GAME OVER (One Shot )
Kailangan ko ng magreview. Madami-dami din 'toh..
Nakakastress ang pressure sa school, hindi ko naman 'toh ginusto.
Sila lang naman yung kailangan kong sundin.
I am like one of those chess pieces or a character in a game wherein the player controls me.
I can decide on my own, but I prefer to follow their scheme. Expectation kills.
*Ring*
"Oh Camille? Bakit?" sagot ko after i-answer yung phone.
"Ano kamo? Meeting sa'n? Sa Math club? Ngayon ba yun?" sunod-sunod na tanong ko.
"Sige pupunta ko. Itetext kita pag malapit na ko. Thanks. Bye. "
Eto na naman. Isa pang pressure-builder.
Meeting sa Math club kung saan ako yung vice president.
Isa lang 'toh dun sa tons of extra-curricular ko sa school.
Lahat na ata ng clubs kasali ako. Frustration na atang tawag dito.
Ayoko sila madisappoint sa'kin.
Si Mommy yung Mayor sa municipality namin, si Daddy isang well-known and respected lawyer.
Galing ako sa pamilyang hindi ata uso yung pagkakamali.
Lahat kailangang perfectly crafted. Bawal ang basta-basta, bawal ang mapahiya.
Well, I am Laura. Laura Janine Ferrer.
Nakakamatay kung minsan, pero hindi dapat mag complain.
Hindi naman kasalanan ng kahit na sino 'tong sitwasyon kung nasan ako ngayon.
Kaya walang dapat sisihin.
Pinalaki naman ako ng ayos ng mga magulang ko.
I am in a prestigious school, nasa senior high na. I'm on my last year.
Ilang taon na rin akong nag-eexcel in everything I do. And indeed, I'm proud of myself.
Hindi lang sa achievements, kundi dahil proud sa'kin yung mga magulang ko.
Bumaba na ko sa kotse.
Kaya ko na dito mag isa, ilang blocks na lang naman papunta sa school.
"Kuya Ton, malelate po ako ng uwi mamaya. Mga 7PM po siguro. May meeting pa po kasi ako."
"Ok po Miss Laura. Nandun lang po ako sa parking lot kapag kailangan nyo po ako." response nung driver namen.
"Thank you po."
Umalis na ko.
I headed towards the main gate of the school.
At nandun si Camille. Just in time lang after ko magtext sa kanya.
Sya ang bestfriend ko, at partner-in-crime sa lahat ng extra curricular and academic involvements ko.
She is the president of the Math Club.
"Best!"
"Oh bakit? Di pa nman ako late diba?" sagot ko.
"You won't believe this, that guy Paolo from the Art Class. He is courting me!"
"Hmm. That Paolo ba eh yung son nung CEO ng Avalon Hotel? That's great."
"YES! Do you think na compatible kame? You know, my Mom would definitely like him!"
"Siguro. Let's get inside.. "
Just like me, Camille comes from a well respected family.
Her father is the President of Cyrca Real State Inc.
Her mother is a business woman. Another elite child.
Pressure is also bugging her head, for almost 17 years.
And yes, our social strata also dictates our love life.
Those suitor who we'll entertain. Those man who we'll marry.
It's too complicated. And all we have to do is to follow to avoid a stain in our family's dignity.
We've discussed few things nung meeting.
Tapos may binigay lang sa'king books si Ms. Annie para dun sa kailangan kong reviewhin.
Hindi ko na makita si Camille after my sched kay Ms. Annie, she texted me na may date daw sila ni Paolo.
Ok. Uuwi na ko.. Saktong 7PM on the way na ko sa parking lot na nasa front ng Administration building.
I choose to take the shortcut papunta dun, medyo madilim nga lang.
I noticed na parang may lalaking sumusunod sa'kin.
Hindi naman sya student dito ah, mukha syang construction worker na parang nakainom.
Bakit may ganito dito sa loob ng campus?
Goodness! Under construction nga pala yung Science Building, probably doon sya galing.
I'm scared. Di na ko pwedeng bumalik. Wrong decision Laura na dito ka dumaan!
Binilisan ko nalang yung lakad ko.
Kinakabahan na talaga ako for whatsoever reason. My heart is really beating so hard.
I held my bag tighter. Nasan ba yung pepper spray ko? O kahit umbrella, for self-defense in case.
I am hyperventilating. Ayoko ng ganito.
Walang masyadong tao, no one will hear me kahit na magscream pa ko.
Okay lang kung mananakawan lang ako, pero nakainom 'to, baka ma-ra....OM!
I can't bear the thoughts.
Shocks! I felt a tight grip on my arms.
Did that man reach me?
Hinila nya ko sa gilid ng isang building.
I should shout!
Then may kamay na nagtakip ng bibig ko.
"Sshh.. Promise me you won't shout. Tatanggalin ko 'tong kamay ko."
Hindi sya yung lalaking sumusunod sa'kin. I got stunned.
Si Errol 'to, yung fraternity leader sa school. My ultimate crush na bagsak sa standards at expectation ng mga magulang ko. Kaya tinigil ko na yung pag iisip sa possibility na pwedeng soon, maging kame.
I nodded. He released his hands while looking at the direction of the construction worker na parang nagtataka kung bakit ako biglang nawala.
"Hindi mo ba nakita na kanina ka pa sinusundan nung lalaking yo'n? At bakit ka dito dumadaan, hindi ba halatang delikado dito sa way na 'toh? Laura, you should sometimes think!" that's pretty disgusting, pero parang sweet. I can't cease smiling.
"What?!" he said nung hindi ako nagresponse at ngumiti lang sa statement nya. He look so red. In anger or in deep shame, I don't know.
I hug him.
Ano man yung iniingatan kong reputation and expectation.
Parang lahat nawalan ng halaga sa'kin at this moment.
For the first time, parang nakaramdam ako ng genuine happiness.
This game is over.
*//blue.eyed.damsel :3
GODBLESS!
