Davidson Academy: School of Chambers

EPISODE 2

Chapter 2- Davidson Academy

Samantha's POV*

Andito ako sa bahay namin at naliligaw pa rin ako. Masyado kasing malaki at may maraming pasikot-sikot. Na-discharge ako from the hospital after one week. I felt relieved kasi sabi ng doctor temporary amnesia lang ang meron ako. I should take a walk often to help my memories come back.

"Good morning mom!" bati ko at hinalikan sa pisngi si mom. Nakita ko namang nakaupo si dad sa couch kaya hinalikan ko rin siya sa pisngi.

"Nakakapanibago," sabi ni mom while smiling at me. Naguluhan naman ako. Napansin siguro ni mom ang pagkunot ng noo ko kaya nagpatuloy siya. "You disliked kissing us back then, sabi mo it's gross."

"Really? Ano ako noon?" tanong ko. Mom smiled at me but it's a sad one.

"You were a cold and a serious person. You would prefer locking yourself in your room and stay away from people. But you were really a bubbly and a friendly one when you were a child. We were wondering about your sudden changes. Oh, by the way, I'm glad you took off your nerdy outfit," sabi niya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Nerdy outfit? So I was a nerd?

"You don't want attention kaya nagsusuot ka 'nun. But please don't wear it again, okay? Sayang ang kagandahan mo kung itatago mo lang," sabi ni mom. I smiled at her. Really? I'm pretty? Pero mas maganda talaga si Tita Blanche.

"Oh, male-late na ako mom, bye!" sabi ko at nagpaalam na sa kanilang dalawa. Nginitian naman nila ako and I happily went out from the house. Binati rin ako ng mga house maids namin.

Paglabas ko mula sa bahay I decided na magco-commute ako kasi ayaw kong disturbuhin si manong. Nakita ko kasing nakatulog siya sa sasakyan and he looks exhausted. Naawa naman ako sa kalagayan niya.

May nakita akong black na Mercedes Benz na tumigil sa harap ko. Nang ibaba nito ang window shield, kumunot ang noo ko nang makita si Joules.

"I told you sabay na tayong pumasok sa school," sabi niya. Naalala ko ang sinabi niya sa hospital na sabay raw kaming papasok sa school. I smiled apologetically.

"Magco-commute ako," sagot ko. Joules smiled at me.

"Then magco-commute na rin ako," sabi niya at bumaba ng sasakyan. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Seryoso siya? Libre na kaya ang pamasahe kapag sumakay siya sa service nila! This brat!

"Fine! Sasakay na ako!" napilitang sabi ko at pumasok sa backseat ng sasakyan. Nakangiti siyang pumasok sa sasakyan at tumabi sa akin. Umusog naman ako ng konti. Pinaandar naman ni manong ang kotse.

"I'm glad you took off that weird wig and your big eyeglasses," sabi niya. I mentally rolled my eyes. Sinabi na rin sa akin ni mom 'yan kanina. Na-curious tuloy ako kung ano ang itsura ko kung suot ko iyon. I bet I looked so ugly dahil ayaw nilang nagsusuot ako nun.

Hindi ako sumagot at pinagmasdan siya. He suddenly reminded me na meron palang anak si Tita Blanche at Tito Renzo. I wonder how he looked like. I wonder kung kasing-gwapo ba siya ni Tito Renzo o kasingganda ni Tita Blanche. Their genes should be illegal. I mean, it's pretty unfair for such humans to exist.

"Why are you staring at me? You suddenly realized that you like me?" tanong niya. I rolled my eyes.

"Na-curious lang ako kung sino ang anak nina Tita Blanche," sabi ko. Tumango naman siya.

"You must have forgotten that cold jerk, eh?" tanong niya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Maybe he's cold just like Tito Renzo and fierce like Tita Blanche. Like an action movie hero.

"Magkakilala kami?" tanong ko. Tumango naman siya at kinuha ang phone niya. Ipinakita niya sa akin ang picture ng tatlong bata. I recognized that I am the girl in the middle. Napasimangot ako nang makita kung gaano ako kadungis and probably naligo ako sa putik. Joules was the one on the right side at pinagtatawanan ako at ang nakaagaw ng atensyon ko ay ang batang nakasimangot sa tabi ko at nakahawak sa Chinese garter.

"That pouting boy is Math, Tita Blanche and Tito Renzo's son," sabi niya at itinuro ang nakasimangot na lalaking nasa tabi ko. He has a really weird name and is really cute and handsome at a young age. I wonder kung ano na ang itsura niya ngayon.

"The three of us are really close. Wanna know the reason why I don't want to go to the hospital the day you woke up?" tanong niya. Hindi ako sumagot kaya nagpatuloy siya.

"It hurts to think that your best friend forgot you and all the memories the two of you shared. I know it's lame but I'm mad at you back then for forgetting everything," seryosong sabi niya. Napaiwas naman ako ng tingin.

"I shouldn't be sorry, right?" tanong ko. Hindi naman kasi ako magso-sorry because it's not my fault that I got into an accident. Mom and dad told me na naaksidente raw ako. Though I feel sorry for hurting him unintentionally.

"Silly, you shouldn't be. Hindi mo naman kasalanan ang nangyari sayo. I'm just too childish you know," sabi niya at nginitian ako. I know it's fake at alam ko ring pinapagaan niya lang ang loob ko.

"Ito na ba ang school natin?" tanong ko habang nakatingin sa school na may malaking gate. May nakasulat sa gate na Davidson Academy. So maybe ito na nga, it's bigger than I expected.

"Serves you right! Hahaha!"

"Nerd! Why so cute? The flour and the egg suits you!"

"But I don't want you to be cute! Let me wash you!"

Napapikit naman ako nang biglang pumasok sa utak ko iyon. What was that? Was it a part of my memory? Was I being bullied?

"Are you okay?" alalang tanong ni Joules. Tumango ako at kinalma ang sarili ko.

Pinark ni manong ang kotse sa parking lot. Nauna akong lumabas at sumunod naman si Joules. Maraming mga babae ang nakatingin sa amin—I mean kay Joules. Nang dumako ang atensyon nila sa akin, I immediately received deadly glares from them.

"Isn't she the one who killed Rebecca? I heard she lost her memories."

"Don't be deceived, she's just faking it."

"Is she the nerd? Maybe nagpa-retoke siya?"

"Yeah, she's pretty but a plastic btch!"

Napapikit ako dahil biglang sumakit ang ulo ko. I remembered hearing the same comments from them, at lalong sumakit ang ulo ko when I tried to remember who Rebecca is.

"Don't force yourself to remember Sam, you'll eventually know everything soon," sabi ni Joules. I sighed and tried getting up with the help of Joules.

Isang bagay ang pinagtataka ko. They said that the reason I wore fake braces and glasses was because I didn't want attention. But unfortunately wearing one can attract bullies and gossipmongers and you'll gain negative reviews from everyone around you. Pero bakit ako nagtitiis when in fact they're hurting me too much?

I can't ask mom or dad or even Joules because it's only me who can answer my own question. Another question, why the sudden changes of my attitude? Mom said I was friendly and bubbly but when I started wearing nerdy outfits, I became cold. It would be impossible kung trip-trip ko lang diba?

"Hey, you are spacing out. Are you sure you are fine? Gusto mong pumunta sa clinic?" alalang tanong ni Joules. I smiled at him. He's worrying too much.

"Can you please make an excuse to the teacher? I don't feel like going to class today," sabi ko. Ngumiti naman siya pero nag-aalala pa rin siya.

"Are you sure? Just text me if something goes wrong, okay? I'll always come to you," sabi niya. I smiled warmly. He's just so sweet.

"Bye Sam! See you later!" sabi niya. Tumango nalang ako. I watched him walk towards our building and I sighed. Napahawak ako ng mahigpit sa backpack ko and started walking.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit napadpad ako sa rooftop. I just feel like coming here and stepping my foot here in this place makes me mad at myself. Nakaramdam ako ng halong lungkot at galit. I am suffering from a strange feeling of forgetting everything and wanting them back.

Gusto kong maiyak pero kahit isang patak ng luha ay ayaw lumabas mula sa mga mata ko. I want to shout but I don't know the right words to say. I want to blame everyone but I don't specifically know who so I keep on blaming myself.

"Are you done blaming yourself?"

Napatingin ako sa lalaking nasa gilid ko. I did not notice his presence awhile ago at akala ko ako lang ang tao na nasa rooftop. He had that messy jet black hair at hindi pa maayos ang pagkakalagay ng tie niya. He is reading a book of John Grisham entitled Sycamore Row. I don't know if it's a coincidence but I have that book too. I just found out last night.

"Are you talking to me?" di-siguradong tanong ko. He glared at me kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. Why is he glaring at me? I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything wrong.

"You are still stupid, Sam," sabi niya. Bahagya namang napataas ang kilay ko nang marinig ang sinabi niya. Me? Stupid? Who the hell is he to judge me at first glance?

Nang marealize ko kung ano ang sinabi niya nagulat naman ako. He knows me? Then I realized that his face is kinda familiar. He looks like Tito Renzo and his eyes are like Tita Blanche! Hinanap ko ang ID niya to confirm if my suspicion is right but I'm disappointed when I found out he's not wearing one.

"Are you Math, by any chance?" tanong ko. He just looked at me which reminded me of Tito Renzo. Pareho kasi silang nakaka-intimidate ang aura eh!

"You should know who I am. You are a self-proclaimed detective after all," sagot niya. I glared at him. Hindi naman ako nagmamayabang ah! I did not remember boasting to everyone I am a so-called detective. Kung sa bagay, I don't even remember who I am.

"I remembered! You are the the boy in the picture!" I exclaimed nang maalala ko ang picture na ipinakita sa akin ni Joules. He is indeed Math! The one who was holding the Chinese garter and the one who looked grumpy!

"Tsk. The old Sam is back, huh?" sabi niya. Natigilan ako at napayuko. I laughed bitterly.

I don't know who I am supposed to be. Some says I am someone who killed a girl named Rebecca. Some says I am a bubbly and a friendly child but suddenly I became a cold person. Some says I'm a nerd but I was just faking everything. Sino ka ba talaga Samantha?

"I-I'm getting confused, I don't know what to do. I don't know who I am supposed to be, and I want to be mad, I want to shout, but I don't know how," malungkot na sabi ko. I am frustrated like hell to the point that I'm getting mad at everyone around me without a particular reason. I know I'm being unreasonable but I just want to tell at least one person that I'm not okay.

"I was just pretending to be okay but no! I-I'm not okay! I have so many questions in my mind but the people around me refused to answer at least one!" I shouted and burst into tears. Hindi ko alam but I felt like saying those things to Math kahit hindi ako sigurado if he's paying attention or not.

"C-Can you at least answer one of those questions, Math?" sabi ko. Ibinaba niya ang librong hawak niya and stared at me.

"You are the only one who can answer those questions, Sam," sabi niya saka bumaba na ng rooftop leaving me alone, crying like there's no tomorrow.

(end of chapter)