“Babae guys”, Gale cried.
I took a peak but everyone is already looking at the back of the room.
White shirt, black jeans, she sat beside our adviser’s desk while fidgeting with her phone. She projects a faint smile as the class started asking her questions, lalo na si Gale na ang kapal ng muka. Pagtango at pag iling lang ang sagot niya.
The breeze called me again outside, the clouds from a far was brewing rain. Humid air is best partnered by the grey surroundings during the rain, I’d like to see.
“Yun lang palayo yung takbo nila”, my thought slipped.
“Kalampagin niyo si Henry, lutang nanaman”, may narinig akong nagsabi, hindi ko lang alam kung sino. I looked around but I never knew who it was, pero hula ko si Rigil. Parang ako nalang lagi ang paboritong target ng taong yun.
As soon as put my attention back inside, the first thing I heard is “chix”, nang gagago nanaman yung iba, kadadating nung tao. I disliked their statement but it’s funny at the same time. Bigyan niyo naman ng space yung tao, I thought.
Not that I care enough to mediate though, it just looked inappropriate to bother the person too much. For me, I’d just stay here on my seat, live in my own world. Stay on my own bubble. If possible I don’t want to have anything to do with them. She looked like a good person but I prefer to not get too involve.
“Get into less bullshit as much as possible”, yun motto ko sa buhay.
“Wala talaga kayong hiya Einstein”, sigaw ni ma’am pagbalik niya, “I just ran for some errands for a minute and now the room is a jungle”. Takbo lahat pabalik sa kanila kanila nilang mga upuan.
“Have you introduced yourself already Ms. Buenavista?”, tanong ni ma’am nang nakaupo na lahat.
“Hindi pa po”, she replied with courtesy.
“Go ahead then”, ma’am gesturedto the front as she placed some bond papers on her desk.
She quietly traversed the path between the first and second columns, then turned around to face the class. “Okay…”, huminga siya ng malalim.
Everyone was waiting for her to speak. Their faces are painted with anticipation. Forget the transferee, my classmate’s faces is more entertaining to watch, they all looked focus that I could die from withholding my laughter.
“Hello, my name is Cassie Buenavista, 16 years old…”, hindi pa niya natatapos yung introduction niya nung may nagsabing pang mayaman daw yung apelyido niya. Babae nagsabi, she tried whispering it but everyone still heard it, causing a little bit of laughter.
She smiled, cleared her throat then continued. “I’m from Manila…”
“Oy, Manila girl pala ito eh”, nagsalita nanaman si Rigil. Mas lalong nagtawanan lahat, even Ms. transferee herself laughed because of it.
“Bakit ka lumipat?”, Kyle, asked.
I’m surprised. She answered it without any hesitation. “Nadestino si papa dito sa Katmon, kaya sumama na lang din kami ni mama”
“Lagot kayo, pulis pala ang tatay niya”, pagbabanta ni John sabay tawa habang binabaril baril kuwari lahat ng lalaki sa likod before everyone followed laughing.
“Now that that’s done, everyone please stand up”, Ma’am clapped her hands together.
“Are we going to pray?”, Faye whispered.
“Baliw”, sabi ko sakaniya, “Seat arrangement, parang hindi ka pa sanay”
Everyone slowly made their way to the front and some at the back. After a minute, I picked up my bag from the floor and joined them.
“Sino dito yung mga honors last year?”, ma’am asked out of the blue.
“Si ma’am ang bata bata makakalimutin na”, nagsimula nanamn si Rigil.
“Tse”, sinungitan lang siya ni ma’am, pero hindi naman nagalit. “I’m just making sure”
“Too much talking as usual Rigil”, Allen said.
“So, sino ang mga yun, pakitaas ang kamay”, ma’am continued.
Slowly they raised their hands, Kyle, Ella, Gemma, Allen, Jhon, and Carl.
“Sino pa?”
“SELENA”, the whole class exclaimed.
“Hah?”, sabi lang niya.
“Honor student daw last year”, Kale told her. Then she raised her hands like the others.
“HENRY”, everyone again exclaimed tapos siniko ako ni Faye, “Isa ka din, your spacing out, taas kamay daw”.
I smiled, “Ay”, then I also raised my hand. Sobrang ganda manood I forgot I am one of them.
“Okay, exactly 30 kayo right? Kyle, Allen, 1st row, sa back half ka Allen”, Ma’am Mabini said.
“Carl at Henry, second row, do the same. Selena and Jhon row three, do the same”
I followed the others as they took their designated seats.
“Ella group with Jhon, Gemma to Carl”, ma’am added.
It did not take long until all of us are seated. Most of my friends are honor’s so I will have no chance to have them as seat mates.
“Everyone settled?”, there was no reply but a slight noise.
More of this behavior and we might get in trouble first things first on the school year. We have been in trouble since 7th grade, kami daw pinaka maingay na section sa buong campus, ilang beses na din kaming na bisita ng Head teacher because of it.
Reputation indeed, reputation for being the noisiest class the school had ever seen and heard.
“That will be your seats for the whole year”.
I have no problem with my seat, 4 stars, I can see both the boards I would not need to change seat when copying notes. The only con and the missing 1 star would be because I can’t watch the trees properly. I can, but my classmate’s head is on the way.
“They will also be your group mates for homeroom and gardening…”
“That’s fine”, I thought.
“And on class reporting and other projects on my subject”
“Anak ng—”, my initial thoughts crumbled to the ground like a sandcastle splashed by the waves. Napaikot ako ng tingin sa mga katabi ko, Lito, Lyn, Eden, Gerald. I have no words to describe what I’m feeling. I don’t know how we will manage.
They are also looking back at me.
“Henry hoy, you look pale”, Eden fished me out of my thoughts, “Parang tanga, nakakasilaw ba ganda ko?”, biro niya.
“Mafeeling”, angal ni Gerald which made me and the other two laugh.
“Wala wala, my mind just flew somewhere”, sabi ko bago ako umayos ng upo.
I brushed my thoughts off as the bell rang Melvining the start of the second subject. Nothing happened much, most was about Cassie , the teachers are also as curious as us.
The other half of the time for the other subjects was allotted for the overview kung ano ang mga pag aaralan. Pasilip sa problemang pinasok namin para sa unang quarter ng taon or as I like to call it, a glimpse of hell, a stare into the abyss.
Kinahapunanan, after a brief cleaning in the room, we finally got the approval to go home. Umuwi na agad ako.
There is no happier feeling than seeing your own house after a long tiring day. The sound of the turning doorknob is therapeutic adding to the calming atmosphere of the dark interior of the house. The sofa is softer than usual. It is comfortable and relaxing as I sunk into it.
Though, across the room, there is something staring at me beside the television. I turned on the light and it unfolded in front of my eyes, a monster.
It is passionately embracing my mom with a smile. He’s in the picture frame, frozen in time.
“Harsh Henry, tatay mo yan”, I thought to myself, smiled, removed my blazer then loosen up my necktie as I went to my room to change.
If he would be a villain in a comic that I’m the main character, he would not be a monstrous villain, isa lang siyang normal na taong nakasuot ng intricately tailored na suit with a suitcase. He’ll beat you with his words and hammer your self-esteem until you have nothing left.
Hindi ka niya kailangan lapitan, he can destroy you with his words without even giving you the chance to protect yourself, and you’d fall before even knowing you are under attack.
He’s the reason why this world sucks, at least for me he is.
Though he’s no monster nor I am a main character, I am a side character, another blank face on a comic panel painted black and white, having the same routine all my life and probably for the rest of it.
I’ll probably die for the sake of the main character’s character development.