Sharing My Infinite Stars With Yours

In the middle of our teachers teaching, Dianne loudly yawn that causes Mrs. Sardoma's face us from writing something on the board and glared. "Who did that! Walang galang, nakapa-bastos ng pag-uugali! Sino!" Agad akong naka-ramdam ng kaba habang naka-tingin sa kapatid kong para namang wala lang pakialam. I know she's doing this on purpose... Kahit labag sa loob ko, itinaas ko ang kamay ko at naka-tungong tumayo para ipaalam kay Mrs. Sardoma na ako ay gumawa ng ingay na naka-gulo sa klase namin. But when our eyes met, her expression soften as she sigh. "You're lying to cover up Diane again... Isn't?" I bit lips avoiding her gaze. "N-no ma'am. It was really I who disrespect your class... Puyat po kasi ako kagabi kaya po di ko po napigilan ang sarili kong humikab" I depended. But my heart shattered to the words that scaped from Dianne's mouth. "Bida bida nanaman ampts" Hindi ko na lang yung pinansin at hinihintay ang parusa ni ma'am, Mrs. Sardoma is the head teacher department of our grade level that's why she can do what she wants as long as she holds her position. "You don't always have to defend your sister Jane, she's big enough to take care of herself" I nervously press my hands together thinking of a plan how can I get out of this embarrassing moment—alam ko na! "It was really me ma'am, d-diba guys?" I look down to my classmates to ask for their opinion but no one dared to speak and all averted their gazes. "Enough Jane, I already get it. Be seated and we'll talk later." She smiled before continue writing mathematical formula on the board. After her class hour in our room, she reminded me to meet her at her office later at lunchtime. So I did. Kinakabahan akong pumasok sa head's department kung nasaan ang Office ni Mrs. Sardoma. She's already there eating with her son, Markian. The childstar actor since he was at young age. I gently clear my throat to get their attention that I successfully did. "G-good morning po Mrs. Sardoma..." I nervously said, with my sight on my feet. Bukod din kasi sa kinakabahan ako sa nangyari kanina, andito din yung anak nyang artista na may gusto saakin—and I'm not making it up... He confess to me and until now he's pursuing his goal to get me... Pero ako ang naayaw kasi isa syang artista, and I'll be a distraction to him... Lalo na ngayon at sobrang sikat nya. "Upo ka muna Jane, kumakain pa kasi kami ng anak ko—ikaw ba tapos na?" Nahihiya akong umiling at umupo sa mono block malayo sa table nila. Nag-kunwaring nag-seselpon na lang ako para hindi awkward kung aakto ako lonely sa silid na to. Nang matapos silang kumain, nag-paalam si Markian na may malagkit na tingin sa akin kaya nanatili akong nakatungo hanggang sya paupoin ako ni Mrs. Sardoma sa visitors seat sa tapat ng table nya. "So... Queenie Jane Salazar... Kamusta ka?" "P-po?—I mean I am f-fine ma'am... S-sorry po sa nagawa ko kanina—" "Shhh..." She cut me off. "Hindi yun and dahilan kung bakit kita pinapunta dito... At isa pa, I knew it was her. Nakita ko sya sa reflection ng salamin sa gilid ko. And your classmates didn't react when you ask them to agree with you. I know you very well from the start Jane..." "S-sorry po... I'll take the full responsibility for my actions ma'am, you can put me on detention for a whole day—or even week, you can also punish me to clean our entire school. B-basta po wag lang tong maka-rating sa parents namin... They're on to a lot of pressure these days, ayaw ko pong maging pabigat sa kanila..." Ngiti lamang ang isinukli nito saakin bago hawakan ang mga kamay ko na marahan naman nyang pinisil. "Alam mo anak, hanga talaga ako sa pananaw mo sa buhay..." It warmth me, but on the other hand I know this won't take long. Dahil balang araw, ang mga taong pumupuri saakin ngayon, ay sya ring makapag-sasabi ng hindi magandang salita saakin sa oras na hindi ko maabot yung expectations nilang hinahangad saakin. "U-uhm ma'am, sabi mo po hindi tungkol sa nangyari kanina ang pag-uusapan natin. Kung ganon po ay tungkol saan?" "Sa kapatid mo" she coldly said, nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi nito at napaltan ang masiglang mata ng malalim na tingin. "M-may nagawa po ba syang hindi maganda?" I asked, with a little bit of nervousness. Natatakot ako na susunod na sasabihin nya ngayong iba ang pinapakita nyang expression saakin just by mentioning my sister. "Her grade ija... It's falling down, lahat ng faculty member ay hindi natutuwa sa grades na nakukuha ni Dianne since last year, and now on our last meeting sinabi nila saaking balaan kitang pwede syang madrop out kapag pinag-patuloy nya to." "Bakit naman po kapatid ko lang?—I mean there's a lot of students in our batch that has low grades as Dianne, or even lower... Baka po ma-pressure lalo ang kapatid ko kapag pinag-sabihan ko sya..." Well that's the truth. Simula nong mga bata pa kami ay mahina talaga ang utak ni Dianne sa academics, she often bullied at school because of her failing grades. Ang masama pa nito lagi kaming nako-compare sa isa't isa. And I'm not liking her state pero wala akong magawa to help her grow kasi pati ako gusto nyang hilahin pababa. "Dahil sayo Jane, running Valedictorian ka this year. Ayaw lang namin na lalong lumala ang situation ng kapatid mo lalo na't isa ang pamilya nyo sa malaking mag-bigay sa paaralan na to. I'm looking forward on seeing you both together on stage. First quarter pa lang naman Jane, gusto ko lang na tulungan mong mag-mature ang kapatid mo dahil umiiba na sya ng landas..." She sighed. "Hindi lang to para sa kanya, o dahil malaki ang tulong ng pamilya mo sa paaralang ito... Kung hindi para na rin sayo. Ayaw kong dumating sa puntong maipon ang lahat ng inggit ni Dianne sayo at umabot sa puntong ayawan ka nya habang buhay... I'm saying this because I care for you, and you means a lot to me" Sa mga oras na ito, hindi ko na alam kong ano pang-iisipin ko. All my life I did my best to be accepted by my sister. Lahat sinakripisyo ko para lang mapasaya sya. But for all those effort, ni minsan hindi nya ako pinasalamatan instead she keep on blaming me for being too competitive and ungenerous to her, which is I don't understand why she's thinking that way when all I did is to keep her with me. "Hey b***h! You're spacing out! Ang sabi ko akin na yung notes mo at gumawa ka nalang ng bago, nakakairita ka!" She then push me like I was nothing and went directly to my bag and take my notes. I want to protest and take it back from her pero hindi ko ata kaya. "I'm looking forward on seeing you both together on stage. First quarter pa lang naman Jane, gusto ko lang na tulungan mong mag-mature ang kapatid mo dahil umiiba na sya ng landas." I unconsciously smiled. Yup, this is the first step. Letting her step ahead of me. Bukas ang pasahan ng notes na kinuha nya saakin, katulad ng lagi nyang ginagawa. Pupunitin nya yung front page ng notes ko na may-pangalan at papalitan ng kanya. And I'm letting her to do such. It's the least that I can do to help her lift her grades even for a small thing like that... The next morning, Jeanine found out about what Dianne did to me last night. Nakita nya kasing nag-pasa ng notes si Dianne sa teacher namin, at nakilala nya ang notebook ko. I didn't say a word and smiled at Jeanine, my Bestfriend. Like me, running for Valedictorian din sya, pero para daw pinanghihinaan sya ng loob knowing I'll be competite with her. "Ano ka ba, what ever happens... We're still friends. being valedictorian does not define on who we will in the future. Kasi sa pag-graduate nating ito, isang hakbang pa lang ang narating na'tin patungo sa totoong takbo ng buhay." She pouted. "Alam mo Jane, tama ka naman e—mali! Palagi ka namang tama... Yung lang tanga ka pag-dating non sa pvtangina mong sister." "Mahal ko ang kapatid ko Jean, at kahit ano pa sya tatanggapin ko ng buong puso ang pag-katao nya..." Umirap sya at pinalo ang braso ko, ganito lagi si Jean kapag sinusubukan kong ipag-tanggol ang kapatid ko. Medyo matalas kasi ang dila nya kaya walang control. I understand her for being this negative towards my sister, after all Dianne really did terrible things to her way back on elementary. "Tama na nga yung usapan tungkol sa pangit mong antagonist Sissy! Let's just talk about the new handsome Transferee!!! As in ang pogi gurl, sayang wala ka kanina. Actually nag-pakilala na sya sa room, at alam mo rin bang ang kapal ng mukha ng kapatid mo? Akalain mong akiting mag-lunch daw sila ng mag-kasama bukas. Urgh! Ang landi!" I chuckled and hit her forehead with my palm. "Shhh! Kapatid ko yun, baka nakakalimotan mo. But it's alright gumagawa lang siguro ng first move, pwede na syang mag-boyfriend para naman mas ma encourage syang mag-sipag sa pag-aaral. Malay mo matalo pa tayo non?" Then we both laughing contagiously with that Thought. Napaka-hirap isiping ganon nga ang mangyayari kung kasaling mag-kaboyfriend si Dianne. Sana lang matino yung lalaki... "Pero diba boyfriend na ng kapatid mo si Edward? Yung demonyitong lalaki na nag-sabing ikaw ang mahal nya pero ayun, aa kapatid mong malandi pa rin bumagsak." I didn't answer and just smiled at her. I almost forgot... May kasintahan na nga pala si Dianne... At yung lalaking pinangakoan pa ako ng kasal, haha.