Rose-Colored Metamorphoses

CHAPTER 6

Paggising ko kaninang umaga, andodoon pa rin si Papa. But he's not leaving their room. Sa guest room daw natulog si Mama at kanina maaga siyang gumising para ihatid ako at makipag-usap sa Dean. Pagkatapos mag-ayos ay umalis na kami ng aking ina sakay ng kotse niya.

Pagkadating namin sa school ay pinagtitinginan agad kami ni Mama. Who wouldn't? My Mama's still beautiful even though she's in her late 40s already. She's wearing a designer dress that fits her perfectly. May maliliit lang siyang earrings on her ears at silver watch on her left hand. She's carrying a small purse pero sa unang tingin pa lang, alam mo na na mamahalin ang mga iyon.

I kissed her cheek goodbye before heading to the main building. My mother went straight to the other building where the administrative offices are located.

Umakyat agad ako sa classroom namin. May kaunting tao na doon, but all of them are scared to look at me. Lahat sila iniiwas ang tingin nila nang pumasok ako. I headed to my seat beside Akiara. She's already there, eating meat buns. Siguro hindi siya nakapag-agahan.

"Ohayo, Xavier-kun! You want?" pag-aalok niya sa akin bago niya inilapit ang meat bun na nasa kamay niya. I politely shook my head.

(Trans. :Ohayo means "Good Morning/Morning")

"How's your jaw? Okay na ba pakiramdam mo?" she asked.

"Yeah, maayos na pakiramdam ko. My jaw still aches, though at may slight na pasa as you can see. Anyway, I just want to say thank you for yesterday, you know."

She looked puzzled. Habang nakakagat sa meat bun niya ay lumingon siya sa akin. Nagpipigil ako ng tawa dahil baka isipin niya hindi ako sincere. Mukha kasi talaga siyang siopao kapag kumakain dahil lumolobo talaga ang dalawang pisngi niya.

"Huh? Sinasabi mo?"

I sighed.

"I mean YESTERDAY, 'di ba binitbit mo ako sa campus hospital? I want to thank you for that."

"Hindi lang ako ang dapat mong pasalamatan, Xavier-kun. You have to thank my brother too at saka yung guy na nakaupo sa harapan mo. They carried you to the hospital. Hindi ko naman kayang gawin 'yon mag-isa,'no? Angbigat mo kaya!" she said, laughing.

Just as she said that, may biglang umakbay na lalaki sa akin. His uniform is neat and complete. He smelled like wood scented perfume.

" Xavier, bro! Kumusta na ang pakiramdam mo? Are you feeling well? " tanong niya.

Umalis ako sa pagkakaakbay niya at nilingon kung sino iyon.

It's strange, I see his face slowly clearing. Unti-unting nawala ang pagkalabo ng kanyang mukha. But still, the surroundings and the people in it is still in monochrome. But this guy's face, like Akiara, is slowly clearing until I can see his face in a clear version now. He has brown eyes and jet black hair. He's got pointed nose and reddish pink lips that I'm sure every girl's to-die-for. All in all, he exudes the aura of being popular in school.

This guy is Lance Francois De Rama. Anak ng isang businessman at isang simpleng housewife. My family has been in partners with their company for months  already. Pero dahil nga I keep on isolating myself, hindi ko napapansin na siya pala ang nakaupo sa unahan ko.

"Thank you Lance," I said to him. He just simply smiled.

"It's alright, Xavier. I was bullied and isolated before too, in my old school. I just don't want that to happen to anyone again."

"I wasn't bullied. I also had my fair share for this jaw-breaking punch. I pushed his girlfriend, after all."

Natahimik sila pareho nang pumasok si Louise sa room. Hindi ito lumingon sa amin. Dire-diretso lang ito sa upuan niya at umupo doon pagkatapos ay nag-heads down.

"Uy, magla-lunch ka mamaya, Xavier-kun? "tanong sa akin ni Akiara.

"Uh, yeah. Sure," sabi ko.

Biglang sumingit si Lance.

"Can I join?"

Nilingon siya ni Akiara. Pagkatapos ay ngumiti ito ng pagkatamis-tamis.

"Yeah, sure!"

I felt a pinch in my heart. Why did I felt hurt when I saw her smiling at him?

"Yay! You're the best, guys!" sabi ni Lance habang nakangiti. "O, paano, balik na ko sa upuan ko," he said before heading back to his seat.

Naupo ako sa upuan ko at tumingin sa bintana. In the back of my mind, I keep on telling myself na dapat ay hindi na ako nakihalubilo masyado sa kanila. Ngayon tuloy ay may kasama ako sa pagkain. Really, having SPD sucks. No matter how much you want people to enter your life, you'll just keep on pushing them away because you are cold and emotionally incapable to show them what you should show.

Our adviser was absent for that day. As of the other subjects, nagbigay lang sila ng assignment pagkatapos ay wala nang ginawa.

Patuloy akong kinulit ni Lance at Akiara. I can see him secretly glancing on Akiara whenever she smiles or laughs. Minsan ay tinatanong niya ito ng personal questions. Palagi lang akong nakikinig sa kanila. Observing them.

"Aki-chan, what are you planning to eat later?" tanong ni Lance sa kanya.

Inilagay ni Akiara ang kanyang kamay sa kanyang baba at umakto na parang nag-iisip.

"Hmmm... Ano bang masarap na ulam sa cafeteria? I might pick beef or chicken with rice," sabi niya. Pagkatapos ay lumingon siya sa akin. "How about you, Xavier-kun?"

Nagulat ako sa biglang pagtingin niya sa akin. Hindi ko inakala na kakausapin niya ako. Titig na titig pa naman ako sa kanya. 

"I don't know. I'll decide later," sabi ko.

Paminsan-minsan ay napapansin ko pa rin na nakatingin sa amin ang mga kaklase ko pero bigla na lang akong kakausapin ni Lance o ni Akiara at haharang sa kung saan ako nakatingin.

"Don't pay attention on them Xavier," bulong ni Akiara.

"To be honest, I don't give a f**k about them," bulong ko pabalik.

Hindi nagtagal at nag-bell na. Mabilis akong tumayo dahil gutom na gutom na ako at kinuha ang smartphone ko at wallet. Sumunod naman si Lance at Akiara sa akin. Pinagitnaan nila ako habang naglalakad.

Hindi pa rin matigil ang bulungan sa paligid. Most probably dahil kasama namin si Lance na sa tingin ko ay sikat sa mga babae. Dumadaldal pa rin si Akiara. I wasn't paying attention that much like my usual self.

"Oi, Xavier. Huwag mo na lang silang pansinin, okay? They're just a bunch of a-holes na walang ibang alam kung hindi pakielaman ang buhay ng iba."

I didn't replied. For f**k's sake, wala talaga akong pakielam.

Biglang nagtatatakbo si Akiara papalapit sa isang lalaki na mukha ring Japanese. She tiptoed and gave him a peck on his cheek.

Like Akiara, his face is not blurred. His is as clear as a mirror. Strange it is, because I'm used to see people with blurred faces. But now, there are already five people whose faces aren't blurred. Mom, Dad, Akiara, Lance, and this guy.

"Nii-chan! Watashi to chuushoku wo ikaga desu ka?" 

(Trans. : Big bro! Would you have lunch with me?)

Sumagot ang lalaki.

" Sore ha ii kangae da. "

(Trans. : it's a good idea.)

Ngumiti si Akiara at kumapit sa braso ng lalaki pagkatapos ay lumakad pabalik sa amin.

"Guys, I want you to meet my big brother, Jiro. Nii-chan, Kochira wa Xavier-san desu. Kochira wa Lance-san desu," sabi niya habang itinuturo kami ni Lance. 

(Trans. : This is Xavier. This is Lance.)

He bowed down to us.

"Konnichiwa, I'm Matsubara Jiro. Please call me Jiro. Thank you for taking care of my imoto. Please call me when Akiara is being rowdy or hard-headed."

(Trans. : Imoto means younger sister)

Jiro Matsubara is about the same height as me. Around 5"11. He has the same raven black hair, chinky brown eyes, and pointed nose. Medyo mahaba ang buhok niya na parang hindi nagugupitan but it's styled kaya naman mukha pa rin siyang disente. He's wearing a maroon polo shirt and maong pants paired with sneakers. On his neck hung a new ID. It says that he's a trasferee and that he belongs to the medicine department.

"Oi, Nii-chan, iikagennishiro! Onaka ga akimashita!" inis na sabi ni Akiara na umakto na parang nagmamaktol sa kapatid.

(Trans. : Big bro, cut it out! I'm hungry!)

Napabuntong-hininga si Jiro.

"Tss. Amaenbou," bulong niya. Sinuntok bigla ni Akiara ang braso ng tatawa-tawang kapatid. "Aish,tara na. Gutom na si meat bun monster."

(Trans. : Amaenbou is an affectionate term for someone who always rely on someone else.)

Sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Akiara.

"You're going to buy me two meat buns."

"What?! Anglaki-laki ng baon mo, Aki. Why should I?"

"Because you're bullying your imoto! Bad Nii-chan!" sabi niya bago lumipat ng pagkakakapit mula sa braso ng kapatid niya papunta sa braso ko. Matiim akong tinignan ni Jiro.

"You were the one who got punched yesterday, right?"

"Yeah," I replied shortly. "Anyway, thank you for helping me."

Tumalikod ulit si Jiro at naunang maglakad.

"No problem. I just don't want to see my little sister panic like that. She almost fainted when you lost your consciousness, you know."

Hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot ko sa sinabi niya. But as far as what I can see about him, he's an overprotective brother. The kind that would do anything just to protect and make her sister happy. Kumawala si Akiara sa pagkakakapit sa braso ko at hinabol ang kanyang kapatid. Pagkatapos ay doon siya kumapit. Ginulo ni Jiro ang buhok niya at tumawa.

"Aki, stop eating too much. Tumataba ka,sayang uniform mo if every month we have to buy another one."

"Shuddup, Nii-chan! Atleast I'm not like you! Stickman! Bleeeh!" pang-aalaska ni Akiara sa kapatid.

"They look nice as siblings, right?" bulong ni Lance sa tabi ko. Kanina pa siya tahimik at parang nanonood lang sa mga pangyayari.

"Yeah."

"You know what, Xavier? She's really one of a kind, right? I mean, siya lang yung nakakakausap sa'yo ng gan'yan."

I looked at him. He's still staring at her.

"So do you want to say that I look mean and unapproachable?"

Parang nagulat siya sa sinabi ko.

"No, no. What I mean is, everyone's really scared of talking to you, because of what happened years ago. And they really thought that you are a meanie. But Aki didn't think twice when she saw you. She immediately befriended you despite of being warned by our classmates. "

" I'm not bad, Lance. There's a fine line between being mean and being eccentric. Those two are different. "

" Well I'm not sayin—"

" And I'm not imposing something too. "

Nilingon kami ni Aki at ngumiti. She waved her hand, signalling us to walk faster. Inunahan kong maglakad si Lance.

Nakarating kami sa cafeteria na kaunti palang ang tao. Agad na pumila si Jiro habang naghanap naman si Akiara ng mauupuan. Tahimik kaming tatlo. Jiro is glancing at me, like studying my movements, as well as Lance's. Lance, on the other hand, is looking at me too, maybe thinking about what I've said earlier.

Having both of these guys staring at me really annoys me. But I didn't gave it a damn. I just timidly ordered food and followed them.

For today, I ordered Mushroom Beef Steak with lots and lots of mushroom. I also ordered a glass of iced tea and a cup of sliced peaches. Umupo sila sa pang-apatan na table at ang tanging bakanteng upuan na natitira ay ang katapat na puwesto ni Akiara. I sat there while feeling Jiro stabbing me with his eyes.

"Woaaaaaahh! Sugooooiii! Look, Nii-chan, mahilig din pala si Xavier-kun sa mushrooms! Parang ikaw lang!"

(Trans. :Sugoi means amazing)

Iniusog ni Jiro ang plastic na may lamang dalawang meat buns papunta sa tray ni Akiara.

"O, ayan na meat buns mo," sabi ng kapatid  niya na parang nanghihinayang sa dami ng binili niya.

"Wooaaah, a-ri-ga-to Nii-chan! I love you!"sabi ni Akiara bago niyakap ang leeg ng kapatid at hinalikan ito sa pisngi.

(Trans. : Arigato means thank you.) 

" Asus. Sige na, kumain ka na. Baka magutom pa 'yang mga sawa mo sa tyan," tatawa-tawang sabi ni Jiro bago pinagdaop ang kanyang mga palad. "Itadakimasu," sabi niya bago mag-umpisa sa pagkain.

"Itadakimasu!" masiglang sabi ni Akiara bago siya nag-umpisang kumain.

Yumuko ako at nag-umpisang kumain. Si Lance naman ay kanina pa nag-umpisa.

"Nii-chan, yamero! Aish!"

(Trans. : Big bro, stop!)

Napatingin ako sa kanila. Nakita ko na kinukuha ni Jiro ang mga mushrooms sa steak na ulam ni Akiara.

"You can have some of mine, Akiara," sabi ko sa kanya bago ko iniusog ang tray ko para makakuha siya ng mushrooms.

"Arigato, Xavier-kun! I hate you Nii-chan," sabi niya bago inirapan ang kapatid at kumuha ng mushrooms sa tray ko.

That's the first time I'd ever had lunch with someone since Grade 9. Strange how it feels, but there's a warm feeling inside my chest right now.