Chapter 2: How Insignificant

It was never my intention to be caught up in the camera, and act like nothing while they are taking a picture of some poor girl being bullied in the cubicle. More than anyone— I'm always on the side that you can barely see me. 

So to say, my life was never in the spotlight. I can see myself as a blur, or just a scribble in a comic book— not even as a sidekick or anything. 

To put it simply, I was just an ordinary college gal in the Media Arts department. 

"Stop!" A slightly dainty girl stormed in, her long brownish-caramel hair swaying like whiplash. She is sporting her blue V-neck sweater, and red and black plaid skirt, while exuding her composed aura.

Matilda Fernandez, most would call her. There are three distinct words people on campus always associate with her. 

Smart, knowing her report cards are all filled with "Uno" last semester. 

Daring, for she never steps back from a challenge, she even took down someone from senior year before.

Justice, a title she got because of her ancestry. She came from a political family known for their trustworthiness and zeal for service. True to her name, she herself practices her own sense of justice. 

She announced herself to save the miserable girl from the clutches of evil. She is like a superhero, daunting an invisible cape. At least that is how others view her.

But to me, she is just Matty, my best friend and she is a lot more different as you get to know her better. She is tactless, being a logical person.

I duly advise that you avoid making arguments with her, she is the type who can devour people just from her words, so much that you'll end up wishing it was just a battle of fists. But whatever the case you will always find yourself bleeding, whether it is your brain or body. Case in point, if you find yourself clashing with her. Don't, just don't, if you still want to live.   

She also had a hidden love for her mom's sandwich— lots of it. It is weird, since she pretends not to like it, but in reality she could eat it her whole life. I tasted one, and it doesn't taste that good, which is why it's really puzzling why she loves it so much; even though secretly. 

Looking back, perhaps the reason that I'm her only friend is that I can put up with her weird temperaments, and I'm too normal to even cause unnecessary attention to her. 

Confirming the scene, she stretches her fist towards Annie Santos, a 5' feet 11' inches tall girl, who is known for being dandy yet reckless. 

I almost thought she was aiming for a straight jab in her face considering her black belt in Karate and Judo. 

But to my astonishment, it seems that she is just planning to hand the leader of the group a detention slip. Somehow I felt a little disappointed not to see Annie's swollen face. 

She had a pretty annoying face that you would personally want to bash into it. Anyways, the disciplinary committee leader's task is to prevent disputes as peacefully as possible and Matty is holding that title. A fitting role for a brain and brawn like her. 

The situation got handled almost instantly. Well, knowing how stubborn Matty is, hunting down even the seniors, Annie and her cronies can only scream in fear. 

I only stood there as the commotion dissipated. Unmoving, like I was waiting for someone to announce the line "cut!"

Planning to wash my hands in the faucet, Matty approached me, greeting me with our secret handshake like most best friends do. 

Honestly I find secret handshakes unnecessary, we even shared an argument to address it but she insisted and I slowly got the hang of it to be even bothered. 

"So what is the news!?" she asked me as soon as she took a pad of tissue paper and wet it a bit.

"Just the usual," I replied, looking at her with a hint of despondency.

She proceeded moisturizing her clear face, simultaneously looking at me through the mirror, "Lend me your ear, you see I get that your displeasure is a result of non-compliance. Still I don't see the reason for you to be worried, do you know that humans have the innate nature to feel inferior in a challenged environment." 

Well, I'm just a conflicted person living a monotonous life, like a spoon beside a hundred more spoons and a few golden colored ones. No one will be able to distinguish me. But I was never satisfied with just living a life, I wish to find a meaning behind my existence. 

"Here you go again with your metrical anecdotes," I walked near her side as I was a little farther. 

She looked at me with disgust, "It is science not poetry..." 

I sneered at her, "Whether it is science or poetry or some sort of jibber jabber, it all sounds the same since I cannot even comprehend it." 

Hearing my words it was evident on her face that the disgust she is currently feeling extended to a whole new level, "Even with your insignificant life, you should learn to at least differentiate them." 

Her tone was hinting a bit of concern, but her eyes were totally murdering me right now with it's sharp edges. It is almost amazing that I can piss her off this much with just being myself. 

Nonetheless, Matty is a creature of intelligence.... 

Nothing matters to her as long as she is right. She even declared that she never made a wrong decision in her life, so I should trust that she can resolve any conflict.

The bathroom produced an echoey silence. The faucet is the only noise heard in the area, with the occasional interchange of words both from me and Matty. 

I was taken aback by how her caramel skin glistened, as water droplets refracted the light hitting her skin. Now it made me think, if you take out the fact that she is too logical. She has a hidden beauty even most guys would admire.

After finishing her so-called natural skin care routine, we went back to class. 

She is a political science major. And I could say that people taking political science are intellectual juggernauts since I once attended their debate session.

All I remember was becoming nauseous, and almost vomit just from the barrage of nose bleeding jargons they are sprouting. A lot more things happened but it is too embarrassing to explain further. 

I tried to focus on the lesson. 

I took down a few notes and eventually found myself eating the words, figuratively. 

The period ended and my notes were obviously incomplete, missing a few in-between words here and there. 

You could immediately imagine that I was not paying attention to my grammar class the other day. Still I never fail to visit the library to gather some source material for the lesson. 

I borrowed a few books and returned some books that are already due. I made sure to chip in some paperback novels on a few occasions. 

.

I giggled as I hid an adult novel below an Arithmetic and Exponential Theory textbook. 

Seeing as Mrs. Bautista is busy auditing the number of book repairs, replacement, and acquisitions of new books. I volunteered to scan my books for her. 

She expressed her gratitude, thinking I was doing it out of goodwill.  Perhaps I really am, but I was also driven by a slight disobedience. 

On my way off the campus, I saw Matty standing on the gate talking to a burly guy in a black suit. Seeing that distinct, stubble beard and clean cut hair, I somehow get the picture that it is a serious family matter. 

I stood there watching their conversation lead to an argument. Matty, smart as she is, fought back with words. It was inaudible in this position, I can only barely hear them screaming. 

Still I can feel the emotions gushing from their heated argument. In the end, it looks like they didn't arrive at a positive conclusion.  

Seeing her father, Mayor Fernandez, leaving, I took the liberty to hug her from behind. 

I can hear her faint cries. I'm even surprised that she didn't stop me like usual, we just stood there in the open like two girls having a secret rendezvous. 

I suddenly heard her laugh, though I'm not convinced that she is fine,

It still means that she already recovered from her thoughts.

I smiled at her and gently teased her hair, which smelled like cherries. She became playful and talkative all of a sudden. Though she did have some talkative episodes in the past, today seems more forceful. 

I just listened to her, even though I hardly understood anything she said. 

I'm happy to see her getting more cheerful. Looking back at the crestfallen expression she was wearing earlier. Talking about her family is a sore subject so we mostly avoid conversations related to that no matter how I wanted to ask her.