MY TWO FACED GIRLFRIEND

Chapter 5 -This Is Freedom

I am thrilled that daddy won't be around for the next three days, he has a business convention outside the country and same goes with Rose na out of town naman with her friends. We've already planned kung paano ako makakalabas ng mansion and makakapasok sa university without getting caught by our househelps. Tutal ay ilan morning classes lang naman ang meron si Rose sa three days na wala siya kaya madali na lang lusutan yun if ever. Pinauna namin umalis si daddy before Rose sneaks out with her bag, ang alam ko ay magne-nature tripping sila ng mga friends niya but she didn't told me where. I am already done preparing for what I will bring for today, dumaan muna ako sa dining room to have my breakfast.

"Mam Rose?" inangat ko ang tingin ko sa isang maid. "Dadalhan po ba namin ng breakfast si Mam Hyacinth sa kwarto niya?"

"No need. I went there already at late na daw siya kakain, napuyat daw siya last night may binasa na something. So don't bother my sister, let her sleep lang. Kahit anong mangyari dito sa mansion ay huwag na huwag niyo siyang abalahin sa sleep niya. Got it?" ginaya ko pa ang mga sinasabi ni twinny sa maids namin kapag nagbibilin siya rito.

"Yes po, Mam Rose."

"Inform the others as well. Lalabas naman yun kapag she's hungry already." I sip my orange juice then wipe my lips dry. "I'll go ahead." naglalakad na ako palabas. Mabilis na binuksan ng driver ni Rose ang car niya and I went in. I smile at myself nang nagsimula na kaming mag-travel papunta sa university. Paghinto sa harap ng gate ay binuksan ko na ang door. "Fetch me by 12 noon."

"Alam ko na po, Mam." I just shrugged my shoulders and went out.

I am really excited since I will be free for three days. Three days akong makakapasok dito sa university ng straight. Three days akong hindi makukulong sa mansion. This is freedom for me. The excitement I am feeling consumes me as I walk towards Rose's locker. Magaan sa pakiramdam yung ganitong normal living unlike kapag nasa mansion lang ako, I feel like a prisoner there. Kaya naman susulitin ko talaga ang three days na binigay sa akin na freedom ng twin ko. Maaga kaming pinalabas ng professor sa last class namin, an hour bago pa mag-12 noon so I've decided na magpunta sa cafeteria to have a light snack. Naka-order na ako and already seated alone sa dulong part ng cafeteria. I am about to have a bite sa sandwich that I have bought when a group of female students stop at my table.

"Excuse us, transferee, but you are seated at the wrong table." a tall and slender girl spoke. Inangat ko ang head ko and look at her.

"Excuse me?" tumingin ako sa paligid and I see several vacant tables around kaya nagtataka ako bakit nito nasabi na mali ang table na pinuwestuhan ko.

"It seems hindi niya yata alam that this table is designated for us, Trina." a petite blonde haired girl answered.

"We forgave you, transferee, since you are just new here." I smile at the one who is called Trina. "You can vacate this table now, as in now because we are really famished." biglang kumunot ang noo ko sa narinig ko. Ang bastos naman ng Trina na ito, nakita naman niya na nakaupo na ako and is about to eat then paalisin niya ako.

"There are lots of vacant tables where you can sit naman, Miss, I hope you won't mind if I sit here since I am here first." I meekly answered without any intentions of creating a scene.

"Huh! This table MISSY is for CHEERLEADERS only! Are you a cheerleader?" hindi na ako sumagot pabalik sa sinabi ni Trina. Ayoko ng away since hindi naman talaga ako part ng university na ito and I don't know how to fight especially if ganitong marami sila. As much as possible I don't want to ruin my twin's name sa school niya.

"I think hindi ka yata niya narinig, Trina." I gaze at the most elegant looking girl among their group. She's good looking and sophisticated, matangkad rin siya and demure.

"I heard her." They all smile widely. "But it's impolite to shoo someone away lalo na if wala naman nakalagay na reserved at the table." I took a bite of a sandwich and didn't mind them.

"You're bitchy, transferee, do you know that? Do you know who we are for you to speak to us in that manner?" hindi parin paawat na sabi ng tinawag nilang Trina.

"Let's just let her be, Trina. Tutal bago lang naman siya dito."

"But Selena!"

"Let's order something, gutom na talaga ako." the girl who was called Selena utters but before she walk away ay umupo siya sa harapan ko. "I am Selena by the way, the head cheerleader of this university. Continue your snack, don't mind us. We'll just sit beside you na lang after we order." saka ito tumayo and walk along. After a while ay nagbalik na sila, all five of them and sit at the empty seats where I am. Binilisan ko na lang ang pagkain dahil ang ingay nila. But before ko pa maubos ang sandwich ko, someone called my twin's nickname kaya napalingon ako.

"Rose!" I saw Ivan waving at me, he is with his friends I guess. Maya-maya pa ay nakatayo na siya sa table namin. The other girls greet him but he just nod at them.

"Hi Ivan." the Selena girl said. Tinignan lang siya ni Ivan then look at me again.

"Hi Rose. Join us sa table namin, I'll introduce you to my friends." bago pa ako makasagot ay kinuha na niya ang books that I have borrowed at the library kanina.

"Oh-kay." tumayo na ako pero hindi nakaligtas sa akin ang mga stares ng mga kasama ko sa table. He lead me to where his friends are saka pinaupo ako sa inupuan niya kanina. Pinakilala niya ako sa mga friends niya. They are also noisy but I prefer their company rather than dun sa mga cheerleaders kanina. When it is almost 12 noon ay nagpaalam na ako sa kanila that I have to go. Nag-prisinta pa si Ivan na samahan ako palabas na hindi ko naman kinon-tradic.

"You knew those girls kanina na kasama mo sa table, Rose?" umiling lang ako as I walk. "They are the university's cheerleaders. Si Selena, ang head nila sa squad."

"I see."

"So wala ka ng classes?"

"Wala na. Pauwi na nga ako."

"Ako din wala na. You want to go to the mall with me? Hangout lang, maaga pa naman. Kung gusto mo lang naman." napaisip ako sa sinabi niya.

I haven't been to a mall all my life. What he offered add anticipation sa excitement na nararamdaman ko kanina. Wala naman sigurong masama if I will go with him. He seems to be a nice person, mukha rin naman siyang mapagkakatiwalaan. At isa pa, I get to go at the mall now.

"I'll just talk to my driver para masabihan siya to go ahead."

"Sige. I can take you home if you want to." ngumiti lang ako sa kanya as we walk towards the gate.

Dahil first time ko being at a mall, I am astonished sa ganda and spacious nito. There are lots of stalls and boutiques of different varieties and there are also some food carts as well. Nakakatuwa na tingnan. I feel like a child amazing at this wonderful place, I am literally overjoyed. Hindi ko napansin na kanina pa pala nakatingin sa akin ang kasama ko.

"What?"

"Nothing. Nakakatawa ka lang pagmasdan, Rose. It seems like ngayon ka lang nakapunta sa mall sa amazement mo right now of this place." hindi ko maiwasan na mag-blush.

"Ngayon na lang kasi ako ulit nakapunta dito."

"You want some ice cream?" kaagad akong tumango. I love ice cream. It's my favorite, especially double Dutch. He held my wrist na medyo kinailang ko as we headed to an ice cream cart, there were lots of flavors to choose from and lots of toppings as well. "What do you want to have, Rose? You want double Dutch?" I quickly nodded. He ordered two cones at nang mabigay na sa amin ay naghanap kami ng bench where we can settle.

"How did you know that it's my favorite flavor?" I said after licking my ice cream.

"It does?" tumango ako ulit. "Talaga? Favorite ko rin kasi ito of all the flavors in the ice cream land." napangiti ako sa sinabi niya. He smile widely at me before leaning back, ginaya ko siya. We silently eat our ice creams as my eyes continues to roam around.

We spent two hours at the mall saka ako nag-decide to go home. Gusto niya akong ihatid pero nag-taxi na lang ako pauwi, hindi rin naman siya nag-insist. Isinakay pa niya muna ako ng taxi saka kinausap ang driver to know its name, bago siya nag-wave sa akin. Pagdating sa mansion ay kaagad akong nagpunta sa room ko and lock the door. I immediately lay on my bed habang nakangiti.

I had fun at the mall kahit pa sabihin na saglit lang naman ako dun at nag-stroll lang kami ni Ivan and ate ice cream. I know I don't get to have opportunities like this kaya naman talagang masaya ako. Masaya rin kasama si Ivan at hindi siya boring kausap. Nalaman ko rin that he is working during Friday night and weekends sa isang bar as a bartender. Isa rin siyang varsity player sa university. I am glad that I finally have a new friend sa katauhan ni Ivan, it is some kind of an achievement for me sa tagal kong nakakulong lang dito sa mansion. Tomorrow I planned to go back to the mall to go shopping. May sarili naman akong cash na pwede kong gastusin. Hindi pa man ay excited na ako mag-bukas, iniisip ko na kung ano ang mga bibilhin ko.

Three days had passed by so quickly. Unang nakabalik si Rose then si dad. Maraming sila pasalubong for me which I already knew because they've told me that bago pa sila umalis. And since three days akong straight na pumasok sa university ni Rose, today is her turn na daw na pumasok. Kahit naman mahilig gumala ang twin ko na yun ay matalino siya and studious when she puts her heart at it.

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I am on my way to the cafeteria now, I woke up late, that's why I haven't had breakfast at home. Since I still have less than an hour to spare before my first class, I decided to grab something to eat first. When I've finally paid for my meal, I head to a table where seldom students sit. Kalahati na ang nakain ko when a group of female students stood at the table where I was seated.

"Excuse me but you are sitting again at our table, transferee." I lift an eyebrow before glancing at the one who spoke.

"I haven't seen any reserved signage on top of the table for you to say that this is your table." mataray kong sagot before continuing eating. But the spoon I am holding hangs suspended in mid air when that student suddenly sits in front of me. "Excuse me? Have I said that you may sit there?" I demurely wipe my lip with a table napkin, nawalan na ako ng ganang kumain because of this b***h na basta na lang umupo without asking for any permission.

"You see, Transferee..."

"Mind you, I have a name. And it's not transferee. But let me guess yours." I place my polished pointing finger under my chin and pretend to be thinking. "Your name is b***h, am I right?" Then I smirk.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!"

"And how dare you sit on someone's table without being asked to."

"Stop that Trina, you're attracting attention. Nakakahiya sa ibang students here." a much good looking but not as much as I am said.

"And you are?" I glance at her.

"Selena." binalik ko ang tingin ko sa student with the name Trina b***h.

"Selena's right, b***h, nakakahiya sa other students here."

"Stop calling me b***h!"

"Then stop acting as one." I gather my LV bag before getting up. "Now if you'll excuse me girls, I have a class to attend to." Before turning my back at them, I stare at them one by one to familiarize their pathetic faces. Baka sakaling makita ko sila again, I will know instantly. I was about to push the cafeteria door when somebody pushed it for me. I look up at a male student who smiles at me.

"Hi Rose. Papasok ka na?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry." mabilis akong lumabas at walk straight ahead. I heard him calling my nickname but I didn't mind him.

Siya siguro ang student na tinutukoy ng twin ko. The one na nakipag-kilala sa kanya who happen to be my classmate sa ibang subjects ko. Well in fairness, he kinda look charming but not good enough for me. Sorry na lang siya but he doesn't fancy me a bit.

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