Swept Off

Simula - Great Pretender

(CATH POV)  

My world shifted in a heartbeat. Juice splattered, curses flew, and in a whirlwind of chaos, the cafeteria had turned into a battlefield. I blinked back tears as the jeers of my fellow students filled my ears.

Woah! Astig! WOW! Run for your life Cath! Good luck! Deadmeat! Patay ka!

Yan ang mga eksaktong salita ng mga tao sa paligid namin kasama si Ashlyn, nung aksidenteng matapunan ko siya ng juice mula sa tray ko. At aaminin ko, wala akong ibang kasalanan kundi ang hindi mag-ingat.

My heart pounded in my chest. The threat was real, very real, but it wasn't my first encounter with danger. I could feel Ashlyn's searing glare, the intimidating presence that seemed to grow larger by the second. Ashlyn, the big, aggressive bully, always surrounded by her four loyal followers, preyed on weaker students, and I was one of her favorite targets. With sheer brute force and unbridled aggression, Ashlyn boosted her ego on the broken spirits of her victims.

Umurong ako ng bahagya, hindi ko alam kung paano pipigilan ang takot na sumakop sa akin dahil sa mga maaaring gawin ni Ashlyn.

"H-Hindi ko s-sinasadya." My voice was literally shaking habang pigil pigil ko ang aking pag iyak.

Ashlyn snatched the plate of spaghetti from Cathy's tray and emptied it onto her head. Her accomplices, known as the Ashlyn Angels, promptly followed suit by pouring a cold glass of juice over Cathy. Laughter erupted around them as the cafeteria transformed into a circus of mockery.

It wasn't the first time this had happened to me, but the humiliation was just as raw. I dropped my tray and fled from the cafeteria, my tears streaming down my face as I ran.

Kailan nga ba ako huling napahiya sa buong campus ng ganito?

Last month?

Oo, isang buwan na ang nakalilipas. Akala ko nga ay hindi ko na mararanasan muli ang mabully dahil sa bagong pet nina Ashlyn na transferee. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Drenched and dejected, I made my way back to our classroom. I entered, head bowed, struggling to regain my composure and avoid the stares of my classmates, who reveled in the spectacle.

"Cathy doll, I heard Ashlyn kicked your ass again." It was Annie, the self-proclaimed class idol, chewing gum and wearing her skirt shorter than regulation allowed.

Annie leaned forward on my desk and reached out for my long mousey hair, clamping the still warm gum to the strands. Then she sat back and glanced around the room to bask in the grins of our classmates. Ugh! Bitch talaga ang isang ito!

Annie leaned forward, her fingers aiming for my long, mousy hair. She pressed the warm gum onto a strand of my hair, then leaned back to soak in the laughter of our classmates. I couldn't stand her.

Binubully. Sinasaktan. Maybe through this ay mabigyan na ako ng time ng aking mga magulang na walang inatupag kundi ang negosyo ng pamilya which they always say na it's for me? The heck? I don't need it!

Ignoring Annie, I hurried out of the classroom, clutching my bag tightly.

"Cath!" Habol ni Karen sa akin. My bestfriend. "I heard what happened." Alala nyang sabi ng maabutan ako saka ako niyakap kahit basang basa ang damit ko.

I returned the embrace and we made our way home together. I collapsed onto my bed as soon as we entered my room.

"Are you okay?" Tanong ni Karen.

"Of course not! Why would I be?" Inis kong sagot habang naglalakad patungo sa banyo.

Karen grinned and leaned against the wall.

"Hanggang kailan ka ba magiging ganyan? You should fight back and make them stop, especially that Annie." Mungkahi nya habang pinapanood ako sa pagtanggal ko ng bubble gum sa aking buhok.

I scoffed, "Can you just help me instead? You know I can't handle Ashlyn." I lied. Kayang kaya ko si Ashlyn kahit pa ang laki niyang babae.

Lumapit si Karen sa akin at binuhusan ng hair serum ang parte ng akong buhok na may bubble gum.

"Hello, girl! Senior High na tayo, takot ka pa din sa dambuhalang yon?  Though I admit she looks terrifying, but come on! Why isn't your uncle, the President of the Philippines, intimidating enough? That should put fear in their hearts." She added and she was right.

"Eh bakit hindi ikaw ang gumawa? Palibhasa missing in action ka sa tuwing pinagtutulungan nila ako." Inirapan ko sya at sinuklay ang aking buhok ng matanggal ang bubblegum.

"Sorry. Busy kasi ako girl sa mga paper works. You know. I have so many plates to finish!" Explain nya and I saw how guilty she was.

"Whatever! Lumabas ka na, maliligo na ako."

Pabagsak kong isinara ang pinto. Umiiyak akong nahiga sa bathtub habang bumubuhos ang maligamgam na tubig mula sa shower. I am tired.

My life was a messed kahit noon pa man. Kung papipiliin nga ako, ayoko na maging si Catharina Linet R. Tan. I want to live a simple and happy life. I am a brat stubborn kid in this house and pretending to be a weak sheep outside para sa kakarampot na oras at atensyon ng aking mga magulang. Kapag umuuwi kasi akong may sugat o pasa ay nagiging concern sa akin sina Mom and Dad.

Excited kong binuksan ang umuusok sa init na cup noodles. Hinipan ko pa ito saka naupo sa stool chair ng convinience store. I ate so noisily, slurping my noodles like some kind of vacuum cleaner saka pinagtawanan ang aking sarili. I was thinking of Karen, galit na galit kasi ito sa akin kapag ginagawa ko ang tunog na yun. Naiirita kasi siya but I don't care because I love doing it. Pinuno ko ang bibig ko ng noodles kahit mainit pa hanggang maubos ko ito. I even sipped the remaining soup showing no signs of embarrassment then I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and belched. Busog!

Hindi pa man ako nakakatayo sa kinauupuan ko ay may panyong itim ang humarang sa aking mukha and It's too late to avoid it because everything went black.