Your Badass

EPISODE 2: FIESTA

Eunice’s POV

  “Hey, fatty panda! Whoa! You’re so beautiful today! Vital stat as 36-30-36 is so perfect! Hahaha!” He mocks me and laughs devilishly. He is the famous bully of our school, Curvin Adams.

I am currently a grade ten student and often bullied because of my weird looks and intelligence. I’ve always been on top when it comes to academe yet, I don’t know how to defend myself every time they pick on me. I’m afraid to fight back. I’m afraid that I will be suspended or worse, kicked out because of it. My family is poor. Mother doesn’t have a job, father is a farmer and his earning is just enough to feed the family. I am the youngest amongst the three siblings and we live in a small house. Though we are poor, we live merrily and in peace. In order to help my parents, I usually answer my classmates’ assignment for a few bucks so my father wouldn’t bother with my allowance anymore. I’ve had a lot of dreams, lot of plants for my future but life doesn’t seem to go the way I want it to be. Often I encounter these bullies in our school. They make fun of me calling me a panda. Maybe I’m chubby but not that hideous. Five feet and six inches height, wavy black hair that reaches my butt, hazel brown eyes, high nose bridge, kissable lips and an angelic face that frequently attracted opposite s*x and even same s*x but I ignore them all to focus on my studies.

  Everyone in our school is used of their way of greeting me. It seems like a day wouldn’t end without me being bullied. Aptly, everything is alright for me because they just abused me verbally. They haven’t gone far than trash talking me. I usually just smile and hold the positive vibe. Most of them say that I’m submissive, timid and shy. Well I would rather spend time with my books than talk to other people.

“Oy, here you are again?” A guy leisurely sitting under the tree asked me.

  I am mesmerized for a moment. My heart melts from the sight of his alluring grey eyes. ‘Oh my gosh! I’ve never felt this way before! Who is this heavenly sculpted creature?’ I nodded as a response and walk past him to the next tree. As I sit under it, he came to me and sits beside me. ‘What are you doing? Don’t you know I can’t breathe if you are near me? Is this what they call love at first sight?’

“I’m Will Blues by the way, grade twelve student.” He extended his hand.

  I stare at him unmoving. My ear splitting heart beat makes me immobilized and his gaze intimidates me. I felt my face involuntarily reddened. I got up and leave without a word and he was left confounded. ‘What’s happening with me?’

          -----ooOoo-----

  I am nearing the cafeteria when a sandwich suddenly appears in front of me. I looked up to see that attractive grey eyes again. Why does he seem to appear everywhere I go?

  “It’s for you, just throw it if you don’t want it.” He hands me the sandwich. “Actually… Uhm… I… My friend actually likes you. Can I ask you for your f*******: account or maybe phone number?” He directly said.

  “I neither have cellphone nor computer and I prioritize my studies. Please excuse me.” I immediately walked back to our classroom. ‘Can’t he feel that I like him?’

“Wait! Uhhmm. Can’t we just talk for a moment? Or second, maybe?” he continued to nag me.

“I’m really sorry but I don’t entertain suitors.” I said straightforwardly.

“Okay, then can’t we just be friends?”

“I don’t want any friends.” I continued to disagree.

  “Then, can we be lovers?” He asked.

  I was astounded by his question. It seems like time stopped instantly. I was lost for words when he abruptly grins.

  “I’m just kidding!” He waved his hands in front of my face.

  “How can you joke around like this?” I asked him and left in a split-second.

  “Hey! I would really appreciate it if you will accept me as your friend!” He shouted before I get too far.

          -----ooOoo-----

  As one of the tradition in the Philippines, every place holds a Fiesta annually where people go and have fun. There will dancing to showcase the place’s custom, perya in the plaza and liga in the basketball court.

  “Sis, do you two want to go watch liga with me? The game will be Zone One vs. Zone Two. Their game will start at 6 in the eve also we’ll hang quickly at the plaza.” I asked my sisters with a wide smile.

“Really? It’s 5 in the afternoon now, we have at least one hour to prepare. Let’s go! Let’s cheer for our Zone! Kathleene come with us. ” Ensley exclaimed enthusiastically.

We tidied ourselves and went out. We are looking at each other of who will talk to father because we had doubt if he will let us go out. For almost sixteen years of my existence in this world, our father had never let us once gone out the house if he knew we will return at night. We have 6PM curfew and will be scolded if we came home late. Our father is very strict and he wants us to study more than play. We are all girls so he is very protective, he doesn’t want us to have boyfriend before we graduate junior high school. He is working hard in order to give us good education and good life. Well, I consider our life is good because we live with love no matter how we struggle financially. Before long we go outside, we need to ask father’s consent.

“Pa, can we go outside? We will watch liga and drop by the plaza, will be back at 8.” Ensley said to our father.

“Okay, no more than 8 because it’s already late. Pay attention to your safety. Don’t go anywhere recklessly, just in the plaza and court. Don’t be fooled with fraudulent people. Here’s some money for you to buy something you like.” Father handed the money to Ensley before we go out.

We grin at each other. This is the first time we are allowed to watch liga. It feels so good to go out and enjoy our time. When we arrive at the court, the game has already started. It was at the third quarter when I see Will Blues enter the court, substituting his co-player. I looked across the court and it was like all eyes are upon him. He looks so good in his basketball uniform. His five feet – ten inch height made him more attractive since he is the tallest amongst his teammates except for the team captain which is six feet and three inches.

“Oh my gosh! I will cheer for number 29! Go Blues! Go! Go! Go! Wooooo!”  I looked at my sister and saw her shout at the top of her lungs.

“He is our senior named Will Blues. I never knew he plays basketball.” I said to my sister Ensley. While everyone is cheering, Kathleene is just on the side, looking around without a word. She is not a good talker in anyway. She prefers to keep quiet and isolate herself from the world and write stories. She is kind a writer. It’s so rare to hear her voice and you can only see her smile occasionally. We cheer and laugh till the end of the game. Almost lost our voices and felt our throat soar. We quickly dropped by the plaza, bought some iced tea and popcorn and arrived home before eight. We went to our rooms to take a bath and go to bed. Kathleene has her own room because I and Ensley want to share one thus we are close with each other. Whole night, we talked about that basketball game and all I can hear from my sister’s mouth is Will Blues. She asks me all kind of stuff about Will Blues.

“You know what? I think I like him.” My sister said with sparkling eyes.

WORDS OF THE DAY:

FIESTA - festival, celebration in the Philippines with processions and dances

PERYA - funfair in plaza

LIGA - basketball game of a Baranggay. Teams consist of players from each zone under the Baranggay. It depends on the leader of that Baranggay if he/she will conduct the liga annually during Fiesta.