Hate Me Not

Chapter 10 Trouble

Jacko

I am currently having a conference meeting with my business partner when my secretary said i have a personal call from my personal phone so he gives me my phone. It might be an emergency; i wonder who called me in this phone, bihira ko lang gamitin ang number na ito.

“Hello, may i know who is in the line please?” Tanong ko sa tumatawag.

“Is this Mr Jacko Guerro?” A woman called in my private phone asking to verify my identity; this becomes a puzzle to me.

“Yes speaking, may i know what this call for? I am still in the middle of a business meeting

Oh i am sorry. I'm calling in behalf of the school, your name and phone number is listed as a guardian of Cadley De Rica, do you know her?” f**k ano naman ang ginawa ni Cadley, this woman is giving me headache lately.

“Yes, she’s under my care. Why, what happen?” Interested kong tanong, for sure it’s a important for her to call me.

“She happens to be part of this big chaos while ago and we are all calling the guardians and the parents of the student involve. Can you make it around 2pm sir for the discussion? This is not something that we will just pass.” Her words signal of trouble and urgency

“Is she in big trouble?” Inquire ko sa aking kausap.

“You can put it that way sir.” Jesus that woman is f*****g my brains out. Di ko mapigilang mainis upon hearing it.

“Okay, will be there”. Yun lang sinabi ko then turn my phone off. My meeting is still waiting for my attention.

“Cadley, ano na naman na kababalaghan ang ginawa mo?” She’s giving me pain again. I decide to finish my meeting so that i can head to the school to know what the chaos is all about.

When i reach the campus, hinanap ko agad the guidance office. Nakita ko marami ng tao sa loob. I saw her sitting in the corner with a fallen face. That’s it another chaos she had made. Tiningnan ko siya ng maigi, showing my displeasure look.

“Parents and guardians you may sit all here.” Guide sa amin ng guidance counselor.

“As you can see our students are involve in a cat fight again.” Nanggigil naman ako, it’s a waste time that i am here, for sure she causes this again.

Nakinig lang ako sa usapan at reklamo ng lahat. Lahat ayaw paawat.

“Ms Valdez here is suing Ms De Rica for punching her face”. What the f**k this woman is really acting as wild teenagers. Kaya pala maga ang mukha ng babaing maarte.

“Yeah gusto ko siyang ma-detain or ma-expel sa ginawa niya sa akin. She pulled my hair in the middle of the crowd and punches me, look at my face is swollen already.” Saad ng studyante sa naiiyak na boses. These kids should learn a lesson, di lang puro kaartihan at drama. It’s clear that she is dramatizing the story.

“Yeah that’s bullying, pangmamahiya, she should be detain. Oh my gosh i can’t believe my darling daughter goes through that.”Wika ng ina ng teenager na mas maarti pang boses, now i know where her kid gets the style, its from the mother and everyone is agreeing. I am now irritated, i can't handle this drama. I wasted my time for nothing. Even the counselor agrees with the parents. I sit there looking so tired of their drama.

“Paano naman po Mam yung case ni Cadley, di niyo man lang ba tatanungin kung bakit niya sinapak ang mga yan? She wouldn’t do those kung walang nagtrigger sa kanya." Biglang wika ng isang nerd na teenager wearing an eyeglass, she’s talking in behalf of Cadley. I like her, she is smart and she got my attention and everyone in the area.

“Kaya lang naman niya yun sinuntok ang mga yan kasi, Cadley almost got rape with those guys sa utos daw ng mga yan. Inaabangan nila si Cadley sa labas, mabuti nalang may nakakita na police at nasita sila. Di ba mas masahol pa ang rape case, non billable kaysa suntok lang?

Lahat ng parenst napanganga. She is right, a rape case is not something na pwede mong baliwalain, it’s a criminal case.

“Wala naman ginawa si Cadley sa kanila ah. Pinagtanggol lang niya ako nung time they bullied me, mas bully po ang mga anak niyo, mahilig manapak ng tao na walang kakayahan, ninakaw pa nila ang eyeglass ko kaya nahihirapan akong makakita. Nagalit sila kay Cadley kasi daw paki-alamera at pabida. Masama bang ipagtanggol ako ni Cadley?”

“Young lady, what you said is a big accusation, rape, how did it happen? Can you prove it?” Saad ko sa teenager.

Mag-inquire ka po sa police station naka-blotter na sila. Police mismo ang nakakita sa pangyayari when they harass her. Di lang nila ma-detain kasi underage at hinihintay nila action ng school.” Tumatango lang ako. She is right.

Is there anything you can say Mr. Guerro? Tanong sa akin ng guidance counselor, so i face her.

"I expect you Ms guidance counselor, to make a thorough investigation before calling us all here or even just make a proper questioning to each party involve. Why it happen and their version of stories and do necessary action depending on their cases. But none of that has done, this issue is not simple. I am expecting you to do better." Firm kong saad sa kanya.

"As for the parents here, might as well you start to act as a grown woman first so that your kids has something to learn and not just being a brat. Be a good example to your kids. What your kids action now is a reflection of you."

“This lady here”; turo ko kay Cadley. “Will not pass, i am not tolerating her action of involving in this chaos coz she can make other way for it not to go this far and she knows it”; saad ko sa lahat. They saw how i deal things at napanganga silang lahat.

“Cadley let’s go”. Nagpatiuna ako sa paglalakad palabas, ni di siya nilingon.

The whole ride going home is silent, di kami nag-uusap. When we reach at the house.

“Kuya, di ko naman kasalanan yun, pinagtulungan nila ako, kaya ako lumaban"; she tried to explain. I just looks at her in my stoic aura and serious face. I know natakot ko siya.

“If naging mabuti kang studyante, di ka nagbulakbol at di barkada ang inatupag mo, di ka sana mapupunta dun. Naging smooth sana ang buhay mo, walang harassment ang mangyayari. Di kita pinag-aral dun para lang maghasik ng gulo. To study and to learn yun ang dapat mong ginawa.” Nakita ko kung paano tumulo ang luha niya sa kanyang mukha.

I also feel her pain, i know she just do the right thing but i won’t say it to her. And i am being so harsh on her but she has to learn and should know na ganun ako palagi sa kanya. She has to know where she stand, mas grabe pa ang naranasan ko when i was in her age.

Punishing her with my words lessen the pain i had in my heart but why i also hurt and affected by the words and action i had done to her? This is all what i wanted, for her to suffer and regret why she came into our lives. I can't go soft on her, no way. I had live for this.