Genius in Distress

Pre-judged

It was Monday again. Aia’s luck faded. Nag expire na ang passes niya. The guards didn’t allow her to enter the school campus. So Aia phoned Lt. Castellejos to fetch her. In ten minutes ay nasa harap na niya ito. Nagtaka pa siya na sobrang bilis naman yata nito. Agad siyang sumakay sa kotse nito. Hindi pa siya nakakasuot ng seatbelt ng pinasibad na nito ang sasakyan nila.

Nilingon niya ito. Seryoso ang mukha nito. It was the first time she saw him in that state. Nakakatakot.

She was now thinking twice kung hihingi ng pabor dito o hindi. But it was now or never. Exam na on Wednesday. Baka totohanin ng mga prof niya hindi siya pakuhanin ng exam kung hindi siya mag susuot ng school uniform.

Aia took a deep breath before she began. “Lt. Castellejos,” agaw niya sa pansin nito. Hindi ito tumugon. It was a sign na ayaw nitong makinig sa anumang sasabihin niya pero sumige pa rin siya. “I have a favour to ask, could you...could you please help me na ma exempt sa uniform policy ng university?”

Malakas na nag preno ito. Muntik na tuloy siyang mapasubsob sa dashboard.

He stared at her. “Why would I do that?” salubong ang kilay na tanong nito.

“kasi ayaw na akong papasukin sa gate pati na sa mga klase ko. Malapit na ang exam baka hindi ako makakuha.”

Tumawa ito ng pagak, “And since when did you care about school? Ni wala ka ngang dalang notebook and ballpen man lang. Kahit kumuha ka pa ng exam you are bound to fail because you don’t take your studies seriously.”

Nagpigil si Aia. “You don’t know what you’re saying,” she said calmly.

“Of course I know! I saw you every day. You weren’t paying attention to your professor, you even sleep at class and kicked out of class numerous times. Now, tell me, paano ko hindi malalaman ang mga sinasabi ko?”

Aia’s eyes widened in a sort of shock. “You planted CCTVs even inside my classrooms? Are you sick?” her voice rising.  She felt betrayed and violated. “Did you put a tracker on me too? How could you?” She took her cellphone from her pocket. “Dito mo ba inilagay ang tracker?” Ibinalik niya dito ang telepono nito. “Hindi ko kailangan ‘yan. How could you be so dense, Atlantis. Naturingan ka pa naming henyo!

“Don’t turn this back on me. Diba ikaw na din ang humiling na we watch you discreetly. Sinunod lang naman namin ang gusto mo. And I was just doing my job and that is to protect you. Ikaw ang issue dito.”

Hindi nito tinanggap ang cellphone kaya padaskol na inilagay niya iyon sa dashboard.

“You are right. You’re job is to protect me, only to protect me not to interfere with it.”

Lt. Castellejos’ face turned hard, “Then why ask a favour from me?” his voice cold. Where was the Aia who told me that she’s not a rule breaker? Siguro kasinungalingan lang iyon. Para makuha mo ang gusto mo. Do you always do that to get what you want? Just like now, ayaw mong magsuot ng school uniform. For Pete’s sake, a simple policy as wearing school uniform, you can’t even follow?”

“Sometimes a situation calls for breaking the rules. This is one of them.”

“Nonsense! Maybe this is one of your many caprices. Ang hindi pagsuot ng school uniform. Ang pagkaroon ng security detail, na halos araw araw na nakabantay sa’yo. Hindi mo ba alam na mas marami pang importateng misyon ang militar kesa ang bantayan ka?” napahampas ito sa manibela ng kotse. “Please for once, stop acting like a spoiled brat princess!” he yelled.

“Then stop treating me as one. Lahat kayo. I never asked that from you,” she shouted back. “You know nothing about me. And you have no right to make assumptions about my life when you don’t know a thing about it.”Aia was surprised by her rage. She didn’t know where it came from. It boiled down from the deepest part of her. “You don’t know a goddamn thing,” she yelled. Did you really think ginusto ko ‘to? Then you are wrong. I didn’t want any of it.”

When they were finally back in the camp, Aia got off in the car and slammed the door close, so hard that it was a wonder it didn’t fall off. She ran toward her room. She leaned back on the closed door and cry.

Mali ito. Malng- mali. Sino ba ang gugustuhing maranasan ang naranasan niya? Sino ba ang gugustuhing mawalan ng mahal sa buhay? She would trade everything to have her mother back. Aia sobbed. Hindi nito alam kung gaano kahirap na walang mapagsabihan walang mahingahan ng sama ng loob. Kung gaano kasakit ang nangyari, kung gaano siya nanghinayang sa mga panahong hindi niya nakasama ang kanyang ina at hindi nito alam kung gaano siya katakot na baka siya naman ang sumunod. Na wala siyang magawa para tulungan ang kanyang ama, na nasa malayo siya at ligtas habang ito ay nasa panganib.

The grief, the regret, the rage coiled inside of her. She dragged herself to her bed nad buried her face in her pillow and screamed, “Aaaaaaaahh!

Of all people, isa ito sa mga taong inasahan niya na makakaintindi ngunit ito pa pala ang unang humusga sa kanya. Kahit hindi sila nagkakasunodo minsan, ito pa rin ang itinuturing niya na malapit sa kanya. Isa rin ito sa mga pinagkakatiwalaan niya. Kaya nasaktan talaga siya sa mga sinabi nito.