Chapter 1

"Ma, Pa, alis na po ako"

I fixed my things before giving them a kiss on their cheeks. Kumaway ako sa kanila bago tumakbo papuntang gate at sinara 'yon. Gosh! It's already 7:45 and I might get late. Strikto pa naman 'yong eskwelahang 'yon dahil nga pribado. I don't have a bike kaya napilitan lang akong maglakad. Well, I'm used to walk in going to school ever since I entered highschool or even when I'm still a preschooler. Mahirap kami kaya hindi namin kayang i-afford ang mga sasakyan. It's not important, though. Ano namang silbi ng paa natin kung hindi lang din natin gagamitin, 'di ba? 

"Shara! What took you so long?! Tingnan mo, late na tayo!" singhal ni Maureen nang makita niya akong tumatakbo palapit sa kanya. 

Napakamot naman ako sa batok ko at ngumiti ng pilit."Sorry, late akong nagising eh. Tinapos ko muna 'yong assignments natin sa History kaya mga bandang alas dyes na akong nakatulog."

"Whatever. Tara na, basta pakopyahin mo'ko sa Math. You promised me yesterday, no buts." Nauna na siyang maglakad ng hindi man lang ako hinintay. Amp, porket hindi nagstudy eh. 

We're already late when we entered the gate. Good thing the SSG Councils were having a meeting in the session hall that's why we're safe. Agad naman kami tumakbo papuntang second floor ng building namin para makaabot pa bago dumating yung subject teacher namin. Minus kami sa attendance kapag late kami. 

"Salvador, Maureen. Have you attended the flag ceremony?" tanong ni Mrs. Forth habang nakataas baba ang kilay niya. 

Lumingon naman siya saglit sa'kin bago sumagot."Yes, maam. Nakaabot naman po ako kahit papa'no."

Impit naman akong tumawa dahil sa sinabi niya. Seems like she's going to pee anytime from now. Ang terror kase ng teacher naming 'yan kaya lahat kami takot sa kanya. 

"Lindzberg, Shantal Farah. Have you attended the flag ceremony?" 

Napatayo agad ako ng bigla niyang tinawag ang pangalan ko."P-Po? Yes po. Sabay po kami ni Maureen na pumasok."

Tinitigan niya pa ako ng ilang minuto bago tinawag ang kasunod ko sa attendance sheet. I let out a deep sigh when I finally sat back on my chair. Shocks! I though she's going to eat me because of her expression.

"Uy, teka. Hindi naman namin kayo nakita kanina sa linya ah," Jelo, our class president asked. 

My eyes widened and gestured him to keep quiet."Late na kami, pres. But don't worry, Maureen's going treat you if you won't tell anyone."

"What? Bakit naman ako, Shara?!" Tumaas ang kilay niya sa sinabi ko. 

"Just do it as a favor, Mau. Kaysa naman gusto mong maminus-an tayo, 'di ba?!" Siniko ko siya kaya wala siyang nagawa at umirap nalang. 

We looked at Jelo when he put his hands on our shoulder."Girls, chill lang. Hindi ko naman sasabihin kay maam eh. Just promise that you won't be late next time. Okay?" 

Nakahinga kami nang maluwag sa sinabi niya at nagfocus nalang sa discussion ni maam. It's not hard for me since I reviewed some of it last night before going to bed. No'ng may 30 items quiz naman kami ay umalis muna saglit si maam para kumuha ng libro sa faculty room. I just rolled my eyes when our classroom started to make a noise. They're always like this whenever our teacher wasn't around. You know what's worst than that?! Kapag vacant namin o 'di kaya'y may urgent meeting lahat ng teacher. This school will probably such a mess.

"Guys, anong letter yung number 2?"

"Uy! Share niyo naman ang mga sagot niyo. Don't be selfish"

"What kind of handwriting is that?! Anong akala niyo sa mata ko, kasing-laki ng langgam?!"

I shook my head because of irritation. Nakakainis naman sila eh. Hindi ba nila nakitang nagpapakabait ako dito?! Isa pa 'tong si Mau, panay ang pangungulit sa'kin. She's just going to copy my answers, argh. I don't even know why is she depending on me if she's smart. Like duh?! Second honor kaya siya dito sa section namin, ako nga lang yung first. 

"Shar, can I se---"

"Ano na naman?! Gusto mo na namang mangopya? Didn't you guys listen to our teachers discussion earlier?! Ugh." Inabot ko sa kanila yung kopya ng answers ko pero syempre dahil dakilang matalino ako eh iniba ko yung sagot sa ibang numbers. It came from my own hardwork so it's up to me. Besides, thet wouldn't know if it was right or wrong.

"Time is up!"

Our teacher suddenly arrived that made them shut up. They were acting as if they didn't copy each others answers. Haist. Galawan pa lang nila halata na. If I know, I'm just the only student in this section who didn't cheat. Pati kase class officers namin kasabwat eh. 

"Uy, baon ko 'yan eh! Where's your manners, Allison?! Just buy your own food if you want." Tatayo sana ako nang pigilan ako ni Mau kaya inis akong bumalik sa upuan ko. 

"Sorry! Your snacks is so delicious, Shara. I told you, bigyan mo rin ako para hindi ko kunin ang baon mo," pahabol niyang sigaw kaya napairap lang ako. She's always like that during recess time. May isang beses pa nga na pumunta siya sa bakery namin para bumili ng isang plastic na esaymada kay mama. 

Ano pang magagawa ko?! She already ate my snacks and it's disgusting if I get it back. May laway na ang ensaymada ko kaya baka magka-virus ako kapag kinain ko 'yon. Aish. 

"Pabili ko ng blueberry cheesecake," sabi ko sa nagtitinda dito sa cafeteria namin. There was a guy who was standing meters away from me but I didn't bother to look at him. Amoy pa lang alam kong siya na. 

"Get the blueberry cheesecake for me. Ilagay niyo sa table ko, asap!" Tumalikod kaagad yung lalaking katabi ko at nakapamulsang naglakad paalis. 

"I'm sorry Ms. pero nakareserve na 'to para kay Mr. Monteserio," sagot ng babae at ngumiti ng tipid sa'kin. 

Argh. Favorite ko pa naman 'yon. Kainis. He really pisses me off. Alam kong narinig niya 'yong sinabi ko kaya ginaya niya ako. Everyone knows him, so as me. 

"Okay lang po, 'yan na lang burger." Binigay ko 'yong bayad sa kanya at tinanggap 'yong burger bago umalis. 

I even caught him looking at me but immediately rolled his eyes when he saw me looking him. Suplado talaga, tsk. Nang makabalik ako sa upuan ko ay inis kong kinagat 'yong burger na binili ko. Maureen gave me something but I didn't bother to look at her because I'm busy killing that Cahleen or should I say Caseth in my mind. Nakakagigil talaga siya, bwisit! 

"Oh, inumin mo. Seems like you're going to choke because of swallowing without chewing," sambit niya at may inabot sa'kin na kung ano. 

Agad ko naman itong ininom dahil sa pag-aakala kong juice pero bigla akong naubo dahil sauce pala 'yon. It was freaking embarrassing, I swear. Almost all of the students here in the cafeteria were looking at me. Parang gusto ko tuloy maglaho nalang bigla dahil sa kahihiyan na ginawa ko. Wah! 

"P*****a! Ano bang trip mo, Mau? It's so embarrassing. People might think that I'm sickening." Pinahiran ko ng tissue ang bibig ko at pati narin 'yong konting sauce na nagkalat sa mesa.

"Hello?! Kanina pa kaya ako salita ng salita but you're not even listening. Are you fantasizing Caseth?!"

Agad ko naman tinakpan ang bibig niya at mahina siyang hinampas."Shut up! What are you talking about?! Hindi ko pinagpapantasyahan ang lalaking 'yon 'no. He's not even my type, lol."

"Asus! Bahala ka, baka maunahan ka pa ng iba. You know, girls are drooling over him. Baka nga isa ka sa kanila." Sinundot sundot niya pa ang bewang ko kaya pinalo ko siya. 

"I'm not... and I would never be. Hello din! Hindi siya pasok sa chemistry ko at saka hindi rin kami magka-level," sagot ko pa at saka inayos ang sarili ko. Good thing I didn't spill any sauce on my uniform.

Pagkatapos ng recess ay vacant kami dahil halos gano'n naman palagi. I don't know if our teacher was really busy or she's just flirting with the professor in the other section. Meron kaseng time na nahuli namin siyang pasimple kumukuha ng picture kay Mr. Salazar kaya mukhang may something sa kanya. It's not bad since she's single and in year 20's but she still have students for goodness sake. Kung 'yong mga kaklase ko halos magparty dahil palagi siyang wala, ako naman 'yong naiistress. 

Everytime that she'll enter our subject, she's going to give us a quiz. Eh ano namang isasagot namin kung ni isang topic wala siyang na-discuss. And the worst is... sa'kin sila manghihingi ng answer dahil nga first honor daw ako. See? They don't feel any shame on me! 

"Pahingi nga ako ng papel, Shara. I'm just going to make a paper boat." Nilahad ni Daniela ang kamay niya sa harap ko kaya walang gana akong kumuha at binigay sa kanya. 

They don't act like highschool students, for real. Mukha patin silang mga isip-bata kahit nagraduating na kami. Maybe they were just spoiled too much by their parents that's why they were acting like that. 

"Pahiram nga ng pulbo at liptint. I should be the most beautiful girl in this section," biglang sambit ni Fiona the bida bida in our section. Chos! 

"Oh! Saksak mo sa atay mo hanggang sa mabutas. You're not even pretty when you don't wear any makeup," sagot naman nung isa kong kaklaseng mahilig mambara. 

"Pare, mag-cutting kaya tayo. It's so boring here. Nakakasawang tingnan ang mga panget na 'to," sabi naman ng dakilang mapanglait sa section na 'to, si Josh. 

"Sinong gustong magpatirintas ng buhok? Free ako, dali na." Kumuha ng suklay at city girls si Maureen sa bag niya kaya nagsilapitan 'yong mga kaklase naming babae. 

I massaged the bridge of my nose because of stress. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin sa kanila. Our class officers are even acting like kids, nakisama rin sa iba. If I would scold them and will ask them to keep quiet, they wouldn't listen to me. 'Yon bang parang hangin lang ako sa kanila. 

Argh. This is the worst section ever!