Misleading of the Variance (Secondary Series #3)

04

“Are you ready, anak?”

Mama asked when she entered mine and Peyton’s room. I look at myself in the mirror wearing a short sleeve white buttoned down blouse with the school logo on the left chest side and grade logo on the right collar side tucked in a grey skirt that ends a little above my knees. I have a yellow with blue lining necktie neatly circling around my blouse collar. I am wearing a black high socks pairing it with the shoes that tita Helen brought for me.

“Do we really need to use black socks mama?” I asked, turning to her while looking at my socks.

“It’s the required socks anak. Don’t you like it?” She says.

“It’s just weird because we use white socks in our school in Cebu but they use black here.” I said, taking a seat on my bed.

I double checked my things as mama helped Peyton with hers. She is wearing a short sleeve white buttoned down blouse underneath a grey dress that ends above her knees. She has a ribbon tied around her collar in color yellow and blue linings. She has a black ankle socks with a black shoes that mama brought the other day.

We are already done with breakfast and are just waiting for our brothers. Both kuya Adam and kuya Evan are dressed in a white short sleeve buttoned down polo and grey slacks with black slacks and black leather shoes. Kuya Adam has a blue necktie with white linings since he is already in high school while kuya Evan has the same one as mine.

“What are we waiting for, mama?” Kuya Adam says when he took a seat next to me on the couch.

“Your school bus. Your school says that you will be picked up by a school bus every day.” Mama explained as my brows furrowed.

“What’s a school bus kuya?” I asked kuya Adam.

“It’s a car, a bus type one, where students get on to go to school. It’s like their service.” He explained before turning to mama again. “We can just commute mama. Why do we need to get in that school bus?”

“Adam, don’t start please. It’s included in the benefits. What do you want me to do?” Mama responded.

“Still!  Are they that embarrassed to see one of their students commuting just to go to school instead of using expensive cars like they have?”

I unconsciously held kuya Adam’s hand which made him calm down and look at me. I gave him a small smile as he let out a deep breath before giving me one as well.

“I know what you wanted to say Adam. I know what your point is but for now, what we can do is be grateful. The only thing me and your papa wants is to give the four of you a bright future so please... understand us.” Mama explained as kuya just sighs.

It didn’t last long anymore when we heard a beeping sound from the outside. There is a white airconed bus parked in front of our house that has our new school names written just below the windows.

“Good luck on your first day, okay? Be kind, polite and make friends. Evan, Alina and Peyton, you have your snacks and lunch on your bag already.” Mama told us before handing kuya money.

“Why are you giving me 1000, mama? Is this my allowance for a week?” Kuya Adam asked.

“It’s for you to buy your snacks and lunch, anak. It’s your allowance for today.” Mama says.

“But 1000 is too much for just the food,” Kuya Adam argued.

“The food there is expensive Adam. So please, just take it and get inside the bus already. You can’t be late for school.” Mama says before pulling Peyton’s bag and giving it to a staff that came out of the bus.

I watched as the staff put Peyton’s bag into a storage like on the side of the bus. I held into kuya Adam’s hand as kuya Evan held Peyton’s before we went inside the bus. We sat on the right side with me sitting on the window side and kuya Adam next to me while our siblings were seated in front of us.

The bus is not silent actually. Most of them are just talking with their seatmates. Most of them have the same neckties as me and kuya Evan while some have the same one as kuya Adam and some have the same ribbon as Peyton’s.

“So how was London bro?” I heard someone on our side. When I glanced towards them, they had the same necktie as kuya Adam.

“It was great bro! The shoes that we have been waiting for, me and ate went to Los Angeles to buy it then just went back to London after.” the other guy answered.

I glanced at kuya and he was just staring outside the window. It looks like he is in a deep thought, not even slightly bothered with what is going on around us. The more I listen to those two talking, the more I don’t understand a little what they are talking about.

“How much is the shoe again?”

“I think ate paid around $100? I’m not sure, she just bought it for me.”

I decided to just not listen anymore because it’s all about money. More students come in as well as the bus entering different villages that have so many big houses like the ones where tita Helen and their family lives.

“Now we need to face these kinds of things every single day.” Kuya whispered.

It didn’t take us long to finally arrive at our school. It’s really big actually, bigger than our school in Cebu. When we went down of the bus, there were cars parked and some dropping students just in the entrance of the school. Some of them are running towards one another, hugging each other, probably because they know each other already.

“Wow! This school is different.” kuya Evan says while roaming his eyes around as we walk in the hallway.

“Evan, take Peyton to her room and I’ll take Alina to hers. Don’t roam around anymore and just go straight to your room after dropping Peyton to hers, understood?” Kuya Adam says as kuya Evan nodded before both of them left.

I keep on holding kuya Adam's hands as I can see some students who are wearing the same necktie as kuya are looking at him. Some are even whispering whenever we pass by them. I keep looking around as well while we walk because it’s just fascinating for me. The way the students stand, gestures and talk are just way too different from our previous school.

“This is your room.” Kuya says when we reach a room into the second floor of another building.

“Where is your room kuya?” I asked as he pointed to the one where we just came out to.

“My room is on the ground floor of that building. Don’t go anywhere, walking around the school, without anyone with you, okay? I will come here later to check on you during our break. If you need something just tell me later and I will buy it for you. Okay?” He says as I nodded.

I steal glances at the big window that let you see what is going on inside the room. Though there is a curtain covering most of the view from the outside, I manage to take a peak. There are some of them in there already and even Abi is already inside, talking to our classmates.

“Come on, let’s get you in.” Kuya Adam says, catching my attention.

When he was about to turn around, I tugged on the hem of his polo as he looked at me in confusion. He kneels on one knee and faces me.

“Are you scared?” He asked as I slowly nodded.

“What if they don’t like me kuya?”

“They will like you Ali. Kuya told you to be just you right? And you will have friends who want to be your friend. Don’t look at how different you are to them but instead, go to those who are willing to be your friend no matter how different you are to them.” He says.

“You promise to come here later, right?” I assured as he nodded.

“I will, so come on. I think Abi is already inside since I saw his brother around here already.”

I stood behind kuya as he opened the door, catching all of my classmates attention. He looks at me, signaling me to go in. I slowly walked inside, still standing near the door where kuya is still standing. I looked back at him as he gave me a smile, nodding before I heard Abi’s voice.

“Ali!” She called as he ran towards me, pulling me for a hug. “What took you so long?”

“We ride a school bus,” I answered in a small voice.

“Hi kuya Adam!” She says to kuya, waving as kuya did the same with a smile. “I will look after him kuya, don’t worry!”

Kuya just nodded before he gave me a quick glance again, making gestures that he will go already as I nodded. The moment the door closed, I felt myself getting cold not because of the aircon but because of the stares from our classmates that I don’t know who. They look like all of them know each other very well by how they circle around one another while Abi is just next to me, like everything is just so normal.

“Come on! Sit next to me and I will introduce you to my friends.” She says, pulling me with her in the second row on the right side.

The room is fully air conditioned and is really big. Compared to my previous school where a big room still looks a little small because there are so many of us, this one is really big because there are only few of us. I think we are just half of my classmates from before that gives big space on the back.

There are separate tables and chairs for each one of the students and a big cabinet at the back with small doors each. There is another empty open cabinet next to that. There is also a television that looks glued into the wall above the big white board which is really different to the ones we have before which is colored green. A teacher’s table is located on the right front side.

“Sit here,” Abi says, patting the table of the ones on the third row just a meter away from the window that shows the view of the other side of our building.

She took my bag from me, hanging it on the stand of the desk as I watched her take a seat to the chair a meter away from me. I took a seat on the chair and roamed my eyes on my table. The chair is comfortable and the desk has an extra like small opened storage below.

“Ali, these are my friends who live in our village as well. Kaitlyn and Samantha.” Abi introduces. “This is my Alina that I told you about.”

Kaitlyn is slightly tanned and has her hair braided into each side. Samantha is fair skinned and has narrow eyes with hair all down and a small clip to catch the hair strands that can cover her hair.

“We saw you outside Abi’s room before. You were with their driver, kuya Elias.” Samantha says as I nodded.

“He is my father,” I said, almost whispering.

“Which school did you come from?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Guadalupe.”

“Where is that?” She asked again. She is in her chair which is in front of me so she only had to look back just to talk to me.

“In Cebu.” I simply answered. How are they able to talk to a stranger so easily like they aren’t even shy to talk to anyone.

“Why did you transfer school?” Samantha asked again.

“Because mama says so.” I answered as she nodded.

I steal glances at them, just to observe. Most of our classmates have their own world. Only the three of them surround me, trying to make me talk. As I look at the others, the more I see how different they are. Their things and what they have is something I don’t have.

“Abi, you went to Disneyland during summer vacation right? We went there too, why didn't I see you?” Kaitlyn asked Abi when they already got tired of asking me things.

Disneyland? That amusement park in Hongkong that we see on television? They already went there?

“We went there in April but you went there last May. Of course, we wouldn’t see each other there.” Abi responded with a small laugh.

I thought they were already done talking to me when Samantha suddenly turned to me. I had to lean back a little because she is a little close.

“Which country did you spend your summer in, Alina?” She asked.

Which country?

“Philippines?” I simply a I simply answered as her brows furrowed.

“You didn’t go anywhere outside our country during summer?” She asked again as I nodded.

“Do I need to go somewhere during summer?” I asked her back as she wandered her eyes around before looking back at me, shrugging her shoulder.

“I don’t know? But my family and I always go to a cold country during summer because it’s hot here during those months.” She answered as I nodded slowly.

“Yes. Samantha just returned from Japan last week. Look, her skin is almost as white as the snow in there. Did you swim in the snow there?” Kaitlyn joked as both Samantha and Abi laughed as I only do the same a little.

“There’s no snow in Japan when she went there, Kait. Snow only happens during the winter season!” Abi said.

So it’s a normal thing for them to go somewhere during summer. Japan is the place that mama wants to visit and Disneyland is the place my siblings and I want to go because we wanna see the rides there. It’s so easy for them to go there while we have to just wait until we can already go there ourselves. Mama told us that if we want to go somewhere, then we should study hard. That way we have our own money already to go to any place we want to in the future.

Slowly, I’m starting to get comfortable towards Kaitlyn and Samantha because they look and sound really friendly and kind. I can talk to them and respond but I’m still shy to start a conversation. Abi is just beside me, helping me adjust while some more of our classmates approach.

Our teacher arrived shortly as we all settled down in our seats. She introduces herself and makes each of us introduce ourselves as well. It was scary because I am speaking in front of kids of my own age that I don’t really know who yet for the first time.

“How was your class so far, Ali?” Kuya asked.

It’s already our lunch break and our teacher took us in a big cafeteria with our own foods. Our teacher says our class will end in 2 hours so it won’t be too long anymore.

“It’s okay kuya. This is Samantha and Kaitlyn, my new friends.” I told him, pointing to Sam and Kait.

“Hi kuya!” They both greeted kuya as he gave them a smile.

“Hi! I’m kuya Adam. Is my sister talking in your room?” Kuya asked them as I looked at him, pouting which he only laughed at.

“She talks to us kuya but she doesn’t talk to our other classmates yet.” Kait answered.

“Can you do me a favor and help my sister interact so she can have more friends? She’s really shy, that is why she needs a little help.” Kuya told them, making me really shy.

“Sure, kuya Adam. We will help her talk with our other classmates.” Sam told kuya as I only ate the food mama packed for me.

Their food contains rice, meat and fruits for dessert while I only have rice and hotdog. They have a bottle of juice and I have a bottle of water. When we talked about our lunch foods earlier, we decided to share it with each other instead. I told them that I don’t have a lot, that I only have a hotdog as my dish, but they said that it’s okay. We ended up splitting the hotdogs mama packed for me while they gave me some of their dish as well.

“Adam! Bro!”

A tall guy, around kuya’s height, suddenly took a seat next to him. He has his arms wrapped to my brother’s shoulder like they are close friends. Kuya remained stoic but he greeted him, letting him drape his arms on his shoulder.

“Why are you sitting here?” Kuya asked him.

“Well, the guys want me to steal you from these kids. I didn’t know you are pretty popular to kids as well.” The guy told kuya, glancing at each of us.

“I’m not. They are my sister’s friends, that’s why.” Kuya told him calmly.

“Sister?” The guy looked at each of us until his eyes landed on me. He immediately put on a small smile, raising his hand, waving at me. “Hi! I’m kuya Owen, your kuya’s best friend.”

He winked at me, signalling for a high five. Before I can even do so, kuya swat kuya Owen’s hand which made me flustered. Kuya Owen was amazed and chuckled because of kuya’s reaction.

“I see… someone is really protective towards her sister,”

“As I should be. I don’t want anyone to influence my sister with bad things.” Kuya Adam says, raising a brow.

“Now, that’s harsh.” Sam, Kait, Abi and I laughed with the way they argue. “My best friend, don’t embarrass me in front of your sister’s friends. Come on, dude! That’s not cool!”

“Stop it, will you?” Kuya Adam told kuya Owen.

“Do you know? Your kuya is pretty hot to the girls in our level. The girls just keep saying hi to him.”

“Shut up,”

I’m starting to get confused because of what they are saying. I don’t even understand what they are talking about. What does he mean kuya is pretty hot? Does he have a fever?

“Since when did kuya Owen become your best friend kuya? I thought ate Hazel is your best friend?” I asked my brother with brows furrowed as I saw kuya Owen reacted weirdly.

“Hazel? I thought she is you-”

I look at the two of them as kuya covers kuya Owen’s mouth, making him shut. It was too weird for us that the four of us ended up laughing because kuya Owen sounds funny.

“I will leave the four of you here now and take this chatter away. Finish your food, okay? I will go into your room during our last break when your class ends. Don’t go anywhere until I'm told so, okay?”

I watched the two of them walk away from us after I nodded to kuya in response. They went to a table where two other boys were waiting. Kuya gave one glance to me as I gave him a smile before he nodded and started talking to his friends.

We finished our lunch after a few minutes before we went back to our room all together. I didn’t see kuya Evan in the cafeteria so maybe he is busy with his friends as well like kuya Adam. It’s only our first day but we manage to have some people to spend time with. It wasn’t that hard to befriend others. I thought I would have a hard time because they are rich but it’s just me.

“Come with us in the house, please?” Abi pleaded once again after we fixed our things.

One by one, our classmates are starting to come out of the room. Sam, Kait and Abi are circling around me, trying to convince me to come with them and play in Abi’s house. It’s not new with me coming there but I just don’t know if I can today.

“You can ask kuya if I can come once he comes here. I really don’t know if I can go.” I told her as she pouted.

Just at the right timing, kuya’s head suddenly popped up into the door, peeking inside our room. The door suddenly opened wide, welcoming the other boys he and kuya Owen are with during lunch time. The four of us stayed silent as they approached us while the three behind kuya were joking around.

“Hi girls! Do you still remember me?” Kuya Owen says before kuya can even talk.

“You are the noisy kuya from the cafeteria earlier.” Sam answered as we laughed upon remembering how loud kuya Owen’s voice was in the cafeteria.

“That’s a great way to remember me,” He says in a sarcastic tone as his friends laughed along with us. “Anyways, they are our friends as well, kuya Bryson and kuya Jordan.

Before they could even talk, kuya suddenly talked to me. He went to check my bag, trying to see if all my things were there. He always does it all the time even in our previous school.

“Evan is waiting on the ground floor for you while Peyton already went home since her class ends early. Stick with him, okay?” Kuya reminded me as I nodded.

“Kuya Adam?” Kait called as kuya turned to her. “Can Ali come with us? We will just go in Abi’s house to play today, please?”

I look at kuya, waiting for his response. He doesn't know how to respond because he doesn’t know if I can go as well.

“Let me call papa first to make sure if you can come with them, okay?”

We took a seat for a while, talking with kuya’s friends as he went to talk to papa. It was fun talking to them actually. Kuya have friends in Cebu but they are different to them. They are funny and carefree. They get along so well to us that they even say we can ask them to do anything we want.

“Papa says you can go but you have to stay in their house until night time though since he will be back with Abi’s parents only at night.” Kuya explains as I nodded while the girls cheered.

They walked us to the entrance of the school where kuya Alex, their other driver, was waiting. I saw kuya and his friends waiting until we got into the car before they walked back to their room.

Manang Flor was shocked to see me when we arrived at Abi's house because she thought I can’t come today. We stayed in Abi’s room, playing there with no sweat because her aircon is on. I am so used to her room now since we have played here for a lot of times already.

“Ate Alina!” I heard James' voice echoing in the house when we went down to eat some snacks. He is sitting in front of the big piano with Benjamin next to him. “I didn’t know you are h-here, ate.”

“We just went here to play.” I told him with a smile.

For the past few weeks, since we started playing with James, I have grown closer to him as well. It’s fun playing with fun because he is cute. He got pretty close to me as well.

“I saw you in school earlier with kuya Adam,” Benjamin butted in while James was hugging me as I was laughing. “You made friends.”

He looks back in the kitchen where Sam, Abi and Kait already went first. They left me here with Abi’s brothers alone.

“Abi introduces me with them.” I responded as he nodded.

“If you need something in school, tell me. My room is just on the fourth floor. You can go there with Abi.” I nodded with a smile.

Though it was unexpected, I have become close to Benjamin as well. He would often help me with simple things such as getting snacks whenever I’m here. He even once played with us and joined us in a swim which made tita Helen shock when we told her about it. In short, him and his siblings became my first friends here in Manila. The city where my new life begins.

“Alina Rachel Salvador.”

Our adviser called from the stage as I stood up and up there. I glanced at Abi who was sitting in one of the three chairs on the right side of the stage, looking a little bored. I practiced receiving the rolled bond paper that serves as the fake diploma we will receive in our graduation.

“Look at Abi,” Sam told me, pointing to our friend when I went back to my seat. Kaitlyn was the one to go up on the stage now. “She looks like she wants to jump off the stage now. She looks really sleepy as well.”

“She slept late last night knowing we have practice today, it’s her fault.” I responded as we both laughed.

We continued practicing as our teachers gave us more reminders to remember for our graduation next week. Our batchmates are in each group, circling around with their own friends. We watch Abi approach us, timidly, but before she can even reach our place, she is stopped by our adviser making us laugh even more.

“Have you memorized your Valedictorian speech, miss Sanchez?” We heard our adviser say.

“Yes, ma’am. I just keep practicing every once a day so I can deliver it perfectly on our graduation day.” Abi responded as our adviser nodded before she let her go.

“We really shouldn’t have slept late last night.” Abi complained to us when she reached our position.

“It was only you who slept late. Remember? We all slept in the middle of the movie?” Kaitlyn answered as both Sam and I nodded.

We had a sleepover in their house last night so we went here all together with papa driving us. I have been friends with them since the first day I entered SPU and we are just a week away before our elementary graduation which means we have been friends for 4 years already. It’s amazing how I managed to remain friends with Samantha and Kaitlyn.

“Oh yeah, you three left me all alone.” Abi says, rolling her eyes at us.

“You can’t force us to keep watching when we really want to sleep already!” Sam defended us.

We walked out of the auditorium after saying goodbye to our classmates. Staying here in SPU shows me many things. Some of them are spoiled brats but most of them are really kind. There are some who like to show off their riches and there are some who are just chilled. As many years I stay here, I realize the difference between my social status to them as well. The thing that kuya Adam has been seeing before.

“Let’s be all together in high school as well, okay? No one's transferring!” Kaitlyn says for another time as well.

“Of course!”

“No one!”

“Sure.” maybe.