Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

NAIIRITANG pinasadahan ni Marifer ng tingin ang loob ng classroom. Nang makitang wala sa ayos ang mga kaklase niya, mariing sumara ang kanyang mga labi at ang mga mata niya ay matalim na tumingin sa Butler.

"Seriously? My Dad is letting me go to this—" Muli niyang sinulyapan ang mga kaklaseng nagtatawanan. She groaned. Pinaypay niya ang kamay na may mamahaling gloves at binalik ang tingin sa Butler. "I... I can't take this. This cheap place is going to be the death of me. I'd rather be illiterate than be surrounded by cheap people!"

The Butler breathed in deeply, trying his best to compose himself. "My Lady, home-schooling isn't healthy for you anymore. Your father wanted you to be in a prestigious school—"

"Prestigious?" Halos maningkit ang kanyang mga mata habang naiinis na natawa. "You call this... Seriously, this, prestigious? God damn it, Butler Eric, what kind of dictionary did you read when you're younger? This is nothing but a disgusting place for pseudo-elites and obviously social climbers. Get me out of here!"

Kalmado lamang naman itong umiling. "Forgive me, Lady Marifer but it's your Father's decision. I cannot disobey Lord Matthew."

She hissed and rolled her eyes. Gusto niyang maglupasay kung hindi lang mukhang marumi ang marble floor na halatang hindi naman ganoon kamahal. Isa pa napakaswerte naman ng eskwelahan na iyon kung mararanasan nitong malampasuhan ng kanyang damit. It's even lucky enough that her shoes kissed its floor. 

Her clothes are custom-made by the best designers in Wales. At kahit required ang magsuot ng uniporme, pinanindigan niyang isuot ang isa sa "pinakamura" niyang dress.

Nagngingitngit ang mga  ngipin niya sa inis. Ngayon niya pinagsisihang hindi siya nagbitbit ng gold bar para isapok dito ngayon. Because for goodness' sake, she is Lady Marifer Thompson of Wales! She doesn't deserve to be surrounded by "cheap" people.

"You Father just wanted you to see the world in a bigger picture."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Then tell him to have a freaking six feet tall map for me. Bigger picture rin lang naman pala." Nahilot niya ang kanyang sintido sa sobrang inis.

"Lady Marifer, you have to be surrounded by other people—"

"What do you think of my maids? Hayop?" naniningkit ang mga mata niyang putol sa sinasabi nito.

Yumuko na lamang ito. "Forgive me, My Lady."

Bumuntong hininga na lamang siya saka umiling. "I can't believe this is happening right after Grandma's death." She waved her hand. "Sige na sige na."

Tumango ang Butler at tuluyang sinenyasan ang mga kasama upang ipasok ang kanyang sariling upuan. Nang bumukas ang pinto, nairita na naman siya nang maamoy ang air freshener. Her face twisted and she immediately covered her nose. "I smell cheap perfumes and... Ew!"

Agad na kumilos ang Butler, tila alam na mangyayari iyon kaya dala nito ang paborito niyang air freshener. The smell of Dior Elite calmed her a little. Nang masigurong natakpan na nito ang unang amoy ng classroom, tuluyan siyang pumasok nang labag sa loob.

Her footsteps echoed, the students were silenced by her presence. Natulala ang mga ito sa kanya lalo nang makita ang sarili niyang desk na may kumportableng upuan. When they kept staring at her as she settled on her seat like a queen she knows she's destined to be, tinaasan niya ng kilay ang mga ito.

The students immediately looked away except the one sitting nearest to her. The short-haired petite woman with innocent brown eyes stared longer as if fascinated by her— or perhaps with her clothes.

Pinaningkitan niya ito ng mga mata. "Can you stop being a creep now?"

Bigla itong namutla dahil sa sinabi niya at agad na iniyuko ang ulo. Napailing na lamang si Marifer. You ain't gonna survive this cruel world if you're that soft. 

Nahilot niya ang kanyang sintido at aksidenteng napatingin sa sketch book ng babaeng inangilan niya. Doon niya lamang napansin ang disenyo ng pulang cotour dress na ginagawa nito.

It's beautiful... But cheap. Still cheap, she reminded herself before she waved her hand to ask one of the maids standing behind her to give her some tea before she decides to walk out of the room after five minutes.

HER HELL continued. Tatlong araw pa lamang siya sa Notre Dame Academy ay iritang-irita na siya sa mga taong nais makipagkaibigan. She often stare at them in a cold way, silently judging the price of their stuff.

"I'm going to throw a party on Saturday. Punta ka!" the Miss Popular said. What's her name again? Ah, she can't remember. Or perhaps, she didn't mind remembering at all. Natatandaan lang niya ito dahil pwersahan itong nakipagpalit sa babaeng mahilig gumuhit ng damit.

"Where's the venue?" she asked in a cold, obviously uninterested tone.

"Sa bahay namin—"

"Ew, no." She rolled her eyes. "That's cheap people stuff."

"Oh, uhm, yeah, I think you're right. Can you recommend me a place then?"

She flashed an insulting smile. "Try the King's Court. Maybe I'll consider."

Napawi ang kurba sa mga labi nito hanggang sa unti-unting namutla. Umismid siya at tinaasan ito ng kilay. "What? Your family can't afford the real prestigious world of elites?"

"I—It's not like that. I'm —"

"Yes, it's like that." Pinasadahan niya ito ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. "Just because you're popular, doesn't mean you have the class. I'm sorry but I don't attend pretentious people's party."

Halatang napahiya itong nagmartsa paalis sa kanyang harap. Wala namang pakialam na inirap ni Marifer ang kanyang ulo bago siya nagpasyang lumabas muna ng silid.

"Lady Marifer, your next class is in five minutes—"

"I don't care. Mas mahal pa ang ballpen ko sa sahod ng boring na teacher na 'yon," walang gana niyang ani sa Butler bago tuluyang nagtungo sa library. If there's anything she atleast like about the academy, it's the huge library.

She immediately went inside to get herself a book to read when she spotted a familiar girl sitting on a corner, hugging her knees while her shoulders are quaking.

Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang palidi. She realized it's the section where not many people would even want to explore. Marahil ay dahil more on religion books at history ang naroroon.

The carpet prevented her shoes from making a sound. Kaya siguro hindi nito namalayan ang kanyang paglapit.

Pinagmasdan niya ito. Doon lamang napansin ni Marifer na may mantsa sa likod ng uniporme nitong tila sinulat ng marker. Ang buhok nito'y tila ginupit at may ilang bahaging parang nadikitan ng bubble gum.

Hindi niya mapaliwanag ang inis na lumukob sa kanya. Maybe because she really hates weak women. All her life, she's molded to be tough enough to go against unreasonable people. Sumobra lamang siguro ang kanyang lola sa pagsiksik ng mga bagay-bagay sa kanyang isip ngunit pagdating sa prinsipyo, nananatili ang turo ng kanyang namayapang ina.

Her instinct kicked in. She walked towards the familiar girl and held her arm. The girl snapped, her teary eyes stared at her in a confused and terrified way.

Naningkit ang mga mata ni Marifer nang makitang maging sa mukha nito ay may sulat ng marker. May tila sungay sa noo nito habang sa magkabilang pisngi ay tila nakabaliktad na krus.

"What happened to you?"

The girl sniffed and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. Marifer groaned. "Don't do that. That's not how a woman should wipe her tears."

Humikbi ito. "S—Sorry."

Marifer sighed. Tuluyan niyang dinukot ang mamahalin niyang panyo sa bulsa ng kanyang coat at iniabot dito. "Tell me what happened to you."

Nahihiyang tinanggap ng dalaga ang panyo. "This always happen. Medyo... Medyo mas malala lang ngayon."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Bullies?"

The girl nodded, ashamed and about to burst out into tears again. "They call m... me crazy be—because of my vi... visions." She sniffed. "The doctor said I... I have schizophrenia but..."

Sandali siyang natigilan. Visions? Could she possibly...

Tiniklop ni Marifer ang kanyang mga braso saka siya tumikhim. "Is that true? Are you really mentally unstable?"

Mabilis itong umiling saka bumuntong hininga. "I didn't ask to hear the trumpets... To see things I'm not supposed to... To see..." Tiningala siya nito. "A—Are you going laugh at me, too?"

Marifer sighed. Paano siya tatawa kung gaya nito ay pwede rin siyang tawaging baliw ng mga tao dahil sa mga bagay na nararanasan niya minsan kahit mulat ang mga mata niya? That's why she prefer staying in the castle and not be surrounded by other people because they will surely not understand her.

"No. Now get up." Hinatak niya ito sa braso saka niya hinubad ang kanyang coat upang isuot dito.

Natulala sa kanya ang babae, halatang kinagulat ang kanyang asta ngunit hindi na lamang niya pinansin. Hindi rin niya maipaliwanag kung bakit naiinis siya nang ganito dahil sa ginawa rito ng mga tao. Tila ba may bahagi ng kanyang sistemang sinasabing walang karapatan ang sinuman na gawin iyon sa babae.

"What's your name?" Malamig niyang tanong dito.

The girl sniffed. "I... Irene Lyncher."

"Well congratulations, Irene Lyncher. You're officially promoted to be my friend." Her jaw clenched as her expression turned furious. "Now you're gonna tell me who did this to you whether you like it or not."

Irene's brow furrowed. "W—Why are you doing this?"

She sighed. "You're too angelic to experience the cruelness of this forsaken world..."