Violet Montemayor

"Call me more often, iha," wika ng lolo ko nang ihatid niya ako sa airport pabalik sa Maynila. He is a mayor in Davao. Sa Davao kasi ako that summer kasi birthday ni Dad. I was supposed to fly to Manila yesterday but my flight got cancelled dahil signal number two. It is supposed to be the first day of University today pero absent ako. Tinawagan na kahapon ng lolo ko ang Dean ng Political Science Department. "Of course, old man. You take good care of yourself. Please tell Dad that I'm going to see him next week." "How about you bring Nika with you? She can-" "Noooo! Let Nika focus on her studies here. And besides, I can handle myself now. I'm already seventeen." Nika is my nanny's daughter. We used to be in the same High School. Scholar kasi ito ng lolo ko. And she used to be my friend. Kaibigan pa rin naman ang turing ko sa kanya ngayon. Pero siya na mismo ang nag-a isolate ng sarili niya. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako nang mag-ring ang cellphone nito. Its my go signal para umalis na dahil siguradong may emergency meeting na naman sa munisipyo. Hindi ko nga akalain na matiis ko ang buong bakasyon na magkulong sa bahay. In one month parang limang beses ko lang nakita si Dad dahil sa trabaho nito. In one month tatlong beses ko lang nakasama sa pagkain si lolo at puro sa party pa na dinaluhan namin. And about my mother? Well, I don't have one. Okay lang sana kung si Zeus ang ama ko but I don't believe in myths. Sabi ng yaya ko noong 10 years old ako na iniwan daw ako ng mommy ko kay Dad dahil mas importante ang career nito. Ipinapakita lang no'n kung gaano siya ka selfish. Pagkatapos noon, hindi ko na nakita ang yaya kong iyon. At Violet pa talaga ang ipinangalan sa akin. Violet; means 'second chance,' but for me, second chances sucks. I kiss my grandfather on both cheeks. "Bye. . . " "Bye, iha. Mag-ingat ka." I smiled and then walked away. "Call me when you need anything, okay?" I nod without turning my back. I don't want him to see me cry. *** "Miss Montemayor, nandito na po tayo, ma'am." Nagulat pa ako nang katukin ng bago kong driver ang bintana ng back seat. I grab my shoulder bag and my sunglasses. "Just put my luggage there. Ako na ang. . ." I stopped mid-sentence when I realized that I was in the middle of a parking lot—the worse place in MMU. And the worst part? Sa akin nakatingin ang lahat ng mga losers na pagala-gala doon. I shrug my shoulders. Matapos ay nilingon ko si kuya. Bakit ba hindi niya ako ginising at tanungin kung saan niya ako ihahatid? Well, first-timers always suck. I just rolled my eyes at saka kinuha ang mga luggage ko. Thank goodness, I am wearing one of my decent clothes: shorts short and a sleeveless top. I heard a lot of whispers as I walked past those losers. "She's still here?" "Another hell year." "Welcome to the fifth doomsday." Ngumiti lang ako. Ano ba problema ng mga ito? Siyempre hindi lang naman sila ang biniyayaan ng mayamang magulang 'no. Matagal pa bago ma bankrupt ang isang Montemayor kaya titiisin na muna nila ang pagmumukha ko. Kung may pera ka hindi ka makakaalis ng MMU kahit anong rule pa ang nilabag mo. Simple lang naman ang ginawa namin last school year eh. Denisse posted Marvin Montejar's s*x video with the practice teacher in Aeronautics Department using my YouTube Channel. *** "Look who's here." Napaangat ang tingin ni Lanz nang kalabitin siya ng bago niyang kakilala sa bago niyang University. The Mary Magdalene University, the not so famous University but got a lot of cuties. He smiled when he remembered what happened last night. The first time is always fun. He just bedded one of MMU's hottest girls. So, he thinks this new University doesn't suck at all. Mario pointed something to him- no, someone. A girl is walking towards them. Not a transferee. Too tall for his taste, too skinny, too serious, too pretty, and too sure of herself. You can say that someone is too sure of themselves on how they carry themselves. This one is not his type. "Not my type," he said, grinning. Mario ignored him. Then he waves his hand. "Hey, babe. See you tonight?" he shouted at the woman. The girl shows Mario her middle finger and a flying kiss. He grinned. "You want her?" He asks. "Everybody's wish." "I can play as your fairy godmother. But before you, I want to have her first." "I thought she's not your type, man." "I can break my own rules. Besides, I can say that she's not into me. I do like challenges." He grinned and gave Mario a wink. *** "Welcome back. . ." isang mahigpit na yakap ang sumalubong sa akin sa pagpasok ko pa lang sa dorm. My friends are already there. From the book addict, Tamara Hale. Hardcore, Louise Torres to a soft-spoken, Denisse Saavedra. "Hindi kayo pumasok?" tanong ko sa kanila. "Why should we? We're waiting for you." "Oh yeah? Sa pagkakaalam ko wala akong subject na kasama kayo. You're all bad influence," I laugh. "I was just kidding pero wala na talaga tayong subjects na magkapareho ngayon," I continued. "Sa'yo lang dahil magkaklase kaming tatlo sa P.E." "Good for you, guys." "And party tonight," Denisse said while dancing like a maniac. "And you know what, Vi? Darwin tried to hit me this summer." "He sucks." "Indeed." The next day na kami pumasok. Medyo may hang over pa nga ako nang pumasok ako sa una kong klase. Then umuwi ako after that class dahil vacant ko pa naman. Natulog ulit ako. I woke up and and ended up five minutes late in my next class. Ayaw ko na sanang pumasok pero ayaw kong maka-miss ng dalawang lectures. Mahirap an. Kahit ganito lang ako ay gusto ko parin na matuto at matapos ang kurso ko. Gusto ko kasing maging abogado. Front rows are always my place pero dahil late ako at absent ako noong first day ang professor ko na mismo sa History class ang pumili ng upuan ko para sa akin. "I wish for this year to be great to all of us," our professor said, eyeing me. I sigh. Sino ba naman ang nag-utos kay Marvin na mag-s*x sa isang public area? "Hangover?" Nanayo bigla ang balahibo ko nang may bumulong sa akin mula sa likuran. But I didn't dare to look back. I nod and focus on what our professor are saying. Natapos ang isang oras at kalahati na wala pa rin akong nakukuhang sense kung ano ang nangyayari sa paligid ko. I think something is wrong with me. Inaantok pa rin ako. Kaya tinulugan ko ang buong Literature class ko. Ginising lang ako ng prof ko para palabasin. Tinawanan ako ng mga kaklase ko. Hell day, right? But I don't care. Why should I give a s**t? They don't deserve my attention.