"Oh, you're awake! C'mere, eat with me."
I stopped for a moment. I blinked several times if he's really here in front of me.
       "Why are you looking at me like you saw a ghost?" He laughed a little.
Hindi ako makapaniwala na nandito talaga siya sa harapan ko. I was surprised to see him here. Ilang buwan ko rin siyang hindi nakikita. 8 months? More? Or it's already a year.
       "What are you doing here?" I asked him.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Don't talk to me like that, young man. I'm still your father and this is still MY house, if I remember it right."
I blinked up at him, okay not what I was expecting. "Excuse me? Father?" I laughed sarcastically. "Kahit kailan hindi ko naramdaman ang pagka-magulang mo sa akin."
He gazed past me. "Let's eat breakfast together." Iniba niya ang usapan.
He sipped his coffee and get the newspaper in the table. I looked at him in disbelief and turned my back on him. Narinig ko pa ang pagtawag niya sakin. Nakakawalang gana ang araw na 'to. I just want this day to end immediately.
Pagdating ko sa S.U ay dumiretso ako sa likod ng school kung saan ako palaging tumatambay kapag maaga pa masyado. Paliko na dapat ako nang makita ko ang dalawang taong hindi ko inaasahan na magkasama ngayon at nag-uusap. I know I shouldn't be here, listening their conversation, but this is the only way to go to my place.
      "You sounds surprised." The guy said.
Rinig na rinig ko ang pag-uusap nila kahit medyo malayo ako sa kanila. Nakatayo lang ako dito sa may ilalim ng puno. Watching them like I was watching a drama. Paano kaya kung daanan ko nalang sila? But I think they have an important matters that needs to be talked about. Hintayin ko nalang matapos ang dalawang ito.
       "Of course I am." The girl answered in surprised.
I heaved a deep sighed. I wanted to rest for awhile but I think masyado pang mahaba ang pag-uusapan nang dalawa.
      "Are you okay?"
The guy came closer to the girl and the girl stiffened. I averted my eyes on them. So cliche! Bakit ba ako nanonood? Nakakasira lalo ng araw.
      "Y-yes. Just..." Come on, just finished this already. "Markhiel, I.. I--"
For pity's sake. May dumagdag pang isa.
      "Daphne."
Tiningnan ko rin kung saan nakatingin ang dalawa. I saw a girl walking towards them with a fake smile plastered on her lips.
      "So, Guidavaughn is here too." Kausap ko sa aking sarili.
A grinned formed on my lips while watching them and fixed my eye glasses. I put my both hands under my pockets. Inipit ko nalang ang libro sa braso ko para hindi ito malaglag.
      "Mark, you're here."
Damn! I can't believe I am here, watching and eavesdropping.
      "I'm just talking to my best friend. You knew her, right?" The guy said and pointed the girl that he talked to earlier.
Hindi yata gusto ni Guidavaughn ang babaeng kasama ng lalaki. Well, she's really have an attitude.
      "Oh! Yeah, I knew her. Let's go Mark, it's already a lunch time." Guidavaughn said and clung to the man's arm.
Pansin kong inilalayo nito ang lalaki sa babae na kausap nito kanina. Oh, I forgot. In relationship pala silang dalawa. The news spread all over the campus now.
       "Una na kami, Hera. Take your lunch too. See you around."
I smiled. Natapos rin. I quickly gazed my clock and I saw it's already 7:30 in the morning. I still have 30 minutes before my first class today. Naglakad na ako papunta kung saan nakatayo ang babae hanggang ngayon. Still processing the things that happened to her awhile ago, maybe?
      "Why are you crying over the person whom can't love you back?"
Agaw ko sa atensyon niya. I handover my handkerchief to her when I saw her that she's crying.
       "Here, take it." Lahad ko sa panyo sa harap niya but she's just eyeing me suspiciously. "It's not dirty because I didn't used it. You can use it if you want." I seriously said.
Seryoso lang akong nakatingin sa kanya. I think she don't want me here. But I'm glad that she accepted the handkerchief.
       "Are you a transferee? Ngayon lang kasi kita napansin dito."
I turned my back on her before I answered her questioned coldly. "I'm not."
I walked away from her. Damn! Ano ako? Multo? Eveyone's didn't know my existed here in the university just because I am a nobody. Because I am weird. Because nobody wants to be my friend. Because I'm not famous. And it's good, I think? At least my life is in peace until I finish my studies here.
      "Wait! What do you mean about what you said earlier? Kanina ka pa ba rito?"
       "I'm going."
Naglakad na ako pabalik at hindi na tumuloy pa sa pupuntahan ko. Dumiretso nalang ako sa room at mabuti nalang wala pang mga tao rito. I can rest here and do my thing. Binuklat ko ang libro at itinuloy ang binabasa ko. After a minute, I heard a footsteps coming towards here. Nasa pinakadulo kasi ang room ko ngayon.
       "One, two... three, four...." and there's a lot more.
Bilang ko sa mga paang naglalakad papalapit sa pintuan. Naririnig ko rin ang mga tawa nila. My eyes still on the book but my ears are in the outside. Mas lalong lumalakas ang ingay nang makapasok sila sa kwarto. I closed my book because I can't focus. Tumingin nalang ako sa labas ng bintana.
But someone called my name. Napatingin ako sa taong iyon at nakita ko ang professor ko na nakatingin sa akin ngayon. Oh shit! Kanina pa ba siya nandyan? He's standing in front of me. Bakit hindi ko siya naramdaman?
      "Sir Roxas?" I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. I was well aware that Sir Roxas is a kind of professor that I don't want to have a trouble with.
       "Please follow me in the office." Sir Roxas said coolly.
Nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag na hindi siya tinopak dahil sa ginawa ko. At doon ko lang napansin na hindi pa pala kami nagsisimula at may limang minuto pa bago magsimula ang klase. I followed Sir Roxas in his office but we did not go to his office. I didn't have a courage to asked him so I just followed him until he stops in front of the President's Office. What the hell's happening here?
       "Go inside, Mr. Zeigler. He's waiting for you." He said and then he left.
Nagdadalawang-isip pa ako kung papasok ako or hindi. But someone opened the door for me. My eyes widened when I saw a lot of pair of eyes looking at me directly. Nang makabawi sa gulat, I fix my glasses and walk inside.
        "Mr. Zeigler." The President said my name. "It's nice to see you."
I look directly in his eyes. "The feeling is not mutual, Mr. Sanders."
        "Locklan Marchan," The old man called out coldly, "please watch your manners in front of me."
        "Manners? I have a lot of manners, but for you, I think there's nothing left. I can't respect you but of course, you are the President, owner of this university so I don't have a choice but to respect you."
Now I didn't care how many guests there were. At this moment, all my anger broke out.
       "You get out of here, now!"
The old man got angrier as he spoke, and he pointed to the door and said to me loudly. I completely disappointed in him when I saw how furious he was because of what I said. I looked at the old man with a sneer.
        "Locklan Marchan, when you were a little and now a grown up young man, I took better care of you than to your mother, but you are mean to me."
        "Do not include the person who is not here." I said angrily. "I'm here standing in front of you because you called me. Kung alam ko lang na ikaw pala ang nagpatawag sa akin, I would not be here." I, looking determined, was about to leave.
Just as I turned to leave, a thick voice full of authority sounded.
       "Wait."
The crowd was startled. The old man looked at me with cold eyes. I also looked at him coldly and spoke coldly.
      "I'll tell you this once again, I will never accept you as my father because you do not deserve to be called a father."
After saying these words, I calmly left the place without looking back, under the gaze of lots of pairs of eyes. When I left that room, I breath deeply to calm my nerves. I close my eyes in anger. Hindi ba pwedeng matapos ang araw na ito na hindi ko siya nakikita. Hindi ko pa rin matanggap hanggang ngayon ang dahilan kung bakit kami, ako, iniwan ng mommy ko because of him.
       "This is shit!"
~*~
       "You're crying again. Why do you always cry every time I see you?"
Nagulat ito ng makilala niya ako. Hindi niya siguro inaasahan na ako ulit ang makakakita sa kanya na umiiyak. Galing ako sa library and ito ang nadatnan ko papuntang cafeteria. Siya na naman ang babaeng nakita ko nung nakaraang linggo na umiiyak. Why is she always crying? Binubully ba siya ng mga estudyante rito.
       "You're my stalker, aren't you?"
Natawa ako bigla sa sinabi niya. I didn't expect she will ask me that question. I can't believe this girl. She's accusing me her stalker? I shook my head. Oh God! Tumingin ako sa babae at hindi ko akalain na nakatingin ito sa akin, or tamang sabihin na nakatitig ito sa akin. Is there something wrong with my face?
      "Na-starstruck ka yata sa akin." I grinned.
I just want to teased her, help her to forget the bad things that happened to her today.
      "Baka ikaw. Ikaw nga itong ini-stalk ako."
She rolled her eyes on me at mukhang nagulat pa ito sa ginawa niya. This girl is really something.
      "I never thought na mataray ka pala." I was joking with her.
      "You didn't answer my question earlier." Pag-iiba niya ng usapan.
Ngumiti ako ng kaunti at tinalikuran siya. I don't want her to see me smiling like an idiot, that's why I choose to turned my back on her. Damn! What's happening to me? Hindi naman ako mahilig ngumiti sa isang bagay na hindi nakakatawa lalo na sa isang taong hindi ko pa lubusang kilala. But who am I kidding? She's the girl that I admire so damn much. But still, ayaw kong magmukhang creepy sa paningin niya.
       "I did, but you're spacing out that's why you didn't heard what I said. But I'll repeat it for you. I'm not a stalker. I'm not your stalker. Will never be. Satisfied Miss Nefeltri?" I tried to sound serious to hid my amusement towards her.
       "Wait! How did you know me?" She gasped dahilan para manigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko.
Damn it! Nag-isip ako ng mabilisang sagot sa tanong niya at kapani-paniwala.
       "You're famous. Everyone knows you. Dapat ba hindi kita kilala?" I said coolly and acting cool when I faced her.
       "I-It's not that. I..I."
"Speechless, eh." I teased her again that's why she looked away. "Don't worry, I just know your name but not the whole story of you. So don't be nervous, hindi ako nananakmal." Natawa naman ako sa sinabi ko.
But I think my joke gone wrong because she narrowed her eyes on me.
And her face became serious when she speak. "I don't know kung bakit ka natatawa sa akin kahit wala namang nakakatawa but..." She paused for a second. "I'm really grateful that you're here."
Bigla akong napatigil nang ilang segundo dahil sa sinabi niya. I can feel the sincerity to her words. I can't help not to smile genuinely at her. She made me smile and I think I am grateful too. But I will not tell it to her.
       "Is that a sign that you have a crush on me?" I asked her.
Amused na amused ako sa mga reaction niya na paiba-iba. Nakangiti ako habang naiinis siyang nakatingin sa akin pero hindi ko inaasahan na gagawin niya ang isang bagay na hindi ko pa pinaghahandaan. Sinikmuraan niya ako. Fuck! Is she really a girl? Ang sakit niya manikmura.
       "Grabe, babae ka ba talaga? Ang sakit mo manikmura." I really can't hide my pain.
Nakatingin ito sa akin na parang gulat na gulat sa nangyari. Hindi niya yata akalain na napalakas ang suntok niya sa akin.
      "Did I hit you hard?" Tanong nito and that made me laugh mentally. I just nodded to her. "Really? I'm sorry--"
      "Locklan. Locklan Marchan."
I cut her. Ibinigay ko ang kumpletong pangalan ko sa kanya na hindi ko naisip na kakakilala ko lang sa kanya pero naibigay ko na agad ang pangalan ko. Kaya nagtataka itong tumingin sa akin.
       "Locklin Marshan?"
Muntik na akong matawa sa pronunciation niya sa pangalan ko. Well, everyone find my name weird. But for me, it was the beautiful words that I've heard in my entire life when my parents gave this name to me.
      "Its Lock-lan Mar-chan. You'll spell it L-O-C-K-L-A-N M-A-R-C-H-A-N, not Lock-lin Mar-shan but that is the pronounciation of that." I spelled my name to her and also, explained it. "It's my name." Dagdag ko.
She stopped for a minute before she react. See? She find it weird. Pero natawa nalang ako dahil late na ang reaksyon niya.
      "For real?" She asked, so I nodded. "No way."
      "Yes way Miss Nefeltri. Do you find it weird?"
       "Sobra, ang weird ng name mo." She laughed at my name.
Hindi niya siguro akalain na ganun ang magiging pangalan ko.
       "So you're mocking me Miss Nefeltri, aren't you?" I tried to sound so serious.
I'm not mad. I just don't want people laughed my name just because it's weird.
       "No, I'm sorry." She apologized. "And call me Hera. It's my name." I looked at her with a question mark in my face.
        "Hera?" I asked curiously. "Just Hera?"
Nagtataka naman itong nakatingin sa akin. Alam ko na mahaba ang pangalan niya. I have known her full name for a long time. Sa tagal ba naman na magkaklase kami and I am the one who always check the attendance, so yeah. Kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit Hera lang ang pakilala niya sa sarili niya. I want to call her by her real name, not by her nickname. Because her name is so beautiful and unique, just like her.
       "Yes, Hera. Nickname ko 'yun. Scheherazade kasi ang buo kong pangalan. I know mahirap siyang banggitin kaya Hera nalang for short."
I smiled a little. See, her name is unique. Didn't she know that her name has a deep meaning. The name Scheherazade is, well it's a girl's name, but a girl's name of Arabic. Means 'world-freer'. She is a legendary queen immortalized as the narrator of all one thousand stories. Scheherazade is a Sultan's bride who saves her life by maintaining the Sultan's interest in the suspenseful tales but her story is even more remarkable than the tales she tells.
Her name is really suits well to her personality. Well, for me.
     "No, it's not. I call you Scheherazade, instead of Hera."
     "Wow! Hindi ka nabubulol?" She was surprised?
It's easy to pronounce her name, actually. Hindi naman mahirap banggitin ang pangalan niya at lalong hindi madaling kalimutan.
       "You seems surprised?" I asked her.
Hindi naman nakakagulat ang ginawa ko. She's really weird sometimes.
But then, she smiled. "I am. You can call me that."
      "Okay, Scheherazade."
Napailing nalang ako sa tinuran niya.
      "I need to go, Scheherazade. I'm glad you're okay now, I think?" Patanong kong sabi. "But I am really glad na mukhang okay ka na. Sana sa susunod na pagkikita natin, if ever, nakangiti ka naman." I said sincerely.
      "Thank you, Marchan."
My body stiffened when I heard my second name from her. Hindi ako sanay na may tumatawag sa akin sa second name ko. Dalawang tao lang naman ang tumatawag sa akin niyan and I hate them both.
       "Please, just Locklan or Lock. Anything that you want, but not my second name." I looked directly in her eyes and looked at her seriously. "I just don't want people calling me that." I said. "Excuse me."
I left after what I said to her. I know I am being jerk because of what I did. Hindi naman niya alam ang nararamdaman ko pero naiinis ako sa tuwing may tumatawag sa pangalawang pangalan ko. Hindi ko nalang dapat sinabi sa kanya ang buo kong pangalan, but it already happened. At least I already told her that. I hope she will understand me.