Sky
One week has already passed. Simula na ng enrollment. Ngayong araw naka-schedule ang pag-enroll namin ni Erma. Masyadong busy ang babaeng yun sa trabaho. Kaya simula ng dumating ako ay hindi pa kami nakakalabas.
For the past few days ay mga pinsan ko ang nakasama ko. Nagpunta kami ng Laguna upang mag-take ng mga rides sa Enchanted Kingdom. Kahapon ay kauuwi lang namin galing Baguio, Hera wants to pick a strawberry. Kaya kahit malayo ay pinuntahan namin.
Pakiramdam ko walang kapaguran ang mga pinsan ko. Pag-usapang lakwatsa ay go silang lahat.
Maaga akong nagising at tumulong kina Nanang na maghanda ng almusal. Nagswimming din ako, good for exercise kasi yun.
Nagpahatid ako ulit kay Kuya Riko. Marunong na akong magmaneho pero wala pa akong license. Mom said, that I need to have a license first. I can't disobey what she said. Dahil yun ang tama.
Nakasalubong ko sila Kuya sa Engineering building kanina. May shoot sila sa school ngayon. Hindi na ako nakipag-usap ng matagal kay Kuya dahil baka sobrang haba na ng pila.
Marami nang nakapila ng dumating ako. I texted Erma that I'm already here. Makalipas ang ilang minuto ay nagreply na ito. Nandito na rin daw siya sa school at kasalukuyan nakapila rin.
I search for her. Nagpalinga linga ako hanggang sa makita ko siya. Kumaway kami sa isa't-isa at natawa. Owning this school doesn't mean that I'm exempted from falling in line.
I must obey the school rules. Simula first year at hanggang ngayong fourth year ako ay pumipila ako sa enrollment. Sabi nila Mommy kailangan ko na maranasan yung ginagawa ng mga normal na estyudante. Okay lang naman sa akin yun. Mas marami akong natutunan.
Nilagay ko sa kanang tainga ko ang ear pods at nakinig sa music.
May narinig akong nagbabangayan sa unahan. I ignored it at first. But....when I saw Erma laying on the floor. Nagmadali akong naglakad papunta sa pwesto niya.
"Anong nangyari?" tanong ko sa kanya. Basa ang damit nito. Tinulungan ko siyang makatayo. And I looked at the girl who's holding a bottled water.
"What are you doing?" I asked in a calm voice.
"What?" Painosente nitong tanong. I breath. I need to breath.
Again, I breath before I speak. "You pushed someone, and you're acting like you did nothing wrong. Why did you that?" I asked again. She raised her brows and smirks.
"Why are you meddling someone's problem?"
"She's my friend, if she did something wrong. You can talk to her in a nice way...."
Erma hold my arms. Naiinis na ako. Nagsisimula na akong mainis sa inaakto ng babaeng nasa harap ko.
"Hindi ka dapat nakikialam ng problema ng ibang tao. Gusto ko lang naman na makipagpalit ng linya dahil may lakad ako. I need to be there on time. But that canteen helper didn't listen to me. Why are you even here? Such a poor girl," nagpantig ang tainga ko sa huling sinabi niya.
"Look, Ms. Whoever you are, nagpunta ang kaibigan ko dito ng sobrang aga para maaga siyang matapos sa pag-enroll. Alam mo naman pa lang may lakad ka, dapat maaga kang nagpunta.... Be a responsible student of this school. What you did is considered bullying." Medyo iritadong sabi ko. Nakatingin na ang ibang estyudante. But I can't let it pass. Bullying is not allowed in this school.
"How dare you to lecture me?! Mga hampas lupang pinipilit ang sariling makapasok sa high end university. Did you even look at your self in the mirror? You both don't belong here!" Okay, enough. I had enough patience for this girl.
"Then you think you deserve to be here? I always looked at myself in the mirror, ikaw ba? Did you even see how ugly you are?"
Some people gasped on what they heard.
"I am the daughter of Congressman Reyes, in case that you didn't know," mayabang na sabi niya.
"So? Why would I care to a Congressman's daughter? I am the owner of this school. And you don't have a rights to bully my students. If you're rich then it's okay, but to degrade someone's life just because you're above them, that will never be okay. It will never be okay, bullying is prohibited from this school. If you can't be responsible then leave this school," seryosong sabi ko habang nakatitig sa kanyang mukha.
I hate broadcasting to the people that I am the owner of this school. SMU is stands for Skypiea Monasterio University, Mom is the one who's handling the school. But I'm updated in everything that happened here. Ayaw ko lang na ako ang mag-manage dahil nag-aaral pa ako. I don't want other students to be awkward around me.
Some students knows that I am the owner. But some are not. Or should I say that I am the daughter of the owner of this school.
"Oh, really? Sa itsura mong yan? Ikaw ang may-ari? Mukha ka ngang basahan. How come that you're the owner of this school," I hate this girl. Ang trashy masyado.
"Debale ng mukhang basahan, kaysa naman ugaling basura," I get my phone on my bag and I call my Mom. It takes five seconds to ring when Mom answered the call.
"Yes, anak?" She said in a sweet voice.
"Did you know Congressman Reyes?" I heard my Mom answered yes. "Can you make an appointment with him? I'll be the one who'll talk to him,"
"You'll talk to Congressman Reyes? But why? What's happening?" Nagpapanic na tanong ni Mommy.
"I want to discuss his daughter's rude behavior. I don't tolerate bullies, Mom. You know that, I'm the one who put that in the rules. Please, make an appointment for me. As soon as soon possible. Thank you," then I ended the call. And looked at her.
"Is there anything you want to know? If you're worrying about the things or the money that your Dad sponsored to this school. I can give it back two folds. See you soon, Ms. Reyes," hinawakan ko ang kamay ni Erma at iniwan na nakatulala ang babaeng masama ang tabas ng dila.
Sinabihan ko ang mga estyudante na bumalik sa kanilang mga pila. Ilang hakbang pa lang ang nalalakad namin ni Erma nang may pumalakpak sa kabilang gilid. It was Raven Blake.
Nakatayo silang lahat sa hallway. Kasama sina Dylan at Kuya. Pati na rin ang prod staff. Nag-thumbs up pa si Ame at Jeoff.
"I've never seen that side of you, Sky. You're indeed scarier than Mom," seryosong sabi ni Kuya. Tumango lang ako. I'm not in the mood to speak. Naubos yung energy ko sa babaeng yun.
Kumuha ako ng spare shirt ko sa locker at dinala si Erma sa cr.
"Hindi mo na dapat ginawa yun. Alam ko na ayaw mong sinasabi sa tao na ikaw yung may-ari ng school... sorry...."
I looked at her. And sighed.
"Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sa'yo na hindi mo kailangan magsorry kapag wala kang kasalanan. Erma Hyacinth," pagtawag ko sa pangalan niya.
"S-orry," umiiyak na sabi niya.
"Please, don't let those trashy people look down on you. Hindi mo deserve yun. Naiintindihan mo ba ako? Kapag hahayaan mong tratuhin ka ng mga ganung klaseng tao. Mauulit at mauulit yun. Kasi akala nila okay lang. Kasi feeling nila entitled silang gawin yun. And don't be sorry, okay?" I hugged and tap her back.
"Maraming salamat sa buhay mo, Sky."
"You're always welcome," nakangiting sabi ko.
Kinuha ko yung damit na dala ko at pinapasok siya sa isang cubicle at pinagbihis.
Because of what I've said earlier, a lot of students are looking at me right now. I just simply smiled. I don't want to be rude.
Bumalik kami sa pila upang makapag-enroll. Nagsimula na rin magshoot sina Kuya sa kabilang building.
Bandang alas tres ng hapon ng matapos kami ni Erma. Nagpaalam siyang aalis na siya dahil kailangan niya raw pumasok sa night shift niya. Pinahatid ko na siya kay Kuya Riko upang mabilis siyang makarating.
I am now heading to my Mom's office. Alam ko na ang rason ng pagpatawag niya. I knock the door twice before I entered to my Mom's office.
Umupo sa upuang nasa harap niya. And held both of my hands.
"What happened earlier?" She asked, alam ko naman na alam niya na ang nangyari. May cctv sa bawat kanto nitong school.
I exhaled and tell her everything. She doesn't have any reactions. I don't know what to feel. Do I need to panic? Or calm?
"Even it's not my friend, I'll do the same. You know how I hate bullies, Mom," dagdag na paliwanag ko. Ayaw ko na isipin ni Mommy na naging rush yung decision ko dahil kaibigan ko ang inagrabiyado.
"I'm proud of you!" Masayang sabi niya at tumayo. At niyakap ako.
"O-kay? Aren't you mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" She asked.
"I d-on't know. Maybe because, I declare that I am the owner?" I don't know. I really don't know.
"Because you are."
"But you're the one who's handling. You and Dad who built it, it's just my name. How can I own it? Wala naman akong ambag," That's the truth, pangalan ko lang ang ambag ko dito.
"Don't think about that. You've done a lot of things for this school. Even before you enter in this school. You already give a lot. In time, you'll know those things," ilang beses akong kumurap sa sinabi ni Mommy. At inisip kung ano yung mga nagawa ko para sa eskwelahan na 'to. But I can't even think one.
"Is there anything else, Mom?"
"We'll have a dinner later. Isabay na natin si Aian."
Nagpaalam ako kay Mommy na mag-iikot lang ako sa baba. Habang pababa ng hagdan ay narinig ko naman yung word na etits sa dalawang estyudante na galing cr. I forgot to ask my cousins about that word. Sa susunod na lang siguro.
Tinahak ko 'yong daan papunta sa building kung saan ang shoot nila Kuya. Nang makasalubong ko si Dylan. Galing ata sa cr.
"Hi,"
"Hi," I greeted back.
"Where are you going?"
"Sa set niyo, patapos na ba kayo?"
"Malapit na. Inaantay mo si Tim?" Tumango ako. Katahimikan. Tanging pagkiskis ng mga sapatos namin sa sahig ang naririnig ko.
Should I ask Dylan about that word? Would he give me an answer?
"Dylan," I called his name. He stopped from walking and look at me
"Yes, Sky?"
"Hmm, I have a question. But it's not important. Nevermind," nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad. But that word is still bugging me.
"Are you sure?"
"I think I should know this words. It really bothers me," Parang nasstress na talaga ako sa word na yun. Kasalanan 'to ni Jeoff.
"Okay, tell me. What is it?" He's now looking at me. Waiting for me to ask.
"What's etits?" matapos kung sabihin ang tanong ko nang maubo si Dylan. "Are you okay?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko. Grabe kasi yung ubo niya. Namumula na yung mukha niya.
"W-ho told you that?" nauutal na tanong niya.
"Why? Masama ba ang ibig sabihin ng etits?" Muling tanong ko. Muli siyang naubo. Parang mauubusan na siya ng hininga.
"What the fuck? Sky!" Malakas na sigaw ni Raven mula likuran ko. "W-hat did you just say?"
"Etits, is it really bad?" Tanong ko. Kasi hindi na maipinta yung mukha nilang dalawa.
"Who told you that?" Nangingiting tanong ni Raven.
"Jeoff," simpleng sagot ko.
"Don't say it again, okay? Dae, cleanse Jeoff mouth, please," I think it's really a bad thing.
Sabay na kaming naglakad patungo sa set. Si Dylan namumula pa rin. Si Raven naman bigla na lang tumatawa.
Nang malapit na kami ay huminto si Raven. Huminto din kaming dalawa ni Dylan. Nung walang planong umalis si Raven ay muli na akong naglakad.
"Sky," Raven called me.
"Yes?"
"Please, stop saying that word. If you're still curious, search in the google. And please, don't ask that word to stranger," at mabilis siyang naglakad papunta kina Kuya.
"Who did you asked first?" Dylan asked me.
"Hmm, at first it's Ame, but she didn't tell me. Second, you. And lastly Raven," Ano bang mayroon sa word na yun. Bakit ganun ang reaction nila.
"O-kay, just do whatever Raven said," I nodded. Umupo ako sa bench na malapit doon.
Maybe, I should follow Raven's advised. I go to google and search that word. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko and I dropped my phone.
Oh my god! What the hell in the world I've done!