Snicker & Tears

54: Not Better But Bitter

"Gie, patayin mo nga 'yang pinapatugtog mo!" Spencer orders Reggie playing music on his cellphone- "Bumalik Ka Na Sa 'Kin / Silent Sanctuary". Reggie doesn't understand why his friend is so bitter. It had been a week since Spencer's head had been deflected from the day he defended Sierra against the assailants.

"Problema mo, p're? First time mo yata mainis sa favorite band mo?" Reggie's surprise response to his friend could not explain its offer. "Oy, Peng! Sa'n ka pupunta?" Reggie said as he shouted out by the sudden action of his friend. "Ang labo talaga nito." Reggie mutters as he shook his head side to side.

Spencer was not disappointed with the Silent Sanctuary song, truth is that he couldn't think thoroughly for he was blown away and affected by every song lyrics. He left Reggie on the field and is now looking for Sierra. He wanted to see it for a moment, even though he couldn't talk to her at least to see her fine, it was okay with him too.

On his way he passed the music club where he heard the rehearsing band playing the song of his favorite band- "Patunayan / Silent Sanctuary", and as the song says he wanted to prove to Sierra that he still deserved to be her friend.

Until he finds Sierra at the Polysport Complex, she and her companion Paul are now heading their way outside. They just finished their dance practice for their upcoming performance task in Physical Education. Paul and Sierra are partners in their contemporary dance that is to be performed next day.

Spencer hid on the side of the wall so Sierra and Paul couldn't see him. He saw as the two were coming out.

"Ba't 'di na kayo magkasama ng boyfriend mo? Si Spencer." Paul asked the lonely Sierra.

"'Di ko naman boyfriend 'yon saka wala naman akong pakialam do'n..."

Spencer walked away because of the words he had heard. He was hurt and his heart seemed to break. The words had a great impact on him and especially Sierra herself was the one who said those. Coming from that woman he had heard himself.

"...I mean, wala akong pakialam kung magkaroon siya ng girlfriend dahil wala akong karapatang mangialam dahil kaibigan niya lang naman ako," Sierra told Paul that Spencer couldn't hear because he left immediately.

Paul nodded. "You know, there are things that friends do that a couple can't do. I'm sure, nami-miss na ni Spencer 'yon. Saka ikaw, s'yempre hinahanap-hanap mo rin 'yong mga bagay na nakasanayan niyo nang gawin. Tama o correct?" She patted the lady on her shoulder and only regretted remembering what she and Spencer had done when they were still friends.

"Magpahinga kang mabuti, ha? Bukas na tayo magsasayaw. Napakatamlay mo kasi. Sige, bye!" Paul nodded swiftly before finally leaving and boarding his service car.

"Bye," Sierra said serenely as she couldn't help thinking of what she should do after hearing those last words of Paul.

Meanwhile, Spencer quickly made his way to the men's comfort room. He locked himself inside and suddenly punched the wall until he remembered the conversation he had with Darlene last June; their second day of schooling.

Outside of the computer laboratory, Reggie walks down the hallway talking and having fun with his friend Spencer. "P're, why don't you like Darlene and just choose Sierra as your friend? Ano bang ayaw mo kay Darlene?"

"Kinaibigan ko lang siya dahil matalino siya saka para matulungan niya 'kong makapasa. Ayaw ko naman talaga sa kanya, masama ang ugali niya." He said that to Reggie because he was already opened up the topic. He couldn't stop himself but to answer his nosy friend.

"Si Darlene, matapobre, maarte saka masyadong mataas ang tingin sa sarili. Si Sierra kahit mapanakit, I understood why she was like that and I knew she was a good person." He said again as his friend Reggie listened intently.

"Oh! I see!" The two men were shocked when they heard a voice from behind. "Darlene?" Both of them were jolted by Darlene and they saw the smirking girl holding her phone up in a landscape position as if she was taking a video clip from the dudes.

"Caught in cam pero 'di kulong." She walked closer to the two and walked between them then pushed for Reggie and Spencer to leave. There was now a space in the middle and there Darlene stood.

"What if I posted this. 'Yung part na: 'Kinaibigan ko lang siya dahil matalino siya saka para matulungan niya 'kong makapasa. Ayaw ko naman talaga sa kanya, masama ang ugali niya'. And I'm going to show Sierra that she was the one you're talking about, ano kayang mafi-feel niya?" He turned to Spencer and looked at the worrisome drawn all over its face.

"Darlene, 'wag. Ano bang pakay mo? Alam ko kung anong tumatakbo r'yan sa utak mo. Alam kong matagal mo nang hinihintay ang pagkakataong 'to. I know you've always wanted to do it." He talks to Darlene with his eyes often; wondering what a woman like her can do. His ass was now horrified.

"Spencer, I want you to be my boyfriend." Darlene stared blankly into Spencer's dubious eyes.

"Ano? Nababaliw ka na ba?" Spencer's response as he looked at the woman from head to foot.

"Yes, I'm crazy for you." Darlene replied that she had bitten her lower lip then looked at Spencer again as if she was attracting the man.

"Oo, baliw ka nga. You only care about your name... your fame." Spencer slapped Darlene with those words which were true.

"Glad you know. I'm so flattered, how sweet!" Darlene pokily raised her right hand and her index finger gently touched the side of Spencer's face up to down. "Look."

"Ano 'to?" Spencer asked as Darlene handed him the cellphone. Spencer looked back on the screen of the phone and read the soft copy of that document file he saw.

Darlene took her phone back. "These are the students who have been hurt and bullied by Sierra. She's a demonic bully student. Hawak ko ang mga 'yan sa leeg, and in my one word they can report Sierra at once to the principal to expel her from the CSA. You don't want that to happen, do you? Don't want to lose her? So, think 10,000 times, Spencer."

Spencer just looked at her and no words came out from his mouth.

"To make your decision easier, I will help you. Don't you know that Sierra is just using you? She planned it all, man of superficial understanding. She has been angry with me for a long time since both of us are rivals when it comes to academics. She does everything she can to make me feel ashamed of the class, the teacher, and even the principal. She knew I liked you so much that she agreed to be your friend, she knew I was going to do stupid things just to keep you apart and that's what happened." Darlene explained as if sharing her speech in front of many people but the reality is it was the three of them.

Spencer was unable to cut the conversation.

Darlene continued. "Sadly, I just realized things about that now. She befriended you for a revenge on me, for destroying my name, my reputation. And now she has succeeded, you are useless to her. She doesn't even notice you. She just made another excuse to confuse you, but the truth is because she won over me. She has the clean name, no bad record in the office and for our teachers she deserves the honor. All she really needs is to stay on top and now that she is at the top, she ignores you. She doesn't need you anymore. Why? Because, I told you from the very first that she was a leech. That's why I called her a leech, and it will never changed."

Darlene's mouth was closed as she pouted and pretended to twitch her eyes as if she was crying and to tell Spencer that it was a pity. Darlene sluggishly palped Spencer's shoulder downward until she reached the guy's stilly hand before walking away while still holding Spencer's and still looking at him. As she got away she held out Spencer's hand that was still in no motion and could not move. Darlene even flew a kiss before turning around and finally leaving.

Spencer wrenched the faucet and the water coming out of it was plunging down into his hand. He washed his oily face to remove the sweat and the look of haggardness. He conformed himself and his frowsy face. He took a deep breath and took the cellphone out of his pocket and the earphone. He put the ear piece in both ears and listened to the song- "Rebound / Silent Sanctuary". He left the comfort room where he was the only one who could comfort him.

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