Covered By My Own Umbrella

My fellow student buddy Dorothy and I were standing in front of our school bulletin board, working on the monthly schedule of events, when many of our schoolmates began to yell out loud with flattery in their voices. I was taken aback, so I turned around and saw Gio holding his vintage acoustic guitar with his best friend Zoren sitting over the beatbox, both of them staring at me. Gio grasped the instrument with his right hand, trying to strum. “I'd like to take this opportunity to profess my love to someone I care about; I want her to know how much she means to me,” he said before playing the song he is about to sing. “Oh my gosh! Is he talking about me? I know that he is going to do it just like what he told me a few weeks ago when he messaged me to confess his love. I knew it — this is the day!” I told myself without saying a word, feeling flattered. * Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars playing * Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shinin'. Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her trying; she's so beautiful, and I tell her every day, yeah! I know, I know when I compliment her, she won't believe me. And it's so; it's so sad to think that she doesn't see what I see. But every time she asks me, “Do I look okay?” I say... Gio moves his feet and slowly steps towards me as he sings the verse of this song. It is such an exhilarating moment for me that I could not wait to tell him face to face that I like him as well. My eyes are abrasively smiling, and my pulse is racing. However, the weather in my bubble becomes gloomy when he randomly walks towards Dorothy, the person beside me. “Did she believe Gio liked him?” A girl behind me asked the person she is with. “She is not even pretty enough for Gio to like her because we all know she is just a geek who is a nobody,” Several people murmured. “Hey, there! Did you think Gio would like you? Obviously, you're such a mad bookworm, girl,” Chiena said to me as she pushed me against the wall and strangled the collar of my blouse. I could not think of something to say. I am just staring at Gio, waiting for him to say something that would save me from these people, but he did not even bother looking at me. “Did he truly confess his love for me? Or am I just an object that can be discarded once it has served its purpose?” I just sighed with disappointment while trying to unhook Chiena's hands from my collar. And because of the humiliation I am subjected to, the only scapegoat I have is to run. So, having removed Chiena's hands successfully from my collar, I ran quickly and never looked back. I see an empty bench in our school's alley, so I sit down and sob quietly. “How could I have expected love from that guy? Am I a joke to him? I believed his sugarcoated promises that he would love me despite how nerdy and frail I am,” I posed these questions without expecting a response. I just asked while seemingly and gradually pounding my head on my knees, still weeping… “How could I?” I asked loudly. “Perhaps, you want to be accepted? You want to be loved for who you are regardless of how you look and what you have. Deep down, I know you long to be loved. Period,” A guy appeared, handsomely walking towards me. I didn't know him, but he is wearing the same uniform as mine. His polo is unbuttoned and he has a white shirt underneath that shadowed his muscles and abs. He has broad shoulders and his skin is fair. His eyes are shaped like almonds and his straight nose looks so attractive to stare at. “Who are you?” I directly asked him while sniffing and wiping off my tears. “Me? I'm just a nobody who will leave this place eventually. Take it,” he said while handing his white handkerchief that has initials embroidered on it that writes, 'ZD'. (My cell phone alarms) “The sun has risen, and you're gonna be late,” My mother yelled while pounding on my door so hard that I thought it would break because of her stony fist. I promptly get up from my bed and furiously mess up my hair. “How could Gio be in my dreams? He just humiliated me in front of our schoolmates after confessing his love to me, and then, after a few weeks, he just fell in love with Dorothy? Jeez,” I said, complaining. “But, anyway, it is still okay. At least my dream ended beautifully. Oh, I remember him. I recall that day when someone saved my day and turned the table around,” I added. “ELIAH DENISE! Stop dreaming now and start fixing yourself!” Mom shouted again from the kitchen counter while preparing our breakfast. “Yes, ma!” I obediently replied. While still feeling butterflies about the dream I had, I continue to stand up and walk straight out of my bedroom. Even though some parts of my dream have ruined my morning mood, it is still a beautiful morning because I had smelled my favorite breakfast meal when I stepped out of my bedroom: the bacon and fried rice. But, as I ran into the dining room, I slipped on the powder that had scattered on the floor tiles. “Gabby! What is this again? Ouch, I hurt my back again,” I screamed. “You, ah! I will tell it to mom. Mom,” I said, shouting. “Good morning, my sister, little dreamer! I've heard all your rants about Gio.” Gabby said, teasing me. “Is this about me? Oh my, Gio is now walking towards me. I like you too, Gio!” Gabby is repeatedly saying and re-enacting things I've unknowingly said while sleeping. “Sister Eliah little dreamer, sister Eliah little dreamer still loves Gio,” Gabby teased me. “Anyway, don't tell me, sis, you still like him even though he has ghosted you?” He asked me earnestly as he returned my round and thick eyeglasses, which had also fallen to the floor. “NOOO! I don't like him anymore,” I replied annoyingly, still sitting with white powder covered on the floor. Gabby helped me to stand up and shake off the powder that covered my whole body. “Just kidding, Sis. By the way, let's go now before mom burns us alive because we're like every day late, especially you who acts like a turtle in the race,” Gabby jokingly remarked as he invited me to walk into the dining room. “Oh, why are you two taking so long to prepare?” Mom asked us directly. “And you, Eliah Denise, haven't taken a bath yet?” Mom asked again. “Not yet, mom,” I replied. “Ok, after you eat, make sure you clean up all the mess before heading to school,” mom commanded me and Gabby. “Am I the one who will do that, Mom?” Gabby asked Mom while stuffing food in his mouth. “No, you're not going to do that. Your exam schedule is earlier than your sister Eliah's. So, after you eat, go straight to school. I wish you luck with your exam,” mom cheerfully replied while fixing our lunch boxes. “Eliah, do not forget to bring your lunch boxes to school. As a big sister to Gabby, take charge. I will go ahead now,” mom calmly commanded me. “I'll go ahead as well, sister. Good luck with your exam, I know you can do it!” Gabby joyfully told me while showing his usual hand gesture, indicating he is rooting to me. “Here I am, all alone once more. As is customary, I will clean up the mess and wash the dishes before heading to school,” I babbled. “Eliah, Denise! Eliah Denise Magbanua! We're going to be late now,” Cathy loudly called my name, combing her hair and running towards our dining room where I am as well. “Cathy is both my classmate and my very best friend here in Taguig. I'd been having trouble making friends since the day we moved here until she approached me when I was alone in our school's pantry,” I thought as I watched Cathy coming towards me. Many people say that the dream you have at night might certainly happen in the future but what happened to me is different; What I have dreamed of was the real memory I have from the past and it happened five years ago. I don't know the reason why that certain experience I had in my past suddenly appeared in my dream. I just don't know why. “Hey! What are you thinking about? You've been staring at me for quite a while now, and you know what that means, WE ARE LATE NOW,” Cathy shocked me with both hands. “Oh, sorry, let's go,” I uttered. I quickly grab our Gabby's lunch boxes on the table that mom told me to bring. I locked the door, and Cathy and I both head to school.