Shit
It was exactly how I felt right now as I rubbed the sleep off my face. Last night was amazing but it's time to face the music. I went down the stairs, straight to the dining area for Breakfast, mumbling Good Morning to the staff I passed by.
I was in Green Meadow at my mother's house. It wasn't as big as compared to the one we used to live in Alabang but it was still comfortable. I must say, it wasn't too shabby formal settlement after their estrangement
Eyes still fluttering close, I sat on my usual chair and began to stir my morning black coffee while my chin was resting on my hand. I still had that tiny smile educed on my lips when I contemplated what happened last night.
I was in a high spirits despite the fact I went back under the mattress at around 3 in the morning and only had a 3-hour sleep, 2 hours if you would not include the part where kinilig pa ako at nahirapang makatulog.
It was such a decent hours of sleep, enough that I could still walk for an OrSem the next day. I have no regrets and I make no qualm about it. There was this interesting activity called sleep I heard of and maybe I'll be trying it out after the OrSem.
"Good morning, my beautiful girl", My mother, ever a morning person, came from across the table to interrupt my morning mussing.
With a smile, she embraced me from behind, head bent down to kiss the top of my head, "Hija, why do you seem so tired?"
She lifted my chin to get a better look on my face as her brows furrowed, her eyes assessing me, "There are dark lines underneath your eyes. Dios mio!" She exclaimed, rummaged down her tiny leather make up bag and brought out something "Good thing I have Mac Concealer with me"
"I think it's just law school jitters, mom", I mumbled under my breath as I looked pointedly down at my coffee, trying to waved it off. I had a big problem whenever my mother's eyes scrutinized me in a way that makes me wonder if she could see right through me-- which is not good if she would ever find out where I was last night, or morning if you call it.
"Wow. You get that kind of shit?" I looked up and found Kuya Elliot, striding from the door, looking as polished as ever in an Armani, obviously ready for work. "You competed on a State-wide Debate battle in High school and now.. itong OrSem lang?", He scoffed before he sprawled himself on the chair across me. He knew me too much to see the kink on my lie, it had my palms sweating.
I cocked my head, resting my elbow on the table, "Ay? Kuya? Nandito ka pala no?"
But my Kuya just looked at me slyly and gave me that lopsided grin which made me fought the urge to roll my eyes at him.
Before I could utter a rebuttal with sass, my mother cut me off, "Children, let us not argue in front of the food and Elliot," She turned to my brother, "get off your Sister's back"
My mother stole a glance my way, "What were you thinking Adrianna? You looked like .. you looked like.."
"Shit—that's the word Mom", It was my Kuya who was now enjoying this with a croissant and coffee in front of him. My mother, on the other hand, shook her head.
"Har har! You are too cheeky for the morning kuya" I said, dabbed the napkin on my chin when I was finally done with my minuscule breakfast. I stood up but quickly froze when my mom's shrill voice echoed in the entire dining area
"Que Horror!" She said in disbelief, "And what is that you're wearing, Adrianna?"
I looked down at my faded worn-out boyfriend jeans, black tight top that clung to me with a long maroon vest that reached my thigh and a white Stan smith. "That's such a question, Mom.", I said finding no fault or whatsoever in what I wore.
"Appearances! Appearances! Have you forgotten that, Dri?"
"Mom" I insisted, resisting another eye roll. If there's one thing I know about my mom was that she doesn't tolerate disrespect next to a fashion disaster. I sighed in exasperation, "It's OrSem. Wala namang media doon and—"
"No!" She exclaimed sternly. "Umakyat ka ulit, change and wear this", She gave me a huge paper bag na amoy balik bayan pa. I eyed it for a second, not knowing what she's trying to prove, my face was rippled of confusion.
"Mom" I turned to my brother for a little help but he could only shrug at my current predicament. So much for Team Sobreviñas. I sighed, "Fine but I'll do it because I love you"
My mother, still beauty as the day she was crowned with little crow's feet visible up, turned her head and stared at me. Her voice lowering as she said, "And I, for you, Dri. Please hija" She insisted "I just want the best for my beautiful girl"
I cocked my head, thinking this over. Frankly, I don't know what to make out of it. My mother always had her way, and if not, she makes sure to prove you wrong. And that would be a hassle I don't want to linger on. I might be late for OrSem or caught the only tail-end of OrSem by the time this argument settled. And that was that.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I said, my voice laced of frustration as I grabbed on the paper bag. "Fine" Maybe we could agree to disagree a little bit later but for now, I got matters in my hand.
When I came down, My kuya's low whistling was the first thing I heard. I looked down at my self, clad in a White Mango long sleeved mid-riff top, Zara high-waist Khaki Pants and Manolo Blahnik nude point shoes while holding a River Island Studded Clutch on my right. I smothered my hands over the non-existent creases of my pants.
"I don't know. Adrianna the Law Student or Adrianna the CEO. Can't decide. Pwede mo na palitan si Dad sa office"
I shot him a look that hopefully appeared shut up but I had to fight myself to not smile on my brother's retort. My mother stepped closer as she straighten my Kuya's tie and when turned her attention at me, she squeezed a bottle of hair serum between her hands then applied it at the ends of my hair.
Then she stepped back to look at me, a smile forming her lips, "Perfect!"
My mom lectured while I appeared cool and trying not to appear too sentimental. "Now,Elliot.. ihatid mo na si Dri"
My heart faltered in my chest. Pati ito ba naman? I waved it off, saying "I could drive myself, Mom"
"No. Dapat bongga ang entrance mo, Dri!" She clasped my hand between her, seemingly excited now but I, on the other hand, just felt that twist unfurled in my gut, "Pang Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Inernational, Miss Supracontinental, Miss Extraterrestrial"
"I'm hundred percent sure walang Miss Extraterrestrial", Kuya ttElliot added, the toast between his mouth, trying to conceal his laugh.
Ah. It was a rare sight. It was unusual for our family to be this close and I would treasure it while I can.
Brows furrowing, My mother said "How do you even know that, hijo? You don't even like pageants"
I heard kuya Elliot chuckling madly, "Meron yan Mommy. Sa star wars"
I had no idea that my day would start of somewhat weird—at least weird for me-- and ended with me trying to stay within my sanity. I tapped down my foot as I found my arms wrapping around myself and bit down my lip.
"Beso" My mother said, kissing each of our cheeks as we bid goodbye.
My brother cleared his throat, catching my attention, "Tara na Adrianna".
With Kuya Elliot's arm slung on my shoulder, I shook my head and fell beside him as I walked with him to the Garage. It would be nice to be debriefed even once and awhile. I sat on the passenger's seat after Kuya click on the alarm.
Pressing on the gas, hands on the steering wheel while backing us out of the garage, Kuya Elliot turned to me and his teasing smile was threatening to show up, much to my delight.
"22 years old and still listening to Mom." I lifted my head and caught my brother's faint look of amusement on his face, "How cute"
Shaking me head, I said while fastening my seat belt, "Si Mommy talaga. She hasn't change."
"Yaan mo na." Kuya Elliot said, eyes still on the road but his expression softened instantly. "You know her. Glory days in pageant, it never ends. Appearances..."
".. are everything. Quote unquote by Stella Henderson-Sobreviñas 2015" I said, remembering how our mother drilled that at the back of our skull.
"She's been at it for as long as we could remember." I wanted to argue, but shit, my Brother had a point. I slumped back against the car seat.
"Looks like I'll be your uber driver for now"
I sat up straighter, pushing my curled hair out of my face, "You don't have to pick me up later. I'll call a cab. Uuwi na ako ng Serendra"
His hand reached for me, "Are you sure Dri? You know.. you could drop by my office—"
I gave him a curt nod, "It's okay, Kuya. Baka amagin na ang pad ko"
Brows raising, he said "Pad mo talaga no?"
I stuck my tongue out like a mature 22-year-old would do just to end the discussion against her older brother, "Of course!"
And Kuya Elliot found himself shaking his head as he dropped me off the entrance.
Rockwell was an enclosed community to begin and it didn't hurt that Powerplant was a drive away from here. Red brick façade with plants surrounded the Ateneo Professional Schools. It was housed in a clean and contemporary building--- sleek and modern.
"WELCOME TO ATENEO LAW" The tarp says in thick bold blue gigantic letters by the entrance. I glanced around and saw far too many new faces, their IDs are different and were easily spot on a foot away as a freshman like myself.
Soft, billowy white tents were all over the campus. There were booths around which anyone can get their freebies from, what it looked like, sponsors of the school. There were also ADMU shirts, jackets, pins and lanyard to show you some school spirit..
"Hi! I'm Jasmine by the way"
I whirled around, inclining my head after finding a woman dressed on a sundress, her hand held out in an introduction. I hadn't heard her come up directly behind me. I squared my shoulders, grasping her hand that she held out as I introduced myself, "Adrianna"
"You're not from around?"
Jasmine was a petite Chinese-looking woman that fell about 4 inches shorter than I do. Her hair was chopped in a pixie cut that made her overtly cute. I blinked slowly, "No. Not really"
"I see. Well, I came from the Katip campus back in college. For OrSem ka rin?"
I met her chinita eyes, "Yeah"
"Let's make sabay na lang, you wont mind naman right?"
She didn't wait much to my inaudible reply when she tucked my arm with her and we made a beeline to an auditorium, "Great! Tara"
She grabbed on the doorknob, twisted it and we were finally inside. The AC were centralized and full blast. Other freshmen were already gathered there when we chose a lane of chair on the far most left.
"Don't get me wrong" Jasmine began, now holding her phone as if to take a selfie then dropped her hand, "I love the Katip campus with all that vast expanse of wide open green grass spaces but the Rockwell campus is the bomb! Pang apt sa post-grad, ambience-wise, I think"
"Welcome, froshies!" A woman clad in a sports gear, because of the theme was some sort of Olympics, stood in the middle of the podium. She eyed us with a really wide smile as she introduced herself as Attorney Lagman. Then she said to the wireless microphone "Look to your left. Look to your right. In a matter of sem or two, the ones sitting beside you will be gone. So will you"
Jasmine nudged me as she whispered, "Woah, talked about some scare-tactic shit"
And I could only nod.
"Law is a very interesting discipline." Attorney Lagman began, "It gives you a power, knowing what you can and cannot do. Understanding the logic of relationships, transactions, deals. the thrill of combat in a regulated arena. Parang sports din."
She added amidst of chorus nods and murmurs, "It is not for the weak heart. Memorization isn't all that but to submerge oneself on how a law is crafted like a labyrinth and how it is to be interpreted and how it should be applied on certain situations. Law is a dynamic process. It evolves as society evolves."
Grabbing the mic, she began walking to the right while maintaining the same eye contact since the beginning, "And to be in Ateneo, it's not just some law school like that of a big school in the other side of Katipunan. In Ateneo Law, with Jesuit teachings and training, we are mold to always question everything peculiar to each one, to have doubts and yet by the end of it-- to still have faith. That what makes it a difference"
She began to say how privilege we are to be part of the roster. Attorney Lagman was so passionate that it almost moved me. She said the choice to take up Law is one that doesn't come like a bulb suddenly turning on in the darkness. It comes with hard work, perseverance and loads of sleepless night and then she added but it all pays off when you get to the finish line and an Attorney is attached before your name.
Other than the Hunger Games-esque introduction and that inspiring message for us Lawyer-hopefuls, she was a show stopper and hilarious bordering on the energetic level. She got everyone in the mood for such a mundane affair such as the OrSem. There were a lot of dancing in the OrSem with good-dynamics games and sort-of having fun. They also laid out a very strict no sando, no slippers, no shorts above your knees, dress code which was fine with me in so many levels.
After the Upperclassmen gave us tips and trivia, there were introduction of Clubs, Fraternities and Sororities. One of the sorority was Regina Iustitiae, I'm not apt for sorority but their marketing strategy-of sort, was empowering and interesting enough.
Jasmine's squeal cut off whatever the host was announcing over the microphone. I was now silently regretting that I sat next to her. She was like a ball of hyperactive juice, I think the name of that was Sting
"What? Why?"
But my question did nothing to deter her weird excitement over something unfathomable. Honestly, with the her level of excitement all over the place, daig niya pa yung mga pre-teen sa bieber concert, "Ayan na! Aguila Regis na"
"So?" I tucked a strand of my hair in my ear while I watched Jasmine's tight look pinched her features, She snorted, "Don't you know?"
Her eyes narrowing into some thin slits, "They're pretty popular Fraternity kasi most of their members and alums are well-known politicians of today and the one speaking for them today is ..."
My stomach stilled, Jasmine's voice zoomed out from my periphery, when a familiar tall man walked on to the podium with a smile. I knew he would be around the campus. I told myself I should've been prepared that I might ran into him a couple times but I was caught off-guard, still, that he was here.
It was Maven and he was looking straight at me, one side of his lips tipped up. My heart felt booming like drums and the butterflies in my stomach fluttering as they dance to its beat. He held the microphone, his husky voice surrounding the entire auditorium when he said.
"Good Morning, Freshmen!"