Beautiful Madness (Aravella Serene) UNDER REVISION

Chapter 5: Different

"You slept early last night. Bakit parang puyat ka pa rin?"

Para akong nabilaukan sa sariling hikab nang punahin ako ni Astov. He's driving me to school again before he goes to work. When he glanced at me with his deep set of penetrating eyes that always makes me paranoid, my senses alerted immediately. Para akong binuhasan ng baldeng tubig na may yelo dahil gising agad ang kaluluwa ko. My eyes wide and awake now.

"Maaga lang akong pumanhik sa kwarto ko pero hindi ako maagang natulog. Gumawa pa kasi ako ng assignment at anong oras nang natapos kaya medyo puyat ng kaonti," pagsisinungaling ko.

I escaped again last night. Maureen and I went to her yet another friend's birthday party again at madaling araw na akong nakauwi. Kaya ganito na lang ako kaantok dahil ilang oras lang ang idlip ko. And I was very reckless by showing it to my observant brother. Para tuloy pinupokpok ang dibdib ko sa kaba. But of course, it wasn't obvious on my face because I remained calm. Or I'm trying to be.

Nagtaas ng kilay ang kapatid ko. Ramdam ko na may gusto pa sana siyang sabihin pero hindi na lang tinuloy. At mas pinatindi lang niyon ang aking nerbyos. I can't help but to be paranoid again. Sa lahat ng myembro ng aking pamilya, si Astov ang mas hands on sa pagbabantay sa akin. Kaya ganoon na lang ang takot ko sa kanya dahil alam kong kaonting kahina-hinala lang na sakaling mapansin sa akin, tapos na agad ako. I need to be more careful because my brother is not only strict. He's wise, too.

Magkasunod na pumasok ang sasakyan ni Astov at ang sasakyan ng mga bodyguards ko. Two pathetic cars tailing behind us like I'm some sort of a princess. At nang dumating sa parking lot ay panibagong problema na naman ang kahaharapin ko.

"You're still with her?" malamig na baling ni Astov sa akin, tinutukoy ang kaibigan kong si Maureen na naghihintay sa akin. Pinapalibutan siya ng mga lalaking schoolmates pero nang mamataan ang sasakyan namin ay mabilis niyang tinaboy ang mga ito at nakangisi kaming pinagmasdan. Chewing her gum again and now in our Naval uniform. Her white skirt is shorter than the usual. She like it that way.

"She's my classmates so what you're asking is hard. You don't want me to be a loner, do you?" I can't help but to be sarcastic as I unfastened my seatbelt.

Astov want me to stay away from Maureen because let's admit it, my friend's reputation is really not that promising. Even my brother knows how infamous she is in whoring.

"Better be a loner than have a friend like her,"

Palihim akong umirap at lumabas na ng sasakyan. Nang marinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto ni Astov ay hindi agad ako dumeretso kay Maureen. I tried to hide the annoyance on my face as I turned to him. He's not done yet and I know better than to walk out on him.

"Don't you think you're being too judgemental, aren't we?"

"Judgemental is for those who doesn't know anything. Hindi ko na kailangan magpa-imbestiga para makilala ang babaeng 'yan. Her reputation is all over the city so listen to me, Aravella." he said sternly.

Sumulyap siya sa likod ko kung nasaan si Maureen at mas lalong nagdilim ang mukha. Naabutan ko ang kaibigan na malanding kinakawayan si Astov. Halos matampal ko ang aking noo. She's just really have to do that at exactly where I'm trying to clean her name!

"Wala na akong ibang kaibigan dito, Astov," huling alas ko, nagbabasakaling maawa ito at kalimutan na ang gustong ipagawa sa akin.

Come on. He's not that cruel, right? Nobody wants to be a loner and he knows that so I'm hoping he would change his mind.

"You don't need a friend, Aravella. Pinag-aral ka ngayon sa kolehiyo dahil mas mainam iyon sa kurso mo, hindi para makipagkaibigan. Focus on your goals and graduate. You can get by without companion." he said ruthlessly before he let me go.