Kabanata 2
"Ikaw na mag-bigay nung permit," Gio said.
My mouth immediately crumpled into a scowl. Halos mapunit ko gamit ng titig ang papel na nasa kamay ni Gio.
I let out a long sigh and arched an eyebrow at Gio.
"Hibang ka ba? Di ba nandoon ka nung muntik na akong mapatay ng lalaking 'yon sa sama ng loob? Tapos ako pa magbabalik ng permit?"
Nakakuha na kami ng permit galing kay Ms. Frias kaya naman ibibigay na namin 'to sa STEM 1 kapalit nung pinahiram nilang permit kahapon.
"Ikaw naman kumuha e," pagdadahilan ni Gio.
I wanted to refute him, pero may mga bumati kay Gio habang nasa hallway kami. Tatakbo 'yata 'to bilang Mr.Congeniality sa dami ng kakilala niya. Partida ay sa strand pa lang namin bukambibig na siya.
"Oy ako! Gusto ko mag-balik ng permit!"
Napangiti naman kaagad ako nang dumating si Melanie.
What a life saver! Dumadating talaga ang mga kaibigan mo kapag kailangan na kailangan mo sila. Tuluran si Melanie, isang dakilang kaibigan!
"Sige, samahan mo si Zafi."
Napatingin ako kay Gio, staring daggers at him. He only shrugged his shoulders. Ito naman 'yung mga kaibigan na masarap itakwil.
"Hindi mo talaga ako tatantanan ano?"
Gio just smiled at me.
Wala akong nagawa kundi sundin ang utos niya. Kasama ko naman si Melay, medyo makapal din mukha nito kaya kahit siya na lang siguro magbigay nung permit mismo.
Pakiramdam ko ay may bakal na tinali sa aking mga paa. Every step I took was getting heavier as we slowly reached our destination. Pakiramdam ko ay may mga kidlat pa nga sa paligid ko nang huminto kami sa harap ng room ng STEM 1.
The horror of facing one of the most embarassing things you've done in your life.
Nang makarating kami sa room ng STEM 1, nakita ko na may sino-solve sila sa whiteboard. General Mathematics 'yata dahil halos pareho sa tinuturo saamin.
Nasa harap din si Sarathiel at nagsasagot. Medyo umawang ang bibig ko nang makita na mabilis siyang nag-solve sa harap. Mukhang hindi lang ako ang na-amaze dahil napatili si Melanie.
"Magaling ba talaga sila sa Math? Ang bilis naman niya mag-solve!" Melanie said in awe.
Bumalik ako sa ulirat ko. So, what? GenMath lang naman 'yan. As long as you keep in mind the positive and negative signs while solving with the proper formulas, you'll manage it.
Habang tinatanaw namin ang mga tangkay na nagsasagot. Tiningnan ko ang isa sa mga tanong doon.
It is a test use to determine if a function is one-to-one function.
The side of my lips lifted. That's easy.
Horizontal Line Test.
Nawili ako sa pagsagot ng iilang tanong na hindi kailangan i-solve.
It is the inverse of the exponential function.
That's Logarithmic Function for sure.
A function for which every element of the range corresponds to exactly one.
I smiled in satisfaction. Hindi pa rin pala ako kinakalawang sa General Mathematics. The answer is One to one function.
Nakita ko na halos tama ang mga sinagot ko sa utak ko. I swear, GenMath is easy when your Prof is good and also if you just keep on studying the gist of it.
"Magaling sila, Zafi 'no?" Melanie turned to me, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Tsamba lang 'yan, pakitang gilas." I scoffed.
Kumatok si Melanie sa pinto ng STEM 1. May nagbukas nito at sumilip 'yung isang lalaki. A korean looking guy gave a smile upon seeing us.
Thank goodness, it was the friendly guy! Ito 'yung sumagot sa tanong ko nung first day.
"Ano po 'yun?" the STEM guy asked.
"Ibabalik lang po namin 'yung permit," ngiting-ngiti si Melay. I couldn't blame him, the guy's cute.
"Ah, sige po." He looked back and called for someone. "Sarathiel! Ibabalik na raw 'yung permit!"
My eyes widened as I slowly step behind Melanie. Hindi kami pwedeng magkita. Wala akong mukhang maihaharap sa kanya! I can't help but stagger as I find a way to get the hell out of here!
Pero hinawakan ako ni Melay sa aking braso. She looks at me as if telling me if I choose to ditched her, she'll definitely get mad. Kaya nanatili ako. Ayoko rin kasi siyang mag-tampo.
As we wait for the person to get the permit, I noticed that it was just the students inside the room.
Ngayon ko lang napansin na wala silang Prof. Baka activity lang 'yung iniwan sa kanila para gawin.
Halos nagdasal na ako sa lahat ng santo na sana hindi si Sarathiel 'yung kumuha ng permit. I didn't want to see him. Nakakasira ng buhay 'yung pagmumukha niya!
I was silently hoping it was a different guy but when I saw the hoodie and how lazily he put his hands on his pockets...I just knew it was him.
"Oh?" then came the devil. Nakapamulsa lang siya nang lumapit siya sa amin. I stole a glance but reminded myself that he was the enemy.
Siguro kung hindi lang dahil sa ugali niya, matagal ko na siyang ginawang wallpaper ng cellphone ko! Ang unfair kasi bakit ang gwapo nito?!
"Permit po," Si Melay 'yung nag-abot ng permit. Kinuha naman ito ni Sarathiel at tumango.
Naramdaman ko na napatingin siya sa akin. Agad akong umiwas ng tingin.
Please let me peacefully walk out of here. Isa lamang po akong mabuting mag-aaral. Ayoko na ulit makaalala ng katangahan ko.
I guess that's where the hate comes from. Buong buhay ko ay pinuri lamang ako, I commit mistakes seldomly. Hindi rin ako natutuwa kapag pakiramdam ko ay natataasan ako nang hindi naman deserving.
I work hard for whatever I have right now.
Sarathiel was the constant reminder that in the first day of my Senior Highschool, I was already in the wrong direction. I was deeply chastened by the experience! Simula noon ay hindi na ako umasa sa hula lang. It was embarrassing that up until now it makes me shudder by simply reminiscing about it.
Traydor ang mga mata ko dahil pumuslit ako ng tingin mula sa kanya.
I could feel my heart throbbing for some reason.
His stare was long and I could feel my cheeks heating because of how the way he isn't taking his eyes off me. I heard him letting out a suppressed laugh.
"See you around," his voice. I swear there's something in his voice that annoys me every time!
Para itong alarm clock na hindi mo naman ginawa! It's plain annoying!
I scoffed to myself and averted my gaze somewhere else.
See you never, kamo.
Nagmamadali akong umalis nang maibigay na namin. Halos habulin ako ni Melay dahil malalaki ang hakbang ko.
Sana talaga huling pagkikita na namin 'yon!
Pero mas malakas 'yata talaga si Sarathiel sa langit. Sa sobrang lakas niya nga sa mga santo sana nga kunin na siya ng mga ito e.
After two weeks, we finished our filming. Natapos na rin namin ang huling performance task para sa 1st semester namin sa MIL.
Nagkaroon lang ng plot twist nang matapos na ang mga films na ginawa namin.
It was a sudden announcement that made us all shocked.
"So, the films that we made are entries for an award?" umawang ang bibig ni Bea.
May announcement kasi sa groupchat na lahat ng film na ginawa para sa MIL ay gagawin pa lang activity para sa school. Isang red carpet event para sa lahat ng mga napiling film.
We all gushed over when our film was selected. Syempre nalungkot kami dahil isang film per section lang pero natuwa kami nang ang mapili ay 'yung film na ginawa namin.
"Alam mo ba? Narinig ko sa ibang teachers na may potential daw na saatin 'yung mapili as best film." pangt-tsismis ni Melanie.
"Pero maganda rin daw kasi 'yung sa STEM 1." Bea argued.
I can't really stand the comparison. Kaya naman pumagitna ako sa dalawa upang magbigay ng komento.
"Mas maganda 'yung sa'tin."
I was sure of that. Hindi naman sa wala akong bilib sa STEM 1. Totoo namang achiever din ang section nila pero mas maganda talaga 'yung film namin kasi kami may gawa no'n e.
Duh.
Hindi lahat ay kasama sa red carpet event, may mga representative lang na sasama. Ewan ko ba rito kay Gio at sinabi na kailangan daw nandoon ako. Head of props lang naman ang role ko roon.
I shut my eyes tightly. Hindi 'yata talaga pwedeng hindi kami magkita. Pero sana naman hindi siya representative para sa awarding. I can stand the presence of STEM 1 but Sarathiel was too much for me.
Is it because I find him attractive? Well, I'm not really into good looking guys. I was more into guys who are intelligent. Aanuhin ko ang mukha mo kung ang grado mo ay blangko?
I don't know if this justifies my thirst for achievements and high grades. Pero noon pa man ay kilala na ako dahil hindi ako bumabagsak. Hindi ako nakakatanggap ng pasang awa. I was that kind of girl who received good grades easily.
I'm hoping Senior Highschool will be like too. Masaya ako na hanggang ngayon ay mukhang nasa tamang direksyon ako. I always get the highest mark on our quizzes and I was known inside our room as the source of answers — that I won't tell them. Mahirap kaya mag-review. Sabihan mo na ako na madamot basta hindi ko ibabahagi ang mga pinaghirapan kong alamin.
Clary prepared things for me. Hindi kasi talaga ako kikay. She on the other hand knows the current trends and she's always the one I can count on when it comes to beauty.
Pinahiram ako ni Clary ng isang nude bodycon dress and it was sleeveless. Kinulot pa niya ang buhok ko na hanggang siko. She applied light make-up on me.
"Kapag di ka pa talaga nakabingwit ng STEM nito," sabi niya habang nilalagyan ako ng mascara.
I rolled my eyes at her statement. Excuse me? Wala akong pakialam sa mga tangkay na 'yon! I'm happily contented with ABM.
"Why are you guys so obsess with STEM? Ayaw niyo ba sa ABM? May Adren kami!"
Hindi naman tagtuyot sa mga gwapo ang ABM 'no! We have a freaking Reverio, one of the most prominent students here in UJD. Ikaw ba naman mapasama sa angkan ng mga kilalang business magnate.
"Oh gosh, type ko si Adren pero masyadong high class! Siya 'yung hinahatid sundo ng isang BMW 'di ba?"
Well, she's right. Mabait at gwapo naman si Adren pero sobrang ibang level kasi yaman no'n. Baka nga kapag na-stress 'yon sa school work, bilhin na lang niya bigla 'yung buong school e.
Mabuti na lang sa hapon ang ganap nung red carpet event. We had to be excuse from our classes since we had to attend the said event. Sa auditorium ng UJD ginanap 'yung event.
LJ looked gorgeous in her sky blue dress and I wasn't expecting any less, siya kasi ang muse namin sa ABM 1.
Heranie was looking good too. She was wearing a black cocktail dress and her hair was curled. May kausap siyang ABM 2 pero hindi ko kilala kaya di ko na rin pinansin. Since iisang building lang naman ang mga ABM, we see each other often but we don't really socialized with other sections. Minsan lang dahil nga tambak din kami sa gawain.
"May hinahanap ka 'yata?" biglang sumulpot na parang kabute si Gio sa tabi ko.
"Shut up, don't ruin this day for me."
Lumapit si Gio para bumulong sa akin. May tinuro siya sa bandang kanan namin.
"If you're looking for him, he's already looking at you."
Nanuyo 'yata ang laway ko dahil hindi ako nakasagot. Sinilip ko kung totoo nga ba at halos manglaki ang mga mata ko nang matanaw ko siya.
Nagulat ako nang makita si Sarathiel na nakatingin saakin. Di ko mapigilan na magtaas ng isang kilay.
Tingin-tingin mo riyan? Dukutin ko mata mo e.
He looks good though. He was wearing a semi-formal attire. It was a dark suit and underneath was a white dress shirt. He wasn't wearing any tie.
A smirk appeared on his face. The same mocking one he gave me during the first time we met.
"Done checking me out?" Sarathiel mouthed.
Nope. Hanggang mukha nga lang talaga ang maaaring magustuhan ko sa kanya. Umiling ako dahil sa mga iniisip ko.
I clicked my tongue at him and he furrowed his eyebrows at me. Hindi ko na siya pinansin at umupo na sa tabi ni Heranie. She was beaming and looking at the other side.
Nasa kabilang banda 'yung STEM at HUMSS. Kami naman na ABM ay kasama ang GAS. Nasa likuran naman ang mga TVL-Culinary. The other strands such as the Arts & Design, and Sports track are still in the progress of establishing, kaya apat pa lamang ang strand sa UJD.
"Sana manalo tayo 'no? Para worth it naman 'yung pagbugbog saakin." Heranie joked, pero halata na kabado siya sa resulta.
"You'll win best actress for sure," I assured her.
Naglaan ng oras para sa Lupang Hinirang, pagdarasal at pagpapakilala sa mga tao na naging parte ng programa na ito.
They also showed us the trailers of each film. Halos hindi ako makahinga sa kaba nang makita ko 'yung pambato ng STEM 1.
Ang ganda ng cinematography nila. Akala ko professional na talaga 'yung palabas. It was also about gender equality, sobrang relevant ng issue na ginawan nila ng film. Medyo umakyat ang kaba sa dibdib ko.
I was so sure of winning! Ngayon ay naging 50/50 na. Hawak-hawak ko ang kamay ni Heranie dahil pareho 'yata kaming kinakabahan para sa resulta.
I really wanted to win.
Sanay ako noon na galing ako sa unang section kada year level. Since the first section consists of those who are considered as the intelligent and hardworking students, madaling nabibingwit ang mga parangal.
The showing of the trailers ended and they proceeded on announcing the results. From the smallest merit to the most anticipated award of the night.
I was stomping my foot impatiently. Hindi naman siguro sobrang ganda ng kanila. Some trailers do not even match the actual movie. I feel bad for wishing that they actually didn't do well in their final output.
Pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko matatanggap kung matatalo kami.
"Best in soundtrack goes to...GAS 3!"
This was well deserved. Gumawa kasi talaga sila ng sariling kanta para sa film nila. I heard it from their trailer, it sounded like an official sound track.
"Best in script goes to...HUMSS 1!"
Siguro sila talaga ang mga magagaling pagdating sa pagsusulat kaya wala rin akong reklamo. I mean, I heard they have creative writing in their strand.
"Best Actor goes to...Declan Manzano of TVL 2!"
Tumayo 'yung tinawag. He was smiling at his blockmates. Siya 'yata 'yung bida sa LGBTQ+ film sa TVL. It was brave of him to portray a character like that. They really deserve the appreciation.
Dalawang award na lang. Wala namang supporting actor and actress. Kaya naman naramdaman ko ang tensyon sa ABM at STEM. Kami na lang kasi ang wala pang award.
I squeezed Heranie's hand.
"Best Actress goes to...Heranie Mae Valdez of ABM 1!"
We roared our strand. ABM echoed inside the auditorium.
I can't help but be proud. Si Heranie naman ay hindi alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon niya. Para siyang si Pia nung kinoronahan bilang Miss U.
"Go Hera! Go ABM!" sigaw namin. Goodness! Kinabahan ako para sa wala! If Hera manage to win this, for sure the best film can also be in our hands.
"For the most awaited award for this afternoon," the Emcee paused. Lahat kami ay nakatitig lang sa kanya.
"The best film award goes to..." the Emcee smiled."STEM 1!"
Napuno ng sigawan galing sa STEM 1 ang auditorium. Bumagsak ang balikat ko at halos nawalan ng kulay ang aking mukha.
I know their film was good but I was really expecting ours to win.
The anticipation for the award really made me feel like crap. Pakiramdam ko kahit nanalo naman kami ng isang award ay kulang pa rin.
Bakit ganun? Nanalo rin kami pero hindi ako masaya? I wanted the best film so badly. Ang laking achievement din 'yun sa section namin kung sakali.
The announcement made me stuck on my position. I can't be happy for some reason, I was never a sore loser — ngayon lang 'yata. Nung nasa Junior Highschool ako ay nasa pilot section ako, madalas kami ang nananalo sa mga ganitong klaseng school activities. It was easy for us to win.
It's foreign to me. This feeling of losing something you thought you can achieve. Palagi kaming nananalo. I was always on the winning side.
I clenched my fists. Babawi ako sa susunod. I can do it, this is just film making. We can exceed this, I just know my strand is good too.
Natapos ang event at marami ang natuwa para sa STEM 1. I was not one of them. I was probably just a sore loser.
"Congrats! Ang galing ni Heranie! Well deserved!"
"Thank you po!" Heranie accepted the compliments. I was happy for her, of course.
Pilit ang ngiti ko sa mga bumabati saamin. My blockmates however took note of my sour mood.
"May next time pa naman." LJ patted me on my back. She probably notice my mood.
"Wala na tayong MIL next semester."
Which is true when it comes to Senior Highschool. Nagi-iba na ang subjects per semester. A semester contains two gradings and each school year you have two semesters. Matatapos na ang first sem namin, sa susunod ay ibang mga subjects na ang kukunin namin.
"Meron pa namang ibang opportunity." LJ said, trying to lift up my mood.
Yeah, that's what I'm hoping for.
Hindi ko namalayan na napatingin na ako kay Sarathiel. He was taking pictures with his blockmates. Hawak-hawak nila 'yung trophy at certificate.
I must have been staring daggers at him because he tilted his head to my direction.
When our eyes met, a smirk appeared on his face. Tinaas niya 'yung trophy sa kamay niya. He clicked his tongue at me and then winked.
My jaw dropped at the sight of him making fun of me. He turned his attention back to his blockmates, leaving me wanting to scream at him because of frustration.
Just you watch, mukhang butas ng pwet ka! Nakakainis! We'll have more recognition! I swear!
❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ✎❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜