"Okay ka lang ba, Gab?"
Tumango ako kay Gwin at hinintay makabalik si Jeremiah kasi sabi niya siya nalang daw yung kukuha ng bag ko. Sumandal ako pader kaya napansandal din si Gwin. She look at me when I never spoke.
"They're badmouthing you again."
"I know," I sighed. "It will never stop."
"They're just jealous."
"Yeah, sure," I sigh deeply and close my eyes. I heard her chuckle so I also did. "What?"
"We look so stupid gaslighting ourselves this stuff when we know the truth naman," she said while chuckling. Hinampas ko siya sa braso. "What? Totoo naman ah."
"Ano na naman ba yung issue ko ngayon?"
"Malandi ka daw ta's madrama. Jusko, parang sila—"
"Wag ka na manglait—"
"Tanga, 'di ako nanglalait. Tawag dun describing," she said.
"Describing what?"
"Describing the animals hahaha!" She laugh kaya napatawa din ako. "Pero seriously. Maging artista ka nalang kaya. Gago. Daig mo pa yung mga international celebrities sa daming issue mo, sis! Bilib ako sa mga kaputanginahan ng mga tao, frfr," umiling siya.
"Same with you."
She laughs. "Bwisit, tinawag ba naman akong sipsip. Kung sipsipin ko kaya ulo nila?"
"Support ako," sabi ko habang tumatawa.
Nagkwentuhan pa kami saglit bago nakabalik si Jeremiah. Gwin said goodbye to me because she has class pa.
"Why do people call you Yahwi?" I ask Jeremiah while we're on our way papuntang parking lot.
"Basta," he simply answered.
Sumimangot ako at tumahimik nalang. Nung makita ako ni Manong Oyo ay agad niya rin akong tinulungan. He opened the backseat door at inalalayan ako ni Jeremiah para hindi ko ma ano yung paa ko.
"Don't go to school tomorrow," sabi niya.
"Okay."
"Stop being a sarcastic, princess. Mawawalan ka talaga ng paa wala sa oras," he said kaya napairap ako. He close the door and Manong started to drive the car. I saw Jeremiah watching our car leave kaya napatawa ako.
Nakarating kami sa bahay at halos magmura ako nung nakita ko na nandito si Mommy at Daddy. Shuteks naman!
"Oh my gosh, darling! What happened to you?" Mommy ran towards me. "Gosh, we have an event to attend today! Why are you not careful, sweetheart?!"
"Still hanging out with that daughter of the chairman of the school?" Daddy asks me. His eyes look like they were about to eat me if I lie. He's so scary for me. I hate it. I hate being chicken.
"It's not Gwin's fault—"
"She shouldn't stop you when she knows it can harm you, sweetie!" Mom yelled. "Oh my god, I'll call Rue for being such a careless teacher! I'll report hi—"
"Mom!" Tumayo ako kaya nagpanick ang mga maid sa paligid ko.
"Don't yell at your mother like that! You disrespectful kid!" Sigaw pabalik ni Dad.
I just bit my lower lip and look down.
Seconds pass and the atmosphere is getting awkward by the silence. I heard Dad sighing kaya napayuko ako lalo. I know... I know he's disappointed in me... You're so stupid, Gab.
"Bring her to her room, now," Dad said in a serious voice. I heard some footsteps so I purse my lips.
Tinulungan ako ng mga maid pero pinigilan ko sila.
"Okay, lang ako," sabi ko at nagpakita ng ngiti. They look convinced kaya hinayaan din nila ako. Mahaba ang hagdan ng mansion ngunit kinaya ko naman at nakarating ako sa kwarto ko.
I turn the lights on and I slowly walk to my bed. I sat there, spacing out. Until I realized that I was crying. I covered my face by my bare hands. My Dad's voice echoed all over my head which cause me to cry harder.
"Sorry... I'm so sorry, Dad..." I whispered while sobbing hard.
Maybe I was not good at anything. Maybe I was only good at disappointing people around me. Maybe I was not a bright kid as my parents expected. Maybe I was just a stroke of bad luck to anyone. That's what I felt. I felt... I don't know... Lost?
The next thing I knew, I woke up from the knock on the door. It was unlocked so I told the person who's knocking to come in. I saw Manang Wenda with a tray of food. I immediately smile when I realized it was her. Ngumiti din siya at lumapit sa 'kin.
"Kamusta ka?" She asks.
"Okay. Feeling okay," I said with a smile on my face.
She sigh and handed me the food. "Hindi ka daw kumain kagabe."
"Why aren't you here last night?"
"May ginawa lang. Pasensya na ha?" She smiles. I just nodded and started to eat my food. She was telling me some stories about her childhood in the province. She has to work here in the city kasi mas malaki daw yung sahod dito.
"Why don't you take a break to visit your children? I can talk to my parents about that," sabi ko habang nililigpit niya yung mga kinain ko.
Tumawa siya at umiling. "Ano ka bang bata ka. Ayaw mo na ba akong makita dito?"
"I guess," sagot kaya napasimangot siya. I laugh. "Kidding lang, Manang! I know you're tired na and I know you miss your children na."
She smiles painfully and pats my head. "Okay lang ako."
"No, you're not..." I said, almost whispering. "You're just like me... I know the feeling of getting tired and just wanna run away, Manang."
Umupo siya sa tabi ko. "Sumuko ka ba?"
"I tried to... But I can't..."
"Parehas tayo. Sinabukan ko rin sumuko pero alang alang sa mga anak ko hindi ko magawa," she said.
"Do you think this hardship is worth it in the end?"
"Walang nakakaalam kung ano ang huli. Hangga't sinusubukan mo ang iyong makakaya at gugustuhin mong mangyari ang gusto mong mangyari. Mangyayari ito. Hangga't hindi ka susuko. Siguro malalam mo. Tanging ikaw—ang sarili mo, lang ang nakakaalam ng sagot, Gabrielle," sabi niya at tumayo na. "Sige na, aalis na ako. Magpahinga ka na muna." I nodded at her and she left the room.
I slowly stood up on my bed and walk towards my study desk. I turned on my computer to check if there was an announcement from the school at mukhang nakausap naman ng maayos ng magulang ko 'yung school kaya excuse ako. But that doesn't mean I'm excused sa pag study. I still have to take the exam next week and everyone's expectation of me is high.
Puro ako aral sa mga pahinga ko. Nung sabi ng doctor ay pwede ko na daw ilalakad yung paa ko, kinaumagahan ay pumunta na kaagad ako sa school. Everyone is ignoring me as I entered the classroom, as if they were expecting me to go to school right now. It's just felt right now kasi dati, if magkasakit ako or ano they'll ask me if okay lang ako. Just wow.
Lumapit si Raign sa 'kin nung nakita niya ako.
"Are you okay? Is your angkle is okay now?" Tanong niya.
Tumango ako naglakad papuntang upuan ko. Napansin ko na wala si Jeremiah ngayon pero nandito naman yung bag niya. Baka umalis lang siya. Kinuha ko yung textbook ko sa bag at ang mp3 player ko. Just I was about to put on my earphones when Raign pull the chair and sat beside me.
"Kakabalik mo lang tapos aral agad? Chika chika muna tayo!"
Umiling ako. "I have to take the exam, Raign."
"KJ talaga, tsk," sumimangot siya. "Ako nalang chichika sa 'yo! Sis, ang talino ni crushiecake ackk!"
"Who sa 5?"
"Grabi ka naman sa 5! Excuse me 12 silang lahat!" She said like na-offend siya. "Pero si Yahwi yung tinutukoy ko!"
"Yahwi? Close kayo ni Jeremiah?"
She smirks. "Bakit nagseselos ka?" Hinawakan niya yung baba ko kaya napaiwas ako kaya napatawa siya. "Yie, selos yung gaga."
"Oo nagseselos ako kasi inaagaw niya yung girlfriend ko," sabi ko kaya napahalhak siya.
"Iwas ka pa, e. Crush mo lang yun, e," she said. "Don't worry, babe. Ako na magaadjust. Hindi ko naman type ma fall sa kaklase noh!"
"Type ka ba?"
"Type ako sa keyboard."
"Wow. Congrats, talented mo naman."
Binatukan niya ako at bumalik na sa upuan niya nung pumasok si Jeremiah sa classroom. Dumiretso siya sa desk niya at hindi ako pinansin. Natulog lang siya. Hindi ko nalang yun pinansin kasi baka hindi niya lang ako nakita.
Nung pumasok si Ma'am Ysa sa room ay agad niya ako tinawag. She said that I have to take the exam outside because they were checking the paper. She gave me the test paper and I grab a ballpen from my bag.
After taking the exam ay pumunta ako sa faculty para ipasa yun. Nakita ko kaagad yung teacher namin na next subject namin at tinawag niya ako at pinakuha ako ng exam. Sunod sunod ng pagkuha ko ng exam and it was exhausting.
Natapos yung weekdays and I managed to get all the exam. It was a kinda boring weekend for me and I'm getting tired from studying and I'm not in the mood for sleeping so I decided to go for a walk. It's close to evening so I guess some people still jog at this time.
I went to the near convenience store to buy myself food so I wouldn't get bored because I purposely left my phone in the house. And yeah, some people still jog. Some of them had their dog with them and some of are couples. Pumunta ako sa side na kung saan medyo kunti lang yung dumadaan para makamunimuni muna. I was on my way when suddenly I saw a cat walking around like she or he got lost. Agad ako lumapit sa kaniya at lumuhod sa harap niya. The cat look at me for a second before she rub herself to me.
"Kitty," I slowly pat her head and I was surprised that she likes it. "Where's your owner?" She meow kaya napatawa ako. She rub herself to me again and smell the plastic I was holding. I giggled.
"You want food?" I ask. She meow. "Ok—"
"Maki!"
Napatayo ako bigla nung may kumuha sa pusa. My lips parted when I realized who it was. He check his cat first before he look at me. His reaction was just like me pero agad din bumalik sa cold slash normal facial expression niya.
"Jeremiah!" I acted like I'm suprise. "Fancy seeing you h—"
"Same. I'm leaving," he was about to leave when I block his way. The cat jump on his arm and walk to me. I laugh and kneel on the cat. "Don't touch him."
"He's a he?" He nodded. "Gosh, I just assumed that he's a she," I laugh. I wanna carry the cat but I'm worried that Jeremiah might be mad on me.
"Okay. Can I leave now?"
"Why are you being grumpy again? I th—"
"You thought we're friends?"
"Yeah," I nodded.
He scoffed. "Tinulungan lang kita."
"Thank you for your help then, your highness," I smile, sarcastic.
He rolled his eyes and look down on my feet. "Is your ankle okay now?"
"Oo."
"Okay," he said and pick up the cat. I thought he was saying something pa pero nilagpasan niya na ako. Lumingon ako sa kaniya at tinignan siya ng weird.