Verzalias High: School of Secrets

EPISODE 2

Chapter 2~ Class 1-C

I woke up with a heavy feeling. Damn it! My head is aching and my body hurts like hell! Feeling ko naging manhid ang buo kong katawan dahil sa sakit. Pagdilat ko ng aking mga mata Gianna and Jahara were sitting in front of me.

"Ja, gising na siya," Gianna said at niyugyog si Jahara na natutulog sa balikat niya. Nagising naman siya at tinignan ako. They sighed in relief. Pero useless rin na nagising ako dahil feeling ko mamamatay ako sa sakit.

"Sky, okay ka lang ba?" Jahara asked me. I rolled my eyes. Tinanong mo pa talaga ha? Hindi ba halata? Okay lang ako 'no! Okay na okay! Hindi nga masakit ang katawan ko ngayon eh! Promise tanungin niyo pa si Batman. Okay, enough Sky. You are being sarcastic again.

"Stupid question. Of course I'm not!" I answered. Lahat ng nangyari sa akin with those boys ay naalala ko. I clenched my jaw. Bwisit na mga lalaking 'yon, talagang pinatulan pa ako? Suntukan nalang oh!

Suntukan? Seriously Sky?

 "Who the hell brought me here?" tanong ko sa kanila. The last time I check I was on the ground, helplessly lying there waiting for help.  

 "One of the teachers saw you and immediately called for help. Tapos hinatid ka rito," sabi ng nerd. "They had a hard time carrying you, you know that? They needed 5 people to bring you here."

"Are you telling me that I'm heavy?" di-makapaniwalang tanong ko.

"Well, kung nahirapan silang buhatin ka then you must be heavy. Surprisingly, you are thin and sexy," sabi ni Gianna. I rolled my eyes at hindi na sumagot.

"You just bumped into the devils recklessly," seryosong sabi ni Jahara. Inayos niya ang glasses niya and smiled weakly. "If you think you are a devil already, think again. There are a lot more people dangerous than you."

"Sky please, we know na ayaw mo kaming maging friends but please, kahit ngayon lang makinig ka sa amin," alalang sabi ni Gianna. I gave them a bored look.

"Go ahead," I replied. They sighed. How can the angels protect a devil like me?

"Don't mess with them, they are the Trinities, sila ang pinakamalakas na gang sa school na 'to, together with their rival, the Dictators. They are capable of anything," Gianna explained. Aren't they just overreacting? I can take care of myself.

"Gangster stuff huh? Should I be scared?" I said sarcastically. Bumuntong-hininga sila. But aaminin ko, I am scared right now. The fact that they did not hesitate to hurt me is making me worried about msyself. I don't wanna die twice.

"Sky, makinig ka naman. Ayaw ka naming mapahamak," Jahara said at akmang hahawakan ang balikat ko ngunit iniwas ko ito. Nakaramdam ako ng hapdi dahil sa pag-iwas kong iyon. Ayan, ang FC kasi eh, nagalaw ko tuloy ang balikat ko.

"You only wanted me to listen to you, but I will never follow you. Now that I already listened, kayo ang dapat makinig sa akin ngayon," sabi ko at matalim silang tinignan. 

"I can take care of myself so don't care about me," madiin na sabi ko at tinignan ang nakabukas na bintana. Sunlight? So meaning hindi ako nakapag-lunch at nag-dinner? Kaya naman pala masakit ang tiyan ko. Kasalanan 'to ng gang na 'yon. Trinities 'yon diba? Curse them!

I find it weird. Bakit Trinities? As far as I know it refers to the union of three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Don't tell me they considered themselves as divine? Tsaka their gang is composed of five members and not three!

"Sky, we prepared these. Alam naming gutom ka na," Gianna said kaya lumingon ako sa study table. She placed a tray with a plate full of rice, the other plate has hotdogs, fried egg and a bacon. May gatas rin with a piece of banana. I raised my right eyebrow.

"Do I look like a pig? I don't eat heavy breakfast!" I said at sinubukang umupo sa kama and glad I did. Mabuti naman at kaya ko ng igalaw ang katawan ko. Today is the first day of my class here in Verzalias High at ayokong mag-absent.

Ngayon ko lang napansin ang bandage on my right foot and another in my left arm. Ginamot nila 'to? Hayy, mukhang sila nga ang gumamot nito. Ayan tuloy nako-konsensiya ako. Ba't ba kasi ang babait nila?

"Saan ka pupunta?" Jahara asked me. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad ng paika-ika.

"Cafeteria. Dun ako kakain," tipid na sagot ko. I'm irritated by the way they act! Hindi na nila kailangang gawin 'to. Lalo akong nakokonsensiya eh! I hate this feeling.

"Sky, sayang ang pagkain. You should atleast eat kahit konti lang at saka wala ka pang masyadong energy," Gianna said. I sighed. I hate to admit it but somehow she has a point at saka hindi ko pa rin alam kung nasaan ang cafeteria. Ba't ko ba kasi tinanggihan ang alok ng principal na tour?

I faced them saka bumalik sa kama. Kinuha ko ang tray saka nagsimulang kumain. Hay! Mas masarap palang kumain ng heavy breakfast compared sa mga usual na kinakain ko like bread, oats or minsan nga di na ako nagbe-breakfast eh. How come I'm still heavy like what Gianna described?

Pagkatapos kong kumain naligo na ako at nag-toothbrush. Dahil nga medyo nararamdaman ko pa ang sakit, it took me 10 decades para matapos akong gawin ang daily routines ko. Tsaka pinalitan ko rin ang mga bandages eh.

I covered my whole body with a piece of towel saka pumunta sa kama ko. The three of us are living in a room, each with different beds. Napansin ko ang isang paper bag sa kama ko. When I opened it, uniform ko pala. It is a blue skirt above the knee, the upper is a long-sleeved uniform. May pares rin ng knee socks. 

"Are you expecting me to wear this?" di-makapaniwalang tanong ko. Fvck, the uniform looks cute but I'm not into short skirts. 

"Wala ka naman sigurong choice," sabi ni Jahara. Sumimangot ako at sinuot na lang ang uniform. 

"Sky, sabay na tayo," yaya ni Gianna while wearing her socks. I stared at her for a couple of minutes then nodded. Hindi naman siguro masamang makipagsabay sa kanila at saka hindi ko pa alam kung nasaan ang room ko. Baka maligaw na naman ako at mabugbog ulit for the second time.

"Alam mo na ba ang room mo?" Jahara asked me. I shrugged. Di ko nga alam kung nasaan ang cafeteria ang classroom ko pa kaya?

"Hindi ko alam kung nasan, but I know my section," sagot ko nalang. Di ko yata kayang mag-maldita ngayon eh, nararamdaman ko pa rin kasi ang hapdi.

"Tell us. Ihahatid ka namin," Gianna said. 

"Class 1-C," sagot ko. Nanlaki ang mga mata nila. Did I say something surprising? Stupid, alam kong may kinalaman ito sa section ko. Pero ano namang nasa Class 1-C at maka-react sila wagas? Kung sa bagay, OA naman sila.

"O-One C?" Jahara asked in disbelief. I rolled my eyes. 1-C nga diba? Paulit-ulit? Urrgh, stop that Sky. Nagpapakabait ka ngayon.

"Bakit?" I asked due to curiosity. Nakakainis na kasi ang mga reaction nila eh, sila lang ang may alam tapos ako wala? Ang unfair naman ng life ko!

"W-Wala. Sige, tara na!" sabi ni Jahara saka naunang lumabas. Wala raw tapos parang di maipinta ang mukha. Nasaan ang hustisya aber?

Sumunod si Gianna sa kanya kaya sumunod na rin ako. Medyo nakayanan ko ng maglakad pero paika-ika pa rin ako ng konti.

"What's wrong with my section?" I asked. Hinarap ako ni Gianna. The look on her face confirmed my suspicions. Halatang may nangyaring hindi maganda doon.

"Sure ka bang maayos na ang pakiramdam mo? Baka di mo kayaning pumasok ngayon?" alalang tanong niya. Hah! Changing the topic eh?

"Huwag mong ibahin ang usapan. Tell me, anong meron sa section ko?" tanong ko at hinawakan siya sa braso ng madiin. Alam kong nasasaktan siya dahil sa higpit ng pagkakahawak ko pero nararamdaman ko rin ang paghapdi ng balikat ko.

"W-Wala. Doon kasi kabilang ang Trinities at Dictators." Gianna answered. Binitawan ko na siya as if satisfied with her answer kahit alam kong may kulang sa sagot niya. If they can't tell me, I'll find out the secret of Class 1-C myself.

"Ano ka ba Gianna! Maswerte nga siya eh! Ang ho-hot kaya nila! Kyaah! Madaming fafables dun!" singit ni Jahara. I know she's trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"Tumahimik ka nga Ja! Hindi ka nakakatulong!" sabi sa kanya ni Gianna. Jahara pouted.

"Hindi ka nga rin nakakatulong eh! You are making the atmosphere more uncomfortable!" Jahara shouted. Mabuti na lang at walang masyadong estudyante dito sa stairways. If there are students, there's no way I'm going to admit I'm one of these noisy fellas!

"Sky, doon ang section mo," sabi ni Gianna while pointing the door na nasa pinakadulo. I patted her shoulder which made her flinch a little.

"Thanks," I said to the two. Ngumiti naman sila saka bumaba na sa hagdanan. I wonder kung nasaan ang section nila and their grade. I haven't asked them about it and I don't have the intention to ask.

I made my way towards my section. Ilang beses akong nagdasal and it took several seconds bago ko magawang pihitin ang doorknob. Pagbukas ko, mukha agad ng isang lalaking teacher ang sumalubong sa akin at ang nagtatakang tingin ng mga estudyante.

"Are you the new student?" tanong niya sa akin. His voice is very sweet at halatang gentleman siya. Tumango ako bilang tugon sa tanong niya.

"Introduce yourself," he said and smiled. Hinarap ko ang mga magiging kaklase ko saka ngumiti ng napakatamis. Iyong tipong di na sila lalapit sayo dahil sa takot. Aba dapat lang! Ayoko ng makasalamuha ulit ang mga FC, sapat na sila Gianna at Jahara.

"Skyler Lee," I answered. Mukhang na-gets naman nila na wala na akong sasabihin, kaya tumango na lang siya.

"I am your adviser, Michael Hinahon," sabi niya habang nakangiti sa akin. He motioned me to sit. Walang empty seat except sa chair near a window. Pumunta na ako dun then took a sit.

Nagtinginan naman ang mga estudyante sa akin the moment I sat on the chair. Some are looking at me worriedly and some are saying that I shouldn't sit here. Is there something wrong?

"You still have the nerve to sit here?" bulong sa akin ng katabi ko. I felt shivers down my spine, kilala ko ang boses na 'yan. Nilingon ko siya and I am surprised when I saw the boy with a gray hair yesterday but I immediately hid my surprise with a blank stare. So kaklase ko talaga sila.

I looked around and saw gangster-looking students inside the classroom. Nakita ko rin ang ilang miyembro ng Trinities and their underlings na panay ang pagbibigay sa akin ng masasamang tingin. I smirked at them. They looked pitiful with their bruises.

I think I know what the two girls were afraid of. Class 1-C is full of badass students. Gangsters.

"Trinities," I said at di ako makapaniwalang I managed to remain calm. I took a glance at his face again, at doon ko lang na-realize na familiar siya. Parang kilala ko na siya noon pa, pero hindi ko matandaan.

"Yeah, that's the name of our gang," bored na sabi niya. I rolled my eyes. 

"And your gang just messed with me," inis na sabi ko. Mahina ang pagkakasabi ko 'nun but loud enough for him to hear.

"It's not our fault that you are sticking your butt into someone's business," mahinahong sabi niya. Believe me or not but I just happened to pass by and heard the scream!

"Blame the one who screamed and not me!" inis na sabi ko. I was just a concerned citizen! Hindi ko naman ini-expect na makikita ko iyon.

"But your hoodie and your face mask makes you more suspicious," sabi niya. I rolled my eyes once again.

"I am sick," sabi ko. Ayokong may mahawa sa sakit ko, okay? Flu is contagious at kargo-de-konsensiya ko na iyon pag may magkakasakit dahil sa akin..

"That's a lame reason," sabi niya. Kung ayaw niyang maniwala edi wag!

"Make sure you haven't heard everything or else I'll bury you six feet below the ground," banta niya. Napalunok naman ako ng ilang beses. How can someone like him intimidate me like this?

"Oh, I'm scared," I said sarcastically pero deep inside, gusto ko ng lumabas ng room para magpahangin. Nawalan ako ng hangin sa kaba eh! 

"You really want to mess with me, huh?" nakangising sabi niya.

"You are the one who started this mess, so why not?" ganti ko naman. Ngumisi rin siya sa akin. He was about to open his mouth pero may naunang magsalita sa amin.

"What's going on Ms. Lee and Mr. Ferrer?" Sir Hinahon shouted. Neither of us payed attention to him. We are glaring at each other at walang balak na magpatalo sa amin.

"Ferrer, huh?" I grinned. Actually, that last name was familiar too. He's really something. Sino ba siya?

"Haven't heard of that last name? My family is pretty popular," sabi niya. Pero iba eh, feeling ko talaga masyado siyang pamilyar.

"Really? But you must not have the attention from them, seeing how you struggled just to get your family's attent--"

"You're getting on my nerves!" he shouted. Sasagot na sana ako ngunit isang boses mula sa taong nasa harapan ang narinig ko.

"What I hated the most is not having some common sense and respect. Can't you see I'm talking in front?" mahinahong sabi ni Sir Hinahon. Hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip at lumabas na ng classroom nang paika-ika. Nahihilo na naman ako. Ayan, ba't pa ba kasi ako pumasok?

Pero kahit ang hirap na ng sitwasyon ko ngayon, isa lang ang nasa isip ko.

Ferrer, sino ka ba talaga?

(end of chapter)