CHAPTER 13
I almost jumped when my alarm suddenly starTed making noises. I took my phone out of my pocket and slid the screen to the left for it to stop. And goodness, people were even looking at me already. Okay, this only means one thing: it’s about time to head out on my last subject. Wala kasi si Faith ngayon, absent eh kasi may sakit daw. And Roxy was busy the whole day sakanilang cheerdance practice.
A schoolday without them is boring.
Kokonti na lang ang tao rin ngayon, malamang, almost 7:00pm na eh. At ako naman, I still have to be here until 8:30. Nakakastress.
When I entered the room, everybody was almost there except for one person. Looking at my classmates, lahat sila kagaya ko na – mukhang haggard. Sabi ko nga, nakakastress naman kasi talaga. Ikaw ba naman pumasok sa first class mo na 7:30 am tapos 8:30pm ang last class mo? Kinabog pa ng mga college students ang ibang employees.
Nang marating ko na ang pwesto ko, sakto namang dumating ang terror naming professor. I wonder if our professors have workloads of 12hours a day, too. Lalo na ito, terror pa man din sya, magdamag din kaya syang terror? Hindi ba sya napapagod?
I tried real hard to absorb what he was saying in front but I just can’t. Nagsusulat lamang ako pero honestly, walang pumapasok sa utak ko. I don’t know. I just feel drained today to the point na wala na akong energy makinig at umintindi.
"Please read pages 351-360. That's your reading assignment and we will also have your graded recitation tomorrow for the said pages. That's it for today. Class dismissed." Yan lang ang nagregister sa utak ko. I immediately fixed my things and went out.
Halos pumalakpak ang tenga ko nung sinabi iyon ni Sir Martinez. This had been one of the longest days of my life. Uhh. Ang boring talaga pag wala ang dalawang bestfriend ko. I was a complete loner for the day.
Dali dali na kong pumunta sa parking lot para umalis. Pagkadating ko dun, nagtaka ako kung kanino kaya yung nakapark sa tabi ng kotse ko.
Eto yung nakita kong kotse weeks ago. Luxury car, huh? Wow. Maaring mayaman ang may ari ng kotseng to. Grabe lang, sinong regular na estudyante ang magkakaroon ng ganitong kotse?
Hiyang hiya yung kotse ko na 3yrs pa lang tong kotseng to saken pero, heh, medyo may topak na. Kaskasera nga daw kasi ako sabi ni mommy. Topak na nga to minsan talaga but I can't have a new one. Dahil hindi naman kami ganun kapera and may sentimental value ito sakin. First ever car a bigay nila eh.
Pagkapasok ko sa kotse ko, nilabas ko agad ang cellphone ko at tinawagan si Faith.
"Hello?", medyo namamaos pa nyang sabi
"Faith! I miss you!”
"Maxine? Hey, relax. I just had to stay at home today. Err.. cough and fever", then umubo sya bigla
"You want me to drop some meds or foods there?"
"No need, Max. I'm feeling better. In fact, baka nga pumasok na ko bukas eh."
"Oh, okay. See you na lang bukas. Miss you! Get well, Faith."
"Thanks, bestfriend. Oh yea, could you send me your notes for today? And let me know if we have homework, too. Send mo na lang sa facebook. Okay?"
Faith talaga. Napakasipag magaral. I rolled my eyes and told her that I'll let her know everything she has to pagkauwi ko ng bahay.
After the call, naglabas ako agad ng extra t-shirt ko na medyo manipis ang tela na halos see through na, at hinubad ang school uniform. Nakakairita kasi pag nakaschool uniform ka maghapon. Ang init at pakiramdam ko pawisan na talaga. Di naman heavy tinTed ang car ko, pero siguro naman walang makakakita since parking lot naman to, and halos nasa pinakasulok ako, only that nasa tapat ako ng poste ng ilaw. And kung may makakita man.. and so? Titignan lang naman eh. Di naman maagaw o magagalaw. Right? Then I drove myself home.
I was almost half way sa bahay namin nung biglang magsimulang umulan ng may kalakasan. My goodness. Habang nagdadrive ako, napansin kong parang medyo lumalabo ata sa harapan ng sasakyan ko, fog? Huh? Oh shit! Umuusok ang sasakyan ko! Eto na nga ba sinasabi ko eh!
Akmang itatabi ko pa lang sana ang sasakyan no pero biglang..
"WTH?! Bat tumigil??"
Sinubukan kong ipihit ang susi pero wala talaga, nagccreate lang ng loud noise ang engine. Goodness! Kamalasan nga naman oh. Pag tingin ko sa palagid.. madilim. Uhh, shit. Nasa may bandang hindi mataong lugar na nga pala ako. Ano ba yan! Dobleng kamalasan! Agad kong nilabas ang phone ko sa bag ko and tinawagan si mommy.
"Maxine Andrea, nasan ka na ba?"
"Ma, I'm stranded. My car suddenly stopped and I can't make it work! And it's raining!"
"Okay, I'm going to let Manong Berto fetch you. Tell me where exactly you are now."
Then I told my mom where I am.
"Okay, Maxine baby. Manong Berto's going to be there more or less 30mins. Wait and lock your doors, Maxine."
"Thanks, ma."
"Take care. Call me when you need anything more. Okay?"
"Yup. Bye bye." Then I dropped the call.
30mins? Uhh.. matagal tagal pa yun. Nakakainis naman kasi na ulan to. Maybe if I am staying at a dormitory or a condo or an apartment near the university, everything would be less hassle but no, I don't feel like living alone.
Since matagal pa naman darating si Mang Berto, kumuha ako ng payong at lumabas ng sasakyan. I need to check my engine. Di ako ganon kapamilyar sa mga kung ano anong meron sa kotse pero may little knowledge naman ako. Okay, I told mom I won't go out of the care pero I need to try, baka kasi maayos ko pa to.
Iniwan kong nakabukas ang head lights ng sasakyan and kumuha ako ng flashlight. Paglabas ko ng sasakyan, halos matumba ako at malipad ang payong. Dammit! Malakas pala ang hangin. Uhh. Tripleng kamalasan.
Tumakbo ako sa harapan at agad na binuksan ang kotse. Goodness. Di ko mahawakang mabuti ang payong at flashlight. Pilit kong hinawakan ng maayos ang payong pero biglang humangin uli ng malakas. Nilipad ang payong. Nababasa na ako pero chinicheck ko pa rin ang makina. Buti na lang may poste ng ilaw dito malapit sa kotse ko. Habang inaaninag ko ang mga makina, nakarinig ako ng busina at unti unting pagdagdag ng liwanag.
Hay. Mang Berto! My savior! Tinignan ko ang pinanggagalingan neto pero uhh, hindi naman namin kotse yun. Oh wait! Teka! Yung luxury car sa school park! Eto yun! Tumigil sya sa may bandang tapat ko at biglang binaba ang bintana.