Pakiramdam ko ay hindi pa rin ako naka get-over from the bar thingy last two days ago. It’s not about the hangover but it’s about the guy, Tyler. I just can’t take him off in my mind which is making me crazy two night in a row now.
After that night, I also wasn’t able to attend the gathering mom and dad have scheduled. Sobrang sakit kasi talaga ng ulo ko kaya hindi ko kayang bumangon that day. I need to rest for the whole day para maka-recover.
“Sweetie? Are you ready?”
Napatingin naman ako sa pinto ko when I heard mom’s voice calling for me. “Yup! Wait a sec!”
Agad ko nang inayos ang gucci tote bag ko and open the door. “I’ll be going now.”
I really don’t have a good relationship with my mom kaya naman everytime I talk to her, hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko kaya mas mabuti pang iwasan ko nalang siya. I went straight downstairs to have my breakfast with dad and Lance, my younger brother.
“Good morning, Heaven!”
“Good morning.”
Umupo na ako sa table and started eating. Napansin ko naman si Lance na tahimik na nakatingin sa akin kaya napatigil ako sa pagkuha ng bacon at napatingin sa kaniya.
“What is it?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Wala naman, Ate.”
Hindi ko nalang siya pinansin at nagpatuloy nalang sa pagkain. Si Mommy naman ay bumab na rin at sumama na sa amin sa pagkain.
“This is your last semester, Heaven. Make sure you pass all of your subjects for you to graduate on time, okay?”
Napatingin naman ako kay Daddy. “Of course, dad. That’s easy.”
“Don’t be too full of yourself, Heaven. For the past four years you just barely passed, and if it’s not because of us, you wouldn’t able to graduate,” sambit pa ni Mommy.
“What is happening to you, Heaven? You were never like that when you were in your middle school?”
This is what I hate the most about breakfasts. They would point out everything on me and afterwards, act like nothing has ever happened.
“I lost my appetite.” I stood up and went straight to the kitchen to fix myself.
Nawalan na ako ng gana kaya sa school ko nalang mamaya ipagpapatuloy ang pagkain. Lumabas na ako at kinuha na ang bag ko para umalis. I can still hear that they’re calling for my name pero hindi ko na ito pinansin. Marami namang sasakyan kaya I texted Lance na mauuna nalang akong magpahatid sa school at hindi na ako makakasabay pa sa kaniya.
When I got into school, agad ko namang nakita si Lorraine na naglalakad. “Hey, Lorraine!”
He halted and turned around sabay ngiti sa akin nang makita niya rin ako. “Himala, you’re early today.”
“Well, you know how much I hate breakfast at home. Can we order some food first before going in?” tanong ko naman kay Lorraine.
Mukhang hind ko kasi talaga kayang pumasok sa klaseng wala akong kinakain ngayon. Tumungo na kaming dalawa ni Lorraine sa cafeteria para makabili ng food. What I usually order is the shawarma rice and kimbap from the food corner since ang sarap talaga ng luto nila.
“Nakita mo na ba ang bagong professor natin sa major ngayon?”
“Hindi pa. Bakit, sino?”
“Hindi ko pa rin nakikita eh, pero si Mr. Buenavista raw at ubod nang pogi!”
It wasn’t my intention to eavesdrop pero narinig ko na ang sinabi ng mga ka-department ko about our new professor.
“What is it?” tanong ko pa kay Lorraine dahil mukhang narinig niya rin naman ang pinag-uusapan ng dalawang estudyante.
“It’s about the new professor? I don’t know, ‘yan lang narinig ko, eh.”
Nagkibit-balikat nalang ako at agad na kaming naglakad papunta sa first class namin which is our major subject. It’s around 6:50 in the morning palang naman kaya may time pa naman kami ni Lorraine papunta sa building namin. Sobrang lawak kasi nitong Rutherford University so we really had to walk until we get on the building we are assigned.
“You think magkakaroon na agad ng class on the first day of school?” tanong naman sa akin ni Lorraine habang naglalakad kami dito sa hallway papunta sa room namin.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but usually, hindi naman nagbibigay ng quiz on the first day of school kaya for sure lessons lang naman and tackling about our topics for the rest of the semester.”
“Ah, I hope so.”
Nagulat naman ako sa naging sagot ni Lorraine. Among us, she is the most intelligent one and would totally go to war without any weapon. Nagtaka lang ako ngayon dahil gano’n na ang sinagot niya sa akin.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, I am. I’m think I’m just burnt out these days dahil na rin sa pressure ng parents ko, but it’s fine, I got this.”
I know how hard for Lorraine na maging Summa c*m Laude this graduation. Tito Simon and Tita Guinevere were making her study hard and get on top since hindi nakapasok si Lorraine sa dream school niya which is Harvard University.
Tinapik ko naman na ang balikat niya. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, Lor. You are amazing, and smart, and just perfect. If only I have a brain like you, kaya kung ano man ang iniisip mo, just don’t put yourself on the verge that you’ll be questioning all of your efforts. Okay?”
“Thanks, Ven.”
“No worries.”
Tuluyan na kaming pumasok sa room at mabuti nalang dahil hindi pa dumadating si Miss Gallanza, our professor sa major subject namin for this semester.
“Eating cheap foods now, Heaven?”
Napataas naman ang kilay ko when Alexandra began to walk in front of me. “What do you want?”
“Nothing. Whatever.”
Inirapan ko nalang siya at napa-upo na ako sa upuan ko. Kung may pinakahate man ako sa buomg mundo ngayon ay si Alexandra ‘yon. Her family is the political rival of Mom in being the governor kaya naman hindi talaga okay ang pamilya namin since then.
I started eating what I bought from the cafeteria habang naka-chika kay Lorraine at sa iba pa naming mga kaklase. Nakakamiss din ‘tong mga kaklase ko kahit wala kaming 20 sa isang block.
“Guys, settle down!”
Para naman kaming mga middle graders tuwing pinagsasabihan kami ng representative ng block naming si Evan.
“Oh my gosh!”
Napatingin naman kaming lahat kay Joshua, the feminine guy in the room, which is actually gay. I was about to say something nang mapansin ko namang may nakatayo sa harap ng pintuan namin kaya agad naman akong napatingin.
“What the actual fvck!”
Hindi ko naman namalayan na napataas pala masyado ang boses ko kaya napatitig naman sa akin ang lalaking nakatayo ngayon sa pintuan.
“I’ll be your new professor as of today.” He gently walked until he gets into the table and stared at me for a while. “I am Tyler Buenavista, and I will be your new teacher for this subject for the whole semester.”