Chapter 4:

The next day, I was surprised to see Papa all dressed up when I went downstairs after I woke up and took a quick bath. He was wearing a formal white button-down polo and black jeans; I even saw his briefcase bag on the coffee table of our sala. His hair was neatly combed and his perfume was all over the place which confused me more. He only got to notice me when I chuckled a little because it was rare for me to see him like this. Even at his work, he doesn’t wear clothes that are too formal for his liking.

“Aalis ka po?” I asked.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at sinenyasan akong lumapit para magpatulong sa necktie niya. Natatawa akong lumapit at inalalayan siya sa pagsuot nito. Pabiro ko pang pinagpagan ang kaniyang balikat dahil sa aliw.

“Pupunta tayong school.”

Namilog ang mga mata ko sa gitla. Ngayon na?!

“Iniwan ko yung uniform mo sa cabinet mo, ah. Hindi mo ba nakita?”

“Papasok na po ako sa klase ngayon din?” I uttered my disbelief. I haven’t even enrolled!

Tumango si Papa. “Naasikaso ko na ang registration mo noong nasa Javan pa tayo,” aniya. “Ang kailangan ko na lang gawin ay pirmahan ang ibang dokumento mo.”

Ngumuso ako at muling sinuri ang suot niya. Napailing ako at saka ngumisi nang pabiro sa kaniya. “So, this is why you’re all dressed up?”

Umismid siya at pinasadahan pa ng kamay ang buhok. “Kailangan kong magmukhang responsable para hindi ka apihin ng iba.”

“Bakit naman aapihin?”

“Dahil dayuhan ka pa rito sa paningin nila,” wika niya. “Ayokong mababalitaan kong may umaaway sa ‘yo. Alam kong matapang ka pero…” Umiling-iling siya na tila dismayado tungkol sa kung ano. “Sige na, kumain ka na muna bago ka umakyat muli at magbihis.”

Tumango ako. “Anong oras po ba tayo aalis?”

“Seven.”

“Pa?!” gulat kong tugon. “Six thirty na po!”

Mukhang kahit siya ay nagulat sa sinabi ko at hindi rin napagtanto ang oras. Dahil tuloy doon ay kumaripas na ako ng takbo paakyat para magbihis. Sa sasakyan na lang ako kakain kung may hinanda man si Papa na pwedeng bitbitin. O hindi kaya habang hinihintay ko siya sa registrar pumirma ng dokumento ko. Pwede naman siguro akong maghintay sa labas? Pero hindi ko pa naman nakikita ang itinutukoy ni Papa na school kaya’t bahala na.

Hindi ko na nagawang tingnan nang matagal ang uniporme na hinanda ni Papa para sa akin kaya nagawa ko lamang siyang suriin noong suot ko na. Napatigil ako sa pagsuklay at tinitigan ang suot ko. Kung tutuusin ay mas marangya itong tingnan mula sa dati kong uniporme mula sa school na pinasukan ko sa Javan. I was wearing a black plaided skirt with thin gold outlines that made it look fancy. Then, a white short sleeved button-down polo before another black coat with golden outlines too over it. Mayroon rin itong chest pocket kung saan nandoon and patch ng school na papasukan ko. It was just a pair of wings; I would say that it was to symbolize a bird but it was too big and much more detailed than it. Mukha siyang… pakpak ng isang anghel.

“Erelah! Tara na!”

“Opo!”

Hindi ko na pinagkaabalahan pang ayusin ang buhok ko at hinayaan itong nakalugay. Kung bakit ba naman kasi hindi agad ito sinabi ni Papa sa akin kahapon edi sana nakapaghanda ako? Pagkagising ko kaninang umaga ay tumunganga pa ako at tumitig sa kisame! Tapos nagkakanta sa banyo na akala mo’y may concert! Tapos pupunta pala kaming school? Mabuti na lang at hindi ako mahilig sa paglalagay ng palamuti sa mukha ko.

“Kanino po ‘tong kotse?” mangha kong tanong kay Papa noong maabutan ko siya sa labas na pasakay pa lamang sa sasakyan na mukhang bago at mamahalin.

“Binili ko kay Yael.”

“Po?”

He gestured his hand to dismiss the topic. “Basta, anak. Sumakay ka na at baka mahuli ka pa sa klase mo.”

I looked at my wristwatch to check the time, it was already 7:01! Hindi ba’t late na nga kami?

Sumakay na ako sa kotse at nagsuot ng seatbelt. Hindi na nagtagal si Papa at agad na rin naman kaming umalis. Hindi ko na napagtuunan ng pansin ang byahe dahil naging abala ako sa paglalagay ng palaman sa tinapay na bitbit ko. Mabuti nga at nagdala si Papa ng mga niluto niyang piniritong ulam sa tupperware kung kaya’t makakakain pa ako! Maingat ko ‘tong isinasagawa dahil ayoko namang madumihan ang uniporme ko.

Ngumunguya pa ako noong tumigil na ang sasakyan, noon lang ako nag-angat ng tingin at nakitang nasa loob na pala kami ng campus! Ang alam ko ay Community College lamang ito at hindi university, pero bakit ang lawak?! Mas malaki pa ito sa school na pinasukan ko sa Javan!

I was immediately thrown to the subject of trial when I emerged from the car. The students who remained outside gazed at me with ample intrusiveness. I forced myself not to look weirded out when I saw some who was simply sniffing and would look at me with an unreadable expression. My eyes lingered more to observe them until I noticed something. They were wearing neckties! Though, in different colors. Mayroon rin silang pin na pansin kong nakatabon sa patch na nakita kanina sa coat, hindi ko nga lang makita ito masyado dahil malayo sila. Pero wala ako no’n! Hindi kaya hindi ko nakita doon sa pinagsabitan ni Papa? Paano kung may dress code rito?

Para akong bata na humawak sa braso ni Papa noong magsimula na kaming maglakad papunta sa registrar office. Bawat buildings na nadadaanan namin ay tinitingalaan ko dahil sa taas ng mga ito. I doubt that it even ends at second floors as the usual capacity of a public school. Dito, parang ang bawat building ay hanggang fifth floor. Siguro, mayaman ang mayor sa bayan na ito na nagawa niya itong pondohan nang malaki. Ito lang kaya ang school dito sa Arrazola?

Akala ko ay papasok pa ang office ngunit hindi ko inaasahan na bungad lamang ito ng isang maliit na building na iisa lamang ang palapag ngunit mukha rin namang malawak. Papa grabbed my hand and squeezed it a little before he let go. Agad akong kinabahan ngunit hindi ko na pinahalata dahil baka mapagsabihan niya pa ako.

Pakiramdam ko tuloy ay pumasok lang kami sa isang clinic center. Pinaupo ako ni Papa sa helerang upuan sa tapat ng isang counter bago siya dumiretso roon at nakipag-usap sa babaeng nandoon. The woman who was wearing an outfit that somehow resembles a nurse’s uniform gestured her hand towards the close door near them, probably telling my father to enter and talk to whoever it is that’s concerning the proposed documents of my registration. Bumaling sa akin si Papa at sumenyas na papasok lang siya saglit kaya’t tumango ako at nag-thumbs up.

Bumaling ako sa labas ng building, kita ko pa naman ito tutal at glass double doors naman at malaki pa. Unti-unting nababawasan ang mga estudyante sa labas, siguro ay dahil may klase na. Mag-iiwas na sana ako ng tingin noong may mapansin akong isang arch na bahagyang malayo sa kung nasaan ako. Kalahati lang nito ang nakikita ko kung kaya’t tumayo ako at wala sa sariling lumabas ng building upang suriin ito.

My feet felt numb as I walk in the direction where the arch is. I was halfway through it when I realized what I was doing yet I didn’t stop. My steps gradually slowed down when I was already inches away from it. From afar, I never thought that it would be this high that I have to back up a little to take sight of the whole of it. As my eyes slowly drifts lower from viewing the top of the arch, they halted when I saw letters that are engraved on the stone formed. Arranged in a poem-like manner. I took a step closer to take a clearer look.

“Parisa’s Promise,” I mumbled the first few letters that I read. Something inside me was building up, I can feel it urging me to recognize it more.

And before I even knew it, I was already reciting the words that are engraved from the stone arch inside my head, putting me more in a hazy state.

The first spark of appeal shall arise 

Once their cores will sing in rhymes

My descent will lead the route to my realm

Restore the living and cease her reign

Ought thy child get pierced by the thorn of beauty

Be deceived by the cry of treason and attain her ability

Use the blood of power to save the soul from death

Use the curse of the gift and let the existence confess

I leaned on the arch when I felt myself falling, my head is heavy and lofty. Iniling-iling ko ang ulo ko sa pag-asang mawala ito ngunit lalo lamang itong lumala. In my attempt to remove myself from the situation, I lifted myself from the arch and tried to walk but only to stumble upon my own feet. I almost passed through the arch if it only wasn’t for the hand that strongly gripped my arm and pulled me away from it.

Gulat akong nag-angat ng tingin sa taong humigit sa akin. For a moment, I wasn’t able to function well when I saw a woman who looks years older than me but radiated youthful energy. If it only wasn’t for her long black dress that reminded me of the dull sky last night, I would’ve easily said my thank you to her for saving me from falling. I stared at her long and came to notice how my chest was getting tighter that I had to hold my breath. I seized the courage to speak up but only failed when her wide eyes turned into slits as she studies me. She took a step closer once, and I almost fall behind when I took a step back out of surprise.

“Where is your father and why are you alone here?”

I gulped in tension. The sincere confusion lingered inside my mind. How did she know that I’m with Papa?

“Rouze.”

As if on cue, my father showed up just beside her. I exhaled and immediately went to him, scared of the possibilities that are running inside my head. Especially with the woman who is now giving us dagger looks, chiefly directed at me for a few moments before it drifted to my father.

“You showed up too early,” my father said in a monotone.

The woman recoiled and subtly pointed at the arch behind her. “She almost crossed the arch. Would you rather have Seraphine show up to her early, then?”

“Watch your words.”

“Watch over her, Simone,” she told him coldly this time. “Let’s not ruin the timeline.”

My father hissed, I thought he was going to argue further but he slowly nodded his head at her in agreement. He then tapped my shoulders to get my full attention so I looked up at him. He was a few inches taller than me.

“Nagpakilala na ba siya sa ‘yo?” tanong niya.

Umiling ako bilang tugon at tumango naman siya bago muling humarap sa babae. It almost creeped me out when I looked back as well and saw her already staring at me with a small smile on her face. She stood in front of us in confidence.

“Rouze, this is Lumina Tien,” ani Papa at inilahad pa ang kamay. “Ang headmistress ng school na ito.”

Headmistress?!

Noong maliwanagan ako sa sinabi niya ay mabilis akong umalis sa pagtatago ko sa braso ni Papa at agad na tumungo sa kaniya bilang pagbati.

“Good morning, M-Ma’am!”

“Aren’t you going to tell her of my other entitlement as well?” she playfully asked my father.

“Enough of this.”

Papa grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the scene. Umawang ang labi ko at gusto sanang magprotesta kung hindi ko lamang nakita ang nakarehistrong iritasyon sa kaniyang mukha. Sa halip ay tumungo na lamang muli ako sa Headmistress at nagpaalam sa takot na mabastusan siya sa ginawa ni Papa.

Lumina Tien only smiled at me, a warm one despite her cold appearance. She watched us as we walk further away from where she is, her eyes never drifted away from me that I can still even feel it even though I had already turned my back so I wouldn’t trip from walking.