The day ended and as expected, lahat kami ay kumain ng tapa before eating churros. Isa pa sa mga nakakagulat ay kahit kumain kami ng tapa ay kulang pa rin ang churros sa’min.
Lahat kami ay nagreview ng mga notes for an hour and decided to go home dahil ang tagal na rin naming nag aaral.
Even though maaga kaming umuwi, I stayed up until dawn studying. Not just our school lessons but also the past failed projects of our airlines.
“Ako na mag bubuhat ng bag mo Graig.” Pilit na kinukuha ni Deborah ang bag ni Graig.
Hindi pa kami uuwi. Pupunta kami sa extra room ng Echo to review. Lilipat kami don dahil magluluto uli si Brice. Siya na ang kadalasang nag luluto samin dahil lagi kaming nag kakagulo sa cafeteria.
“Ayoko! Buhatin mo yung iyo!” Hinila pabalik ni Graig ang bag niya. Pinapapanood ko lang sila habang pinapasok ko ang notebooks sa bag.
Padabog na binigay ni Graig ang bag. “Edi sa’yo na! Akin na bag mo! I’ll carry it.” Hinablot ni Graig ang bag na nakasabit kay Deborah.
Tumalikod si Graig para maglakad. “Fuck, masisira na eardrums ko.” He mumbled and walked past me.
“Ikaw rin Claud buhatin mo bag ko.” Boses naman ni Ely ang narinig ko kaya napapikit ako.
“Ayoko nga! Bato ko yan sa bintana sige ka!” Umalis kaagad si Claud at hinabol sila Aldo na palabas na.
Napatingin naman ako kay Blanca na nakatayo lang.
She looked at Ayer who’s silently staring at her. “Ano? Bubuhatin mo rin bag ko?” Blanca asked in a sarcastic voice.
Ayer scoffed. “Sus, gusto mo lang buhatin ko yung iyo eh.” Hinampas naman siya ni Blanca kaya natawa.
“Ang lala ng mga kaibigan ko.” Fabian commented with his eyebrows knitted together.
I carried my bag and was ready to take a step but I felt like a big puppy was staring at me intently.
“What?” I asked Keith. He’s wearing the hood of his hoodie at maamong nakatingin lang sa’kin.
“Carry.” Nilahad niya ang kamay niya.
My eyebrows furrowed, processing what he meant. “You’ll carry my bag?”
“No, I’ll carry you.” Nilahad pa niya ang isang kamay. His arms are wide open waiting for me to answer.
“Hala! Ayaw!” Agad kong tanggi at nahihiyang umatras ng onti. Afraid he might pull me.
He chuckled then held my bag strap and followed me to walk outside.
I’m actually tempted to accept his offer ‘cause I’m feeling heavy today. Nung isang araw pa sumasakit ang ulo ko kaya hindi rin maganda ang pakiramdam ko nitong mga nakaraang araw.
“Aiby, tama ba ‘to?” Blanca showed me her questionnaire. We’re giving each other set of questions at pinapaikot ito sa isa’t isa.
Tumango ako. “Yeah, pasa mo sa iba ng tapos.” She nodded at tumayo para hanapin ang pwede niyang kapalitan.
I looked at the questionnaire I’m holding at agad napabuntong hininga. Oh my, kung sino po ang sumulat nito, sana hindi niya maintindihan ang questions na makukuha niya.
Paano ba naman kasi?
Sabi ni lalakeng may balbas at salamin na hind daw magandang gamitin ang 5th theory business sa mga dyan yung maliliit na business. Hindi ko alam tawag don eh kaya isipin mo na lang.
Lalong sumasakit ang ulo ko kakabasa sa mga sinulat niya. Nagegets ko naman pinapagawa niya pero dapat ganto?
I wrote my answer
I also agree sa lalaking may balbas at salamin na hindi dapat inaapply ang theory na yun lagi……..
“Hala! Hindi ko maintindihan ‘to! Ang hirap naman!” Napatingin kami kay Claud na sumigaw. Sinasabunutan pa niya ang sarili niya at masamang nakatingin sa papel.
Tinawanan lang naman siya nila Ely at tinignan rin ang sinasagutan ni Claud. Sabay sabay naman silang nawalan ng dugo sa mukha.
Hula ko, kay Brice yung nakuha niya.
Si Brice ang unang nakapalitan ko at halos punitin ko na lang ang papel nung makita ko ang tanong. My mind seriously went blank and the time suddenly stopped.
Ganon kahirap.
Iris sat beside me and asked me about the theories again. Nagrereklamo siya at minali daw siya ni Ayer kahit tama naman daw siya. I tried reading it again and I kept my eyes blinking.
My head suddenly felt so fuzzy so I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath to calm my breathing but when I opened my eyes, my surroundings were moving. Shit, I’m dizzy.
“A-Aiby, you’re n-nose is bleeding!” Twilla exclaimed with a hint of fear in her voice. She’s sitting in front of me with widened eyes.
I felt Iris stiffened when she heard Twilla so I immediately covered my nose. Pagtakip ko dito ay naramdaman ko ang basa sa labi ko.
The whole Echo looked at me. I saw how Keith hurriedly stood up and went to my side.
“Lemme see.” Keith removed my hand a little so he could see if it’s true. When his eyes went back to meet my gaze, worry clouded his eyes.
“Do you want me to help you? Or you know what to do?” He asked me fastly. Dahan dahan niya kong nilapit sa sink.
“I know what to do, ako na.” He nodded then I removed my hands covering my nose.
I washed my hands first and gently pinched the soft part of my nose. I saw Keith on my peripheral view getting his handkerchief. He wiped the blood on my neck and on my chin.
“M-Monthly period?” Malakas na tanong ni Claud sa likuran ko. Although I’m not facing them, I know it’s Claud. Just from his tone of voice at sa tanong niyang nakakatanga. It’s Claud.
“Tangina, nose is bleeding nga eh! Malamang nose bleed!” It’s Ivo for sure. I saw him sitting beside Iris nang tumayo ako sa upuan ko.
“S-Si papa Brice! Tawagin niyo si papa Brice.” Now I finally heard Ayer’s voice. Actually, nasa tabi siya ni Twilla kanina kaya isa siya sa mga nakakita sa’kin. He looked at it with widened eyes and jaw dropped.
I’m breathing through my mouth and avoiding using my nose for now. I leaned forward to avoid the blood flow to my throat.
“Let’s sit down.” Keith said to me in a low voice. Hindi pa rin siya mawala wala sa tabi ko. Kaninang hawak ko ang ilong ko, hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa’kin.
“Aiby, t-tissue need mo pa?” Tanong sa’kin ni Blanca habang hawak ang box of tissue.
I nodded. Nanginginig pa ang kamay niya nung binigay sa’kin ang tissue. Kabado naman sila masyado.
“Where’s Aiby?” We all looked at Brice who’s panthing at the door. Katabi niya si Ely at Deborah na hingal din. Mukhang sinundo nila sa office.
Brice walked straight to me.
“How are you? You should go to the clinic if you’re feeling tired.” Brice said it straightly.
I smiled, although hindi kita. “Yes, Th-”
Keith beside me cleared his throat. “She’s okay and I’ll bring her to the clinic after the blood stops.”
Brice fixed his eyeglasses. “Okay.”
Keith and I nodded.
I heard Earl and Aldo whistling.
Rave and Asra are looking at me with their teasing eyes and smirk on their lips. I saw Ella poking them both to stop.