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18 | Payback Time

XVIII
Payback Time

Y O O N D A E

Matapos ang nangyari ay kumalat na parang apoy ang balita sa buong Shiyama High. Many students have witnessed how police rescued Charm and the commotion between us. Everybody knows that a student from Class 6 – A was almost murdered though we haven’t even recovered from Daryl’s death from the other day. Naging kahina-hinala rin para sa kanila ang pagkamatay ng iba pa naming mga kaklase na sila Ezekiel at Kojack kahit pa hindi inilabas nila Ms. Cris at Mr. Fetalvero ang totoong nangyari sa mga ito. Now everybody in this school believes that there’s something wrong going on in our class.

Bagay na hindi na maitatago pa nila Mr. Fetalvero at Ms. Cris.

Ngayon na ang araw ng pag-alis ko sa Shigiyama High. Hila-hila ko ang maleta ko palabas ng dorm building. Magpapaalam sana ako kila Mr. Fetalvero at Ms. Cris  pero hindi ko sila makakausap ngayon dahil abala sila sa pakikipag-meeting kasama ng school board. They have a lot of things to deal with today. Aside from the rumors spreading around in this school about our class, they also have to deal with the media outside.

Nang makalabas ng building ay narinig ko ang mga pamilyar na boses na tumatawag sa akin. Nang lumingon ako ay nakita ko  sina Hitomi, Hanna at Chase na tumatakbo sa direksyon ko. Nakasunod naman sa kanila na naglalakad sina Chin, Bro, Dave at Sage.

“Aalis ka na ba talaga, Yoondae?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Hanna sa pagitan ng bawat malalalim na hinga.

Hindi pa man ako nakakasagot nang maramdaman ko ang dalawang kamay na nakahawak sa mga balikat ko. Dahil sa ginawang ‘yon ni Chase ay sapilitan akong napaharap sa kanya.

“Bakit hindi ko alam ang tungkol dito? Bakit hindi mo sa akin sinabi? I could’ve asked my mom to decline from signing that stupid petition.”

“Yeah, I could’ve asked my mom too. Kahit na mahirap siyang kumbinsihin gagawin ko pa rin basta ‘wag ka lang umalis dito.” Nagsimula nang tumulo ang mga luha ni Hitomi na naging dahilan para matuod ako sa kinatatayuan ko.

“Yoondae, alam ko namang nagkatampuhan tayo pero ‘wag ka namang umalis o’?” Hanna pleaded in the verge of crying. Mas lalong umiyak si Hitomi sa narinig.

I shook my head repeatedly.

“I really can’t do anything about it,” I said, couldn’t help but to smile bitterly. “It has been decided.”

Nagsimula na ring umiyak si Hanna dahil sa sinabi ko. Tuluyan namang dumulas ang mga kamay ni Chase mula sa pagkakahawak sa akin.

Napatingin kaming lahat kay Sage nang magsimula siyang lumakad paalis. Mabilis naman siyang hinarangan ni Chase bago pa man siya makalampas sa amin.

“Ano ba Sage?! Tulungan mo kaming kumbinsihin siyang manatili dito!”

I stood frozen, waiting for Sage’s response. A part of me was hoping that he will also ask me to stay just like what he did last night at the garden. My heart was nervously beating while staring at him.

My heart automatically sank after seeing his response.

“Move out of my way.” He commanded coldly. He was staring at Chase with his usual cold lifeless eyes, as if he doesn’t care about everything—including me. The latter didn’t move so he shoved him and he nearly fell.

Tuluyang nakaalis si Sage at walang nagawa ni isa sa amin para pigilan siya. Chase was able to get a hold of himself. Bro and Dave remained silent while watching the whole thing. Hanna and Hitomi were still crying. Bigla namang nagsalita si Chin ilang metro ang layo sa akin.