Of Lilies Time and Remorse

Chapter 5

We went to our usual spot sa Cups and Mugs. Nagrereklamo si Sixto kung bakit daw pang three-sitter lang ang kinukuha namin.

“Kasi naman tatlo kami” pangbabara ni J3 sa kaniya. Walang nagawa si Sixto kundi kumuha na lang ng isa pang chair mula sa kabilang mesa.

We then ordered our usual. Sixto ordered a heavy meal for him.

“ 'Yan lang kakainin niyo?” his brows furrowed as he stared at our chocolate crèpe and shakes.

“ Says the one who cooked fried rice for dinner” napatingin naman siya sa akin.

“ It's still okay for dinner, no”

In the end,  he managed to force us to order some real deal food.

Nagrereklamo naman si J2 dahil sira na daw ang diet niya. J3 kept silent,  but managed to give Sixto her murderous stares.

While me?  I let Sixto pay for the additional.

Hindi naman ako mayaman kaya no choice siya kundi bayaran. That's what he get for forcing me. Naka budget kaya ako.

Actually,  okay lang naman sa akin. Naubos ko nga eh, tsaka Sixto doesn't seem to mind na nadagdagan ang babayaran niya.

Ako na lang ang magbabayad sa pamasahe namin mamaya.

Pagdating sa room,  akala mo may giyerang nagaganap. I went to Janna and asked her what's going on.

“May surprised test daw. Nabanggit ng taga ibang section. Mahirap daw.” she said as she was busily flipping the pages of her notebook.

I just nodded. So hindi na surprise?  I glanced at our walk clock, at may 15 minutes na lang before time.

I went to my classmate Taira, and asked her kung nakapagreview ba siya.

“ Hindi nga eh. Umalis kami ni Remz. Kadadating lang namin”

Just like anyone else,  mukhang hindi sila makakausap ng matino. Napailing na lang ako.

Hindi siya nakapag review kaya no choice ako kundi ang mag skim na lang. Wala na naman akong magagawa. Familiar na naman ako sa terms,  so in luck I trust.

Nang nagbell, lumabas na kami sa room para pumunta sa assigned room for the subject.

Lahat yata ng classmates ko may dalang notebooks sa kamay habang naglalakad. Ang sikip pa naman sa hallway. Muntik ko ng ibato ang notebook ko sa estudyanteng tumulak sa akin.

I saw our president Diane bother the intelligent, serious type, cold,  and paasa CK. Napailing na lang ako. She seems to be the serious type, responsible girl,  and yet annoying.Hindi rin naman siya pinapansin ni CK. I wonder what's going on his head. Ikaw ba naman ang iannoy ng  non-stop.

Buti naman hindi pa niya nasasapak. He has a lot of patience para sa kakulitan ni Ms. Pres. I'd give him credit for that.

Pagpasok sa room ay agad na nagbigay ng SOP ang teacher namin.

After 30 minutes ay natapos na din ang test. I was so bored because the teacher just dictated the questions. Without choices. Nalilito na nga ako sa mga terms sa utak ko. Isabay mo pa ang mga sakit sa ulo na dates.

History will always be history. You will never learn something new from it. LOL

I answered it diligently. Kung anong unang pumapasok sa isip ko,  'yun ang sinusulat ko. Nabaliw lang ako sa enumeration. Ang dami!  It was a 50 item test. Sumasakit na nga yata ang ulo ng mga classmates ko. Surprising kahit hindi ako nakapag review,  the answers flowed in my mind right away.

Maybe that's just how it is. Kailangan lang talaga natin makinig sa teacher. I don't like studying at home. Or baka naman mali ang mga answers ko. 'Yung akala mo tama, mali naman pala.

Hindi na rin naman kami surprised kasi namention ng taga ibang section. The only flaw is that hindi sinabi kung anong unit.

Nasa unit 5 na kami ngayon. It's enough that they've informed us na may test. It would be unfair kung sabihin nila ang coverage din. The test covered from unit 1-5.

Nag check na kami ng papers. Pagkatapos ay nagrecord ang teacher.So far,  my classmates got scores of 30+.

Boys naman kasi ang unang tinatawag. And as expected CK got a score of 45. We clapped our hands. Highest so far.

Napatingin ako kay Diane na katabi ko for this subject. She was smiling broadly like a proud mom. She looked back at me and just shrugged.

Does she really like him?  Even though obviously CK doesn't show much interest. Diane said it was a joke at first. She said she was just bored. Pero joke pa rin ba? Well, not my cup of tea anyway.

Janna got a score of 42. Jamaica got a score of 43. Napailing na lang ako when I saw Janna nagged Jamaica.  Alam ko magrereklamo na naman siya pag-uwi kung bakit mas malaki ang score ni Jam.

We just laughed at her. Kaya natatawag na depress eh. But they're friends tho. Mas close sila.

It seems to be a friendly competition in our room.

“ Ybo?”

My surname was called.

“ 47 ma'am”  Cielo the one checking my paper answered. Nagulat ako.

This happens once in a blue moon. To be the highest. My classmates clapped.

“Na oll 3 wrongs”

I rolled my eyes at Aya na nasa left side ko. Mag na-nag na naman siya kung bakit hindi ako nagpakopya.

“ Lady luck is with me today” I answered with a shrugged.

Nang nasa akin na ang papers ko,  I checked it again.

No hindi dahil baka may correct answers akong na malian kundi baka may wrong answers akong nilagyan ng check mark. I'm still honest naman.

Tama naman ang pagkaka-check. Tiningnan ko ang tatlong mistakes ko. I snorted. 'Yung isa kulang sa letter. 'Yung isa naman, sumobra. And the last one made my eyes widen.

Sixto ang nakasulat!  What?!  I can't remember myself writing his name. I was so occupied with my answers to  notice I was writing his name as the answer. Ang bobo.

I read the note Mina wrote.

' 'wag kasi pangalan ang isusulat. Napaghahalataang iniisip lagi eh'

May heart emotion pa!  Agad ko namang binura gamit ang correction tape at pinalitan ng question mark. Baka may ibang makakita. Nakakahiya!

I looked at Mina who was actually observing my reaction. She smiled at me,a playful one and then gave me a finger heart. I scowled at her.

Nakadapa ako sa kama, feeling really bored. Wala naman akong masyadong gagawin maliban na lang sa letter na pinapagawa ng isa kong teacher. Remember the values subject?

I got up, grabbed my pen and a sheet of paper. The question is,  sino ba ang bibigyan ko? My parents?  That would be embarrassing.  Hindi naman kami masyadong close.

Si J2 and J3? But sino naman sa kanila? I don't want one of them to feel neglected.

Isa lang naman kasi dapat. If we'll decide to give each other,  na parang exchange gift, it won't happen. Iba ang values teacher nila. They were given different a activity.

Kung si Gwendi rin, malayo siya. Hindi kami neighbors. Ayoko naman mag aksaya ng pamasahe.

Si Sixto? I snorted. Nakakahiya naman. Pero magkapitbahay kami...

Aarrrgh nakakainis naman 'to. I tousled my hair in confusion.

Binuksan ko ang bintana ko. I looked at his window. It was shut closed. Magkaharap naman kasi ang bedrooms namin.

My study table is actually facing his window,  same goes to him.

I started writing. I was on my third attempt when I crumpled it again and tossed it in the trashbin. Ang pangit naman kasi ng mga nakasulat!

I ruffled my hair. Bahala ng magmukhang nest basta mailabas ko ang frustration ko.

Nang mapaangat ako ng ulo,  I was surprised to see Sixto in his room. Bukas na ang bintana niya.

He waved and smiled at me. Wala akong ganang maging nice kaya sumimangot lang ako.

I looked at my table and sighed. Mamaya na lang siguro to. Hindi ko naman hahabaan.

When I took a glance at Sixto's room,  he wasn't there anymore. I shrugged. Bumalik ako sa kama at pinagpatuloy na lang ang book na binabasa ko kagabi.

I diverted my attention at my door when I heard a knock.

“come in! ”

The door opened and I saw Sixto giving my room a 180 degree eye tour. Napairap ako.

“Binago mo? Asan na 'yung barbies mo? ”

“ Pinamigay ko na” I answered as I stood up and went to him.

“ Talaga kinaya mo? Ayaw mo ngang pahiramin si Frances noon”

I just rolled my eyes.

“ what you need? ”

“ Would you like some cotton candy? ”

I frowned.  Seriously? He went here just to ask if I want a cotton candy? Nag text na lang sana siya...

“ Yeah, sure ” I said as I turned my back and went back to continue reading. I heard the door shut.

Napagpasiyahan ko na lang maligo. When I was done,  I grabbed my comb and went downstairs. I saw my mom watching a noon time show while stitching. I ate my lunch at pagkatapos ay hinugasan na lang ang mga dishes and then I went back to my room.

I was scanning my notebook when I heard a knock.

“ Do you have my cotton candy? ” I asked Sixto. Alam ko naman kasi na siya dahil if it were my mom,  she would have just opened it directly.

While Sixto,  I'm kind of familiar kung paano siya kumatok.

“ Yes ”

I looked at him enter my room.

“ Here's your cotton candy señorita”

I muttered a thank you,  before I started eating the cotton candy.

“Bakit ka pumuntang T-mart? ” I asked. Hindi naman kasi malapit ang T-mart sa amin. It's a 15 minute drive.

“Bumili ng cotton candy. Kinakain mo nga diba?”

I wrinkled my nose and rolled my eyes. He then laughed and ruffled my hair. Kakasuklay ko lang!

“Bumili ng art materials”

“ May art materials ako”

“Oh, akin ba?” napatitig ako kay Sixto at napaismid.

“ edi, akin” na iiritang sabi ko.

He got my pillow and put it in his lap while comfortably sitting in my bed.

“ Ano ba 'yang binabasa mo? ”

“ libro” I stated the obvious.

“bakit?”

I gave him a look that tells him he's being dumb. He just laughed and got up. Pumunta siya sa TV and played a movie.

“ Bored ka?  Bored rin ako eh. ”

“ edi umuwi ka” he acted as if he's hurt.  It made me roll my eyes.

“Nuod tayo movie ” I just shrugged and let him decide. We watched Trolls.

“ Hoy,  ano ba 'yan” pagrereklamo ko. Ang tanda na namin para manuod ng trolls. Well, for me.

“Shh 'way ka ngang maingay,  kumakanta sila”

“ that movie is for kids” he looked at me with a pained expression.  Actor talaga.

“ Kids? Edi sana kids ang kinuha nilang voice actors”

Napakurap naman ako. What a reason! 

“Napakalaking issue ng pinag -aawayan nila. Kailangan ng rightful judgement. Hot topic kaya kung anong magandang genre ngayon”

I just rolled my eyes. Hindi niya naman kaikangan ipaglaban ang favorite movie niya.

Sixto paused the movie and went downstairs to get some snacks.

“Uy,  ang manhid naman ng babae at ang torpe ng lalaking troll ” I said as I was munching my crackers.I looked at Sixto who was watching the movie intently. I snapped my fingers at him. Napatingin naman siya sa akin.

“ You judge the characters without knowing that you're exactly like them” he said in a serious tone. Ang serious naman nito.

“ Them?”  naguguluhan kong sabi

“Or maybe her”

“A-ano?  Troll din ako? ” mas naguguluhan kong tanong. He bit the insides of his cheeks to prevent a smile.

“ Oo. Troll ka din ”  binato ko nga siya ng unan.

No one messes with my height! Kahit naman hindi ako umabot ng 5'5, I still love and appreciate my hieght. Kahit pa may disadvantages.

I then heard his mom calling him.

“ Tawag ka ” pumunta siya sa may bintana and shouted back at his mom.

No not the bad shouting tho,  he shouted back para marinig siya.

“ Okay ma!  Ako na lang po ang bibili! ” he responded to his mom. Mukhang may inutos. Hindi naman ako nakinig.

He turned to me. “ Sama ka? ”

“ Saan? ”

“ Sa langit ”

Gago. He earned a punch after that,  which he responded with a laugh.