"How did you end up there?" Sheldon asked as we were on our way. I called him to pick me up. He had so much to say, saying he's coming too.
"Don't ask," I said while gazing out the window.
"You owe me this," he insisted. I just nodded, refusing to engage further. Pero bigla akong may naalala.
"What's your plan to cancel the family picture anyway?" I asked him, irritation lacing my voice.
He glanced at me briefly before quickly shifting his gaze to the road ahead. "Don't ask," he parroted, mocking my earlier words.
I rolled my eyes, unimpressed by his response. How typical of him to avoid the question. It was infuriating how he always seemed to have a nonchalant attitude about everything. But I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.
He chuckled, "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," he retorted with a smirk.
Well, I couldn't care less about whatever he does. What matters is canceling our family picture. I know he'll manage it, albeit in his own twisted way. Sheldon's mind works differently, and it's always filled with some sort of mischief. He's probably concocting another one of his devious schemes.
The next day passed by uneventfully, just like any other ordinary day. Sheldon was nowhere to be seen in school, and it seemed like there was a noticeable absence of bullying incidents. Not that it mattered much to me whether they happened or not. As I strolled down the corridor, I unexpectedly crossed paths with Aelle. He looked at me and flashed a smile.
"Hey, Nionahlie, how's your life going?" His baritone voice echoed through the hallway as he spoke. I couldn't help but notice how he had improved in both physique and stature, which caught me off guard.
"As usual, nothing special," I replied curtly, barely acknowledging his presence as I reluctantly returned his embrace.
"I heard you're going to be Sheldon's sister?" he inquired as we parted ways from the brief hug. Suddenly, my mood shifted again.
"Yeah, lucky me, right?" I scoffed sarcastically. Aelle chuckled at my remark, seemingly amused by my cynicism.
"Yeah, you're really lucky," he agreed with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Our conversation was cut short as the bell rang, signaling that it was time for class, and we parted ways as we headed to our respective rooms.
I couldn't shake off the feeling of disdain as I thought about Sheldon and Aelle. They were two peas in a pod, both sharing the same arrogant and egotistical demeanor. They were nothing but jerks in my book, and the idea of being related to either of them was nothing short of a nightmare.
As soon as I walked into the classroom, I immediately caught sight of Chanel's face. I rolled my eyes at the air and slumped into my seat. Just like before, I tuned out the teacher's voice and instead stared out the window. I watched the leaves rustle in the breeze, the sky painted in shades of blue, and the sun casting its warm glow upon us. I've always had a fondness for the sun, especially during sunset. I often watched it from our terrace, sometimes even taking pictures when the sky turned orange. The sunset always warmed my heart, so I loved to gaze at it.
I was snapped out of my reverie when I suddenly felt something hit my head. Irritated, I turned around to see Chanel's plastic smile. That witch. My gaze fell on the crumpled paper she had thrown at me.
As I picked up the paper, I could feel my blood boiling with irritation. Chanel's antics never failed to get under my skin. I slowly unfolded the paper, expecting some kind of snide remark or mocking message. Instead, what I found was a crude drawing of me with exaggerated features, accompanied by mocking words scrawled underneath. It was clear that Chanel's intent was to provoke and belittle me, just as she always did.
Suppressing the urge to crumple the paper into a ball and throw it back at her, I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me react. Instead, I focused my attention back on the window, determined to ignore her childish attempts to get a rise out of me.
As the lesson droned on, I couldn't help but feel a simmering anger bubbling beneath the surface. Chanel's incessant need to antagonize me grated on my nerves, and I longed for the opportunity to put her in her place. But I knew that stooping to her level would only fuel the fire, so I gritted my teeth and endured her presence with clenched fists and a steely resolve.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the lesson, I wasted no time in gathering my belongings and making a swift exit from the classroom. I could feel Chanel's eyes boring into my back as I walked away, but I refused to acknowledge her presence.
I was eating in the cafeteria with Rinoa and Ariena when we suddenly heard a loud crash, prompting all of us to look in that direction. I saw the nerd standing up, staring at the broken plate and scattered food on the floor. My gaze shifted to Chanel, who was standing in front of him. Kumunot ang noo ko.
What kind of trouble did that nerd get himself into now?
"My gosh, can't you see I'm getting food?!" Chanel shouted at him.
"Pasensya na," the nerd apologized, kneeling down to pick up the mess of broken plate and food scattered on the floor.
"Sorry my foot! Is this how you poor people always behave? Always so hungry," Chanel retorted harshly. I noticed the nerd pause at her words, while whispers erupted among the surrounding students.
"He's really copying you," Ariena whispered to me.
Both Ariena and I were taken aback when Rinoa suddenly stood up and approached them.
"Hey, Niona's copycat, can you please not cause trouble here? We're trying to eat," Rinoa said sharply to Chanel.
Chanel faced her with crossed arms. "Oh really? You're eating? I wouldn't have known," she said sarcastically.
Rinoa didn't back down, mirroring Chanel's posture defiantly.
"Hay, hindi ka ba nahihiya? Sa ipinapakita mo ngayon, parang gusto mong magpakitang gilas kay Niona, and..." she looked at the nerd, "using him to caught everyone's attention? Napakababaw mo talaga."
Chanel scoffed, "Why are you always so clueless, Rinoa? Can't you see how much of a disaster that nerd is causing?"
Rinoa raised her eyebrow, "Excuse me? I'm not the one who's always starting drama, Chanel. You're just jealous because he's getting more attention than you."
"Jealous? Please, I'm way above that loser's league. Unlike you, I don't waste my time with irrelevant people."
Kumunot ang noo ni Rinoa. "Irrelevant? He's a human being, Chanel, and he deserves respect. Something you clearly know nothing about."
Tumaas ang kilay ko. Oh?
"Whatever, spare me your moral high ground, Rinoa. You're just as fake as your designer handbag. At least I'm real about who I am."
Rinoa scoffed this time. "Real? You wouldn't know real if it slapped you in the face, Chanel. You're nothing but a shallow, selfish brat who thrives on tearing others down."
Napakurap ako. This is Rinoa's other side.
"And you're a hypocrite, Rinoa. Pretending to be Miss Perfect while secretly enjoying all the attention because you're..." Chanel glanced at me, "that bitch's friend," then she looked back at Rinoa. "Well, newsflash, sweetheart, you're not fooling anyone."
Rinoa chuckled, "I'd rather be a hypocrite than a heartless witch like you, Chanel. At least I have some decency left."
"Decency? Look in the mirror, Rinoa. You're just as guilty as I am. Maybe even worse."
"Whatever, Chanel. I'm done arguing with you. You're not worth my time," sabi ni Rinoa at naglakad palabas ng cafeteria.
"Fine by me. I have better things to do than waste my breath on someone like you."
Bumaba ang tingin ko sa nerd na nagpupulot pa rin hanggang ngayon. Hindi ba niya kayang maging matapang kahit saglit man lang? Nakakairita siyang tingnan sa tuwing nauuwi siya sa ganitong sitwasyon.
Nakita kong umalis si Chanel sa harap niya at pumunta sa dulo ng lamesa kung saan nakahilera ang mga baso na may lamang juice. Kumuha siya ng isa at bumalik sa harap ng nerd. Napasinghap ang lahat nang unti-unti niya iyong ibinuhos sa lalaki.
"Ayaw ko nang makita ang pagmumukha mo rito. Hindi ka nababagay sa lugar na 'to," aniya nang maubos niya ang juice.
Umirap ako sa hangin bago tumayo at lumapit sa kanila. Nanatiling nakayuko ang nerd sa gilid ko. Ito rin ang nangyari sa kaniya sa locker. Hinarap ko si Chanel.
"Why are you doing this?" Tanong ko.
"And why do you care?" Mataray niyang sabi at humalukipkip pa.
"I care because what you said is wrong," I said.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "And which part is wrong?" She arrogantly asked.
I grinned, "All of it. You don't belong here because your wealth is just a result of your mother's promiscuity." Sabi ko na ikinatigil niya.
"What did you f*cking say?!" Aniya sabay tulak sa akin na ikinaatras ko.
Umalis siya sa harap ko at kumuha ng juice sabay balik sa akin. She spilled the juice pero bago pa iyon dumikit sa akin ay may isang lalaki ang humarang sa harap ko kaya nasalo niya ang lahat ng juice. Nakatalikod siya sa akin pero alam ko kung sino siya.
"W-what are you doing?" Gulat kong tanong sa kaniya.
Narinig ko naman ang nang-iinsultong tawa ni Chanel.
"Wow, what a scene"
"Why did you do that?" I demanded, trailing after him with a sense of irritation simmering beneath my surface. He didn't deign to respond, simply continuing his stride as if I were inconsequential. Typical. I observed our destination with a sense of disdain creeping into my thoughts.
"Hey, am I invisible or something?" I snapped, my annoyance evident in my tone, causing him to halt and turn to face me.
"Isn't it just like you, like all of them, to pin the blame on me if anything were to go wrong?" he retorted icily before abruptly turning his back on me.
His words stung, though I'd never admit it. "And why on earth would I do that?" I questioned incredulously, a flicker of confusion crossing my features before I quickly masked it with my usual facade of indifference.
He didn't respond and just continued walking. Gosh, why is he like this towards me? Out of frustration, I grabbed him and faced him towards me. I saw the orange juice scattered on his face and uniform. He didn't have his glasses on now because they got splashed with juice too.
"Fine! If you don't want to talk, then don't." I fell silent for a moment because I didn't know how to say those words to him. "What do you want?" I asked, surprising him.
"Huh?" Nagtataka niyang tanong.
"I said, what do you want? Do you want me to tell Sheldon to cancel the complaint? Or pay your tuition? Or say—"
He cut me off. "I didn't know you were this kind of person when it comes to expressing gratitude," he laughed mockingly. "Sorry, Miss Nionahlie, but I don't want any of what you just said. Just go back to your room. Thanks for your time," he said and walked away.
That guy. He had the guts to say that to me? Gosh.
Since he didn't bother to tell me what he wanted, I just went ahead with what I thought was best. I called up Sheldon and told him to drop the complaint. And that jerk just laughed at me.
"Why do you always insist on getting involved with that nerd?" he asked, which caught me off guard.
Why indeed? It's not like I want to get involved with that nerd. I just can't stand the way those bullies treat him because they're crossing the line. I don't understand why this never reaches the dean's attention.
"I'm not," I said, rolling my eyes.
As I listened to his taunting tone, my irritation mounted. Why did he find such amusement in my actions? "Really? So why do you want me to cancel the complaint?" he prodded further, his voice laced with an infuriating smirk.
I clenched my fists, struggling to maintain my composure. "Whatever, just cancel it," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. But before I could terminate the call, his voice echoed through the receiver once more, halting my movements.
"Seems like you're treating me like your errand boy, Nionahlie," he remarked, his words cutting through the air with icy precision. A surge of anger pulsed through me. How dare he insinuate such a thing?
Taking a deep breath to steady myself.
"Maybe you've forgotten that you owe me something?" There was a brief pause, filled with tension, before my response pierced the silence.
"That's why I asked you what you wanted," I retorted, my tone dripping with condescension. My jaw clenched as I struggled to contain my rising frustration. How dare he dismiss my concerns so casually?
"I'll tell you in due time, but for now, I won't cancel the complaint," he declared, his words landing like a slap in the face. My mind raced, trying to comprehend his motives. Why was he being so obstinate?
"But why? He's practically begging at your feet, isn't he?" I shot back, my patience wearing thin. His laughter reverberated through the line, sending a chill down my spine.
"Niona, that's not like you. I didn't know you had a soft spot for that nerd," he remarked, his words hitting me like a sucker punch. How dare he presume to know anything about me?
"Hey! Don't talk like that. You're creeping me out," I retorted, my voice trembling with indignation. There was a loud thud on the other end of the line, followed by a tense silence.
"What's that?" I demanded, my heart racing with apprehension.
"Nothing," he replied curtly, his tone sending a shiver down my spine. I could feel my anger reaching its boiling point.
"I still won't cancel the complaint unless..." he began, his voice trailing off suggestively. My eyes widened in disbelief. What audacity!
"Unless what?" I demanded, my voice tinged with disbelief.
"You're willing to kneel in front of me," he declared, his words dripping with arrogance.
"W-what?!" I sputtered, struggling to comprehend his outrageous demand. His laughter echoed through the receiver, fueling my growing fury.
"Don't worry, I'm not saying you should give me a blow job," he added, his tone mocking and contemptuous. My hands shook with rage as I struggled to find the words to express my outrage.
"You're disgusting!" I seethed, my voice trembling with anger.
"What I'm saying is do what he did. Kneel in front of me," he clarified, his tone dripping with malice.
"Even in your wildest dreams, that's not going to happen," I said and hung up the call. I threw my cell phone on the sofa and sat down heavily. That guy has some nerve.
The next day, as I entered the school premises, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that gnawed at me. I knew that encountering Sheldon was inevitable, and the mere thought of facing him filled me with a sense of unease. Sure enough, as we crossed paths, his smug grin greeted me, a sight that threatened to ruin my entire day. I scowled at him, refusing to dignify his presence with even a single glance, and swiftly brushed past him.
But the question lingered in my mind: why did he even bother to show up? What compelled him to grace us with his insufferable presence? As I made my way to my first class, I couldn't shake the feeling of frustration that simmered beneath the surface. Why did he insist on making my life miserable? Well, not literally. Dumagdag lang siya. Wasn't it enough that he had already caused me enough annoyance?
With each step, my irritation grew, fueled by the memory of his mocking laughter and outrageous demands. It was bad enough that I had to deal with the everyday drama of this school, but to have him add insult to injury was simply unbearable.
As I took my seat in the classroom, I couldn't help but dwell on the encounter, replaying the scene over and over again in my mind. How I wished I could wipe that smug grin off his face and put him in his place once and for all. But alas, I knew that such fantasies were futile, and all I could do was grit my teeth and bear the burden of his presence.
The day ended without me seeing that nerd. I didn't even catch Sheldon bullying anyone. It seems like the nerd was absent, probably because of what happened yesterday.
I spotted Rinoa with Ariena waiting outside the school.
"Hey," I said as I approached them. They both turned to look at me, their eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Nionahlie, glad you're here. Can we catch a ride with you?" Rinoa asked with a smile. I glanced around and noticed her car was nowhere in sight.
"Where's your driver?" I asked, turning to her.
She pouted. "My driver's sick, and my mom's at the company because my grandparents are in town. As for Ariena, she only brought her motorcycle," she explained.
"Why didn't you just ride with Ariena?" I asked snappishly.
"I'm not used to riding on a motorcycle," she replied.
In the end, I had no choice but to give them a ride home. We were quiet during the ride. Suddenly, I heard Rinoa's bored voice.
"Gosh, this is so boring. Don't you have any music?" she asked me.
"You're just hitching a ride, and you're already demanding," I said, looking out the window.
"Well, it's not like that. I'm just used to having music whenever I'm in a car," she explained.
I rolled my eyes at her. "Then use earphones."
Nadaanan namin ang restaurant kung saan nagtatrabaho yung nerd. Napatingin ako roon at saktong nakita ko siyang nagtatapon ng basura. Nang makita niyang may papasok na customer ay mabilis niya itong pinagbuksan ng pinto at ngumiti. Napatitig ako sa mukha niya. Wala siyang suot na salamin kaya kitang-kita ko kung paano naningkit ang kaniyang mga mata nang ngumiti siya. Pumasok siya sa loob at iginiya sa isang lamesa ang customer.
He's so hard working.