Fidelity

39th

Adios, cheater

It took me a while to fully understand what I was told.

Kung nawindang man ako ay mas lalo namang hindi makapaniwala ang mga magulang ko.

"So, technically, she's qualified for admission?" my mother asked for the nth time, still in disbelief. "She passed the evaluations?"

My parents wouldn't believe me when I told them the news. They thought I was making things up. The administrator had to talk to them herself via zoom just for them to realize that I was being serious.

"She didn't just pass, Ma'am, she's over qualified." ngiti ng administrator. "Apart from acing the series of evaluations, she clearly has an eye for fashion and design. The committee saw something special in her outputs. They knew she was different. Specially with the way she answered the trick question on the final assessment."

Nakaawang na lamang ang bibig ni Mommy. Daddy had to clear his throat before speaking.

"Are you sure you're talking about our daughter? I mean.. we do know what she's capable of but... she was barely mediocre in college,"

Halos mapasinghap ako. I can't believe Dad had to say that.

"Art is different, Mr. Tuazon. Your child is obviously gifted in that aspect. And our system could never go wrong in recognizing talent,"

Hindi pa rin maipinta ang mukha ni Mommy. "H-how come we're only hearing about this now? Can she even keep up now that it's beyond the admission period?"

"With your daughter's aptitude, keeping up won't even be a problem, Ms. Tuazon." munting halakhak ng administrator. Mom looks flustered. "She's ahead of her time. And with someone like her? Of course, we'd be more than willing to welcome her no matter how long it takes for her to decide. That's how much the academy is eager to have her with us,"

Mom and Dad were both acting differently after that. Mom was walking on eggshells around me while Dad was more quiet than usual. They both seem so attentive to me this time. Ramdam ko rin ang pag-iingat sa galaw ni Mommy tuwing nasa paligid ako.

"Do you want anything else?" anito nang mapansing hindi ko halos galawin ang almusal sa hapag. Ngayon niya lang ata tinanong ang opinyon ko sa pagkain dahil kadalasan ay si Ate lang naman ang nasusunod.

Umiling ako at pinunasan ng tablecloth ang bibig. "I'm going out early today,"

"H-huh?" aniya nang tumayo na ako. "Okay.. let us know if you need anything," habol pa nito.

Pupunta ako sa U&AP ngayon para kuhanin ang records ko. I need the files to finalize my admission to the Fashion School in London. Sa makalawa na kasi ang alis ko.

Sa totoo lang ay marami pang concerns sina Mommy at Daddy. Mom's thoughts were all over the place during the online meeting last time. I've never seen her so out of composure before. She seems so rattled as she continuously asked questions in panic. Tulad na lang ng kung paano ang tutuluyan ko gayong hindi kami nakahanap at nakapagpareserve nang mas maaga. Paano na lang daw kung fully booked na lahat ng residential hotels. Ngunit sa bawat concern nila ay may sagot at solusyon agad si Miss Elaine. It seems like they really got everything figured out for me already.

Sa Library ko napiling magpalipas ng oras habang hinahanda ng registrar ang mga dokumentong kailangan ko. I was browsing through the bookshelves when I felt a familiar presence. Hindi ko pa lubos maproseso noong una. I thought I was hallucinating but when his steps turned slower as he gets near me, I realized it was real.