It’s been a week since I start teaching her. I can say that she’s willing to learn. Maybe school is just making her nervous. Lagi siyang takot na magkamali lalo sa recitation. Hindi siya gano’n ka talino pero handang natuto. That’s what makes it easy for me.
“Stanlly, pag bumagsak ako mag lalayas ako. Hanapin mo’ko ah?”
I massage my nose bridge. She’s like this since earlier. Nervous as fuck. Well all of us are. I’m also nervous not for me but for her. Pag bumagsak siya para na rin akong bumagsak. I’m the one who teach her. Pag hindi siya pumasa baka masakal ko na siya. Pinagpuyatan ko siya kahit na tinutulugan niya ‘ko. This is killing me.
“Good afternoon, everyone—” mom suddenly enter, she’s from work.
“Shhh!” both of us hush her.
She gave us a confuse look, “bastos kayo ah! What’s with that face?” she asked, “ohhh, labasan na nga pala ng mga naka pasa.” She remember.
“Anyway, Tori, follow me.” Mom ignores us.
We’re just here in the living room. Facing the laptop. Waiting for the school page to post the announcement. Kanina pa kami rito. Naubos na ang chips namin habang nanonood at nag papalipas ng oras. Three minutes nalang. Shit.
“Lumayo ka sa’kin baka masakal kita.” Banta ko. Ngumuso siya at umusod palayo.
“Lord, lagi ako nag pepray. Please…sana pumasa po ako. Kahit si Stanlly nalang bagsak.” she prayed while her eyes were close. Tinitigan ko siya ng masama. Nang maramdaman ang titig ko ay nag peace sign siya. Kainis. Ang sarap itapon sa bangin.
3…2…1!
The grades has been posted.
“Hala ayan na!” lumapit siya saakin at nag tago sa likod ko. Tanga mas madali kitang masasakal makita mo.
Kahit na nginginig ang mga kamay ay nagawa kong puntahan ang mail ko. I click on the link where the list is provided. I automatically look for her name. Damn mamaya na’ko!
Passed- Deguzman Shane- 2.50
“Huy…pasado ka? Tingnan mo na sakin.” aniya habang nasa likod ko pa rin.
I smile. She passed. She freaking passed!
Without any word I hug her. She was stunned but she hug me back.
“Huy, comforting hug ba ‘to? Hindi ako nakapasa?” halos maiyak na tanong niya.
I laughed, “you passed, idiot.”
“Huh?” takang tanong niya. Nang makuha ay tumili siya dahilan para mailayo ko siya sa’kin.
“Tone done your voice!” napa hawak ako sa tenga ‘ko.
“Waaaaa, sorry. Pasado ako! Hala pasado ako?!” parang baliw niyang sambit.
“Yeah, I’ll check mine.”
“Hindi mo pa tinitingnan sayo?” nagtatakang tanong niya.
Inuna ‘ko ang sayo. Mas kabado pa ata ako sa kaniya. What is happening to me?
Passed- Losena Stanlly – 2
I sighed in a relief. I was expecting this. But her grades made me happy. I’m the one who teach her. I bit my lip but I still failed to hide my smile. Shit.
“Bakit naka ngiti ka? Pasado ka rin?” na simangot nalang ako. Panira naman ‘to.
“Oo pasado ako.”
She smiled sweetly. Tangina. Anong nangyayari sa’kin? Bakit biglang bumilis tibok ng puso ko? Nag pa-palpitate ba’ko? Hindi naman ako uminom ng kape. Gago. Ayoko na.
“Lumayo ka nga sa’kin.” Inis na taboy ko. Pero hindi siya nakinig. Nanatili siya sa tabi ko.
“What are you doing?” I asked because she’s busy on her phone.
“Wala may nag congrats lang sa’kin.”
My eyes turn into daggers.
“Who?”
“Si Brian, tapos isa pa nating block mate.” Sagot niya at hindi pa rin naka tingin sa’kin.
“Ah,” I was about to close my laptop but she stop me.
“Wait lang nga sabi,” inis na saway niya habang nakatingin pa rin sa phone.
“Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo?!”
There, she finally look at me.
She show me her phone, “pwede ko I post ‘to?” it was a picture taken in the beach. My picture with a freaking mango!
“What? No!”
She pouted, “eto?” it was a picture also taken the same day. Where she kiss the side of my head.
“Mas lalong hindi!” sigaw ko.
“Bakit?” iritadong tanong niya.
“Wala lang, ayaw ko lang. Besides bakit mo ipopost ‘yon?”
“Syempre! Pasado ako! Ika-caption ko ‘my teacher’ o, diba ang ganda!” she said like it’s a obvious thing.
“Ayoko, maraming makakakita.”
Inis kong sinarado ang laptop ko. Pero binuksan niya ulit. I was about to say something but it was too late. Pinagsaklop niya ang kamay namin. Tinapat niya ang cellphone doon para kuhaan ng litrato. The background was the laptop with blurred text of the list. Matapos no’n ay binitawan na niya ang kamay ko.
“Eto nalang ipopost ko.” Then she laugh like a evil character in cartoon.
I blink digesting what she did. I look at her, she was humming while doing something on her phone. She look happy. Ano pang iaangal ko? Nakakahiya namang sirain ang araw niya. Kahit araw araw niya ‘yon ginagawa sa’kin.
“Tingnan mo post ko, bilis.” She said excitedly.
I just sighed and took my phone out. I bit my lip when I notice the keychain. We both have that. I scroll down in Instagram. I stopped when I saw her profile.
Pareho kaming pasado ni crush!
“What the fuck?”
I heard her laugh.
“Iniba ko lang ng konti ‘yung caption.” She said with a little sign on her hand.
“You literally change it.”
Ngumuso ang siya at sumandal sa sofa.
I look at my phone. My blood boil when I saw his comments.
Brian: sino yan?
Brian: mas mayaman sakin?
Brian: tara celebrate tayo : )
Tangina pasang awa nga grade mo tapos celebrate? Dapat sayo pinapalamon ng kandila.
“Hoy, ano ‘yan? May ka chat kang babae ‘no?”
Without any word I look at her, “what the hell are you saying?”
“Psh, kunwari pa.” umirap siya, “ang daming nag tatag sayo sa fb!”
“I don’t use fb, Shane.”
“May account ka pa rin naman! Sa Instagram marami din!” galit na sabi niya
“So?”
“Baka mamaya may ka chat ka!” she shouted.
“So?” pinagtaasan ko siya ng kilay.
She stop for a moment. Suddey her eyes change. It become teary. Shit.
“Baka mas type mo…” she whisper something.
I clear my throat, “i-I’m checking your post. I don’t like chatting.” I explained.
Ngumuso siya at tumango.
She doesn’t really like to pout but it’s natural for her. Pag nakita nanaman siya ni Mr. Tori aasarin nanaman siya na bibe.
“Here, look at it.” I lend my phone. Ngunit umiling siya at nag cellphone nalang. Kita mo ‘to.
“You’re the one who’s chatting, Shane.” She look at me a little bit pissed. She shows me that it was a game.
“Whatever.” Umupo ako sa wheelchair. I push the button and go straight to the kitchen. How funny that my mood changes that quick. Bwisit kasing lalaking ‘yon.
Uminom lang ako ng tubig. Nang makabalik ay nadatnan ko siyang hawak ang phone ko. Ang tanga,pinapatingin ko na nga kanina!
Pinagmasdan ko lang siya. Tangi .na tingnan natin kung may makita ka dyan. Ipapalamon ko ‘yan sayo.
Inis na nilapag niya ‘yon. Bumalik na ako pero hindi ako umupo sa sofa. Nakakapagod lumipat. Sinara ko ang laptop at ibinalik sa bag. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at nilagay sa bulsa.
“Stanlly, gusto mo ng pizza?” biglang tanong niya.
Parang pumapalakpak ang tenga ko ng marinig ‘yon. I miss her pizza!
“Meron ka?”
Tumango siya, “oo, ginawa ko kaninang umaga. Alam ko naman kasing pasado ka. Sa grades ko lang ako kinabahan. “
“Yeah, I want some.” I honestly said.
Pizza ‘yon. Gusto ko ng marami. How can she make those? It’s so good. I bet it can surpass other stores.
“Ito, mainit pa, hipan mo muna.” Nilapag niya ang pagkain. Hindi naman ganoon kalaki ang pizza just a regular size.
Kumuha ako. Ang sarap amuyin, ang daming cheese. I almost curse when I taste some shrimp.
“You put a shrimp?” pag kunpirma ko.
“Ah,oo. Nilagay ko, sabi kasi ni Manang hindi niya agad naluto. Hindi niyo na daw gusto pag hindi na sariwa. Kaya sabi ko ilalagay ko nalang sa pizza. Masarap ba?”
“Yeah, but I think there’s no need for this. I mean it’s really good even without it.” I said as I took another bite.
“What do we have here? Omygash pizza!” kumuha agad si mom. While Mr. Tori is so calm as he sit.
“Mom, don’t eat to many. It will ruin your diet.”
“Sus, ang sabihin mo ayaw mo lang ubusan kita!”
Arrgh she know me so well!
“Shane, meron pa?”
“Ah, wala na po e. Kaunti lang po kasi ingredients.”
“I’ll tell the maids to include it on the groceries’ list. By the way. Mag bebeach ulit tayo.”
“What?” angal ko.
“I have business there. Since bakasyon niyo nanaman. It’s fine. Besides naka pasa naman kayong dalawa.”
“Pano niyo po nalaman?” takang tanong ni Shane.
“I saw the list online.”
While their busy, halos ubusin ko na ang pizza. I want more. It feels like torture to eat this without getting contented.
“Mauubos na ng anak mo.” Sumbong ni tanda.
“What the—hey! Akin nalang ‘yang isa.” Kinuha niya ang natitira.
I frowned.
“Sayo na’tong akin.” I look at her.
“Why?”
“Gusto mo pa e.” nilagay niya ‘yon sa plato ko. Kaunti pa lang ang bawas. Hindi na ako nag reklamo. Inubos ko na. Potcha kulang pa. Para akong naiiyak na ewan.
“Stanlly, mahiya ka na. Jusko ka, pati ang kay Shane na ubos mo na.” Mr. Tori said.
“Igagawa nalang ulit kita pag naka pamalengke na.” she assured me.
“Abusado kang bata ka!” mom suddenly said.
“Huh? What?”
“Sagutin mo na raw si Shane.” Pag translate ni Mr. Tori.
I was stunned.
“Okay lang naman po, nag eenjoy naman ako e.” Shane laugh.
“Kahit na, kulang lang naman maging kayo na official. Parang kayo na rin naman.”
“Mom you’re kidding.”
“Duh? Tabi nga kayo matulog e!”
Pumikit ako ng mariin.
“Then tell her to stop sleeping in my room.”
“Sus, ewan ko sayo. Gusto mo rin naman.”
“Hindi kaya!” pag tanggi ko.
“So, as I was saying. Mag bebeach tayo. Actually doon tayo sa rest house ng kaibigan ko. One month tayo do’n dahil mag babakasyon rin ang business team namin. At kasama ang mga investors.”
“Hala, one-month po? Maganda po ba do’n?” Shane asked excitedly.
“Yes, maganda do’n. And son, no more buts.”
I rolled my eyes. Wala naman talaga akong magagawa. One month? Anong gagawin ko do’n? May internet ba do’n?
-_-