HEMLOCK

03

June 11, 2018 - Bicol University College of Arts and Letters Amphitheater:

"From the top!" shouted Ricar na nakapamewang pa. 

She looked at her fellow Magenta sister na nakapwesto malapit sa boombox, Shannel, who just sighed and rewound the tape. 

Medyo nababakas na ang inis sa mukha ni Tine na bumalik sa starting point. This is probably the 14th "from the top" ni Ricar. Binaling ko ang tingin ko sa sa kanya na nakasuot ng scarf on top of her customized uniform. 

Hindi ko na nga malaman kung anong campus si Ricar dahil sobrang iba na ng disenyo ng uniporme nya, the only tell-tale sign that she's a CALiber is the light gray color of her pants. Buti na lang pina-maintain nya yung color ng campus namin. It's amazing how pinagmukha nyang pang Paris Fashion Week ang simpleng uniform namin, malakas lang din talaga people skills nito kaya pinapayagan sya ni dean. 

"And a one, and a two, pak!" exclaimed Ricar, sabay ng pagplay ng upbeat electronic house music. 

Tine started to attempt another ramp walk, she looked confident naman but something was off. She is, uh, too stiff?

Napahilot si Ricar sa noo nya. "This is a disaster," narinig kong bulong nya sa sarili. Muntik na ko bumangon sa kinauupuan ko, walang pwede tumawag kay Tine na disaster, ako lang. Ricar motioned to stop the music again. 

Tumigil rin si Tine, sighing. Alam ko inis na rin sya at malapit na maubos pasensya nya. 

The room was filling up with pressure from both Tine and Ricar kaya sumingit na ko bago pa may mag-erupt na away. 

"Okay, why don't we take a break muna? What do you guys think?" wika ko habang tumatayo sa kinauupuan ko at lumapit sa stage papunta kay Tine. 

Napatingin silang lahat sa akin na medyo gulat, tila pa nakalimutan nilang kasama nila ako sa practice nila. 

Sasabat sana si Ricar, I bet babarahin nya ko nang mala-kontrabidang "how dare you, Alvarez?! I call the shots here," pero halata namang pagod na rin sya kaka-direct kaya hinayaan nya na lang. 

I went up the stage and approached Tine. 

"Hey, you okay?" bati ko. Tine smiled weakly at me and then looked down at the floor. She's usually always so composed, it's so rare to see her down like this. 

"Mami Rics, ba't ba naman kasi hindi tayo kumuha ng iba, hindi ka na nga nagpa-screening. Malayo pa ang search, we still have time to find another candidate cause she is a lost cause," sinubukan ni Shannel bumulong pero gawa ata talaga sa megaphone ang bibig ng gagang to dahil narinig pa rin namin. 

"SHH!" nakapikit pa si Ricar as she brushed her off, inis na rin sya at halatang stressed na stressed na. 

"But Mami Rics, we can pick Kaycee, or Cherie, or even one of the Tres Marias," pangungulit ni Shannel. "Si Kim, I'm pretty sure she can pull strings with her businessman daddy..." she continued. 

"Shut your trap, Shannel number 2, before I shut it for you!" Ricar snapped. "We need Tine, she has the beauty and she has the brains, and major ew kay Kim, she obviously can't even pronounce déjà vu with finesse, how do you expect her to act like a winner?"

"Tine can't even do a basic ramp walk, mamsh, tapos may pinaplano ka pang mas kabog sa tsunami walk. My god, she looks like she is gonna trip any moment catwalk palang yan," Shannel retorted. 

Gusto ko na sumugod para sunggaban ng suntok si Shannel sa mga patutsada nya kay Tine. Worse is naririnig namin lahat ng ebas nya, and Tine was getting hurt kahit pa nakangiti sya ngayon.