RAYANA

Chapter 9

This year was eventful. First day of school is new yet I don't care the rest of it.

Time passed by, it blurred without any trace and the only thing that make sense to me in that whole year was starting to know how to cook. First try was disaster, I cook scrumble eggs but it get burn, second try was pancake and it's not burn but not fluffy either. I was frustrated and make it as a mission to learn how things in kitchen. So, after school I go home and cook for a year like it's a routine of mine.

I was in grade 9 when Reiga showed in that one morning. His third time to visit.

Palabas na ko ng pinto ng makita ko syang nakatayo sa gilid ng sasakyan nya.

He stop when he saw me and smile. I close the door and run into him. He laugh and get me on my feet.

He didn't fulfill the promise to visits me every month because of the circumstances around but he visit once a year, and called me every end of the month.

He grown so much muscles and more mature.

"How have you been Reiga?" Singhap ko at tinapik ang likod nya.

He let me on my feet after but hold my face and kiss my forehead. His full smile show while looking down at me. Lei said I've got taller but seeing Reiga is like the same as before.

"I'm good Reya!.. Where's Raine?" Ngiti nya. Bumuka ang bibig ko but I didn't answer him right away.

She didn't go home last night because of her date in her boyfriend. Did he know that?

"Mr. Reiga hello!" Singit ni Sandy at nagdilang anghel sya sa paningin ko.   I smile at Brace who's with her. As always he didn't smile back and stare at Reiga.

I didn't even saw them waiting for me outside with Brace car. Brace was the guy I've met on the court, the guy who said I need to apologize. Sandy and him have a thing after that, they've got closer and he always with us and give us a lift for this whole year now.

Sandy never leave me so I'll go with them.

"Hi sandy!.. Your grown beautiful. Where's your Mom?"

"Pumasok na ho sa trabaho.. Ihahatid nyo ho si Reya?"

Tumingin sa akin si Reiga at tiningnan ang suot kung uniform at sila Sandy. This is the first time he saw  me with this uniform.

"Oh Wow.. My Reya grow too much already.." Ngisi nyang malaki at pinanggigilan ang pisngi ko.

Pa asik na tinaboy ko ang kamay nya sa akin but I shyly smile at him. There's so much in his eyes like his proud of me and I like it.

"Tsaka nga po pala Si Brace po kaibigan namin ni Reya.." ngiting pakilala ni Sandy holding Brace arm.

"Hello po Sir.." Bati ni Brace at naglahad ng kamay. Smiling a bit to Reiga but his hand shaking a bit like his nervous. Reiga watch him and look between me and Sandy before taking his hand.

"Nice to meet you young man.. Take care the girls for me alright?" He used his deep voice having a slight smile. I know that serious look so I kick him a bit on his shoes.

"Of course Sir.. I will do that." Brace said and look at me then Sandy.

They let go and face us.

"Good.. Now let's go. Baka malate kayo." Abot sa akin ni Reiga.

Napairap na lang ako ng sekreto sa asal nya at pumasok sa backseat ng sasakyan. Brace and Sandy get in to their car. 

We are in the highway when I heard him sigh so I look at him and saw him on his phone.

"Everything's good?" I asked. He look up and stare at me for a minute before nod.

"It's just Izaac, he didn't go ho..." He stop when he glance at me. I look away and the silent in the car was intense.

Tumikhim sya at inayos ang coat nya.

"It's just a pace of a teenager.. How's your school?" He change the topic.

"Good... Nothing special. You should call Lei." I sigh smile a nit to him.

"Why?" Taka nyang tanong.

"Just call her.. Let's just talk when I got home later." Ngisi ko saktong paghinto ng sasakyan sa harap mismo ng school.

Bumaba ako ng sasakyan and walk out. I look back and saw him watching me to go inside of the small gate. I saw Bruce's car get inside the gate while Sandy waving to Reiga. The old guy smile a bit but glance at me seriously.

Napapailing na lang na pumasok ako ng di na sila nilingon pa. Diritso agad ako pagpasok sa hallway ng school. Gaya pa rin ng dati kapag nagsisimula ang araw, magulo maingay at kalat ang studyante sa hallway at corridor ng school. Kung di ko lang pinag tiisan ang lahat araw araw sa loob ng isang taon bago ako nasanay, matagal na sana kung umalis at wala ng pakialam sa mangyayari.

But things get different now, so I don't want to be reckless anymore.

"Ang daya di mo kami hinintay Reya!" Hingal na salubong agad ni Sandy habang kinukulikta ko ang gamit ko sa loob ng locker.

Bruce walk to his boy friends while Sandy busy to greet every single person that she knew kahit mapa lower level pa yan.

"Kailan ko ba yun ginawa.?" Tamad kung tanong at sinara ang locker ko bago sinukbit ang bag sa balikat ko.

"Hmp. Mr. Reiga visits you but you left him like you've meet him everyday.. Ang cold mo talaga kahit kailan." Habol nya sa likod ko.

Nakita ko ang pag ngiti ng mga kaibigan ni Bruce sa amin but I just walk pass them while I heard Sandy greet them and joke around. Paliko na ko ng marinig ko ang pagtawag nya sa akin.

Ang bagal nya kahit kailan.

"Ang aga-aga snob ka Reya! Hintay nga!" Lakad takbo nya kung hinabol habang nakasunod sa likod nya sa Bruce, as usual silent.

Paakyat kami ng hagdan ng makasabay sya sa hakbang ko.

"Teka, nakagawa ka na ng assignment natin? Lagot tayo kay Ms. Inari!" Ngiwi nya.

"Ikaw lang." Sagot ko.

Bruce call us but I don't look at him and continue to walk up. I heard them saying goodbye to each other, I don't want to even heard their sweet talks around. Gross.

Pag-pasok sa room ay sinalubong ako ng naghaharutang mga lalaki sa pinto at pag ayos nila agad ng makita akung dadaan.

"Oyy Reya always looking good ah." ngisi ng isa kung kaklase na hindi ko alam ang pangalan. Mostly of my classmates, I didn't memorize their name. Tatlo lang ang natatandaan kung pangalan bukod sa mga teachers dito, Una si Sandy, pangalawa yung class monitor and president namin na si Terrence na palaging habulin ng mga bully dito sa school, pangatlo yung katabi niya na palaging damay sa gulo. Parihas din kasi silang a-anga anga sa mga walang kwentang bagay name nya Zachary. In short Zach.

Right. They don't really have the same name but I despise the same sound of it. It's more than 3 years yet, It's like its new to me every time I heard that name.

"You always look uglier ah." Asik ko sa kanya in the same tone he used. Nagusot ang mukha nya but I ignore him and walk to my chair. I don't really talk to any of them but if they approached me asahan na nilang di ko sila ta-tratuhin ng mabuti. 

His companions laugh so loud and the others who heard it inside the room. 

"Panget ka daw araw araw pare!" Hagalpak ng kasama nya.

"Gago!"

I pull my book and seat comfortably forgetting all the noise around, focus on every words.

"Your so rude talaga.. Bruce saying goodbye yet you ignore him again!." Bagsak nya agad sa bag nya sa table namin.

May mga lumingon agad na mga kaklase naming babae sa amin pagka banggit sa pangalan ni Bruce.

I sigh.

"You know I don't like him.." I said absent mindedly because the words floating on my mind.

"Paulit ulit ka Ah! Ikaw lang ata may ayaw sa kanya dito! Nakakainis ang bait bait nong tao tapos ginaganun mo lang!" Gigil nyang saad habang umu-upo sa tabi ko.

Binagsak ko ang pagsara ko ng libro at hinarap sya.

"What do you want me to do Sandy? Nagiging mabait na ko sa lagay na to. Nginitian ko sya kanina kasi umaga, but don't force me to like him like everyone else because it will never gonna happened." Irap ko sa kanya.

"Ano? kung hindi umaga hindi ka magiging mabait sa kanya?!" She distastefully asked turning every heads around us because of her voice.

"Depende sa mood ko." I said ignoring the stares and open again the book. She groan miserably put her head down to our table.

"Your so cruel!" Asik nya at nagkakawag sa upuan.

"Thank you.." Saad ko making her groan more and glare at me between her long lashes.

After two subjects the bell had ring and it's break time. We go to cafeteria.

The jungle place where the different jerks and brats joined. Lahat kanya kanyang grupo at may kanya kanyang  mundo.

I saw the group of Olive who's in the center of the cafeteria, kasama nila palagi ang mga babaing higher level at mga boyfried nito. I even saw Bruce to the other table kasama ang circle of friends nya and that Lukas na nasa akin ang tingin. Siniko nung isang katabi nya si Bruce at tinuro kami and Sandy react to him when he raise his hand.

Lumiko ako at diritso sa counter, I heard Sandy complain.

Pumwesto ako sa likod ng Zach na kaklase ko. Agad syang lumingon sa akin at ngumiti ng kaunti but I just stare at him poker face. Nahihiyang umayos sya ng tayo bago humakbang papuntang counter dahil sya na ang sunod.

Rinig ko sa likod na may kausap si Sandy and by the way she talk I know that her long time crush with Bruce. Di ko sila nilingon dahil nasa pagkain ang atensyon ko.

I got the tray and put two apple and a bun.

"May apple juice po kayo?" I heard that Zach ask. I was busy looking on the green apple aside but I was distracted by the crew's stare, his still like in his 20s. I look at Zach who ask first and wait.

"Anong gusto mo? May spaghetti kami dito?.. Lasagna?" ngiti sa akin ng crew.

Tinitigan ko sya.

"Give me an apple juice.." I saw him taken a back and look at me. The crew was shock and smile tightly.

"Make it two because I think you didn't heard Zach order it.. Salamat." I said getting the green apple.

Pinalit ko yun sa isa kung apple at walang pasabing nilagay ang apple sa tray ni Zach na tulalang nakatitig sa akin.

"Here's your juice.." Agad din namang bumalik yung crew na may dalang dalawang apple juice.

Agad ko yung kinuha at nilapag sa tray nya yung isa bago naglahad ng 1 bill sa crew.

"Make it two.." I stare at the crew.

Tumango agad ito at napapalunok na umalis ulit.

"Oyy libre ako rin!.." Singit ni Sandy at malaki ang ngiti sa akin. Kumagat lang ako sa apple ko habang tinitigan sya. Bumalik ang crew at give me the change. Walang paalam na umalis ako sa harap nilang lahat. Nasa likod namin sila Bruce watching the whole time. Di ko sila tiningnan man lang at lumakad paalis.

"Yasshh Reya! Bakit si Zach lang?! Ang daya .." Habol nya but she can go with me because Sandy couldn't resist any food.

Umupo ako sa pinaka gilid kung saan bakanti ang table. Kaka-upo ko pa lang ng masulyapan ko sa gilid ko yung Zach at namumula ang mga pisnging pilit na umiiwas sa akin ng tingin.

"Bakit?" Tingala ko sa kanya.

Napapakurap na inayos nya ang salamin nya at kinakabahang nagsalita.

"K-Kasi.. Babayaran ko yung.. yung ano?..."

"Hmmm. Nanghihingi ba ko ng bayad?" Kagat ko ng apple at ngumunguyang hinintay ang sagot nya.

"H-Hindi.."

"Di hindi... Upo na." Piling ko ng ulo turo sa bakantik upuan sa harap ko.

"A-Ano..? kasi.."

"Akala ko sumunod ka dahil gusto mong umupo?" Bored kung tanong at nilabas ko sa bag ang bottled water ko.

"Hindi..!" Laki nya ng mata ng masalubong ang titig ko.

"Ayaw mo? Ok.." Kabit ko ng balikat.

"Hindi! Ano? Gusto ko!..." Agad nyang sagot, para nga syang sumisigaw sa tono ng boses nya. Nagmadali syang umupo sa harap ko at binaba ang bag. Di ko na sya pinansin at kumain na lang. I feel his eyes every time until Sandy come and introduce herself to him.