"Baliw ka! Saang lupalop ka nanggaling?" Halos mabingi ako sa sigaw ni Jangkit nang makatapak ako papasok sa cottage ni Dani.
"Naligo lang doon sa kabilang parte," sagot ko at lumapit sa kaniya para tapikin ang balikat. Umakyat ako para maligo at nang makababa ay nanliliksi parin ang tingin na ipinupukol sa akin ni Jangkit."Bakit?" Taka kong tanong habang pinapatuyo ang buhok."May dagat naman diyan sa harap, bakit doon ka pa sa kabila naligo?""Nasaan na ang iba?" Pag-iiba ko at napakrus naman siya ng braso."Tayo nalang ang hinihintay doon sa restaurant kaya tara na, sa amin ka ni Dom tumabi ha para hindi kami halata."Wala akong naging reklamo sa sinabi ni Jangkit at tahimik lang ako habang naglalakad kami papunta sa nasabing restaurant."Ang tahimik mo ata, Slaine?" Napaangat ako ng tingin dahil sa sita ni Lowell. Nakangisi siya at handang handa nang manukso."Kapag dumaldal ako, lantad pati ang kahihiyang"Hi Manong Guard!" Masiglang bati ko nang makapasok sa gate ng school."Ang aga natin Aranza ah? Tsamba walang officers na nagbabantay ng gate!" Panunukso ni Manong Guard at may nakakalokong tingin kaya napabusangot ako."Grabe ka naman Manong Guard! Kaya nga inagahan para hindi magkaviolation!"Nakipagtawanan pa ako kay Manong hanggang sa natanaw ko si Inigo papalapit dito sa gate kaya dali-dali akong naglakad paalis. Officer siya ng school at baka malista pa ako.Nakarating ako ng building namin at dahil maaga pa, iilan palang kaming naririto sa classroom. Nakita ko si Kimberly at napag-isipang kausapin siya pero hindi pa ako nakatapos ay binara niya ako kaagad.Napaupo ako sa silya at nanahimik nalang. Nakita kong napangisi si Kimberly kaya napairap ako. Kay aga-aga naghahanap ng gulo!"By the way, bagay sayo ang gupit mo."Namilog ang mata ko at napangiti dahil sa narinig. "Talaga? Oh my gosh, thank you—""Magsuot ka na din ng backpack tapos kumanta ng come on vamonos every body l
Pagbalik ko ng campus ay nakasalubong ko si Rafus sa corridor. Our eyes met, and instead of stopping from my tracks, I walked past him.After a few steps, I felt a hand grip my wrist, and I was lightly pulled backward. I grunted overactingly and made a fake, annoyed face."What?"His lips were pursed, and his stares were calm and serious like he's studying me. Eventually, I felt the grip loosen, and the next thing I knew, his hand was on mine. I felt shiver in my body, and when his hand slowly moved on my palm, I felt like I was being electrocuted by a thousand volts.I took my hand from him as I drew backward. Seeing him right now only makes the conversation of Dani and Carys echoed in my mind. I slightly felt a pang on my chest. My vision was a bit blurry, so I tilted my head sideward."What's the problem? Is there anything wrong, hmm?" He asked in a calm voice, but I can almost hear the concern in it.Wipe my eyes, then simply
Our first day was smooth. Maaga kaming pinayagang umalis ni Mrs. Cattaneo at dumiretso nalang ako sa trabaho. Pagpasok ko ng store ay napasin ko agad si Rafus pero hindi ko pinaglaanan ng atensiyon kahit na ramdam ko ang mabigat niyang tingin."Good evening, Ate Reive!" Masigla kong bati nang makalapit ako sa counter.She smiled sweetly at me. "Good evening din sa'yo, Slaine!"Looking at Ate Reive, I'm not sure if she really is okay. I'm too afraid to ask because she might think I'm nosy with her private life. I understood why she didn't came to work that day, I could say that she still loves that Lazaro.I did my work seriously and I rarely took a glance at Rafus to the point I haven't noticed him exiting the store. Noong humupa ang bumibili sa store ay saka lang ako nagpaalam kay Ate Reive na maglilinis ng kalat sa mesang iniwan ng mga estudyanteng tumambay.I don't know if they saw the big sticker on the table about cleaning the place
Starting from that day, I started avoiding Rafus because every time I saw him, the scene in the library was always replaying at the back of my mind. How I was slapped hard by the reality that I won't be chosen by him. I bet Rafus felt relieved since there's no nuisance leeching around him anymore.Ibinuhos ko ang lahat ng atensyon ko sa work immersion. I sometimes help Dani when there's no available bagger. Hindi ko pa masiguro ang rating ko. Mrs. Cattaneo's a hard to impress. One time, when she's simply observing one of us, she wears that intimidating and stoical expression. Her lips were in straight line, and arms were crossed above her bosom.Good thing that happened when I was here in Cattaneo's Enterprise was that I didn't encounter shallow minded people and didn't see Rafus in my working hours.It's already last week of November, a week where our work immersion will come to an end. I could say that I've learned so much during my overall work immersio
"Pinapatawag na kayo ni Mrs. Cattaneo sa office," anunsyo ng babaeng empleyado.Nagkatinginan kami ni Dani bago tumayo. Katatapos lang naming magbreak time at sa tingin ko ay ngayon na ibibigay ni Mrs. Cattaneo ang rating namin.Naglalakad kami at ibang kasamahan ko sa work immersion papunta sa office ni Mrs. Cattaneo nang naagaw ng atensyon ko ang empleyado nila na medyo nahihirapan sa pagkukuha ng box sa wheel cart."Saan ka pupunta, Slaine?" Takang tanong ni Dani at napahawak sa palapulsuhan ko. Siguro ay naramdaman niya ang akma kong pagdistansiya. "Dani, sandali lang ha?" Paalam ko at hindi na hinintay ang tugon niya. Basta akong pumunta roon sa empleyado at tumulong."Uhm, you don't need to help— Aranza!"I smiled at him, then continued helping him on the box. He's the guy who's helping me sometimes when I'm struggling, so I guess it's time to return the kindness."Sy, ano ba? Okay nga lang, tulungan na kita." Sab
The food came, and all of us were already here in the room, including Rafus' mom. She gave a brief speech, and Rafus was standing beside her. Nagsimula na kami sa pagkuha ng pagkain at hindi lang ako ang napadami ng kuha kundi pati rin ang mga kasamahan pa namin.Sa bandang gilid kami umupo ni Dani at tahimik na nilalasap ang sarap ng pagkain. Inabutan na kami kanina ni Sy ng soft drinks."Ano'ng rating mo, Slaine?" Tanong ni Dani sa gitna ng pagkain namin. Hindi ko pa siya masagot dahil ngumunguya pa ako. "Ninety-four din ba? 'Yan kasi ang nakuha ko maging ang ilan at ninety three naman ang nakuha ng iba."Natigilan ako at napatingin kay Dani pero hindi niya ata napansin ang pagkabigla ko. How come I receive a ninety-six when it's just ninety three to ninety four on my co-workmates. I find it suspicious yet... I'm afraid to tell Dani. Hindi ko alam ang takbo ng isip niya at sa tingin ko ay baka may mali lang sa rating ko."Uhm, ano kasi Dani-""Is this seat taken?"Hindi ko natuloy a
"I just want to congratulate all of you for the successful work immersion! The school received good feedback from where you all conducted the work immersion!" Our adviser happily said. "For now, l want to tell you in advance about the accomplishment report that is needed to submit on the first week of March. It only means the span is two months and a half before the submission. Hindi pwedeng hindi kayo makapasa nito dahil hindi kayo makakagraduate ng senior high kapag gano'n."We all frowned, and some were giving comments about what our teacher had said."About our Christmas party, the cakes are on me class!" Sumigla uli ang mga bangag kong kaklase dahil sa sinabi ni Ma'am. Our teacher smiled while looking at us, and I couldn't help myself but smile also.Hindi na nagklase si Ma'am sa hapong iyon at nakipagpalitan naman si Dani ng upuan para makatabi sa akin. She told me everything that they discussed about our Christmas Party. The menu's, the program, the
We almost finished our food when the commotion occurred, and it made us seven to lift our heads. My eyes widened and can't take it off to those people."Oh? That's Sienna Gallegos," Helen said in wonder while her forefinger was pointing in Sienna's direction."And that's Shantal Salazar," Jangkit sighed."Namantsahan mo ang sapatos ko!" Pahisteryang sigaw ni Shantal at bahagya pang napapadyak.Nanatili akong nanonood sa kanila habang nakunot ang noo. Lumapit si Carys sa tabi ni Sienna para kampihan siya."Shantal, hindi ka naman siguro color blind, ano? Paano namantsahan ng color orange ang sapatos mo eh tubig naman ang binili ni Sienna? Isa pa, paano mamantsahan 'yan eh hindi pa nabubuksan ang bote ng tubig niya?" Matapos sabihin ni Carys iyon ay humagalpak sila sa katatawa ni Avianna at nahawa si Sienna."Ops, bobo spotted." Bungisngis ni Crezst sa tabi ko. Nakita ko rin na nagpipigil sa tawa sila Helen habang sina Dom at Lowel