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Chapter 5.

I started my first year with the heavy heart, this is supposed to be one of my happiest day but turn out to be one of my dark and scariest dream.

I never talk to papa since mama left, I don't care if he thinks I'm spoiled or I don't have a good attitude it's all on him.

I enter my room, it is divided in the middle, on the left are the sits for boys while on the right are girls.

I could see two girls, but they are quite timid. I just sit infront and be quite. I look up as I see shoes infront of me.

"Hoy, dito kami uupo, doon ka sa likod." he said tapping my shoulder.

I look at him with annoyance.

"Bakit? Ang sama ng tingin mo ah. Doon ka sa likod." sabay hila sa damit ko para itayo,mabilis ko namang tinabig ang kamay niya at kinuha ang bag ko at umupo sa hulihan.

"Tss aalis din pala."

"Sa susunod wag mo kaming kakalabanin, akala mo siguro kong sino kana dahil nakatapak ka dito." another guy said and stand close to me.

I didn't look at them, totally ignoring all of them. Wag lang nilang papakialaman yung dalawang babae na kasama namin.

"Aba may mga babae pala tayong kasama. I just want to remind you girls this is not a playhouse." our first teacher said.

"I don't care kong babae kayo, and please I don't like crying babies here." he said as he watch each and every girl in this class.

"Kaya nga sir, mga matatapang na akala mo naman kayang lumaban." singit ng isang kaklase kong pabibo.

"Don't worry mawawa din naman sila sa mga susunod na araw. And stay where you should be, woman sits at the back. You will never learn anything anyway and you'll not need it."he said with a mocking smile in his lips.

"I really hate woman, you're all crying babies." he said as he shakes his head.

So much for the hate sir, I also hate man they're demons. I said to myself with sarcasm.

Hindi ko alam kong ilan kaming babae dito maliban sa dalawang babae na nauna kanina hindi na kasi ako lumingon sa likod.

It went like that for the whole morning, all our teacher is a guy and shock is written on their faces as they see us like this never happen.

Stupid, aroggant men.

"Freatch." I tilt my head as I heard someone call me.

"Dorothy, Thea... your also here?" I ask with surprise.

"Hindi ba halata."

"Tara kain na tayo." yaya sa amin ni Dorothy.

We are about to go out when my peripheral vision pass on someone. Bumalik agad ako at tiningnan siya ng mabuti.

Yung babae sa falls.

Nakayuko siya habang nagsusulat.

"Miss?" I ask her as I went close to her. She lift her head up, and that confirms everything it's her.

"Do you remember me?" trying to assist my question.

"Freatch anong ginagawa mo jan gutom na ako?" I look at Thea and Dorothy on the doorway and a meter away from us.

Walang tao sa loob ng classroom kaya okey lang mag-ingay dahil walang mga lalaki.

Hindi naman ako nagsalita at tinuro yung babae. Lumapit sila at tiningnan yung babae.

"Aha! Oo nga siya yun."Thea said with cheerfulness and a bit surprise.

"Who are you? I'm sorry I don't know any of you."

"Hmm,sabihin na lang natin na sinagip ka namin dati ng malunod ka ata, that was last month I think." malumanay na paliwanag ni Dorothy, tumango naman kami.

"Ganito na lang sama ka nalang sa amin, para naman may kasabay ka tapos kwento din namin sayo." yaya ni Thea.

She agreed even if she is a bit hesitant, I can feel it or should I say we. Alam kong mararamdaman din nila Thea at Dorothy yun dahil hindi naman halatang nahihiya siya.

We finished eating and go back. Apat na lang kami ang bumalik na babae sa classroom hanggang sa dumating yung pang hapon namin na teacher.

"What does science means?" our teacher ask,i forgot his name.

The two of us are raising our hands, but the teacher infront is just ignoring us.

"How about matter?"

"Sir." I called him but it looks like his a deaf.

"Who is the father of biology?"

"Sir."

"Sir."

"Sir."

"Sir."

Thea and I are exchanging in calling him. Halata namang hindi alam ng mga estudyante niyang lalaki.

"Stop it, don't you know how to respect? Well what do I expect with woman." he said mocking us.

Naunahan akong tumayo ni Thea, I can see an amount of anger in her face.

"But sir we know the answer at tsaka hindi din naman alam ng mga lalaki yung sagot." sagot ni Thea.

"Because they're stupid, they can't even answer simple questions, so much for being a guy huh." I said out of nowhere.

"You miss, what is your name?" pointing on me.

I stand beside Thea.

"Freatch Almodavar."

"What did you say?"

I can say his pissed. I just rose the side of my lips.

"Boys are stupid. Do I have to repeat sir?" I said plainly like they don't matter.

I look down as I see Thea's hand holding my hand. I know what she mean but they really stinks.

"Ahm, I wonder what your father will say when he knew about this issue. Will you be here by tomorrow?" sabi niya ng nakangisi.

Wala naman akong paki, hindi ako pwedeng patigilin ni papa kahit anong mangyari. It's the deal.

"Both of you sit, minus 20 on the 4 of you." he said at that moment I feel like punching the stupid ugly maggot.

"Never answer unless I ask you."

Pinigilan naman ni Dorothy at Thea ang braso ko at piniliit akong inuupo. The whole class I'm just eyeing him and thinking of punching him in my mind.

Mabilis akong umuwi ng matapos ang klase namin, hindi kuna hinintay sila Thea dahil gusto kunang maka-alis sa lugar na yun.

Pag dating ko sa bahay I started on reviewing our stand, may debate kasi kami at the end of the month at ineexpect ng mga lalaki na mananalo sila, as if I would let them.

Halos hindi ako matulog para makahanap ng mga pwedeng magamit na salita at source dahil kailangan handa ako, at sigurado akong hindi lang ako kundi kaming apat.

Sa opposition kami, obviously negative ang side namin pero kailangan naming manalo kahit anong mangyari.

I read broadly, halos lahat ng books ni kuya iniscan ko para lang may idea ako na pwedeng gamitin at isingit.

Wala pang topic at sasabihin lang siya sa date ng debate pero nakapagbunutan na kami kong saang panig kami.

Weeks has passed halos hindi din makapaniwala ang mga kaklase namin na pumapasok pa din kami, so much for surprise I must say.

"Good afternoon gentlemen and well, ladies. Today we are having our annual student debate which is very familiar to everyone."

"Sana walang umiyak pagkatapos ng laban, kasi ayaw namin ng makalat dito."

The host of this event is our science teacher and he's been eyeing us since he walk on that stage.

"That jerk, he is not worth to be a teacher." Dorothy mumbled.

We all look at her with a cunning smile.

"I thought you have a 'no bad word' policy?" I ask teasing her, she just pout her lips, filled her cheeks with air and look away.

We all smile at her, she's cute. Her face says it all, like she is caught doing a big crime.

"I will introduce the government side and next is the opposition. The topic isn't distributed yet but be prepair because it can be anything, from simple to hard."

"The topic is... ' Is global warming fiction or true?' we will give you 1 hour to make your stand and go back here, then we will start if any team is late for 5 minutes they are disqualified."

"Okey, timer starts now."

Mabilis na kaming tumayong apat at pumunta sa library.

'' CLOSED''

"What the!" I said in disbelief.

Sarado ang library, of all the day bakit ngayon pa.

"Let's just go outside." suhestyon ni Jadied.

Mabilis naman kaming umalis para pumunta sa may gate ng school para lumabas at doon maghanap ng information.

"Sorry po mga ma'am, pero bawal pong lumabas ngayon may activity po kasi ang school."

"Pero Kuya babalik naman po kami, kukuha lang po kami ng mga reference na pwede naming gamitin para sa debate." Thea said, with the hint of begging in his voice.

"Oo nga Kuya, sige na po babalik talaga kami. Iiwan po namin yung ID namin sa inyo." Dorothy added.

"Please Kuya sige na, kailangan naming manalo dito sa debate."

"Pasensya na po mga ma'am, ako po kasi yung matatanggal sa trabaho kapag pinayagan ko kayo."

We hang our shoulders, tumalikod na kami kay manong, nanadya ata sila sobrang lakas naman ng pagkakataon at pinagsakluban pa kami ngayon.

"Hindi ba sila yung mga kalaban natin? Bakit parang chill lang sila?" Thea suddenly said kaya naman tumingin kami sa tinitingnan niya.

Pumait naman bigla ang panglasa ko, how come na parang wala lang sa mga kalaban namin yung debate ngayon samantalang kami parang mahilo na kakatakbo para sa reference?

"This is unfair, baka nasabihan na sila ng topic tapos tayo ngayon lang wow, how fair?" Thea said with so much sarcasm.

Rinig na rinig yun sa boses niya at makikita din sa buong mukha niya ang inis.

"Hayaan na natin baka nagkataon lang na ready talaga sila." Jadied said.

Napakamalumanay niya magsalita, parehas silang dalawa ni Dorothy, samantalang para naman kaming sinisilihan sa paa ni Thea lagi.

Lumapit kami sa kanila dahil nauna na si Thea, alam naming gulo ang susunod na mangyayari kapag nakalapit si Thea sa kanila kaya mabilis namin siyang hinabol.

"Kawawa yung mga babae takbo ng takbo, ginalit kasi nila si sir eh, pabibo masyado." sabi ng kalaban namin sa debate.

Tumawa pa siya kasabay ng mga kasama niya, hindi nila kami makita dahil nakatalikod sila sa amin pero naririnig namin ang pinag-usapan nila.

"Kaya nga, pero kasalanan din naman nila lalo na yung Freatch at Thea akala mo magaganda puro pangit naman, parang mga tigre hindi din naman kayang lumaban buti pa si Dorothy tsaka si Jadied tahimik." sabi ng isa panglalaki, tiningnan naman namin siya ng masama.

Hindi kami umiimik dito sa likod, hinawakan na din namin ang braso ni Thea para hindi siya mag-ingay.

"Ang lambot siguro ng balat noon, ang kinis kasi tingnan tapos ang puti pa, ang sarap pasadahan hahaha."

Doon pumintig ang tenga ko, parang gusto kong manapak ng wala sa oras mga m******s. Halatang nahihiya sila Jadied dahil pulang-pula ang mukha nila at parang gusto ng umiyak.

Kung ako nga na hindi para sakin na manyankan, sila pa kaya.

Napatingin nalang ako sa harap ng makita kong nakadapa na yung isang lalaking m******s, sinipa pala ni Thea hindi ko naramdaman na nabitawan ko si Thea.

"Tarantado ka palang m******s ka."pinagsisipa siya ni Thea.

Gulat naman kaming lahat, at tumayo na din agad yung ibang kasama noong lalaki kaya sinuntok ko na din yung isang lalaki na nagsabi ng kamanyakan kay Jadied at Dorothy.

"Ahh, mga GAGO." sigaw ko habang sinusuntok yung lalaki.

Hindi kuna pinapansin yung iba makaganti lang sa mga sinabi nila.

"Freatch tama na, please."

"Tama na Freatch."

"Thea tama na, tigilan niyo na yan."

"Thea, Freatch tama na, let's just go home."

"Umuwi na tayo please."

Susuntukin kuna sana ulit pero huminto ako, kami ni Thea. They are crying, crying so hard na rinig na rinig namin.

Lumingon kami sa likod, there they are. Dorothy and Jadied is crying pero hawak na sila ng ibang mga lalaki.

"Mga gago, bitawan niyo si Dorothy at Jadied." I shouted, I can feel my blood and veins pumping fast. My head is boiling, I can't even hear a lot of things around. Hawak ng dalawang lalaki si Jadied at Dorothy and they were touching them, ng bumaba ang hawak ng isang lalaki sa hita ni Jadied, that's when it tick me like a time bomb.

Bahala ng mamatay wala lang bumastos sa mga kaibigan ko. I run and kick the guy, parehas kaming sumugod ni Thea we're punching,and kicking everyone around us not minding anyone.

Were like rogues without a master, walang kontrol at parang mga baliw na nagwawala, we don't mind kong sino at ano ang tamaan namin.

At that age 13, I had my first real fight para sa mga tanong mahal ko at para sa mga tanong nang-aapi samin.

I promised my self na si mama ang huling tao na masasaktan at mawawala sakin dahil lahat ng tanong mahal ko na dadaan sa buhay ko ay puprotektahan ko.

I hate this oppression, this has to stop.