DAMA: The Princess Bitch

Chapter 3

I didn't invent the word BITCH--I just perfected it.

--

"You're leaving."

Napamaang si Dama sa ina.

"You can't be serious?" Tanong nya rito.

"Yeah, you're right--I'm just kidding." Sagot ni Meg. Napahinga ng maluwag si Dama... "Do not pack you're things--you're leaving without them."

"What kind of sick joke is this?!"

"Sweetie... I don't joke about stuffs like this. You really are leaving."

Napadabog si Dama. "At saang bansa mo na naman ako ipapatapon? If you're going to send me out of the country, just please don't let it be in Japan. Ayokong makita si Nikolai."

Nikolai Anzo Rivera--her too-much-to-bear, childish and annoying cousin was currently living in japan with his parents. Ayaw na ayaw ni Dama dito. Palagi kase syang inaaalaska nito. 

Megan raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Sino namang may sabing ipapatapon kita sa ibang bansa?"

Nagtaka si Dama. "Eh saan mo pa ako ipapatapon?"

"Let's make one thing clear--you're not leaving the country. You're leaving your sheltered life."

 "What?"

Megan rolled her eyes. "Tanga ka ba para hindi makaintindi ng English? O tatagalugin ko na para maintindihan mo... pinapalayas kita. Your bad attitude pollutes this house and frankly, hindi na kinakaya ng air freshener yang baho ng ugali mo." Mariin na sabi ni Megan.

Pinigilan ni Dama ang sarili sa pag-iyak--kahit gustong-gusto na niyang umiyak. No--she will never cry in front of her mother again.

Ayaw niyang magmukhang kawawa sa paningin nito.

"Mommy ba talaga kita? Why are you so cruel to me?"

Tumaas ang kilay ni Megan. "Nagtanong ka pa talaga? What I am showing you is the reflection of what you are showing to everybody else. Kaya 'wag ka ng magtaka kung ganyan kita itrato. Isipin mo na lang yung mga tao sa paligid mo na araw-araw mong sinasaktan."

Dama smiled bitterly. "Tingin mo sino'ng may kasalanan? Tingin mo ba kung maayos ang pagpapalaki mo sa 'kin, magkakaganito ako? I may be a bad child but that's just because I have a bad mother to start with."

Hindi na napigilan ni Megan ang sariling kamay. She took a few steps towards her daughter and slapped her hard.

"How dare you!"

Nagtagis ang bagang ni Dama.

"Yes! I dared! Yun naman talaga ang totoo eh! You don't love me enough kaya ako nagkaganito! Si Dylan lang naman ang mahal nyo eh! Si Dylan lang ang magaling! Si Dylan lang ang matalino! Sya na lahat!"

Megan looked at her grimly. "How can I love someone so unlovable?" She asked softly.

Yung mga salitang yun... tumagos sa puso ng dalaga. Pinipigilan nyang umiyak. Ayaw nyang umiyak. Pero masakit talagang makarinig ng masamang salita na galing pa sa sarili mong ina.

In the first place, ang ina dapat ang kauna-unahang magbubuo sa pagkatao ng anak. Sabi nga nila... no one can love you as much as your mother.

Sya na kahit hindi ka maganda--sasabihan ka ng maganda ka.

Kahit hindi ka matalino--ipinagmamayabang ka pa rin sa ibang tao.

Kahit hindi ka mahal ng iba--mahal na mahal ka nya.