Hudunnit Series

Untitled Part 14

GERALDINE didn't want to think ill of the dead, pero hindi niya maiwasang mapansin na kay gaang na ng atmosphere sa library kahit wala namang nagbago. At hindi lang siya ang nakapansin. Mas maraming estudyante ang gumagamit ng library ngayon. Mukhang mas takot ang mga bata sa buhay na Miss Igarte kaysa sa sinasabing multo ng librarian.

Mas maingay nga lang sa library these days.

"Silence please." Ulit na naman niya. Hindi masaway ng tumatayong librarian ang mga nag-iingay.

Nasa dulo sila ni Missy ng mahabang mesa, malapit sa bintana. Hindi niya pinuntahan sina Missy sa likod ng chapel kahapon dahil dahilan lang naman niya iyon kay Miss Vera. Ang gusto lang niya ay makausap at maobserbahan ang guidance counselor.

She learned a lot and she learned nothing.

She needed more. Kaya kanina, pagkatapos ng mga klase, hinanap niya si Missy sa mga kaklase nito. Baka raw nasa library. Naroroon nga. She sat opposite Missy and started the conversation by asking about the club, Campus Moderators, which was Miss Vera's brainchild.

Kung anu-ano na lang ang itinanong ni Geraldine hanggang sa wakas, napunta ang usapan kay Miss Vera mismo. Base sa kwento at sa paraan nito ng pagkukuwento, Missy and her friends looked up to Miss Vera. They respected her. Missy was particularly reverential. Naiintindihan iyon ni Geraldine. Miss Vera was these kids savior in a way. Kaya ingat na ingat siyang makapagsalita ng hindi maganda laban kay Miss Vera. Baka hindi na siya kausapin ni Missy. Para daw kasing mga kapatid ang turing ng guidance counselor sa mga ito. Made sense, given what happened to Vera's brother. Natural lang na may soft spot sa puso nito ang mga biktima ng bullying.

But how far would Miss Vera go to defend these kids?

Nag-comment si Geraldine na bilib siya sa dedikasyon ni Miss Vera para matigil ang mga bullying incidents.

Pero nahihirapan daw ang babae, sabi ni Missy, dahil raw, kadalasan ang mga magulang mismo ng buliies ang bullies.

Kagaya raw ng....

Umayos si Geraldine ng upo matapos manaway sa maiingay, "When was this incident you mentioned?" Tanong niya kay Missy. The girl was telling her about a heated argument Miss Vera had with Janus' parents.

"Mga last month, Miss."

"You were there at the office? You witnessed the whole thing?"

"Yes, Miss. I was helping Miss Vera with her files. The parents arrived and they were nice at first. They said, they were so grateful that Miss Vera is concerned about Janus. And then they were defensive, like Janus was..born mean. They said they were doing their best to discipline him. They told Miss Vera all the punishments Janus get.

"But I know Miss Vera didn't believe them. They obviously gave Janus everything he wants. He wears the most expensive rubber shoes. PE po nun, naka-PE uniform kami and Janus has like, a different shoes every week. And he's holding his new phone."

Tatango-tango si Geraldine. Yeah, she noticed those things too. Hindi lang kay Janus. Sa marami pang estudyante. They had the most expensive gadgets and devices, watches, clothes, bags, shoes.

"And then what?" Aniya.

"Then his dad, he just started scolding Janus there and then and he just hit him in the head. Like this--" sa sariling ulo dinemonstrate ni Missy kung paano kinutusan ng ama si Janus. "So, Miss Vera shouted at the father and she scolded him. It's wrong to hurt kids and that getting angry will not solve anything. She said fathers should not make their kids angry because they --the kids also get angry, said so in the Bible."

"Bible?"

Tumango si Missy, "Miss Vera recited the verse that said so."

Inulit ni Geraldine ang verse base sa pagkakanda niya.

"Yes, Miss. That's it."

And a moth later, Janus' parents were dead. Murdered.

Something occurred to her, "What about Prudence? I mean, she got into a lot of trouble also, did Miss Vera tried to talk to Miss Igarte about that?"

Umiling si Missy, "Noone can talk to The Ancient One."

"Uh, you said you make reports of bullying incidents. Do you have them with you? I..ahhmm, I 'm planning to see Prudence, to talk to her about going back to school. Sayang naman, di ba?"

Missy nodded. Pero hindi thrilled sa ideya na babalik sa school si Prudence.

"But I need to see who she bullied and when so I'll be prepared to intervene in case she decides to come back."

Binuksan ni Missy ang malaking plastic envelop sa ibabaw ng mesa. May mga folders sa loob niyon, pinili nito ang kailangan. Hinugot iyon at iniabot kay Geraldine, "That's the list of incidents involving Prudence, Miss."

"Thank you."

She scanned the list. May tumawag sa kanya.

"Miss G!" Si Angela, ang luwang ng ngiti, "I got it." May iwinawagayway itong papel.

Ang parental consent at waiver para sa writers' conference. Naiwan daw nito sa kotse kaya hindi naibigay sa kanya bago sila nagklase kanina.

"Oh, good. Great." Kinuha niya ang papel kay Angela, ipinatong iyon sa mesa.

Napatingin si Missy. Pagkatapos ay sa kanila naman ni Angela tumingin.

"She got the slot." Saad ni Missy.

"Yes, isn't it great--" natigilan na siya. Missy wanted to join the conference too. Nag-submit ito ng short story pero hindi pumasa.

"I got in because of Miss G." Wika nI Angela kay Missy. Obvious na unaware ito na pinapangarap ng kausap ang tinutukoy nito.

Nangamba naman si Geraldine na mamisinterpret iyon ni Missy, itinama niya si Angela, "You got the slot because you're talented."

But of course, that hurt Missy even more. Para na nga naman niyang sinabi na wala itong talent.

Shit, hirap manimbang.

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