Ears and Rhymes

Chapter 3- MAKIKIJOIN NA LANG AKO

Michelle

"Mitch—"

Ugh, the nerve of this guy. I move faster so Teddy won't make follow me pero para siyang in need today kaya he makes follow me hanggang sa room.

"Mitch—" he called again.

"Why ba?" naiinis na tanong ko. Wala pang masyadong tao sa room. Mayroon lang nag-sleep na classmate ko na napatingin sa amin bago nag-sleep ulit.

"It's a misunderstanding," he said.

"Misunderstanding my ass. Hey, I may not be the most matalino ever but I am not bobo either. Nakakandong siya sa iyo, ano ang tingin mo sa akin? I was born yesterday?" I make waved my finger in front of him like Beyoncé with my head is shaking too... like nah, nigga, I'm not buying it.

"I need my phone."

"You don't have a phone. It's MY phone. 'Wag makapal ang mukha."

"Mitch—"

"Don't fucking call me again. We are over! Nakaka-istorbo ka sa natutulog so...shooo!" taboy ko kay Teddy.

"Salamat naman sa konsiderasyon," my sleeping classmate said.

"You're welcome," I replied.

Umalis si Teddy at binagsak ang door.

"Putangina," said my sleeping classmate.

Omg! Nagalit yata si Ate.

"Are you okay?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Nananaginip lang ako," sagot nito.

Intense ng dream.

Super excited akong hanapin si Sexylove pero my God, 'yong PI ni daddy... nakakaloka. Wala pang lead.

"Darla," sigaw ko sa assistant ko. Yes, Darla ang name niya, like Darla... I know right, pinsan siya ng Darla ni Kris. It runs in their family. 

"Yes—"

"Can you make hanap nga clothes that I can bring? 'Yong pwedeng ipamigay na pero magagamit pa."

"Like, now na?" tanong niya.

"Yesss... Like, now na!" tumatangong sagot ko.

"For what?" tanong nito.

"Ugh," napatingin ako sa ceiling. Ang daming hanash, grabe. "For kawang gawa."

"Okay," sagot niya.

"Ilang luggage?" tanong ulit nito.

"Isa lang," I replied while browsing the landian between Sir Blaze at Sexylove.

Haayy, kayo na ang kinikilig. Makiki-join na lang ako.

I make sama my yaya dahil busy si Darla— don't ask me kung saan. Sinama ko si yaya sa school dahil pupunta kami sa Nueva Ecija. Dala ko ang luggage ko na bitbit ni yaya.

Napa-wow si Sir Blaze nang makita niya si yaya.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked.

"Noooo..." Naguguluhang sagot ko. Bakit siya galit?

"The purpose of this excursion is for you to learn how to live a simple life over the weekend. Can you please....please pauwiin mo 'yang house help ninyo bago pa kita bigyan ng failed grade?"

Napalaki ang mata ko at kinuha ang maleta kay yaya.

"Sige na, go na," bulong ko kay yaya.

"Dala mo ba ninyo ang buong bahay ninyo?" naiinis na tanong ni Sir Blaze.

"Sir, we need these," I replied.

"Then, kayo ang magbuhat niyan mamaya."

OMG! How?

"Ugh, bawal bang magdala ng yaya?" bulong ko sa classmate ko.

Tumingin lang siya sa akin na parang ang dumb ko to bring my yaya.

Habang nasa road kami, I was looking outside and it made me realize a lot of things. Road trip makes you do that.... realizing since 1900.

Bakit lapitin ako ng mga... ugh. Wala na bang matinong lalaki na makikilala ko? If not vain, childish. If not mayabang, bully. If not babaero, super conceited. Wala bang chill lang? Tama lang? 'Yong kaya akong ipagmalaki dahil girlfriend niya ako hindi dahil ako si Mitch Salvacio.

Can someone date me without asking me if I went to go somewhere fancy? Na parang standard na ba namin 'yon? Gano'n kami kababaw?

Like duh! Oo, ganyan kayo kababaw. Pinahanap mo nga si Sexylove out of boredom, remember?

Napa— ano nga ang tawag do'n? Buntong... I took a deep breath na nga lang.

"This is my life now. I have walked this wilderness and now I will die upon it."

They laughed at my kaartehan. Lord, akala ko mapapagulong ko ang luggage, kasya lang ang paa ko sa pelapel.

"Shut up. We've only been walking for twenty minutes," sagot ni Blaze. Galit na naman siya.

"It feels like an eternity," I replied. "And there is no gentleman in here."

Grabehan ang mga Japs na ito, hindi ako tulungan.

"You, women, are asking for equality yet you're crying when no one helps you with your shit," the k-pop guy replied.

"Hey, I am not one of those women crying for gender equality," I reasoned out. Grabe siya. "I need help."

I want to cry. Ano ba ang pinack ni Darla dito?

"No one will help you. Move along."

Saksakin ko kaya si Sir Blaze ng stiletto kong suot?

Someone offered help to me, bless these two girls. With that, we carried the luggage but it's not enough. Mabigat talaga siya, chiong.

Maybe, Sir Blaze was inip na kaya kinuha na niya ang luggage at siya na ang nagbuhat. Nakahinga kami... literally... ng maluwag.

"Thank you," I murmured. "Nakakahiya, I don't know your names."

"I'm Rose and this is Star. Ano ba laman ng luggage mo?" tanong ni Rose.

Na-shy ako bigla. "Actually, mga damit at shoes. I was thinking to give them to some teens in here."

"That's good," bulong ni Star. I thought so too, so I smiled at her.