Hi!
This is the final chapter of Flaws to Your Perfect!
Thank you for reading!
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"READY?" Huminga ako ng malalim bago tumango kay Paige na nakaabang ang palad sa harapan ko habang nakatayo siya sa labas ng SUV ko, nag-aantay na lumabas ako.
After a week of absence, I finally got the courage to go back to school—thanks to my mom's and Paige's encouragement, I was able to gather enough courage to step out of my comfort zone.
"You can do this, Tegs," she cheered which made me smile despite the crawling feeling of nervousness I am feeling inside.
Ilang beses pa akong bumuga ng hangin bago tumango at inabot ang kamay niyang nakaabang sa akin. She helped me out of the SUV and gently intertwined her hand into mine. I can't help but smile as I feel our fingers brushing each other.
Nang makapsok kami sa may entrance gate ng school ay normal naming binati ng 'good morning' ang guard na sandali lamang na bumagsak ang tingin sa magkahawak naming kamya bago ito ngumiti at tumango.
"Chill, love. We got this," pagpapakalma ni Paige nang maramdaman ang pahagya kong panginginig.
It's only 6:45 am, the flag starts at 7 o'clock and classes on 7:30. Masyado pang maaga kaya naman hindi na ako nagulat sa iilang estudyanteng nakatambay sa may hallway at mga locker area.
Sandali akong natigilan nang makita si Kat kasama ang ilan pa naming mga kaibigan na tahimik na nakasalampak sa sahig, nakasandal sa hilera ng locker sa kanilang likuran at abala sa kani-kanilang mga cellphones.
My heart beat started racing once again. Pinaghalo-halo na naman ang kaba, takot, at pagdadalawang-isip habang palapit kami ng palapit sa grupo nila. It didn't take long before they were able to notice our presence. Namilog ang mga mata nila at agad iyong sinabayan ng malalakas na mga singhap.
I was already preparing myself for the worst. I was ready for all of their lashing and angry words, eyes full of disgust and contempt. I was ready to see those but I wasn't prepared to accept the rush hugs I received from them. Halos matumba ako ng dumugin nila ako ng yakap. Paige had to let go of my hand for a while and step aside to give way for my friends.
"I miss you so much, Tegs!" Kat wailed loudly.
Hindi ko alam kung paano mag-re-react. Paige did told me how worried our friends were but . . . I wasn't expecting a warm welcome as this!
It took them a few more moments before they were able to calm down. Hinila ako papunta sa pwesto nila kanina, tahimik lang na nakasunod sa likuran namin si Paige, probably letting me absorb the newly found enthusiasm from my friends.
"We were so worried about you!" Masama ang loob na ani Rhea. "Hindi ka man lang nakipag-usap o ano sa amin. But that's okay! It's alright! We understand!"
Hindi ko napigilan ang pagtakas ng mga luha ko ng marinig iyon.
Kat pouted as her face contorted into a crying face. "Tanggap ka naman namin, Tegs! I'm sorry kung natakot ka dahil sa naging trato namin kay Paige noon. But we just reacted like that dahil akala namin ay tinake advantage niya ang kalasingan mo."
Tumango ako sa paliwanag ni Kat. Naiintindihan ko iyon, nakwento na rin ni Paige sa akin na nakapag-usap sila ng mga kaibigan namin.
Ikinagulat ko ang mabilis nilang pagtanggap sa akin—sa amin but I must admit that I am happy they did. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko sakali ngang talikuran nila ako dahil lang . . . ganito ako.
"Rookie was immediately expelled. Hindi na pumayag ang principal at ang parents mo na hayaan pa ang bully na 'yon dito. Good luck nalang kung makahanap pa siya ng school na tatanggap sa kanya without any certificate of good moral!" gigil na balita ni Shai na hindi yata hawak ang phone ngayon.
Tahimik lang akong nakinig sa mga kwento nilang lahat. They told me about everything I missed for being MIA for the whole week. Sobrang ingay ng grupo namin kaya naman agad kong napansin ang pananahimik nilang lahat nang umupo sa may likuran ko si Paige.
"Continue," aniya sa mga kaibigan naman na bahagyang nalukot ang mukha bago ngumuso.
"This takes time of getting used to." Kinurot ni Shai ang tungki ng sarili ilong.
"Ano? Bakit? Eh matagal naman na silang ganyan?" parang naguguluhan pang tanong ni Kat na nagpangisi sa akin.
"But it's different now knowing that . . . that there's . . . something!" hirap na pagdadahilan ng iba.
Naguguluhan kaming nilingon ni Kat. Pinanood niya ang pisngi ni Paige na komportableng nakapatong sa may balikat ko bago sunod-sunod na umiling. "I don't see anything new. Nasa isip niyo lang 'yan!"
"Oh how I wish everyone's mindset the same with you, Katleya." Tumatawang saad ni Paige kasabay ng paghuli niya sa mga kamay ko.
Nagpatuloy ang kwentuhan na parang walang nangyari. I can see some of my friends who looked uncomfortable watching Paige and I being too touchy but they didn't say anything. As if sinasanay lang ang sarili na makita kami ng ganoon.
The bell rang twice and that means that we needed to head straight to the auditorium for the flag ceremony. Nang makapasok kami sa loob ng auditorium ay hindi nakatakas sa mga mata at tainga ko ang ilang curious na mga tingin at bulungan mula sa ibang schoolmates namin.
I think this is the first time I hated such attention. It used to be some sort of fuel to keep me going but now? It only scares the hell out of me.
Mabilis lang na natapos ang flag ceremony. Inisa-isa na rin ang bawat sections at grade levels sa pagpapalabas sa auditorium para tumungo na sa kani-kanilang mga classrooms.
"Teagan," nakangiting bati ng first period professor namin nang makita ako pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya sa room. "It's nice to see you again!"
Ngumiti ako pabalik sa kanya. "Nice to see you too, Ma'am. Don't worry, I already did an advance to cope up with the lessons I missed."
Natawa na lamang ang guro nang makita ang pabiro kong pagkindat sa kanya. The day proceeded without much drama than I anticipated.
At the end of the day, Paige was already waiting near the exit gate. Nakasandal siya sa malaking column wall ng guardhouse at abalang-abala sa kanyang cellphone.
I bit my lower lip bago dahan-dahang nag-sneak out sa may likuran niya para gulatin siya.
"Boo!" Tawang-tawa ako ng makita ang nanlalaki niyang mga mata nang umikot siya paharap sa akin. Mabilis niyang ibinaba sa may leeg niya ang purple na wireless headphones niya bago niya ako muling binalingan ng atensyon habang nakanguso.
"How's your day?" tanong niya bago ini-offer ang kamay sa harapan ko. Nakangiti ko iyong tinanggap at pinagsalikop despite all the eyes around us.
I didn't care about those judgmental looks anymore. The contempt their gazes gives doesn't bother me anymore.
I have my family supporting me unconditionally, my friends who accept me—us, and I have Paige by my side. And it's more than enough for me.
All my life I can remember working hard to please everyone, I wanted to be liked by everyone because I thought that would be the only way I wouldn't be left alone. But what happened to me just proved all of my assumptions wrong.
I wanted to be perfect so that people wouldn't have any reasons to leave me. But then, I realized that it's very impossible to be flawless. No matter how much I try, no matter how much I give, people would always have a say about something. And I wouldn't give up my happiness just for that.
My happiness matters just as much as my family, and my friends' acceptance.
Sandali kong iginilid ang ulo ko para panoorin si Paige na naglalakad sa tabi ko. She haven't let go of my hand mula nang magkita kami kanina. And I hope she would always do that.
Hopefully ay hindi siya mapagod na hawakan ako, na hatakin ako pabalik sa tabi niya. Sana ay hindi siya mapagod na araw-araw ipaalala sa akin na ayos lang ang lahat. That no one else's opinion about us matters more than our opinion about each other.
I am so in love with this girl named Paige Bautista.
People may call her my greatest flaw, but for me? She's the missing piece that finally perfected my life.