That’s our very first interaction, and he even called me stupid. How dare he!
Just because he saw me talking to newly planted gumamelas that time, he has the guts to called me stupid. Duh, bata pa ako noon kaya naniniwala ako sa sabi-sabi ng ilan na kapag hindi mo kinakausap or kinukumusta ang mga halaman ay mag-tatampo sila.
Ever since that day, every occasion both of our family had lagi kaming pinag-sasama nila Lolo. Baka daw maging friends kami at magkasundo, which is very far from their expectation. I don’t want him to be my friend, he’s a jerk. Lagi niya akong inaasar, binubwisit at iniinis!
He always make my day sour.
“Santi, ano ba!” suway ko sa kanya nung Lunes ng tanghali na yo'n. Ngunit imbis na tigilan niya ay nagsumigi pa.
“C’mon, Xim. It’s lunch and I haven’t eaten yet.” He looked at me using his puppy eyes and even pouted. I grimaced at him. Anong akala niya, cute siya?
He entered the same school as mine. Kilala si Santi dahil isa siyang Palabraz, ngunit nadagdagan ata ang fangirls niya when he entered the school’s basketball team.
“Give me back my plate. Umorder ka ng iyo!” Pilit kong kinukuha pabalik sa akin ang plato kong may laman na tuna pasta. I ordered it for my lunch, with two burgers and favorite Red Lipton drink.
Nakita niya ako nang pabalik ako sa table namin ng dalawang bestfriend ko after ordering my lunch, at ayun naki-upo na rin sa table namin at iniwan ang table ng teammates niyang kasabay niya mag-lunch.
Halos lahat ng atensyon ng mga estudyanteng kababaihan sa cafeteria ay nakatingin sa gawi namin, ni Santi pala. Siyempre nga naman, at isang Palabraz ang ka-table mo. Which all of the girls would want to have and die for, I think.
Well, except me siyempre 'no!
“Hindi ka pa kumakain ng lunch? Huh! Sinong niloko mo? Eh nauna ka pa nga sa akin dito sa cafeteria with your teammates e!” I said after drinking. Padabog kong inilapag ang bote ng Red Lipton drink ko nang makita kong ubos na ang tuna pasta. It's my favorite! Galit ko siyang tinapunan ng tingin.
“It’s my favorite! Santi, naman!” Nanlaki ang mata ko sa gulat na sinamahan pa ng inis nang magkasabay naming sinabi iyon ngunit siya ay sinamahan niya pa ng make face. Inambahan ko siya ng suntok ngunit alam kong agaw atensyon na nga na nasa table namin itong isang 'to, dadagdagan ko pa if sinuntok ko siya. And I don't want to have a guidance record.
Masama tuloy ang loob kong binuksan ko ang burger at kinagatan ito. Ngumiti na lang ako at ibinaling ang atensyon kay Rico. He's my boy bestfriend na ngayon ay katabi ko at kanina pa tahimik simula nang naki-upo si Santi, habang ang isa ko namang bestfriend na si Yesenia ay sa tapat namin nakaupo at nagcecellphone habang nakain. Tila may sarili itong mundo. Naubos ko na ang isa kong burger at ang pangalawa naman ang kinakain ko nang maramdaman kong umalis na siya sa table namin at mukhang bumalik sa table nila.
“You want me to order you lunch again?” Rico asked which I turned down immediately. I even pointed the second burger I was eating to say that I'm good with it.
“Huwag na,” I voiced out and smiled at him.
Malapit na rin namang matapos ang lunch time kaya wala na ring time to order again, our time would be wasted if ever. I always ordered two burger naman e, it was part of my lunch ritual ever since I met Santi. Since lagi rin namang kinakain ni Santi ang lunch ko kapag natatimingan niya ako sa cafeteria na kumakain ay inaagaw niya talaga iyon, kaya imbis na walang laman ang tiyan buong maghapong klase ay umoorder ako ng burger.
Nang tumunog ang bell hudyat na tapos na lunch time ay nag-asikaso na kaming tatlo papunta sa room, bitbit ang bote ng Red Lipton ko ay tinahak naming tatlo ang hagdan papuntang second floor ng building.
“Guess you ate two burgers again for lunch,” I heard Yesenia said. Tumango na lang ako bilang sagot, which caused her to laugh at me. I pouted.
“Lagi naman, ano bang bago?” biro pa ni Rico.
“Bukod sa pagpapashoot ng bola sa ring at pagpapakilig sa mga kababaihan ay talent niya ring asarin ka 'no?” bulalas ni Yesenia. Halos mapuno ng pang-aasar at tawanan nila ang hallway papuntang room.
I guess it’s indeed one of Santi’s talent, to piss me off. Almost everyday and every chance he got.
Well, siguro may isa pa siyang talent bukod sa mga nabanggit. Santi’s being adored and admired by every girls in our school not just because of his looks, his money and surname but also because of his academic excellence. Narinig ko nga na may nga junior na iniidolo siya dahil parang nasa kanya na lahat. The looks, fame, money, girls and even awards. He’s always on top.
Making me the second. Simula nang magtagpo ang mundo namin ni Santi parang lumiit na ang ginagalawan ko. I was always on top but that was before I met him. Naisip ko pa noon na baka dahil highschool na ako kaya medyo bumaba ang ranking ko, but no. We were just on secondary when Santiago Palabraz transfered in our school. Marami ngang nagtaka e, he is from a private school but he chose to enroll and be transferred in a semi-private one given the fact that he is the Governor’s grandchild!
Anyway, its his choice of environment naman. Baka he wanted to try new things 'di ba.
Mabuti na lang at hindi disappointed sa akin sila Mommy at Daddy nang malaman na hindi na ako ang top one lagi. I was also known by my academic excellence and always being on top and not just being a Mayor’s granddaughter, ako din lagi ang representative kada may quiz bee but things change ika-nga. Ngayon ay si Santi na. And even though my parents doesn't pressure me and all, I was the one who's pressuring myself to be back on top again. Because I don't wanna hear another series of those teachers and some students who always got time to compare us.
Our class was dismissed by our last lecturer that afternoon period. I gathered all my things inside and looked at Rico who's beside me.
“Diretso uwi na ba kayo?” I asked him. He shot me a look and shook his head.
“May bibilhin pa daw si Yesenia sa bakery sa malapit,” Rico said and pointed at Yesenia who's still fixing her things. Tumingin ito sa gawi namin and smiled, she's sitting in front of us ni Rico. Sa may likuran kasi kami nakaupo.
After fixing our things bumaba na kaming tatlo at lumabas ng gate, I even saw Santi getting picked by their car. Perks of being the Governor’s grandchild.
“Ikaw ba, Viv? Hindi ka ba susunduin ni Tito Vasco?” tanong ni Rico. Napatingin naman si Yesenia sa amin, Rico is in the middle of us kasi e while we’re in the front of the gate, waiting for the vehicles to slow down and vanish for a second dahil nga sasamahan pa namin si Yesenia to buy sa bakery which is sa tapat lang ng school.
I shook my head as a response, tumigil din panandalian ang mga sasakyan kaya naman tumawid na kaming tatlo and Rico guiding our back.
Yesenia bought mamon, natakam ako kaya napabili na rin ako ganoon din si Rico. Matapos niyon ay tumawid kami pabalik, doon na kami pumuwesto sa may gilid ng gate sa may waiting shed. Nagmemeryenda kami ng mamon na nabili sa bakery habang naghihintay ng sundo at masasakyan, si Rico at Yesenia naman ay sabay na sumasakay sa tricycle.
While we were waiting and eating our meryenda, a gray and familiar Audi stopped in front of the shed. Bumukas ang bintana nito at bumungad sa akin ang guwapo ngunit bakas ang pagod sa mukha ng Kuya ko.
“Hi Kuya Zach!” unang bati ni Yesenia dito. Rico greeted too, Kuya just gave them a smile before turnig his face to me.
“Viviene Ximena,” Kuya called my full name. Napairap na lang ako sa kawalan.
“Hop in, hindi kita pagbubuksan at may kamay ka,” he even said which caused me to pout at him. Nakita ko na lang na tumayo si Rico at siya pa mismo ang nagbukas ng pinto sa akin, I smiled at him and muttered a soft thank you. He even closed the door for me.
I bid my goodbyes to both of them, maghihintay pa sila ng tricycle na masasakyan. I gestured the brown paper bag, that I was holding and has mamons inside, to Kuya but he didn't accept it.
Instead he pointed the dash board using his lips, “Lagay mo lang d'yan,” sabi pa niya. He starts the engine and quickly drove off. I was looking outside the window nang makalayo-layo kami, I squinted my eyes as I saw a familiar car and plate number na halos kasabay lang naming umalis sa may school.
Akala ko ako lang ang nakakita but Kuya even pointed the car.
“Is that Palabraz’? Who's inside the car?” he asked me. Nagtataka din akong sinundan ng tingin ang nangungunang sasakyan ng mga Palabraz.
“It is. Si Santi,” I answered.
I thought, kanina pa sila naka-alis? Kasi noong palabas kami nila Rico ng gate ay siya namang pagpasok ni Santi sa sasakyan nila. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako.