The silence she left behind

Chapter 1:

Why do you need your Ate Maya in your school, Amari?" My papa asked while he's reading a document in his desk.

" Because ang layo kaya ng room ko from the cafeteria, dad. I will sweat if I'll walk that far. " Maarte kong sagot na ikinakunot naman ng noo niya.

" What are you? Disabled? So what, if you'll sweat? That's not a problem at all. Huwag mong pairalin ang kaartehan mo, Amari!". Matalas ang mata ni Dad habang nakatingin parin sa documents niya.

" If it is not negotiable, I think an e-bike will do. I can ride that when I'll go in the cafeteria or in anyplace at school, dad!." I cheerfully said. Actually, I don't need those things that I'm asking for. I'm just actually bored. Besides, he was out of the country for almost a month at kaninang madaling araw lang siya dumating and yet, instead of facing her one and only daughter, mas inuna pang harapin ang limpak-limpak na mga papel dito sa study room niya.

But an e-bike is not actually a bad idea!

" Please, dad? I badly need an e-bike! Sumasakit din ang paa ko because of my heels! " muling ungot ko. Hindi na ata matagalan ni dad ang hinaing ko at inis na iniwan ng kanyang mata ang binabasang dokumento.

" Why do you even wear high heels?! You're just a grade 8 student! Santisima, Amari! You don't even know how to ride a bike and you're asking for an e-bike?! ". napangiwi ako sa lakas ng boses ni dad. Good. I finally got his attention na mas nagpasaya sa akin.

" That's why I need Ate Maya at school, dad! She'll drive the e-bike!". Hindi na kumibo si dad at kinuha na ni dad ang kanyang cellphone at nag dial sa numero ng kanyang personal assistant.

" Buy an e-bike. The latest one, I need it before lunch. " He ended the call and goes back in his business. Seems like I finally got the e-bike but not his full attention.

Bumalik ako sa room ko and I also called Ate Maya. I was busy fixing my bed when she barge in.

" May kailangan ka, Amari?" she softly asked. I smiled at her and motioned to sit on my bed. She sat beside me at inilapag ang snacks sa bed side table. I opened the tv and blasted the volume.

"Amari, masyadong malakas!" sita sa akin ni Ate Maya, but i just ignored her. "This is better, dad won't hear us." wala na siyang nagawa at hindi na kumibo nang makita niyang inilabas ko ang spare Macbook ko. Dad doesn't know about it, tanging kami lang ni ate Maya ang nakakaalam ang tungkol dito. Besides, she's my mother's bestfriend.

"Amari Reign? Why did you call me, anak? Is your dad there? Baka marinig ka niya, anak". the woman in the other line said with her worried yet gentle voice. I almost cried when I heard her. It's been months since the last time I talked to my mother.

"Dont worry, My. He's at home but he is always busy. When will you go home? Please, isama mo na ako diyan, My." I'm already crying at buti na lang malakas ang volume ny tv. Ate Maya held my shoulder and tried to comfort me.

" I missed you so muck, nak. But you know how difficult the situation is. Your dad is still mad at me, and I need to do all his condition para hindi ka ilayo sa akin. Please take care of her Maya, wag mong pababayaan ang anak ko diyan." It's been a year since my mom left the house, and until now, I don't know the reason why.

" You don't have to worry about her, Amara." We've talked for atleast two hours and when lunch time came, a maid called us kaya tinapos na din namin ang tawag.

Kinabukasan, halos lahat ata ng dinadaanan ko ay napapatingin sa akin. Napangisi ako sa mga naiinis nilang tingin. I'm riding the e-bike but of course, it was my Ate Maya, the one who took care of me since I was a child, driving the e-bike toward my building.

" Ang lakas ng trip mo Amari Reign! ". Ngumisi ako ng marinig ang boses na iyon. It was Hetti, my one and only friend at Narvacan National Central High School. It is a public school here in Ilocos and yet my dad decided that I should study here.

" Get in, Hetti. I don't wanna sweat walking around the campus." maarte kong tugon. Sumakay naman siya at tuwang- tuwa habang mayabang na nakatingin sa mga studyante.

Bumaba kami sa tapat ng main building at halos dumugin naman kami ng mga kaklase namin.

" Aba! Ang rich kid naka e-bike! Panigurado pagiinitan ka na naman ni Dessamarie! " Hirit ng isa kong classmate and I just rolled my eyes.

" She's just inggit because she doesn't afford to buy one. " tumawa ng malakas si Hetti ay halos kita na ang elemento sa kanyang bibig. I pick my wallet at hinugot ang buong 500 bill.

" Ate Maya, just park the e-bike at the corner. Get this money and just rent a cab to go home". iniabot ko ang pera pero she's just looking at me like I have another head.

" Baliw talaga ang isang 'to! Bakit mo naman rerentahan ang tricycle pauwi?! Iba talaga ang mayaman! "- sinamaan ko ng tingin si Hetti telling her to shut up.

" Amari, your papa won't like this. Sino ang magmamaneho ng e-bike pauwi?". Ate Maya is a kind and very caring person. But sometimes she's a killjoy.

" Don't think about it, Ate Maya. I know what to do".- ngisi kong sagot at wala na siyang nagawa nang hinablot ko na ang susi.

" Amari Reign! You're so hard headed!" - We went inside our room. Binasa ko ang pangalan na nakalagay sa door at agad na napasimangot. Grade 8- Narra. God! I asked my papa that I should be on one of the two special classes but he refused. The reason? I'm not smart daw!

" Oi, Amari! Sa break mamaya, turuan kita mag e-bike para hindi ka muntanga mamaya pag uwian na! "- nag thumbs up ako kay Hetti at humalumbaba na ako sa mesa. Our first period is Math and the teacher is terrifying! Mrs. Labrador is a middle-aged woman with specs and she looks like miss minchin!

"Ms. Camero, since you are spacing since I started blabbering here, come in front and solved the problem".- Nanlalaki ang butas ng ilong ni ma'am and my classmates started to laugh when I nervously stand up. People were calling me a dumb rich kid but sa math lang naman ako hindi magaling!

" Ma'am, she doesn't know the answer! ". - Sumimangot ako sa itinuran ng isa kong kaklase. As if I know their names. I do not have the time to remember their names since they don't matter at all.

" Ma'am, ako na lang! Tropapips ko naman si Amari, e! ". -Tumayo si Hetti at kinuha ang chalk mula sa kamay ko at sinagutan na ang math problem sa board.

I sighed as a I sat down on my chair. I was so bored during our lecture, inilabas ko ang spare notebook and I started to write. Nobody knows that even if I'm dumb in math, I always have a heart in writing, I even dreamt to be a writer but that dream was immediately cut down when I told my father that I wanted to pursue literature. He wants me to study business, but I hate numbers!

" Alam mo, Mari? Kung hindi ka lang maganda, pagkakamalan kitang may sanib".- I was pulled back in reality when Hetty jabbed my shoulder. I glared at her and she just grin at the end.

" You know what Hetti? Why don't you mind your own business! I'm busy here! Duh?!"- I blurted out but as usual, she would just grin the heck out of me.

" Kahit na mataray ka, ako lang ata ang nakatitiis sayo. Alam mo kasi, Mari..." - her supposedly speech was cut off when I stand up, looking at her with disgust.

" Are you tomboy? Why are you suddenly blurting inappropriate things?!".- Tumingin siya sa akin at halos umusok naman ang ilong niya.

" Aba, gaga ka ba? Ako matotomboy sayo? Asa ka, accla! Gutom ka lang, tara na at gusto ko nang i drive ang e-bike mo!".-

We went out of the classroom and goes directly at the right corner of the main building. It was already break time kaya madami nang nagsisilabasan. Some were even eyeing my e-bike, at taas noo akong lumapit doon.

" Kay Amari pala! Iba talaga ang spoiled brat na yan e!". - I proudly inserted the key on my e-bike, sumakay din si Hetti sa likod since my e-bike is four seated wheel.

"I'll drive get in the back seat"- I proudly said, while Hetti seems to hesitate, inunahan ko na sigang umupo sa driver's seat.

"Teka lang, Mari a!- Biglang bumaba ulit si Hetti at nanakbo sa paradahan ng motor. She talked to a guy at halos tumaas ang kilay ko when she was already holding two helmets!

" What's with the helmet? I bet that's smell horrible! "- she rolled her eyes at muling sumakay.

" Better be safe than sorry, teh! Makulit lahi mo, Camero! Sabing tuturuan pa kita pero bida-bida ka naman, edi go! Mag drive kana alipin!"- humalakhak siya at isinuot na ang helmet. She tried to make me wear it but I refused! That's just not so clean! I wouldn't risk myself to get germs on my skin, noh!

I started the engine, and I was suddenly nervous as hell! I don't know how to drive pala!

" Tanginamo, Mari! Kapag ako nawalan ng ngipin dito isusumpa ko ang angkan mo!" I rolled my eyes as Hetti started blabbering. Unang pihit palang sa steering wheel ng e-bike ay halos lumipad na ang sinasakyan namin.

"Oh god! Hetti! I don't know where's the break here! It's too fast!!" - the students around us started to look at us with disbelief, some were already laughing and some were already running because we might hit them!

" Gago ka, Mari! Siraulo ka! Ayoko pa mamatay! "- the ride were going fast every minute, I can't control the wheel and I think I might gonna die!

" Can you shut up? I'm trying my best here to stop the car! You're so maingay! " I almost cried when we almost hit the flag pole that was situated in the middle of the quadrangle. There are now teachers who were shouting at us, and the ROTC officers rode a bike to keep up with us.

" Lintek ka, Amari! Slow down!"- Hetti shouted. " Shut the hell up, gaga ka!" - I responded.

Someone suddenly jumped inside the e-bike and he immediately grab the steering wheel and tried to slow down the speed and he aggressively hit the breaks. We were almost threw out of the bike!

" For f**k's sake! Do not drive if you do not know how! Tangina! You almost hit someone earlier! "- nanlalamig at namamawis ang katawan ko because of adrenaline rush.

" Shuta ka Amari Reign! Harapin mo mag-isa si Pres a!"- biglang kumaripas papalayo si Hetti at naiwan ako with the person she calls " Pres".

" Miss, you need to come in the principal's office. "- I look at the peron who's sitting beside me. He was still holding the steering wheel, and my eyes almost winded when I saw his veins on his arms, it was almost popping out!