Over the Mountain

CHAPTER 6: LUNCH

CHAPTER 6: LUNCH

I don’t why I got excited when I saw Leo standing in the door frame of our room. He just looks the same. Not irritated or in a rush. He nods at me to signal me to leave the room and take my lunch. When exited the room, he then stands firmly.

Hindi ko inaasahang sa pagsisimula naming maglakad ay tatanungin niya ako kung kamusta ang unang umaga ko sa eskwelahan. Syempre, bilang ako si Sierra, ikwenento ko naman agad sa kaniya ang unang umaga ko sa school. Nakita ko kung paano siyang ngumiti ng bahagya ng ikwento kong mayroon na agad akong nakalapit sa aking mga classmate, si Celestine. Ngunit ganoon na lang ang gulat ko ng sabihin niyang kilala niya ito.

“How did you get to know her?” I curiously ask as we walk.

“She was lost during her first day here and I accidentally pass over her,” umpisa niya. “She obviously looks lost, so I help her. From that day she always greets and thanks me, until now. He calls me brother…which you don’t do,”

“And I will never do.” Then I smirk that made him chuckle.

“She’s a good girl,”

“How about me?”

He bowed his head and looks at me. “A brat girl,” he said so, I roll my eyes. “See? That’s the brat girl’s signature,”

“You are bullying me,”

“Am I?”

“Yes. Definitely yes,”

Leo chuckles again. “Stop being a brat. I’ll treat you to your lunch today,”

“Thank you!”

Napailing na lang si Leo hanggang sa tuluyan na kaming makapasok sa kanilang canteen. Yep, canteen daw sabi ni Leo. Hindi na rin naman ako nakipag sagutan pa na cafeteria at hindi canteen dahil sa aming dalawa, siya ang matagal na sa eskwelahang ito at ako ay bago pa lang.

Kumpara sa cafeteria sa dati kong school, nasa kalahati lamang ang lawak ng canteen na ito kung kaya’t medyo pahirapan ang paghanap ng lamesa at mauupuan. Kinailangan ko pang tumingkayad para makakita ng spot where we can eat our lunch. Tapos bigla ko namang narinig ang mahinang pagtawa ni Leo. Inis akong tumingin sa kaniya kung saan tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

He patted my head and told me that he already found a table for us. He leads the way pero dahil siksikan ay naipit ako at medyo nahuli sa pagsunod sa kaniya. He’s tall naman at madaling hanapin pero these students around me were also tall! Napasimangot na lang ako ng nai-stranded na talaga ako. Then I inhaled and exhaled. Nakipagsiksikan ako at nagpapasintabi sa mga nakakasabay at nakakasalubong ko hanggang sa makalampas na ako sa kumpulan ng mga students. Then there’s Leo waiting for me with his arms crossed in his chest. Napahinga siya ng maluwag bago lumapit sa akin at abutin ang aking palapulsuhan. Now, he walks as he hold me in my wrist.

“Hindi ka naman mapili sa pagkain, ‘diba?” tanong niya.

“Yeah. Basta huwag lang purong gulay,”

He squints his eyes. “Ayaw mo sa gulay?”

“Ayaw ko sa puros gulay na ulam,” pagtatama ko.

He smirks at me. “Alright.” He then removes his bag and places it on the chair in front of me. “Wait for me here.”

I smile at him cutely, but he just looks away. I pouted and rolled my eyes when he finally walks away. I watch him walk and I can’t help but observe that he stands out among the male students who are here in the canteen. He is just walking but he looks like a king with a crown in his head.

I shake my head and close my eyes. I’m being too nice to always compliment him. When I look back on where he was walking, he’s already gone. So, I just look around, trying to observe my new schoolmates.

Hindi katulad sa dati kong eskwelahan, ang mga estudyante dito ay tila ba malayang Malaya na gawin ang gusto nila. Dati sa eskwelahan ko, kahit nasa cafeteria ay makakakita ka ng karatulang nagsasabi na ‘observe silence’. Sa dati kong eskwelahan ay limitado ang galaw ng mga estudyante. Pwedeng maglaro pero dapat ay sa playground lang. Wala kang makikita na mga estudyanteng nagtatakbuhan o nagsisigawan sa loob ng cafeteria, tulad dito.

“Sierra,” sambit ni Leo na siyang pumukaw sa aking atensyon. “Masyado yatang malalim ang iniisip mo na hindi mo na naramdaman ang pagdating ko.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m just observing the students so I can easily adjust.”

“You don’t have to observe them and adapt what they do just so you can adjust,” he said as he put my plate in front of me. “You can do whatever you want to do without doing what others are doing,”

I smiled because I get what he said. “I’ll take note of that,” I said.

“Good. Then eat now,” he commanded.

I chuckled because he’s like a boss commanding his worker in the nicest way.

Habang kumakain kami ay nagkwe-kwentuhan din kaming dalawa. Parang naging bula ang awkwardness sa pagitan namin noong unang araw na nagkita kami. Hindi naman sa sobrang close na namin ngayon pero masasabi kong wala ng awkwardness sa pagitan naming dalawa. It’s nice because we’re friends naman.

Hindi naman pinalamapas ni Leo ang pagbibigay ng impormasyon sa akin tungkol sa school. Mga regular events ng school at iba pang bagay na sa mga susunod na araw ay mararanasan ko. I’m excited. Gusto kong malaman kung ano ang pakiramdam ng events sa public schools. I know that I shouldn’t expect much because private and public have both own standards on hosting an event. Siguro sa design and preparation ay lamang ang private but who knows. Baka sa public ay more fun.

“Busog ako,” sambit ko matapos naming kumain.

Leo smiled at me. “That’s good.”

“Anong ulam ito?” sabay turo ko sa isang ulam na hindi pamilyar sa akin. “It’s tasty.”

“Tortang puso ng saging,” sagot niya.

Natahimik ako at pilit na prino-proseso ang sagot niya. Nang sa huli ay natanto kong hindi ko alam ang uri ng ulam na ito ay nagkibit-balikat na lang ako. “Basta it’s tasty.”

“Next time, hahayaan kitang mamili ng ulam mo,” saad niyang maaliwalas ang mukha.

“For real?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko kung saan ay tumango naman siya. “Pero masyadong siksikan,” saad ko.

“Ako ang bahala,” aniya bago abutin ang kaniyang bag. “Tara na?”

“Uh-huh,” sambit ko ay isinukbit na rin ang aking bag.

Sabay kami muling naglakad ni Leo ngunit sa pagkakataong ito ay ibang direction ang tinahak ni Leo. Doon sa mas maluwang ang daraanan kaya naman ay hindi na ako dumaan sa siksikan. But as I walk beside Leo, I notice some group of girls seating on one table who were looking at us. At me with daggers in their eyes.

My brows furrowed. Why are they looking at me like that huh? Am I that beautiful? Are they insecure? Maybe yes or maybe no. But I am sure that they don’t like what they are seeing.

“Eyes on the way, Sierra,” Leo said with a warning in his tone. He let go of my shoulder when he had already assured my stand. “What are you thinking?”

I look up at him and then shake my head. “Nothing,”

“I know it’s something. Not nothing. So, tell me. Or I won’t wait for you later,” he blackmailed.

I pouted. “I just saw some group of girls eyeing me with daggers when we are passing on their table earlier.”

Leo didn’t blink but I saw how his chest move. He's inhaling and exhaling. “Maybe they are just looking at you because you’re new.”

“Ganoon ba dito? Do they really look at someone like that when they’re new?”

He pursed his lips. “Just don’t mind them.”

Napataas ako ng kilay sabay tango. “Okay,”

Nagpauna na ako sa paglalakad ngunit ilang sandali lang ay nasabayan na rin ako ni Leo. Sa laki ba naman ng kaniyang mga hakbang ay siguradong-sigurado na maaabutan niya ako. Sabay naming tinahak ang pasilyo na patungo sa mga classroom habang nagkwe-kwentuhan kami hanggang sa makarating na kami sa tapat ng aming classroom.

Leo stops and signals me to enter the room. I smiled at him, and I was about to thank him when someone calls him. The voice was in a high pitch tone, and I already know who it was. Celestine calls Leo again and then in just a blink, she’s already in front of me. Just like what Leo said, Celestine greeted him, calling ‘kuya’ that made me wince. When Leo caught me wincing, he silently chuckles. Then Celestine finally notices my presence.

“Oh? Magkasama kayo?” tanong niya.

“Hindi ba obvious?” sagot kong patanong din.

“Obvious,” sagot naman ni Celestine na tila hindi nakuha ang pagiging sarkastiko ko. “So, you know him Kuya Leo?”

Leo nods at Celestine. “Yes, Tin,”

Napataas ang kilay ko. Leo is calling her in her nickname. Or Leo made that nickname for her? I squint my eyes then Leo chuckles again that brought me back to my reverie.

Hindi na tinantanan pa ni Celestine si Leo ng tanong na masipag namang sinasagot ni Leo. Naging isang taga-pakinig na lang ako sa dalawa na hindi pa rin humihinto. Kaya naman ay napabuntong-hininga na ako sabay hila sa braso ni Celestine papasok sa classroom namin. Tsaka ako nagbalik tingin kay Leo na nasa pinto pa rin.

“Thanks for the lunch, Leo,” I said, pinning the last word that made him smirk manly at me.

Habang hila-hila ko papasok ng aming classroom si Celestine ay ramdam kong mayroong pares ng mata ang nakatitig sa akin. Kaya naman ay nagbalik tingin ako kay Leo na nakatingin nga sa akin. He smiled at me and the kinky girl inside me played. I wink at him and grin from ear to ear.

Pagkaupo namin ni Celestine sa aming upuan ay malaman niya akong tinignan. But I just ignore her. From the window, I watch Leo walks into the hall as he heads into their room. Unlike the other male students, Leo really stands out.

“I will warn you,” Celestine said that caught my attention. “Kuya Leo is the school’s heartthrob here,”

“And?” I unconsciously ask.

“You are the first-ever girl who is lucky to join him in lunch!”

“Then?”

“Hay, well, I just thought that maybe the girls in the upper class will hate you because you were seen eating together,” she said. “But since you’re just a kid, I bet they will let it slip. Thinks that you’re just a little sissy to Leo,” she added. “But you look mature at your age. We like mature at our age,” she corrected.

“Kid,” I murmur. “Whatever. I don’t care about others,”

Celestine smirks at me. “You’re really a Manila girl,”

I nodded at her as I remembers how the group of girls in the canteen earlier looks at me. I’m not scared though.

“Leo will wait for me later,” I whisper. “I hope the dismissal will be early,” I added that making Celestine’s mouth fall.