Verge of Life

CHAPTER 20

Warning: sexual assault, violence, abuse

"Eloise! Hi!" she ran up to me and hugged me. She's my first friend, Jessy! I love her and we're close now! She's been just ahead of me for about 3 years, but that doesn't matter.

"Hi, Jessy! You're so beautiful like me!" I giggled when she blushed. She's shy and not used to saying cheesy things. 

We are here at our house and we're playing around the fountain. I was sad earlier, but when Jessy came, I was happy again! My Mommy Emma and Dada Seb were not here! They said they'd play with me. They're busy again with their work!

"Jessy! Are you not making tampo to your parents because they're busy?" I asked her, pouting. 

"Nope! I love them! Plus, my sister's there naman so I'm not boring." I immediately formed my mouth 'O'. 

"Omg! Really?! Eh, bakit hindi mo siya sinama ngayon?"

"Ayaw niya. You're maldita raw kasi kaya she's scared! Sinamahan kita now kasi you look kawawa," I looked at her angrily. "Joke! Next time I'll come with Belle and Liza, my cousin!" 

"Yehey! Walang bawian, huh?" I excitedly said and felt my eyes twinkling. 

Just the day after that, Jessy was true to her words. She brought her sister, Belle, and her cousin, Liza. 

"Why you look so maldita pag far? But you're mabait naman pala!" Belle said to me. 

"It's just in your eyes, stupid!" I hissed at her. They just laughed at me and we continued playing. We're here at our house again because my parents were so busy! 

"Eloise! You're maramot kaya!" saway sa akin ni Liza. 

"And how ako naging maramot?" balik kong tanong sa kaniya. 

"You said there's no fried chicken? Eh, ano 'yang nasa hands mo?" singhal niya at itinuro pa sa akin ang hawak kong fried chicken. I just stick my tongue out and bite at my chickon!

"Uwi ka sa house niyo tapos doon ka magpa-cook!" pang-aasar ko pa sa kaniya. Natigil naman ako nang umiyak siya sa harapan ko. "Hala! Joking dinosaur lang naman, eh! Bakit ka naman nagc-cry? Oh, ito na! You can bite at my chickon but just one bite, huh?" inilapit ko naman sa kaniya ang hawak ko at ipinakagat siya. Tumigil naman siya sa pag-iyak at ngumiti sa akin. 

"Bakit siya lang? Hindi ba tayo friends?" nagtatampong tanong ni Belle sa akin. 

"Of course, we're friends! Here!" inilapit ko sa kaniya ang fried chicken at masaya niya itong kinagatan. Nag-thumbs up pa siya sa akin. "Of course, hindi pwedeng hindi makakain si Jessy baby ko!" lumapit ako kay Jessy at inalok ang chickon na kinagatan niya naman. 

We became friends just because of that. We met because our parents knew each other. I thought it would just be the four of us! But when we enrolled and started our school at Herrera Academy, we became more! We're in kindergarten now! But Jessy's already an elementary student.

"Hala, why ka nag-cry? You look pangit, oh!" turo ko sa mukha no'ng batang lalaki na umiiyak. Naparaan lang kasi ako sa may playground ng Herrera Academy at nakita ko siyang parang stupididi sa gilid na umiiyak. Sinamaan niya naman ako nang tingin. "Angry ka na niyan? Mas lalo kang naging ugly!" tumabi ako sa kaniya at inakbayan siya. Hindi naman siya mukhang nananapak, eh.

"Why do you care, huh? Get out of here!" bulyaw sa akin ng bata.

"Hala siya! Hoy, nonoy! Don't shoo me away sa school namin! Kami kaya may-ari nito! Ikaw ang dapat get out!" binelatan ko naman ang bata. "Oh, eh, bakit ka nga nag-cry? May umaway sayo? Tara resbakan natin! O kaya sumbong natin kay Mommy at Dada para mapa-shoo na sila here! Bullies are not allowed here, 'no!" tinignan niya lang ako at iniiwas na ang tingin. May kinuha naman ako sa bag ko at iniabot ito sa kaniya. "Para hindi ka na sad, sa'yo na lang ang fried chickon ko! Ang swerte mo, huh? Favorite ko pa 'yan! Kaya dapat hindi ka na sad!"