How to Love

Chapter 2

How to Love

Chapter 2

First day of classes ngayon at syempre medyo excited na kinakabahan ako habang naglalakad papuntang school. Naglalakad ako kasi malapit lang naman, mga 15 minutes of walk lang nandoon na ko. Tsaka morning exercise na rin. Habang papunta akong school, katext ko yung best friend kong si Sofia Salvador. Nandun na daw kasi siya sa school at pinagmamadali na ko.

Pagdating ko ng school, ang dami nang tao sa labas ng gate. Mga nagaantayan pa, magkikita lang din naman sa loob. Pumasok na ko sa school grounds at pumunta sa bulletin board kung saan nakalagay yung mga

section namin. Tuwing first day lang kasi nila nilalabas yung sectin list. Ang daming tao sa tapat nung board kaya naman hindi na ko nakipagsiksikan pa.

Maya-maya nakita ko na si Sofia na ang laki ng ngiti sa mukha. "Best!" she called and I waved at her. "Magkasection tayo!" she said while she was near enough.

"Weh? Anong section natin?" I asked in disbelief. "Section 3." She answered.

"Akyat na tayo?" I asked her.

"Tara!" she said.

While on our way to our classroom, kinwento ko sa kanya yung nangyari sakin nung nakaraan-yung tungkol sa lalaking nanakawan ng bag? Hindi ko kasi makwento sa kanya kasi kakauwi lang niya galing Puerto Prinsesa nung isang araw. Isang linggo din sila dun.

Tawa lang siya ng tawa although hindi ko naman alam kung bakit siya natatawa. Actually, wala naman dapat pagtawanan dun sa nangyari kaya lang sadyang baliw lang 'tong best friend ko. Papasok na kami ng classroom nung biglang may tumawag sakin.

"Shane!" a boy shouted.

I looked back over my shoulder and saw my boy best friend, Ralph Mercado, running towards us.

"Uy! Best!" I said with a huge smile. Hindi ko kasi siya nakita buong summer eh. Nag-sports camp kasi siya.

"Section mo?"

"Obvious ba?" I asked and pointed at the sign on the window.

He looked at it for a moment before smiling down at me. Ang tangkad niya kasi! Siguro hanggang balikat niya lang ako. "Classmate pala kita eh."

"How unfortunate," I said jokingly. "Nga pala, classmate din natin si Sofia." I said jerking my thumb to Sofia's direction.

"Hi!" Ralph greeted her.

Bigla namang namula si Sofia bago tumango kay Ralph. Crush niya kasi si Ralph eh ever since freshman year.

Pinagbuksan kami ng pintuan ni Ralph at pinauna na kaming pumasok. Mga kalahati na yung mga estudyante dito. May mga nakita akong mga varsity, mga top students, mga baliw. Yung mga ganun daw ba.

Dun kami umupo sa pinakalikod, sa gitna ako nila Ralph at Sofia umupo. Si Ralph naman nagpunta na dun sa may aircon kung nasaan yung ibang mga varsity at nakipagkwentuhan.

Humarap ako kay Sofia. "Ano, best?" I asked and wiggled my eyebrows at her.

"Ano?" she asked innocently.

I snorted at her. "Anong 'ano?' Classmate natin si Ralph. Chance mo na 'to!" I said half shouting, half whispering.

"Ano ka ba! Nakakainis naman to eh." She said. "Bakit?"

"Tsss." She just said. Then I know, deep inside, she also realized that this is a chance for her.

I smiled widely at her. "Gusto mo dito umupo?" I offered.

"Di na, best. Baka masyado na tayong obvious." Then we both laughed.

After 5 minutes, dumami na kami sa loob ng classroom tapos dumating na yung adviser namin-si Ms. Rivera. Kilala namin siya kasi yung mga kakilala namin na higher levels favorite teacher siya. Siguro pang-apat na taon niya palang na nagtuturo.

"Good morning, class." She greeted with a warm smile.

We all stood up and greeted her. "Good morning, Ms. Rivera."

"Please be seated." She said. After a moment of silence, "Oh! Ang tahimik niyo!" she remarked.

"Ganyan talaga, miss. First day eh." Alvin said. Alvin was one of the varsities in basketball, in fact captain ball even when he was only a junior; tropa ni Ralph.

"Hindi ka mahiyain no, Mr. Cruz?"

"Tsk. Shy type nga po ako miss eh." Alvin said while shaking his head. "Kapal ng mukha!" Ralph said beside me and our classmates laughed.

"So!" sabi ni Miss habang nag-clap ng isang beses. "Alam ko naman na ayaw na ayaw ninyong nagiintroduce dito sa harap kaya naman ako na mismo ang kumilala agad sa inyo! Let's start from the back! Tignan natin kung nakabisado ko nga mga pangalan niyo. Sofia Salvador... Shane De La Vega... Ralph Mercado-"

"Yon! Kilala ako ni Miss!" he shouted in triumph and we all laughed again. Hindi ko alam kung bakit natatawa. Basta tawa na lang?

Then the names went on. Pagkatapos ni Miss maperfect yung mga pangalan namin kasama yung mga pangalan ng mga transferee she asked, "Alam niyo naman na pagdating dito sa St. Claire, kapag 3rd year and 4th year, yung

adviser na namimili ng estudyante. There is a reason kung bakit ka nandito sa klase ko ngayon."

"Para makakuha ng maraming gold medal sa intrams!" Alvin shouted and cheered and we all laughed again. Totoo nga naman, ang daming varsity sa klase na to. Siguro mga nasa sampu eh 35 to 40 students lang per class.

"Isa yan sa mga rason!" Miss admitted. "Alam niyo kasi, guys, ever since nung nagturo ako dito, wala pa kong nakukuhang gold medal." She said sadly. "Puro silver at bronze lang."

"Wag kang mag-alala, Miss. Bibigyan ka naming ng more than ten na gold medals this year." Alvin said.

"Talaga lang ah?" Miss said. "Anyway, ayoko naman ng i-discuss yung handbook since paulit-ulit na kayo dun simula nung first year pa kayo. Class officers na tayo." She said and grabbed a whiteboard marker from her table. "I now open the nomination for class president. Who would like to nominate?"

"I VOLUNTEER!" sabi ni Alvin sabay tayo. Pinalakpakan siya nung mga baliw niyang mga katropa tapos nagwave siya na parang senador na tumatakbo sa eleksyon. Lumapit si Alvin dun sa whiteboard at hiningi yung marker kay miss.

Ayaw pang ibigay ni miss and she was giving him a look. "Miss naman! Wala namang kumokontra eh." He whined.

"Ako kokontra!" she said. "Varsity ka diba?" then Alvin nodded his head. "Eh pano na lang yung classroom niyo kung wala dito ang president pag-meets niyo na?"

"Edi hahanap na lang tayo ng magandang vice president." He said and scanned the room with his eyes. "Ayun!" he said after a minute. "Yon! Yung babae dun sa may dulo! Oo... ikaw nga miss."

I looked sideways on the opposite row. I knew that girl. She was one of the students from Section 1, which was the pilot section. I wondered why she was here on Section 3. By the way, Section 1 lang yung pilot section namin, the rest hindi na. Parang random na yung mga estudyante; hindi na sukatan ng talino.

The girl pointed at herself. "Ako?"

"Oo ikaw na nga! You're the one." Alvin said and started writing on the board. Napansin kong biglang namula yung babae. Well, ikaw ba naman masabihan ng You're the one ng captain ng basketball team, hindi ka ba naman mamumula kahit hindi romantic yung pagkakasabi?

"Christine Diaz ka diba?" Alvin asked her. The girl nodded after a moment and Alvin wrote her name beside the vice president. "Ayan, miss! Ok na!" sabi ni Alvin kay Miss. "Mukha namang responsable si Christine eh. Siya nang bahala pagwala ako."

"Ay nako, ewan ko sa inyo." Sabi ni Miss sabay upo dun sa upuan niya.

"Oh game na ulit. I now open the nomination for escort."

"Teka lang! Bakit escort agad?"

"Eh kasi, Miss, lagi na lang tayong nagsisimula sa taas. Pwede bang sa baba naman? Para mabago lang yung takbo ng buhay natin."

"Ay bahala kayo." She muttered but loud enough for us to hear. "Nomination for escort?" Alvin asked us once again.

Tapos bigla na lang tumayo yung katabi ko at sumigaw ng "I volunteer!" "Kapal ng mukha nito." I said, loud enough for only Ralph to hear. "Mana sayo, best eh." He whispered.

Mana sakin? Excuse me, hindi po kaya makapal ang mukha ko. I was painfully shy.

"Wala nang kokontra ah?" sabi ni Alvin. "Wala naman ng mas popogi pa kay Ralph dito pwera lang ako." He said and turned his back to us and started writing on the board again.

"Oy! Mas pogi pa rin ako sayo!" sabi ni Ralph.

"Oo nga eh, sobrang pogi mo naging kamukha mo na yung kuko ko sa paa." Sabi ni Alvin.

Natawa naman kaming lahat, pati si Ralph natawa din.

"Oy guys, tama na yan." Sabi nung babaeng varsity samin ng volleyball.

"Biruan lang naman yun. No, pre?" sabi ni Alvin.

"Oo naman." Sagot naman ni Ralph. "Kasi alam ko naman na mas pogi talaga ako sayo."

"Tumahimik ka na nga diyan, Ralph. Ang daldal mo eh." Alvin jokingly said. "Muse na. Any nominations?"

Nag-iintay ako ng tatayo at sisigaw ng 'I volunteer' ng parang lang dun sa Hunger Games. Saludo talaga ako kay Katniss nun!

"I nominate... yun! Yung babaeng katabi nung escort." I looked on the other side of Ralph's seat and find an empty walkway. Katabi nung escort? Si Ralph yung escort diba? Eh wala naman siyang katabi, pwera lang ako.

Oh God! Ako nga yung nanominate! Ay, putik na yan. I leaned back and looked at the person who nominated me; transferee siya. Mark yata pangalan? I just sent him a smile and huffed when I looked away from him.

"Ang corny." I muttered.

"Any nominations?" tanong ni Alvin.

I raised my hand and said, "I nominate... Sofia Salvador for muse." Tapos bigla naman akong nakaramdam ng hampas sa braso ko. "Ouch! Grabe, Best. Wagas makahampas, ganun?"

"Ops! Pwede po bang pumunta yung dalawang candidate dito sa harapan?" Alvin asked.

-

"Pano ba yan, best? Muse pala kita eh." Ralph said once I was seated beside him again.

"Ang panget pala nung escort ko nakakainis." I said. "Anung sabi mo?"

"WALA! Sabi ko ang pogi mo!"

"Best, alam ko naman na yan eh. Di mo na kailangan pang ulitin." He said cockily. Binatukan ko nga. "Joke lang, best. Eto naman, hindi mabiro." He said while shaking his head.

The election passed by quickly. Hindi ko alam kung paanong naging muse ako! Badtrip. Sofia ended up as the class's secretary. Buti na lang never pa kong naging secretary. Ang panget kasi ng sulat ko sa whiteboard eh; parang kinalahid lang ng manok pero kapag sa notebook okay naman.

Hanggang 12 lang kami ngayon since first day pa lang. In-assign kami ni Miss na gumawa ng pang-decorate sa bulletin board kaya sabi ko kay Christine ngayon na lang namin gawin para wala na kaming iintindihin kapag naging busy na sa regular school days. Si Sofia umalis agad, kasama niya pa kasing umuwi yung kapatid niyang grade 2.

"Best, dun tayo sa inyo ngayon." Yaya ni Ralph.

"Huh? Ah eh, pupunta ko kila Christine eh."

"Anong gagawin mo dun?"

"Gagawin yung para sa bulletin board."

"Ah sige. Ingat kayo ah?" he said. Tumango ako. "Text ka pag nakauwi ka na."

"Yes, boss."

Ganyan si Ralph, caring na best friend at gentleman pa kaya lang may pagkamayabang na din.

Habang palabas kami ng school grounds ni Christine, nakasalubong ko yung dalawa kong close friend last year. Si Kristoff at Karen. Fraternal twins sila. And just so you know, beki po si Kristoff.

"Baby!" sigaw nilang dalawa sa kanilang dulo ng hallway, arms linked together. Baby kasi tawagan naming tatlo.

"Hi!" I said and waved them over. Nung malapit na sila, niyakap nila ko. "Anong section niyo?"

"Section 4." They simultaneously said and laughed. "Ikaw?" "Section 3. Ang daya bakit magkasama kayo?"

"Di ko nga alam eh. Nauumay na po ako dito kay Kristoff. Lagi ko na lang kasama kahit saan simula school hanggang bahay." Sabi ni Karen.

Kristoff then, unlinked their arms. "Ah so ganun?! Nagsasawa ka na sakin. Anong klaseng kakambal ka?!"

Natawa naman kami sa pag-acting na nagtatampo ni Kristoff.

"Ay Baby, classmate mo si Papa Ralph?" tanong ni Kristoff sakin. Tumango ako. "Bat di mo kasama?" he asked and then looked over my shoulder as if Ralph was hiding behind me.

"Aalis ako eh." Then I remembered that I have company. "Hmm, nga pala si Christine."

"Hello." Bati ni Christine.

"Hi!" Bati naman nung kambal. "Ay taray, bakla! New friends ka na." sabi ni Kristoff sakin.

I laughed. "Hala? Aalis na ko. Text ko na lang kayo mamaya."

"Ay oo nga, punta pa tayong guidance." Sabi naman ni Karen kay Kristoff. Bumeso sila sakin at naglakad na sa opposite na hallway.

"Tara na?" I asked Christine. Tumango naman siya. "Kaibigan mo pala yung kambal." sabi ni Christine. "Ah oo!" I said with a smile.

"Parang ang saya nilang kasama." she said.

I hummed in agreement. "One time, isasama kita samin." Christine smiled at me. "Bakit hinahanap ni Kristoff si Ralph?"

"Patay na patay kasi siya dun eh." I said and giggled. "Crush na crush. Lalo na nung naging magkakaklase kami last year." Christine shook her head unbelievingly. "Don't tell me pati ikaw may crush kay Ralph."

"Wala ah!" she denied almost instantly. I raised my eyebrow suspiciously at her. "Promise wala." Then she held up a hand.

I nodded but when she looked away I took a glance at her. Wala nga.

Himala? Walang gusto kay Ralph. Parang gusto ko na lang matawa na pakiramdam ko na lahat ng babae may gusto kay Ralph. Well, pag naman nakasama mo naman talaga si Ralph di mo maiiwasang hindi magkagusto sa kanya. I don't know why pero immune ako sa kanya. Though, to be truly honest, naging crush ko si Ralph nung second year, mga 40%. Pero nung medyo tumagal na at naging close kami, alam namin sa isa't isa na hanggang friends lang kami. We were better off friends.

Actually, hindi lang kay Ralph nag-aaply yan. Sa lahat ng tao. If you take your time getting to know someone inside and out, surely and without fail, you'll just be surprised that you are already at the end of the cliff of falling in love.