DAMA: The Princess Bitch

Chapter 31

Dont' talk about yourself too much. We will do that when you leave.

--

Dama felt free... somehow. Having Manang Pacing know about her relationship with Zelo was kind of liberating. Hindi na nila kailangang magtago ng nararamdaman nila sa isa't isa kapag nasa bahay sila.

Pero parang naging ilag na sa kanya ang matanda after that. Lalo na kapag minsan ay tinatawag nya itong nay o nanay. Meera is not a problem at all. The kid sort of wants her to be her big sister.

Mabait kase sya rito at saka siguro, the idea of two people falling in love amazes her.

Mahirap ding gumalaw minsan sa bahay dahil nakatingin palagi sa kanila ang matanda. Out of respect to the old lady, hindi sila nagho-holding hands sa harap nito. Lalo na kapag nasa hapag kainan dahil bigla-bigla na lang itong mawawalan ng gana.

They can be sweet... yes, pero dapat ay inilulugar pa rin.

They have been like that for weeks. It was the playful stage of their relationship. It's also the getting to know stage. All they did was talk and be sweet to each other.

Hindi sila nauubusan ng topic.

Hindi sila nagkakasawaan.

Marami na ring natutunan ang dalaga sa mga gawaing bahay dahil kay Zelo. Mas tumaas na rin ang grades nya. 

Inspired eh.

Totoo nga, things are easier to do when you are motivated. Ni hindi nila namalayan na tapos na pala ang isang sem ng pag-aaral. Dama wanted to commend herself. She did more than surviving. She actually lived a life she's never dreamed of living.

And to cap that off... masaya sya.

She was happy to be poor. Happy to eat three common meals a day. Happy to be surrounded by people that she learned to care about.

And happy to be in love with someone below her social status.

Now she finally understood her mother. Being poor isn't really that bad. You learn to value the little things. You learn to appreciate the people who appreciates you.

You learn to love the things that you never thought are worthy of your attention.

She loves them so much... she didn't want to go home--yet.

Before the official first day of a week-long sembreak, their class was given a sponsored camping. At first, hindi nya alam kung sino'ng nag-sponsor sa klase nila. But on the day of the camping itself... everything became clear to her.

Sampung malalaking bus ang nakaparada sa tapat ng school nila. 

Dirham Liners.

Who'd have thought?

And to avoid suspicion and envy among their other batchmates... lahat na ng klase within their year ay nabigyan din ng sponsored camping. Sa iba-ibang lugar.

At ang sosyal lang... kumpleto pa with the camping staffs sa pupuntahan nila.

Each class has a designated camping spot. Magkakaiba ng town.

"Grabe... ang yaman ng mga Dirham no?" She heard one classmate say.

"Oo nga eh. Kilala mo ba yang mga yan?" Tanong ng kausap nito.

Umiling ito. "Hindi eh. Naririnig ko lang minsan sa TV."

"Naririnig o nakikita?" natatawa nitong tanong.