that I really care about my social status, it's just that feeling ko wala na silang respeto sa akin.

"Joan? Okay ka lang?" Gaby looked concerned.

"Er...Medyo" I gave her a sad smile. "Malungkot talaga ako but at the same time gusto kong isigaw sa buong Auburn High kung gaano ka-bitch si Hannah at kung pwede lang ako na mismo ang magtanggal ng peke niyang nosebridge!"

"Woah, woah, chill out Anais" Gaby giggled. Minsan talaga "Anais" ang tawag niya sa akin.

Gaby stopped and held the room's doorknob. The initials "S.A" was carved into a golden plate hanged on the door. I guess it stands for SECTION A. Hindi naman pala Section X, o Class X ang pangalan ng section nila eh, everyone was just overreacting.

"Look, everyone has a reason kung bakit sila nandito, mapa-personal man o hindi. Yung iba sadyang tinapon dito, just like me" Gaby smiled and continued "and you..."

"Hindi masamang napunta ka sa section na 'to. You'll see! Tutulungan kitang makilala sila, okay?" at binuksan na niya ang pinto.

Nagsiputukan ang mga confetti, napatakip ako ng tenga kasi ang daming pumuputok na confetti.

"WELCOME ANAIS!" they shouted and cheered the moment I stepped my foot in the room. I slowly removed my hands, and looked at the sparkling eyes and the wide smiles they gave me. Two identical twins held my hands and led me to the table, where I saw a cake full of messy drawings and dedications written using a red icing.

"F-for me?" I didn't know what to say!

"We wrote that! Ako may drawing nun oh!" turo ng isang kambal.

"Pinagmayabang mo pa, pangit naman!" the other twin hissed. Maybe in time I can identify them.

Nagkukulitan na silang lahat, maingay pero masaya. I started to read all the dedications written in the cake, and I'm stopping myself from crying because of happiness. Everyone was enjoying themselves, sabay sabay nila akong kinakausap kaya naloloka ako! Pero iniisip ko pa rin kung kailan darating ang teacher namin, pero sa ngayon, ang pagcecelebrate nila ng pagdating ko ang inaatupag namin.

Sana hindi na dumating ang teacher.

They're all different, from nerds to playboys and playgirls, from smart girl to creative girls, from talented to bad ass, from mysteriousness to expressiveness. Like an eat all you can buffet.

They are nice people, actually they are beyond nice, and they were fun to be with. May mga nagtatawanan, nagbabangayan, naghaharutan, nagtatalo at nagkukulitan.

Mas masaya kaysa sa nakakasakal na mundo ng Section 1. Puro perfect, perfect, perfect, excellent, discipline bla! bla! bla!

Pero dito... iba.

Gaby hugged me in the midst of the excitement, "I'm glad you're here, WE'RE glad you're here. Just be yourself... let go... you're free now" she whispered.

Free? Finally.