12:23 o' clock on the afternoon. An hour and a half before our scheduled third class for this day. I'm on my duty to clean the table we used when Dereen called for a delivery service from the nearest fast food chain.
These girls really did wave their strings of connections to save the four of us from the three school hours that were supposed to spend today. I don't know what kind of reasoning they did but I'm thankful being saved for three hours of being watched by someone I don't know and the whole studentry.
"We're sharing this room with that nerdy girl with eyeglasses, right?" Fiacre shouted from the bathroom, removing every trace of the alcohol's effects.
I put the rag near the sink first before answering her. "Yes. She's Riell. That reminds me, Dereen, where is she?" I asked.
Hindi naman namin siya nakita o nakasalubong sa daan naming pabalik dito sa dormitory o ni sa kaninang drinking contest. Kung wala siya kanina, posibleng hindi niya kami sinundan pero kung wala rin naman siya rito, siguro nasa klase na iyon.
"Ah, kaninang paglabas ko para kunin ang delivery, nakita ko siyang may kausap eh. Lalaki. Siguro boyfriend." Kibit balikat na sagot niya habang prenteng nakaupo at nagbabasa ng magazine habang nakapatong ang paa sa coffee table.
Napatango tango na lang ako. I don't have a say on that after all.
Umupo naman ako sa couch na katapat ng couch na inuupuan nina Dereen para magpahinga sandali. On my right, I can see Rennei memorizing the arrangement of her stuff made by Fiacre. Siya kasi ang tipo ng babae na mukhang wala masyadong pakialam sa paligid pero sa totoo lang, ayaw niya ng makalat. Gusto niya, organisado lahat.
Kapag natulog kang gulo-gulo ang kwarto, pagkagising mo, ayos na ang lahat na parang hindi dinaanan ng bagyo o kung ano pa man. That's Fiacre's cleaning power.Mas matindi pa sa kahit anong brand ng panglinis.
I sigh by watching the four of us alone in this room. It's like what we've been before on our condominium unit. Yes, we bought one before. 'Yung para sa amin lang. Hindi kasi namin gustong nasa bahay lang kami noon. Sadyang napauwi lang kami sa kanya-kanyang bahay nang ipatawag kami ng mga kamag-anak namin pabalik hanggang sa nagkahiwa-hiwalay kami kesyo para sa bakasyon o pagpapatapon sa ibang bansa.
We're not suffocated on our own houses. For us, they're houses but not homes. There's no place like home, they said. But how can you really define a house as a home? Maybe, before when I was still happy playing with mom, dad, uncle, brother, and my cousin. That incident made us what we are now and the reason why we, the angels of the past became the bitches of the present.
That man stole something very important to us. Confidence? Innocence? Old perceptions? The rainbows and glitters? And ultimately, my bestfriend, Lorraine. She died instead of me. She died in front of us. Lying beyond the cold cells where number of hopeless women was staring at her with their cold and lifeless eyes, she lost the chance to come back.
Yet, we have come to realize and understand the world in a wider point of view. It's not always about rainbows, glitters, unicorns, hearts, and stuff. It's all about reality and you, yourself. Therefore, we learned to be independent, the time to trust or not to trust, to suspect, and of course, to fight back.
We learned together.
"Having a deep realization in life, young lady of the Cromello?"
Nabalik naman ako wisyo nang mapagtantong sobrang lapit na ng mukha ni Rennei sa akin. My eyes blinked for a while and she stood up to go back to her seat. "Nah. Just thinking about what we had for four years." I answered.
"Now that was deep." Fiacre said as she came out from the bathroom dressed and a towel holding her hair up on her head.
She later joined us in the living room, taking the seat beside me. "Hindi naman sila nagpapakita, di ba? Siguro naman napagod na sila kakahabol sa atin. Kulang na lang ipabalita nila sa buong mundo ang tungkol sa atin para makuha nila tayo at pagkakitaan." She added.
"Perhaps, but we can't let our guards down just because of that. We're not really sure. Isa pa, ang isang rason lang naman kaya hindi nila kayang ipamalita ang buong ang tungkol sa atin ay dahil ayaw nila madagdagan ang karibal nila sa paghahanap sa atin. We're like prizes waiting to be won." Rennei stated with an obviously bitter tone.
Dereen rolled her eyes after. Surely, she's tired of hearing about those guys. "Can't we change the topic? It's ruining my day and I want to save it." The past being the subject of the conversation was put into halt by that.
Silence came thereafter. The sound of the air conditioner dominating the four sided room. We looked onto each other's eyes and we saw the same phrase screaming inside us. Since we are being idiot on what we are doing, I became the first one to break the silence.
"Pfft. I miss you, bitches."
Then, before I knew, we are already hugging each other while sitting on the coffee table. Smiles reaching our ears. Reddening cheeks out of joy to seeing each other again. Damn, I really miss them. Hugging them is like welcoming a very comfortable and cozy feeling. Living without them is like being alone in a never ending site.
"We have a lot to catch up."
All of us agreed to what Dereen asserted. "Sigurado naman akong lahat tayo naboring-an sa ilang buwan na hindi tayo magkakasama. Why don't we just talk about those hotties a while ago?"
The attention has gone for Fiacre. The forever hunter of hotties and demi-god looking men. "Nandiyan naman si Sky, naghahanap ka pa?" I tease with a meaningful look which the other two approved.
"Alex, ang sabi ko hottie, hindi abnormal. At utang na loob, hindi ba nagsasawa 'yang pinsan mo kakahabol sa akin? Gosh, I hate drugs." Umakto pa itong tila asiwang-asiwa na sa pangalan ng pinsan ko at sa mga ginawang panunuyo sa kanya na siyang ikinatawa na lang namin.
Kahit kailan talaga, nakakatuwa ang dalawang ito na asarin. Si Fiacre kasi pakipot pa samantalang halos nasa pinsan ko naman na lahat ng katangian na hinahanap niya sa lalaki. Mayaman, gwapo, may katawan na ipagmamalaki, edukado, galing sa disente at respetadong pamilya, at iba pa.
Mahinang sinampal naman ang braso niya ni Dereen. "Ang choosy mo pa. Big time nayang si Sky 'no. Buti nga hindi siya katulad ng pinsan niya diyan na masungit." At pahapyaw pang tumingin sa akin na ikinairap ko na lang din.
Napabalik naman sila sa tawa nang dahil doon. Hindi talaga matatapos ang usapan nang hindi nila sinisita ang kasungitan ko. "Isa pang big time ang nabangga mo, di ba? Ano ulit pangalan niya, Fiacre? 'Yung tagapagmana lang naman ng pamilya ng mga Vantress at ang leader ng HEAD." Makahulugang turan naman ni Rennei na halata mong sa akin tinutuon ang pang-aasar tungkol sa lalaki.
Mas lalo pa silang tumawa nang lumingon ako sa ibang direksyon at bumuntong hininga.
"Ah! Are you talking about Spade Vantress? The heir of that famous chain of shopping malls. The next heir of Vantress Mafia. Ang pinagpapantasyahan ng mga babae rito. He had flings and some relationships. Some sources of mine even told me he's a beast on bed."
"I'm not one of those women and never will be." I said.
"Oh yeah? Hindi pa man naming siya kilala, sa research pa lang namin ni Rennei sa kanya, parehas na parehas na kayo mula ugali hanggang sa background ng mga angkan niyo." Fiacre said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And so? Both coming from a mafia family is not a big deal."
"For you. Pero sa pamilya niya, oo."
"Binubugaw niyo ba ako?" asar kong tanong sa kanila na mas ikinatuwa nila.
Dito lang ako naiinis sa kanila eh. "Hindi ah. Nag-susuggest lang ng pwedeng landiin." Pang-aasar pa nila at nagsi-apiran pa habang ako, napapabuntong hininga na lang sa mga pinagsasasabi nila.
"Pwes wala akong balak landiin ang isang malanding tulad niya."
At nagtuloy ang usapan na wala na akong interes sa pinag-uusapan nila.
Gosh. I hate drugs.
***
MARC'S POV
Pagkatapos kong mahimasmasan ng isang mahaba-habang ligo, lumabas na rin ako at nagtungo sa salas. Natagpuan ko naman ang mga kasamahan ko na puros mga bagong ligo rin. Paniguradong hindi papapasukin sa klase kapag naamoy ang bakas ng alak sa bibig namin.
Pero tangina talaga. Durog na durog ang ego ko sa mga babaeng 'yun. Nakakagigil. Ang sarap patulan kung hindi lang sana babae eh.
Especially that short-haired girl.
"Oh, anong nangyari? Balita ko may mga nakabangga kayo ah. At mga bagong salta na naman." Courtney asked first thing as she saw us here sitting in round living room of our headquarters.
The administration granted this lavish two-story house as the official headquarters and meeting place to the members of HEAD. Lahat kaming sampu, dito nakatira simula nang maupo kami sa pwesto noong unang taon namin dito.
Tumayo naman ako para tulungan magbitbit ng mga plastic bags na dala nina Kia at Thelina na kararating lang din. Pati sila Collen, napatayo na rin. Si Jona --- Nakanang! Kahit kailan talaga hindi na nadaluyan ng dugong gentleman ang gagong si Jonathan.
Halos katabi lang ng salas ang kusina at dining room kaya sinagot ko na ang tanong ni Courtney habang nilalapag ang mga plastik. "Mga kaibigan ng pinsan ni Sky. Mas malala nga lang sila. Mas malakas ang loob at mas walang inuurungan." Hindi ko talaga makalimutan ang mga sinabi ng babaeng 'yun sa akin habang naglalaban kami kanina sa inuman at tapunan ng patalim.
"'Yan lang ba ang kaya mo? Balita ko, matinding shooter ka sa kama pero dito, hindi? What a dissapoinment."
"Casanova my ass."
"Marco Joe Llanes, a man included to the group of men I despise the most."
"Sa susunod magpapadala ako ng ilang doktor sa eskwelahan na ito. Bulag na yata ang mga babae. Ikaw pa nagustuhan. Tch. Poor them."
Ugh. Putangina. Sirang-sira ang umaga ko nang dahil sa babaeng iyon. Siya na siguro ang may pinakamatalas ang dila sa kanilang apat na magkakaibigan. 'Yung isang kasama niya kasi na kursunada ni Sky, malambing naman ang tono pero hindi gaano nananakit ng ego eh. Pilosopo lang.
Pero siya? Please remind me to teach that woman a lesson the next time I see her.
"Uy, gago! 'Wag mong pag-initan 'yang Pringles ko! Hindi ko 'yan pinabili para sirain mo mula sa lalagyanan." At marahas na kinuha ni Alexis mula sa kamay ko ang lalagyanan ng Pringles na hindi ko naman namalayan na nakuha ko.
Napakagat na lang ako sa labi ko dahil hindi ko talaga matanggal sa isip ko lahat ng pang-iinis na ginawa ng babaeng iyon. Tiningnan ko na lang sina Thelina na mag-ayos ng mga pinamili nila. Sila ang namili ngayon buhat ng wala silang klase ngayong araw.
"Looks like you're really affected by that girl, Marc. Pero iwasan mong mapaaway sa kanya. Her records on gun-shooting are way greater than Thelina's. You don't want your head to get shot anytime soon, am I right?" Paalala sa akin ni Ed habang may dala-dalang magazine paakyat sa taas.
Iwasan? Sinasabi ba niyang mag-ingat ako sa babaeng iyon nang dahil lang mas maganda ang record niya kay Thelina? Ano naman? Tsk.
"Don't worry Ed! Ibang ulo naman ang uunahin nun target-in eh!" Jonathan yelled.
Bago pa niya mabalik ang tingin sa inaayos na mga cups ng instant noddles, malaking pack ng chichirya ang sumapo sa mukha niya. "Bago mo unahin 'yang kalokohan mo, baka gusto niyo pa pumasok, ano?" Inambangan pa ni Courtney si Nathan ng hawak na kutsilyo kaya hindi na nakaangal ang loko.
Doon ko lang naalala na may pasok pa nga pala kami ngayon nina Kia, Alexis, Spade, Collen, at Jonathan. Sa Physical Education class kami ngayon at try-outs sa archery. Gusto ko sanang huwag na lang pumasok dahil baka makasalubong ko na naman ang babaeng iyon kaso naisip ko.
Hindi ba't mas madali akong makakaganti kung makikita ko siya lagi? Nice. Nice.
Matapos naming tumulong sa pag-aayos ng mga pinamili ay naghanda na kami at si Spade na lang ang hinihintay naming dito sa labas ng bahay. Panigurado, puyat nanaman iyan. Hindi na natapos sa ginagawa niya na ayaw naman niyang ipaalam kung ano.
Sanay naman na kaming palasikreto ang lalaki iyan. Kaso may mga ilang partikular na bagay na ayaw niya talagang kinekwento sa amin. Kung ano man 'yun, hihintayin lang naming na siya ang magsabi. Hindi rin naman kasi namin siya mapipilit eh.
'Yun pa? Baka kami pa paputukan ng baril nun. Edi nabawasan ng gwapo sa mundong ibabaw. Tsk.
Nag-uusap-usap lang kami nina Alexis tungkol sa mga present relationship namin ngayon na pawang hindi naman seryoso nang marinig naming bumukas ang pinto sa likod namin.
Bugnot na bugnot ang itsurang lumabas si Spade. Bago pa man sumarado ang pinto ay nakita namin ang masayang pag-ngiti ng tatlong babae sa amin. Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin alam kung paano napipilit ng tatlong iyon na gisingin at paalisin sa kama 'yang si Spade.
Kami nga hindi makalapit kahit sa kwarto niyan kapag tulog eh.
Nauna nang naglakad sa amin si Spade at dinaanan kami na para bang wala siyang kasama. Napakibit balikat na lang kami at sinundan siya papunta sa Russet Building kung saan matatagpuan ang indoor archery practice area.
When we arrived, the try-out has already started and the long line of students welcomed us. Pinadaan naman kami ng mga estudyanteng nadadaanan namin. Ang ilan pa ay nakayuko at napapalingon na lang sa ibang direksyon.
We are actually planning to be the last participants and to spend the remaining time sitting and to tap on our phones when Kia suddenly speak. "Guys, let's get in." is all what she told us then she left us.
Sinundan naman namin siya ng tingin at sakto kung saan siya pumunta, doon ko rin nakita ang panira ng araw ko.
"Anong meron? Saan punta ng babaeng iyon?" tanong ni Collen.
"Oh, Spade. Susundan mo si Kia? Saan ba kayo pupunta?" Napatanong na rin ako dahil pati itong si Spade papalakad na rin sa pinuntahan ni Kia.
Doon lang namin napansin na sa counter section sila nagpunta.
That section is the area wherein we give our student identification cards to update their database for our attendance. It is controlled by five female attendants who are also responsible for taking our scores down for the teachers' records and also to imprint it in a clean white card if we wanted to check out our scores.
After we're done on the attendance checking, bumalandra na sa amin ang mahabang lamesa ng busog o mas kilala sa tawag na bow, mga quiver ng tig-aanim na palaso, at iba pang kagamitan na kailangang suotin para sa kaligtasan ng bawat practitioner. Each arrow corresponds to the score you'll get. The lowest is seventy, of course but each arrow is equivalent to five points. Well, it's still depends if your arrow will land on the consideration circle.
Try-out pa lang naman ito eh.
Therefore, if you were able bring those arrows on that board successfully, one hundred points! "Kia, ano bang balak mo at naisipan mong ngayon na tayo pumasok?" pangungulit na naman ni Collen matapos naming kumuha isa-isa nang gagamitin.
"Shut your mouths. Just be sure not to fail on any arrow. You've got to save your prides, gentlemen." Spade hissed as we walk towards the shooting line.
The teacher of the class seems surprised that our group volunteered to be on the shooting line first but even so, he gladly did the two whistle blasts. It means the archers may proceed from the waiting line to the shooting line.
"Cromello, Vantress, Llanes, Delaverde, Lee, Castillo, Samonte." He called.
Pagkarinig na pagkarinig ko pa lang ng epilyido ng babae na pinag-iinitan ng dugo ni Spade, napangisi na ako. Kaya naman pala.
After the teacher was done checking our stances, he did the one whistle blast. A signal for us to place an arrow on the bowstring. I can feel the intensity surrounding us. On my peripheral view, I can see that the number of people increasing as fast as the news spread about our group being on the shooting line with the new girls of the school.
We are all set and it's not too long when the teacher whistled again. All of us released the arrows and the people almost gasp when every arrow landed on each of our board's bull's eye respectively.
Nasundan pa iyon nang sa sumunod na tira ay parehas na naman nang naging resulta. Sa pangatlong tira ay natanggal sina Collen at Alexis dahil hindi umabot sa board ang mga pinakawalang pana nila. Mas lumala ang bulung-bulungan nang sina Kia at Alex na lang ang nakakakuha ng bull's eye. Natanggal na rin si Jonathan at kaming apat na lang ang natitira para sa pang-limang round.
Ramdam ko ang namumuong pawis sa noo ko dala na rin ng kakaibang aura sa tatlong tao kinapapagitnaan ko. Bago pa man pumitong muli ang guro ay nahuli ng tingin ko ang makahulugang tinginan nina Kia at Spade. Dahil na rin sa kawalan ng konsentrasyon, hindi ko nagawang patamain sa board ang pana ko.
Ang mas nakakapagtaka pa ay kung bakit parang sinadya ni Spade na ipatalo ang round na iyon. Wait. Hala, shit.
He is thinking of leaving the game to Kia since Kia is the title holder of the Queen of Archery here in Mhorfell Academy. Sa husay sa pag-obserba ni Spade, sigurado akong napakapansin siya sa potensyal na mayroon ang pinsan ni Sky.
One last arrow left and everyone inside the room looks nervous with the next series of events. Kaht naman ako, aligagang malaman ang magiging resulta. Pero bigla iyon sinira ni king.
"Mr. Romualdez, to give our respects to our defending holder of Queen of Archery, why don't we make the last round a little bit more exciting?" he suggested.
Napamaang naman kaming lahat sa sinuhestiyon niya. "And how can we do that, Mr. Vantress?" the middle-aged man asked. I know he's aware of the tension.
"Make them stand on a further position. Longer arrows, bigger bows."
The idea of him made Alex Cromello smirk. I have seen it wide and clear. Even her other three friends are smiling confidently while standing along the crowd.
Neither Kia nor Alex opposed the suggestion so that it proceeded the way Spade likes to. Sa tingin ko ito ang ibig sabihin ng tinginan nila kanina. Kia is very confident that she'll come back to our headquarters along with her precious title. A title she held and preserved eversince she was first year.
As they aim for the bull's eye, the time have stopped. Nanahimik ang lahat mula sa mga malalakas na usap-usapan tungkol sa namumuong tensyon kanina pa. Kahit ang guro ay panay punas ng pawis niya sa noo bago niya dalhin sa bibig niya ang pito at pumito.
It's as if everything is in a slow motion when they released the arrows from their bowstrings. It's breathtaking, waiting for their respective arrows to land on those fucking boards.
Until, the decision has been made.
A while ago, they were dangling the title in front of Alex Cromello's face and now, she got it not by force but in a completely dignified and fair match. Though it's just one round, the results are already the judges.
"Congratulations, Ms. Cromello. You got a perfect score for this try-out." Is all what everyone is saying.
Although, she didn't make a good impression on her first day, the talent she had shown should not left on the shadows. She hit the bull's eye and Kia? She almost hit it but failed.
Kia is totally shocked with the results. Totally shocked to the point she immediately left the room after she handed out her equipments to the attendants. Nagkatinginan na lang kami nina Collen, Alexis, at Jonathan. Spade still with his poker face while looking at the direction where Alex and her friends are located.
We feel sorry for our fellow member but leaving her alone this time would be the best.
It was so fast, it's still unbelievable. I don't want to say this but Kia should learn her lesson. Even the HEAD did realize this that night of the party.
That we should not underestimate anyone.
And now? Kia received one of her most painful defeats and it happened in just a blink of an eye and with a single arrow.
I don't blame Alex for it. She won fair and square.
And now? She won my respect. Alex Cromello is someone to be admired.
Lalo na ngayon na nakikita kong may kakaramput pa ring pag-aalala sa mukha niya habang nakatingin sa pintuang pinaglabasan ng dismayadong si Kia.
A bitch? Yes, you are. But you're still not that bad, you know.
****
Author's Note: For those who are asking about how to pronounce Fiacre's name, it's Fi-ya-kri. Marami pong salamat sa pagbabasa! Masakit man i-revise ang chapter na ito ay ginawa ko na para rin sa mas mabuting pagbabasa. Ginawa kong mas detalyado para mas makatarungan naman pagdating niyo sa book two. Yes, may book two po ito :) Enjoy reading! God bless. [07|14|16]