Alpha Section

14. True Friend

-DWAYNE-

Ever since I was a child, I was locked up on our house and was never allowed to go outside. Unless of course kung may mga gagawin kaming photo shoots or may filming akong dadaluhan.

I never mentioned this to the whole class but I was once a super famous child star back then. Si Sasha lang ang napagsabihan ko tungkol diyan.

At first, pinag-home school ako ni mama since masyado nga akong abala sa mga projects na ibinibigay sa'kin. Being alone all the time in my room, tas malungkot na nakadungaw sa bintana habang pinagmamasdan ang ibang bata na nakikipaglaro sa kanilang mga kaibigan...

That's when I met a girl named Chelsea.

Hindi ko ba alam kung anak ba siya ng isa sa family friends ng mga magulang ko, pero parati ko siyang nakikita sa aking kwarto o kung saan ako magpunta. Siguro nga nakikita ng mga magulang ko kung gaano ako kalungkot dati kaya siguro naisipan nila na bigyan din nila ako ng isang kaibigang makakalaro ko.

Whenever I'm done with my film projects or with home schooling, Chelsea is always there patiently waiting on my room bitbit ang kanyang set of toys. Kaya naman parati akong excited na umuwi para makipaglaro sa kanya.

"Mom, how long does this gonna take me? I have a friend waiting for me in my room."

I remembered saying this to my mother one time during one of my home school sessions with my mother, since she's also a registered elementary school teacher.

"Sino namang kaibigan 'yan nak?" kunyaring naku-curious na tanong ni mom.

"You know her. Her name's Chelsea, remember?" I said casually.

I will never forget the confused and shocked look on my mother's face as she looks at me, her eyes full of bewilderment. My seven year old self that time looked at her, puzzled by her sudden reaction.

"Mom? What's wrong?" natanong ko pa sa isang napaka-inosenteng boses.

"Anak... wala kang kaibigang bumibisita rito sa bahay." sabi niya, as a matter of fact.

Of course, my seven year old self was confused sa pinagsasabi ni mama. Totoo si Chelsea, sabi ng utak ko. Nahahawakan ko pa nga siya eh kada maglalaro kami.

After that certain conversation with my mom, nagulat na lang ako ng bigla silang nagdecide ni dad na pag-aralin na ako sa isang exclusive school pagkatungtong ko ng grade 3. Which is okay lang naman sa'kin since matagal -tagal na rin akong nakakulong sa bahay at tanging si Chelsea lang ang nakakausap ko.

"Hello. I'm Sasha."

Do'n ko lang nakilala ang babaeng nagpatibok ng puso ko, si Sasha Vasquez, ang bukod tangi kong kaklase na nagpakilala at nakipagkaibigan sa'kin. Due to my stature sa buhay, other kids are either too overwhelmed na makipaglaro sa'kin, or too nasty naman sa'kin.

But Sasha was different. Even with her attitude na nakakapagturn off agad sa iba, but still she manages to stick by my side no matter what it takes. And that's what I adore about her.

"I'm Dwayne." sabi ko ng mga time na iyon at nakipagkamay agad ako sa kanya.

While shaking hands with Sasha at that time, my eyes slightly widened at the sight of my friend Chelsea who's standing at a certain distance... glaring at my newly-found friend.

Ever since I started hanging out with Sasha, napapadalas na yata ang pagdalaw ni Chelsea sa aming eskwelahan. Wala rin naman siyang ginagawang masama. She was just there, silently staring at us from a distance.

Pero 'yun lang pala ang akala ko.

There was this certain incident sa school wherein at first ay masaya lang kaming nagkukwentuhan ni Sasha tungkol sa mga movies na napanuod namin no'ng week na iyon. I was just happily listening to Sasha when I suddenly saw Chelsea, appeared out of nowhere, with a sharp knife pointed at Sasha and is ready to stab her any minute from now.