Blood, Sweat and Tears

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Strangers.

I casually walk down the hall, ready to go home early. As usual I was just alone, until the bell rang and seas of students rushed out running and screaming around me.

It was quiet before, but their noises echoed trough the hallway like a bunch of savage animals freed from their cages. Urgh.

I've been bumped for the nth time now, and they don't seem to care. One of them even looked after bumping into me, and I immediately gave him a death glare.

The guy gulp, and I guess that already scared him. Konti nalang talaga at ibabalibag ko na sila isa-isa.

Hindi ko na sila pinansin pagkatapos non, they aren't worth my time anyways. Bumalik ako sa paglalakad.

I'm alone dahil wala naman talaga akong ka-close dito sa school, I must admit I'm a loner.. but that doesn't mean I'm a loser. Because I know I'm better alone.

Tuluyan na akong nakalabas sa school, then immediately rode my bike.

It was indeed a stressful day, the weather is really nice though. It makes me feel better. Because the hot weather; summer, has ended.

No sun, windy, and the cold breeze that gives me goosebumps whenever it brushes through my skin. I'm sure it'll start raining anytime already.

It was a quick ride, dahil hindi naman ganon kalayo ang bahay namin. I parked my bike, then went straight inside.

Pagka-bukas ko pa lang ng pinto ay bumungad na ang pinaka-importanteng tao sa buhay 'ko; My grandma, who is sitting at the same exact spot everytime I go home. It is kind of wierd, but I got used to it.

Agad ko siyang sinalubong ng halik sa pisngi katulad ng nakasanayan. "La, kumain na po ba kayo?" sabay tanong ko pa, kahit na alam ko namang wala akong maririnig na sagot pabalik.

She doesn't talk. Infact she never did. Tumango lang siya.

She also has no expressions, she has always been blank ever since. Her sister helped her raise me, but she passed away when I was fourteen. That's the time when I started taking care of myself, and grandma.

I didn't know what happened to my parents. Rumors says that they're already dead, which I think so too. Simula daw ng maipanganak ako nawala na sila. And no one ever knew why.

Grandma never spoke, so I never had the chance to ask if she somehow knew what happened..

But even though me and grandma never had a conversation even just for a minute, I know I must look after her. She also took care of me, she's aged, now it's my turn.

It's good to know that I'm going to be eighteen this year, I'm planning to drop out and hopefully find a job. School is shit anyways.

***

I was just watching tv with grandma beside me, when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Now that's new.

We never had any visitors before. Agad akong tumayo sa kina-uupuan, pero hindi ko agad binuksan ang pinto.

I may be a loner, but I'm not stupid.

We never really had a visitor before, ofcourse I'll consider checking through the window first.

Doon ko nakita ang isang itim na van na naka park sa di kalayuan. Umusod lang ako ng kaunti para tignan kung sino ang nasa pinto, and there I saw unfamiliar figures and faces.