Call Me Jiny

"My name is Justine Inka Ybañez. What's weird about it?" He stares out the glass sliding window. "Nothing much... your nickname, maybe." I saw that tiny smile flash so fast on his face. What a cutie! Can I just stare at him for a little longer? "Then call me, Jiny! Let's be weird together!" says me. NAGISING ako sa malakas na kalabog mula sa aking bintana. Sa sobrang pagkagulat, nahulog ang librong nakapatong sa may dibdib ko. I guess nakatulugan ko na naman ang pagbabasa. Hindi na ito bago sa akin. Paniguradong kung nandito si Mommy ay tiklop na namn ako. I was so startled I might have a heart attack anytime! Kaya huminga muna ako ng malalim bago ako bumangon mula sa pagkakahiga at sinaglit kong tingnan kung ano ba ang sanhi ng nakakawindang na ingay na iyon. Pagbukas ko ng aking bintana ay bumungad ang kawawa kong pusa----si Neko! Neko is my fat cat, fluffy and as white as a marshmallow. I have had him since I was eight. Since then, he's been my constant. Mukhang hindi na naman siya nakapasok ng isara ni Daddy ang mga pinto. Poor Neko! Neko is a homie! Siya din ang one and only friend ko. I talk with him every time I'm happy and also when I'm sad, to make it short, araw-araw ko siyang kausap! I was really glad to see him right now. Kaya lang sobrang aga pa. It's just 3:00 AM for Pete's sake! Humihilik pa nga si Daddy e! I guess I just slept for about... 40 minutes more or less? Now I'm torn between going back to sleep or continuing to read my book while my Neko is sound asleep on the couch near my computer desk. Ayos ah! Okay lang, cute naman siya. Staring at Neko, I realize na pang ilang beses na siyang napagsasarhan ng pinto. Saan ba nagpupunta ang pusang gala na 'to? Kelan ka pa naging 'gala' ha? Neko? And there's something weird about him. Bakit siya may collar? This cat of mine always hates to wear a collar. Kaya nakapagtataka kung bakit mayroon siya nito. Alam din ni Daddy na hindi naman nagsusuot ng collar si Neko. The collar is white kaya di ko din napansin agad as it blends with his natural white fur niya. Chineck ko kaagad kung anong mayroon sa kanyang new collar. There's no bell like the typical ones but it has something written on it. It's a bit dark kaya kailangan kong tingnan ng mabuti para mabasa ko ang nakasulat. Tinatamad din kasi kong magbukas ng ilaw. Tanging ang ilaw ng buwan at lamp post sa labas ang nagbibigay liwanag sa kwarto ko. The writing says, J-I-N-I-'s or Jini's? Well, I guess my Dad purchased it for my cat and had it customized. Hmm bakit naman kaya wrong spelling? "Kailan pa naging JINI ang JINY?" wika ko na sinundan ng malalim na buntong hininga. By the way, my name is Justine Inka Lee Ybañez. My family calls me, Jiny. I'm eighteen. I'm an upcoming senior high school student at Del Luna Integrated School. I like books. Yeah, books! I can read anything as long as it's readable. I got this hobby from my Mom, who likes to read a lot! She's an avid fan of Stephen King's masterpieces. Just like Sir Stephen King's thriller stories, her life's so mysterious too; kaya naman hanggang ngayon di ko alam kung nasaan siya or kung makikita ko pa ba siya. Malay naman natin 'di ba? Mom seems to like the hide-and-seek game. Matagal na rin siyang hindi nagpapakita. When I was eight, she left us with a note on the fridge saying, "I'm going overseas, no clue where! Please take care of this cat for me. His name is Neko-chan! Love lots, Mommy!" Since then, hindi na siya umuwi. Dad said nothing, even a little about it. When I asked him about my mom's whereabouts, he would just say secret, no clues! Hanggang sa natanggap ko na lang din ang ganitong set-up naming pamilya. Mala-How to Train Your Dragon. I miss my mom so much but I know na may dahilan kung bakit hindi kami magkakasama ngayon. I just want to stay positive na magkikita kami soon because that's how the Law of Attraction works, right? Kung na'san man siya, alam kong alam niya na mahal na mahal ko siya. And I also want to say thank you to my mom because she gave me my homie, my Neko! Hinihila na ako ng antok.. I guess itutulog ko na lang ulit ito. Feel sorry to my book, antok ang nagwagi! Good mornight! ARRIVED at last! Sa sobrang trapik animo'y isang ice cream na natunaw ako sa sobrang init ng umagang ito. First day of classes, bawal ma-late. Ang daming nakaparadang sasakyan sa hara ng eskwelahan. Parang may VIP yata. Since it's rush hour, ginamit ni Daddy ang motorbike niya para ihatid ako sa school. This is my favorite ride with Dad, pag gamit niya ang kanyang super bilis na motorbike. Pero di pa rin kami nakaligtas sa trapik, tinanghali ako masyado ng gising dahil nagising ang katawang lupa ko ng 3:00 AM, remember? So I'm here standing and waving goodbye to Dad, time check: two minutes late! Aw! Ako din talaga ang dahilan kung bakit ako late sa first subject ko as a senior high school student. Buti na lang hindi mahigpit si Kuya Guard ngayon. Now I need to show my running skills dahil may kalayuan ang room ng first subject namin. Heto na naman ako, mala-running man! "Let's keep running ma---" BAAAAAGGGGG! Hindi ko na natuloy ang pag-chant ng running man song dahil bumangga ako sa matigas na bagay. Heto ako't tumilapon at napaupo na lamang sa sahig ng corridor. I'm hurt. Basically, because I really bumped into something na mas malaki sa akin. My behind aches so much! I didn't even realize that I would bump into something lalo na't wala naman akong napansin na nakaharang. This feels awkward! Hinimas ko ang aking balakang para kahit papano ay mabawasan ang sakit niyon. Idagdag pa, napansin ko na nag-c***k pala ang asking eyeglasses sa lakas ng impact ng pagkakabangga. Now I'm ready to know what I bumped into. I wore back my eyeglasses kahit pa nga basag na iyon. Pagtingala ko ay bumungad sa akin ang isang kamay na nakalahad; akmang aalalayan akong tumayo. Did I bump into a human? I checked who the owner of that was. It belongs to this young guy, oh-so-hot, nope! He's a prince charmi--nahhh! He looks like..hmmm... He's the man of my drea--- Naubusan na ako ng adjectives sa utak ko pang-describe sa makisig na lalaking ito. I know he's my age. I know this will be a fun day! Bago pa man mangalay ang kanyang kamay ay agad ko na iyong sinapo. Palm to palm ang peg! Ang init ng kanyang palad! Buong pwersa kong inangat ang aking puwitan upang makatayo ngunit biglang bumitaw si Prince Charming este ang lalaki sa magkasapo naming mga kamay. BAAAGGG! Muli akong bumagsak sa makinis na sahig ng corridor. Napasinghap ako sa sakit. I was waiting for him to respond or even to do something but I failed to get help from him. Ouch! I don't feel entitled. It's just a common gesture of us Filipinos, ang maging matulungin. That's why I expected na kahit papaano ay tutulungan niya akong makatayo. Doon ko rin napansin ang pagyuko niya at tila pag-abot sa kung ano mang bagay na katabi ko sa aking tagiliran. It's a freaking mop! He grabbed the mop from the floor----the mop instead of me! Instead of helping me! Napaawang ang bibig ko sa ginawa niyang pag-deadma sa akin. Sanay naman akong dinedeadma pero iba ang dating sa akin ng eksenang iyon. Kanina lang I felt the rush of blood in my veins sa sobrang kilig dahil sa anking kagwapuhan nito. But now, I see red flags! Red flags everywhere! I hate guys na antipatiko. Cold as coffee na nalimutang inumin. Tiningnan niya ako nang saglit. Sobrang saglit lang, so our eyes did not meet. I saw him wearing the same uniform as males in senior high school. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita, marahil ay transferee siya or baka naman pasaway lang na estudyanteng pinapasa lang ng mga guro kahit di pumapasok nag dahil sa awa. He looked at me again, this time with dismay on his face. On his cute face! Before he turned away, he said the longest, most remorseless comment I ever heard! "Learn how to slow down. That's a basic human thing at kung iniisip mo na tutulungan kitang tumayo diyan, that's never gonna happen. It was your fault that you were in that situation, so better to learn and face the consequences of your actions. By the way, I wasn't lending a hand, I was just reaching for the mop. Have a nice day!" Did he just say, "...reaching for the mop"? I was left all blank.