THIRTY-EIGHT
"The school has been investigating the case since their suspension. I'm pretty sure may decision na sila by now," giit ni Dad kay Mommy habang pinipindot niya ang screen ng car stereo. Hindi na siya napagod sa kaka-surf ng station at kanina pa siya palipat-lipat sa mga ito. "Formality na lang itong meeting."
"Eyes on the road." Hinampas ni Mommy ang kamay ni Dad mula sa screen, at siguradong mas dahil ito sa biglang tumugtog na Bee Gees song kaysa sa pagbabantay niya sa pagmamaneho nito. "But expulsion really is too severe of a punishment. Kakailanganin muna nila ang approval ng DepEd Secretary before they get to enforce it, at hindi ako naniniwalang the school would actually bother to go through all that process just to get rid of two students. That's just petty, and it's not like they were caught having sex —"
"Dear!" Dad interrupted at napa-preno pa siya ng malakas, tumalbog tuloy ako sa puwesto ko sa backseat, the strap of my seatbelt cutting into my torso. Buti na lang at maluwag ang daan at malayo ang sasakyan sa harap namin. We were already late, at kung nagkataon, we'd even get later.
I met Dad's eyes nang i-angat ko ang tingin ko sa rearview mirror. There was an unspoken, accusing question in his gaze.
"Dad," pa-ungol kong sabi. "Sinabi ko naman po sa inyo. Key and I have never... that is... we're not in that kind of —"
He awkwardly cleared his throat, cutting me off, at muling umandar ang sasakyan. "Good. At huwag ka munang masyadong nagiging physical diyan sa Key na 'yan. Men his age are at the horniest phase of their lives —"
"Oh, my God, Dad, I am not having this conversation with you!"
"Fact itong sinasabi ko and you have to hear it," he continued anyway. "Karamihan sa mga lalaki, they tend to lose interest after you give them what they want, there's even a scientific study to prove this."
"Are we speaking from experience, dear?" kalmadong tanong ni Mommy matapos niyang harapan si Dad.
"Of course not, darling!" sagot ni Dad na mukhang nagbabadyang pagpawisan kahit naka-full blast ang air con. "Kaya nga sinabi kong karamihan, at hindi lahat ng lalaki. Alam mo namang I'll never get tired of you. Too late to doubt that now, don't you think?"
He slid one hand down from the steering wheel to reach for Mommy's, kissing the back of it. Ugh, my parents can be so cheesy sometimes. Umirap ako't pumikit, pagkatapos ay narinig kong magsalita si Mommy, na may bahid ng galak ang boses, despite what she was saying. "There must be a loophole in that unreasonable school rule. Wala namang ginawang grave offense 'yung mga bata."
"Dishonesty may be cited," tutol ni Dad.
And just like that, their lawyer-mode was activated sa kabuuan ng drive namin. They weren't the best parents, I knew that, but at least they were here for me when it mattered. Pwede na sigurong maging sapat sa'kin iyon.
"Ellie," tawag ni Mommy makalipas ang ilang mga minuto. "Nakatulog ka ba? Nandito na tayo."
"I'm awake." Pagkabukas ko ng mga mata ko'y papasok na nga kami ng campus, and I watched the familiar flagpoles come into view.
Habang tumitingin ako sa labas ay naaninag ko ang sarili ko sa car window. I looked awful, there were dark circles under my eyes dahil madaling araw na ako nakatulog. I woke up late because of that, kaya late kami ngayon.
Guilty na nga tapos late pa na darating sa meeting. How promising.
The grainy asphalt crunched under my shoes when I stepped out of the car, at nakaabang na sa gilid ng pinto ko si Mommy. Naglakad kami papuntang lobby while Dad parked the car.
