Those Blurry Lines

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Return

Habang naglalakad sa SEC Walk kasama sina Yumi at Maybel, kaagad na nag-iba ang timpla ng mukha ko nang makita si Zenny na nakaupo sa may dulo.

What is she doing here? Ang layo kaya ng La Salle mula rito. Unless...

Kaagad siyang tumayo at ngumiti nang makita ako. Ugh, her violet hairband irritates me. Hindi kasi siya nag match sa suot na yellow romper dress.

She looked like an ube with cheese. Her choice of color is so bad that I want to disown her.

"Is that your cousin?" Maybel asked, pointing at her.

"I think so," si Yumi na ang sumagot para sa 'kin.

"Lois, let's talk," nakangiti niyang sabi nang makalapit kami.

I sighed. May feeling na talaga ako sa sadya niya kaya hindi na ako magugulat kung tama ako. I told the girls to go to the JSEC to give us privacy.

Pag-alis nila ay nagtungo kami sa may gilid, 'yung hindi matao na parte.

"What brings you here?" Hindi na ako nagpaliguy-liguy pa. I wasn't displaying emotions, making her feel that I don't like her.

"How are you? May pera ka pa ba? Are you eating properly?"

Nagkunot-noo lamang ako.

She sighed. "Are you okay? It's been one week, umuwi ka na, Lois-"

"Who are you to tell me that?" I snapped. Sinubukan niya akong hawakan pero umilag ako. "Don't touch me."

"Nag-aalala lang naman kami, Lois. I'm here to tell you that you need to come home. We don't know where you're at. We are worried about you."

"Zenny, if that's the only reason that you've traveled all the way here, then you're just wasting your time."

She scoffed. "Why are you so hard headed? Binigyan ka na nga ni Tita sa lahat ng gusto mo, tapos ganyan ka pa rin?"

"You don't know anything, Zen. Stop blabbering."

"Iyang katigasan ng ulo mo, Lois, wala kang mararating niyan. If you always keep your pride above anything else, you'll be a loser forever."

My jaw clenched. It was a full blow. I expected it to come out, but I did not expect that it would hurt.

Aalis na sana ako pero hinawakan niya ang braso ko. "Lois, just... just come home. Please."

Matalim ko siyang tiningnan. Pagkabitaw niya sa 'kin, kaagad ko siyang iniwan.

I was angry. How dare her! She did not know what I've been through. Palibhasa, masaya ang pamilya niya. Why is it so unfair? They got to have a perfect and happy life.

To be a black sheep of the family, I received a lot of hate, not just from my cousins but also from my grandparents. Sa tuwing may mga papuri sa iba, kabaliktaran naman ang natatanggap ko.

I always acted that I'm cool with it. That it did not affect me. But, it's a lie. Everytime I received hate comments, I would always hug myself to calm down.

Ako palagi ang mali. Ako palagi ang masama.

I wiped my tears when Jackson joined me in the balcony. Biglang umihip ang malamig na hangin, dahilan kung ba't mas hinawakan ko pa nang mahigpit ang mug ko na may mainit na choco drink.

"Nagse-senti ka ba rito?" tanong niya.

"Senti ka diyan," I said. "I'm not, okay? I'm just looking at the city lights. That's all."