This world sucks.
The whole concept of living, work hard, study, graduate, earn money, it just sucks. Gigising ka ng maaga and then for what? Just to be stressed from the problems that we humans have brought to ourselves.
Napaka demanding mabuhay. The towel was damp as I dried my hair. While looking at the mirror, the more I realize that my assumption is right. As soon as got back to my room, I picked up my school uniform.
It’s a deep blue blazer, white long sleeve polo shirt, and a red necktie paired with the black trousers that I’m already wearing. While putting on my socks, my attention was suddenly dragged towards the alarm clock on my bedside table.
“Lagot”, it’s already late and I’m not even half done preparing.
My shoes are on the other side of the bed so I rushed for it, it took me two attempts just to put them on due to panic. My bag already feels heavy from all the books it contains as I hastily headed for the kitchen.
There was no one home except me, the furnitures and displays, a family photo, and a poorly cooked egg I made before I took a bath. Ipinalaman ko nalang ito sa tinapay na nakita ko, turned off the lights, and went on my way.
I made sure to grab the key of course and locked the door. Our house is not that big, it’s painted white with a modern design, just for a normal-sized family if one would say.
The surroundings are still humid and cold, my hands can tell as I went out the gate, though the sun is already rising. Dinespatya na ata ng kapit bahay namin yung tandang nila kaya I did not wake up annoyed by it today, late tuloy ako nagising.
Our house is not that far from school but the journey towards it seemed like an eternity especially when you’re already late.
“May sumpa pag malapit ang bahay sa school, you’re almost guaranteed to be late”, patawa tawa nalang ako habang naglalakad.
The neighbor’s dog stared at me with its sharp gaze paired with growls. He’s tied and inside the gate but I made sure to walk pass him slowly in order to not provoke him even more. Then, after ang ilang liko sa mga kanto ay nakarating na ako.
“Kamalasan…”, I thought as I reach the front gate. “Molave West”, it said on the Archway above towering the giant green gates that’s already closed shut.
The school guard is already laughing at me as he opened the small gate. “Ang aga mo naman para sa next subject. Nakalinya na silang lahat, hala ka diyan”
I just smiled as I went pass him, scouted for my classmates, and then ran at the back of their line.
“Napaka aga mo Mr. Garcia, way to go for the first day of school”
My heart is already beating fast from all the running, but the voice made it beat harder than before. Hindi ko na kailanagan lumingon, I already know who it was. Ma’am Mabini, just her presence would make you shiver. At least that’s what the others say.
“Alam kong maka Filipino time tayong lahat pero you could have at least spared some punctuality, it’s the first day of school. Molave West won’t tolerate such behavior”, she stared at my eyes.
She’s not yelling or mad but she really scares me a bit when she talks. “Yes ma’am, hindi na po mauulit”. I replied before sulking in as she fixed my necktie.
After the Flag Ceremony at kaunting paalala ni Principal, we made our way back to our classroom.
Molave West or PW for short is a private school, not that wide in terms of land but the school buildings are tall. It also has a wide array of facilities, science labs, indoor gym/covered court, computer labs, libraries, and a plot of land para sa mga garden garden na iyan.
Our room is on the ground floor though, last year we are on the 3rd floor, but this time we are sharing a building with 11th and 12th grades. Grades 7, 8, and 9 also share the other.
Some bags are already occupying some seats. The others already chose their seats so I just sat where I felt like it. The third row beside the window is appealing enough so I decided to sit there.
After finding my place, I scanned the room and stared at the door. The others are just right behind me after the flag ceremony ended but for some reason they disappeared. The room was rather echoey as I placed my bag down. I was just about to stand and check when someone startled the shit out of me.
“First day of school late ka, anong nakain mo Henry”, Rigil exclaimed as he entered the door, breaking the silence.
“Tangina ka”, I yelled back at him, muntik na atang malaglag ang puso ko.
One word to describe this fool, no, make it two, annoying and talkative, the kind of person I’d avoid. He’s kind, sometimes, but most of the time his stupid mouth won’t shut up, tumatahimik lang yan kapag binara mo, nasaktan mo yung damdamin niya, or masama ang pakiramdam.
“Late ka din naman kung tutuusin, you’re just right at the gate when the bell rang”, Faye chased him away.
Faye would be the person that I mostly talk to. If 10 is the highest rating for an interaction, I’d say she rates 6 on my scale. We had been seatmates most of the time, at kung hindi ako nagkakamali, beside me is her bag.
The two of them was caught on a conversation and disregarded me. I don’t mind it though. Talking is a waste of energy and I’m already used being disregarded. The room slowly filled up with the familiar faces I’ve been seeing for the past four years now, some of them I already knew for 10.
Gale, Janice, Chirsty, Jean, the “Ang Mga Marites”. They gossip whenever they want. I don’t despise them though. Mga source yan ng impormasyon para sakin, they are quite useful especially when you want to know what’s happening around the room or school, sometimes.
Dion, Sonny, Wallace, holding phones as usual, gaming is life, but that’s why I envy them. They are so relax, not even bothered by scores and studies, gandang buhay, sana all.
Selena would be the one sitting in the middle column second row. A wonderful person, kind and intelligent, though she tends to space out when she’s lost on her thoughts, akala ko ako na ang pinaka lutang sa klase namin but she has me beat by ten folds. Though, on top of that, she’s insightful. I like talking to her when I have the energy.
Kyle is the top of the class, extremely intelligent. Next to him would be Eden, Kale, and Aiden. Magkakilala since elementary.
Then Jhon, Carl, Allen, Zack, they are my own set of friends, though we rarely get together anymore, they have found a way to be grouped with the others, which is good for them. We are from a separate elementary from Kyle and the others.
The others would be Gerald, Clarence, Marlon, Jack, Lyn, Rian, Dian, Ella and Gemma. I don’t have anything to describe them for, but they are good classmates. Don’t ask me, I don’t interact with them that often, in fact I rarely interact with anyone at all.
Last but not the least is Lito, magkakasundo lahat dito pag sinabi kong siya ang kinaiinisan ng lahat. He’s demeanor himself is despised. It’s because of the things he’d done, a Jollibee “bida bida” na hindi naman nakakapag pasaya, annoying, hated more than Rigil.
Hindi ko din naman makakausap lahat sa mga yan, even my friends, unless during group projects and if totally necessary.
My elbow is already aching from supporting my head while watching them from my seat.
I hate them all. In one way or another they are a bad person.
They all have said and did something that made me hate them, maybe I did the same to them too, but I hate them. Not enough to have grudges but they hurt me in some way or another, so I secretly hate them.
But at the same time that’s what I like about them, they are just being themselves after all. Mga tao din lang naman tayong lahat, we are all flawed one way or another. Since I hate the world they would be the closet one to my “Like” list. They should be proud.
“Hoy Henry kinakausap kita…”, kinalampag ni Faye yung upuan ko.
“Ha?”, hindi ko talaga narinig ang sinabi niya.
“You’re spacing out again, wala nanaman ba si papa mo? As usual?”
“Oo”, I replied shortly.
“Aren’t you mad at him? Lagi nalang siyang wala, kahit important events sa school”
“Sira, It’s been years, it’s always like that, syempre sanay na ako”, sabi ko habang naka tingin sa mga puno sa labas.
“Okay settle down”, Ma’am Mabini declared as she stood and gently tapped the black board.
Most of us sat properly while the others are still processing the order.
“Umupo na kayo, ang kukulit, you’re in tenth grade now, the least you can do is act like one”, tinignan niya kaming lahat mula kanan until we met eye to eye. “Tama diba Mr. Garcia?”
“Yes Ma’am”, maikling sagot ko, bago siya nag salita ulit.
“Your fortunate enough to stay in this messy class but unfortunate for the other sections, they have to cope with your noise”, she made her way to her table at the back of the room. “Well anyway, we are expecting a new student kaya mag behave kayo, hindi yung para kayong nasa palengke”, dagdag niya.
“May transferee?”, masiglang reaksyon nang iba, it looked like a flashback when Selena transferred during eighth grade.
“Bagong mukha nanaman”, excited na bulong ni Faye.
“Private to eh, but I actually expected more of them to come rather than one each year”, I replied despite not looking at her. The trees outside, the way their leaves gracefully fall the ground as the wind carries them quietly looked more appealing to me kumpara sa kung ano mang nangyayari sa room namin.
Tama naman si maam, halos parang lagi kaming nasa palengke sa ingay. Plus, the excitement will only go on for a week, after that it will dissipate and everything will go back to normal. Ask Selena herself, and she’ll tell you it’s true.
“I said settle down”, Ma’am exclaimed, “Tahimik muna kayo at may kukunin ako sa office”, she added, walked out the door, talked to someone and went on her way.
There was a brief silence before Gale started talking again.