Elira's POV
I woked up late, mamayang 10 pa ang klase ko kaya meron pa akong time para mag cellphone. I scrolled in my acc, at nag react sa mga post ng kaklase ko.
My heart stopped when I saw Shine's post.
👤 Sunshine Faith Price
Mom.. don't give up😞😢.
😢 265 💬30 ↪️23
I want to react to it, but it'll just make me a fool. Ako ang dahilan kung bakit nakulong si Mom, and since that day I've never seen Shine. Nasa manila siya kung nasaan ang kinulong si Mom.
Shine never answered my calls nor text, kahit lagi siyang active sa social media. I putted ng phone down when I felt my cheeks getting wet. Agad kong pinunas ang luhang tumutulo.
I can't, kailangan kong piliin ang sarili ko.
I took a shower and after that, kumain na ako. Left overs lang ng pagkain kagabi, pina-init ko lang sa microwave. I also took rice, isa rin kasi ito sa malaking factors dahilan para mag mukha na ako healthy ngayon unlike before.
Nagka-roon na rin ako ng skincare routine, ayaw ko nang mabahidan pa ng eye bags ang mga mata ko. I don't want ang sign of the past in my physical appearance, I want them to see that I've moved on and I choose to rebel, I chose myself.
Kinuha ko ang bag at cellphone. Napatigil ako ng pagsara ng gate when I saw a car parked Infront of my apartment. It was red, wala naman akong natatandaang may kotse dito sa mga kasama ko. I shrugged off and continued what I was doing.
Pagkatapos ay nag-simula na akong maglakad papunta sa bus stop. Medyo malayo ang Campus, minsan inaabot ako ng gabi. There's some near apartments there kaso nasa subdivision namin dati kaya wag nalang.
I noticed the red car again, parked on the other side of the road. I squinted my eyes and shrugged it off once more, maybe it's just a coincidence. Kinuha ko ang phone ko at chineck ang gc namin, if there's any announcements but there's nothing.
After turning the screen off, a pair of shoes where facing me. Agad kong tiningnan kung sino ito.
"Hi Miss Ganda" sambit nito. Anong ginagawa ng may hiwa sa mata rito?.
"I don't flirt" sambit ko at binaling ang tingin sa iba.
"Oh, chill bro I'm not flirting... Baka mapatay ako ni ano... Ah basta, pinapasundo ka sakin kaya halika na" sambit nito at basta-basta nalang hinablot ang kamay ko. He started dragging me towards the red car.
Wala na akong nagawa, bukod sa hindi na ako makikipag-siksikan sa bus. Libreng sakay na rin. May programa ba ang mga Deliazal na libreng sakay? Meron ata buti nalang naging beneficiary ako.
"Akala ko ba whole day ang STEM?" Tanong ko and he started the engine.
"Yep" he answered and starts driving.
"Bakit nandito ka?" I asked again.
"I skipped class, ayaw ko ng calculus" agad na nanliit ang mata ko rito.
"Eh di anong grade mo sa calculus huh?" Tanong ko rito and he looked at me before smiling.
"Someone got it covered, besides he ordered me to pick you up"
"Sino?" Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay.
"Basta" sambit niya. He stopped the car Infront of the school gate.
"Puro ka basta" reklamo ko at lumabas na nang kotse, I part of me wants to slam the door shut pero dahil libreng sakay eh wag nalang. Nakaka-irita kasi! Kala niya naman nakakatawa ang mga 'Basta' niya, may nalalaman pang pangiti-ngiti. Ih.
I walked to my classroom, wala pang tao at maaga pa. I decided to go in the cafeteria, bibili muna ako ng ngunguyain kapag na bored ako sa klase. I know it's forbidden, pero wala sila Ma'am magagawa. They have to know the Facilitators role, engage the participants and make their discussions interactive.
Mukhang iilan lang naman kasi noon ang gumagawa.
After buying some food bumalik ulit ako sa classroom, medyo dumami na ang mga kaklase ko. Malapit naman na kasing magsimula. I went to my chair at pina-upo nalang ang bag sa tabi, wala rin namang gustong tumabi saakin eh. Medyo binuksan ko ang Isang zipper ng bag at doon linagay ang Sugo na binili ko.
"Good morning HUMSS" bati ni Mom. We all standed up. One of my classmates came up Infront and stated the words 'In the name of God' my classmates answered 'Now and forever, Amen'. I didn't mutter any word, hinintay ko lang sila matapos.
I'm not Atheist I'm just agnostic. Tinitimbang ko pa kasi ang paniniwala ko sa relihiyon base sa mga nababasa kong libro tungkol rito at sa lessons namin sa core subject. Hindi naman ako sumasamba o nagsisimba pa yun? Ewan, nasa bahay lang ako at nag-aaral. So I've never really experienced some religious practices, but in my birth certificate I'm a Roman Catholic. I'm not saying it's true but it's the most toxic out of all, mas makasalanan pa kahit balik-baliktarin natin ang mundo what I'm saying is purely a fact.
"35 items quiz" knew it, I know Ma'am's gonna conduct a quiz now. Malapit na ang exam, maybe some of her questions are in the exam paper.
I've studied my notes thoroughly I'm confident I'll perfect this quiz. May papel si Ma'am na hawak, she gave it to us and we passed it in the back.
Hmm... Parang yung sa exam paper nga ang laman. This will help me review more, and give me some hints on where I should focus. The essays are easy but multiple choices and identifications? Madugong digmaan na ang pinag-uusapan.
I'm never good in Math, but when in comes to memorizing, essays and literary works. Diyan ako magaling, actually Mom wants me to take ABM since it's related in business pero alam kong mapupunta sa bingit ng kamatayan ang grades ko rito.
Gen Math palang nga eh sumasakit na ulo ko, Business Math pa kaya?.
"Number 25, pick one of the virtues in Confucianism and explain why did you choose it"
Dahil sa madali lang naman, eh hindi ko na pinahaba pa ang explanation. Since ang automatic naman dito is 3-5 sentences. The essays started from 25 to 35 kaya yung lengthwise ko wala na para nang kinamasan ng manok.
Hasyt. If Mom would see this paper, I think she'll scold me. She'll say, what a handwriting Elira ang panget.
"Ok pass the paper Infront, ako ang magche-check" sambit ni Ma'am bago umalis. I compiled the paper since ako nasa unahan, I gave it to Ma'am before returning to my sit.
The quizzes goes on it'll it's lunch, I went to the cafeteria and grabbed my order. At mukhang wala na akong mauupuan, except sa Isang corner na pinaka-nakakasuka. The Shame Corner.
Bakit nakakasuka? Eh binabastusan ng mga demonyo eh, umiihi sa pader. Ano sila aso? Ang panghi-panghi, pero meron ba akong choice? Alangan naman kainin ko habang nakatayo sa dito sa gitna.
I heaved a deep breath, bago ito i-hold. Ayaw kong masinghot at kahit na anong amoy rito. Parang nakakahimatay, though it's not my first time sitting here pero sinuka ko lang lahat na kinain ko noon dahil sa amoy. Ang tapang, parang ahas nanunuklaw.
I putted my tray down, still holding my breath. Umupo ako at nagsimulang kumain, para atang umatras ang sikmura ko. Aalis na sana ako ng...
"Kailangan ba talaga to?" Marinig ang reklamo ng Isang lalaki.
"Double my payment" usal naman ng isa habang nakatahob ng ilong.
"Ay, sige nawalan na ako ng gana" sambit naman ng isa.
"Grabe talaga, anything will do for love" agad akong napataas ng kilay. I looked at my back, at awtomatikong umikot ang mga mata ko.
Anong mga pinagsasabi nito? Tsaka ginagawa nila dito?.
"Naanu kayo diyan?" Tanong ko. I looked at all of them when no one answered. Maya't-maya'y pumunta sa unahan ko si may hiwa sa mata.
"Ano... Can we sit here?" Tanong nito, mukhang napipilitan at nagpipigil ng isusuka.
"Seryoso?" Sambit ko.
"A-anu Oo hehe" sambit naman ng may salamin. He was covering his nose and his face were turning violet.
"Sige, join me" I said and smiled at them. An evil smile. Gusto kong makita kung anong problema ng mga Deliazal na ito at naisipang umupo pa rito.
I watched them as they sit in the chairs.
"So? Kain na kayo" sambit ko at pinatong ang mukha sa mga palad.
"H-huh? Ikaw?" Sambit ng isa, he was trying to hold his breath but failed. "Pucha! Nasinghot ko!!" Reklamo nito. He ran away.
"Grabe di ko na kaya shet! Ang panghi!" Sambit naman ng may hiwa sa mata, and like the first one he ran away.
"Ikaw?" Tanong ko sa nakasalamin. He was really turning violet. Baka mahimatay na ito.
"Kailangan ko ng pera" pilit nitong sambit habang nakatikom ang bibig. I raised my eyebrow at him pera? Uupo dito para sa pera? What kind of bet is that?.
I looked at the guys who's sitting beside me, sino pa nga ba? Ang the Great Deliazal. Arcus who imprisoned ang filed that case to my mother. He was just crossing his arms over his chest while looking nonchalant. Nakatingin pa ito sa pader at mukhang walang epekto sakanya ang matapang na amoy.
"Alius aren't you gonna eat your food?" Tanong ko and he just shook his head. I squinted my eyes at him. "Sayang, mukhang masarap oh" sambit ko at tumango naman ito.
"Ano kakainin mo?" Tanong ko ulit and he just shook his head again. "Magsalita ka naman, hindi ka naman pinanganak na walang boses" sambit ko. He just shook his head again.
"Ayaw niyan magsalita kasi masisinghot ng bibig niya ang amoy" The guy with glasses stated pero agad itong napatahob ng bibig when he realized what he was doing. "Ay s**t! Yuck! Arrrghh!!" He shouted, acting like throwing up while running.
Dahil sa tumapang nang lalo ang amoy ay pati ako napa-alis na sa upuan. I walked to the boys na tumakbo papaalis sa lamesa kanina.
"Ano bang pumasok sa utak mo at doon ka umupo?!" Usal ng may hiwa sa mata. I raised my eyebrow at him at nagpa-maywang.
"Bakit kayo sumunod huh?" Sambit ko and he was about to say something when the guy with glasses pinched his lips stopping him from talking.
"Ano? Ano yan?" Tanong ko ulit at tinarayan ito.
"For the sake of money" someone muttered silently at dahil HUMSS student ako ay lumaki ang tainga ko. I heard what he said and confronted them once more.
"Anong MONEY?" Mariin kong tanong. They all sighed like they where defeated. The guy with glasses stopped pinching the other guys lips.
"Ano... Si ano kasi... Sabi niya babayaran niya kami samahan lang daw namin siya pumunta sa upuan mo" he said. Agad akong napa-nganga. Ha? Si Alius? Bakit?.
"Bakit raw?" Tanong ko.
"Di pa ba obvious? Tr—" hindi na nito natuloy ang sasabihin ng tabuban ulit ng lalaking may glasses ang bibig nito. He shooked his head at the guy like he was saying 'shh... Bibig mo'.
"Tsk, kung hindi lang naman sasabihin edi bye" Sambit ko. I thought they're gonna say something but they didn't, kaya pumunta nalang ako sa classroom. I sat on my chair while watching my classmates talk. Indifferent pa rin ba ako? Hindi naman ako mapayat gaya ng dati, how will I fit in?..... I guess it's a long process to reaching...never...
.....~●✘●~.....
Crisius POV
We we're walking to grab our trays when suddenly someone piqued my attention. I noticed her sitting in the Shame Corner. Bakit siya nandoon? Is she bullied? Who bullied her?.
Humanda saakin ang nag-pa-upo sakanya doon.
I tapped Helcius shoulder and whispered him something. He immediately agreed, at binulong niya rin ito sa iba. They all agreed na nag-pasaya naman saakin.
They'll not get they're monthly allowance, their accounts we're restricted by their parents maliban saakin.
So I made a deal with them. I don't have the guts to stay alone with Precious, it's just the atmosphere is to suffocating I can't help but feel nervous around her. Hindi ko maintindihan but ever since the first day I met her, she's just... She had this aura that keeps attracting me towards her.
Hindi naging maganda ang simula, lalo't nasa malayo palang kami ay amoy ko na ang mabahong amoy rito. Masyadong matapang, wala bang time ang janitors para linisin to? Maybe I'll file a petition para dito, para saan pa ang kinikilalang mga SSLG kung dito ay nagbubulagbulagan sila?.
I crossed my arms as we're getting closer, I also started holding my breath. Masyadong matapang. Parang nanununtok.
Di pa nga nakaka-upo ay nagrereklamo na sila Rio, akala ko hindi mapapansin ng babae pero Oo pala. She looked at us, and then invited us to sit with her.
Hindi ha mabaho para sakanya? The time during sitting there, I kept persuading myself to ask her is she's being bullied pero ayaw lumabas sa bibig ko. Para kasing pag-binuksan ko papasok sa esophagus papunta sa sistema ko ang amoy.
Nakakasuka. And so the elimination begun, isa-isa silang umalis... Akala ko sila lang but she also left. I was caught of guard there. Yun, Hindi na tuloy ako makagalaw sa kinauupuan ko at parang ayaw gumana ng katawan ko. I just sat there staring at the blank was painted with yellow marks while trying to hold my breath for the sake of my life.
God help me.
.....~●✘●~.....
Elira's POV
Dahil sa lalim ng iniisip ko hindi ko namalayang may umupo na pala sa tabi kong upuan. The person was staring at me while I tried to ignore it.
"My friends didn't told me your deaf" agad na napa-kunot ang noo ko. Makiki-upo lang diyan para mang-asar? Umalis ka nalang bago kita itulak paalis diyan. "Are you ignoring me?" Parang naiiritang sambit nito.
I looked at him boredly. Ano bang parte saakin ang gustong kausapin ka kuya?.
"Hey, I'm Dan STEM 1A you're future boyfriend" agad akong napataas ng kilay. Ano daw?!.
"Sorry I don't do relationships" i boredly said and he just laughed which made me more angry than I did.
"Well, you're gonna do now because it's me" ka-feeling talaga nito. Sarap sapakin at itapon sa basurahan.
"Wag ka nang mag-try, mukha mo palang naiirita na ako pano pa kung magka-relasyon tayo? Baka ghinost na kita" I tried to maintain my bored tone pero medyo nairita na kasi ako.
"Woah, woah ok lang yan baby I'll still try to pursue you. Price ka diba?" Eh ano naman? Sino ba pamilya nito at sabihan ko nang palayasin siya sa bahay nila.
Ok pa naman sana itsura kaso parang ang taas ng pride at ego dinaig pa akong HUMSS student, bakit nga ba STEM pa kinuha nito? Baka ito katapat ng mga Deliazal sa STEM eh.
Ah basta.