Chapter 4

Sleepless

"Yara mukhang paa! Yara mukhang paa!"

The sing-song voice of everyone around was filling my ears. I badly want to stop hearing it and just block the sound but I wasn't in control of my hands. 

Tila bakal na mga kamay ang nakakapit sa magkabilang braso ko. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak nila para masigurong hindi ako makakapitlag. Tanging ang likod ng school building ang saksi sa kalagayan ko. Ang maipit sa parehong sitwasyon sa pamilyar na liblib na lugar na ito ay hindi na bago sa akin.

Ang nakangising mukha ng babaeng nasa harap ko ay sapat na para magpanginig sa mga kalamnan ko. Nakakrus ang dalawang braso niya sa ibabaw ng dibdib at tinititigan ako na tila siya ang reyna at ako ang kanyang alipin.

"Kunin niyo yung bag," ma-awtoridad na utos niya habang may kurba pa rin ang labi.

Ni wala na kong lakas para manlaban pa. Sa ilang beses na ginawa nila sakin ito ay tuluyan ko nang natanggap na wala akong pag-asang makawala. Wala akong laban sa kanilang lahat.

Ang isa sa mga alagad niya ay mabilis na sumunod. Marahas na tinanggal ang pagkakasuot ng backpack ko mula sa nanghihina kong katawan.

Aktong bubuksan niya na iyon nang magsalita ang isang nakahawak sa braso.

"Wait Frida, wala namang dadaang guard o school prefect ngayon 'no? Ayoko na ulit tumakbo tulad nung nakaraan!"

Ang nasa tapat ko ay mayabang na umirap.

"Wala na yan pag ganitong oras," confident na sabi niya.

Tinuloy ng isa ang pagbukas sa bag ko. Binaliktad niya iyon at pinagpag para tuluyang malaglag ang mga nasa loob. Nakita ko pa siyang kinapa ang bawat bulsa noon bago bumaling sa nasa harap ko.

"Negative. Wala rito yung wallet,"

The girl in front of me amusingly opened her mouth and let her tongue play inside her mouth. Bahagya niya ring tinagilid ang ulo habang binabaling ang sarkastikong tingin sa akin.

Binigyan niya ko ng hilaw na ngisi bago unti-unting humakbang palapit.

I almost yelped in pain when she harshly grabbed my cheeks. Inipit niya ang baba ko gamit ang isang kamay. Madiin ang pagkakalapat ng mga daliri sa magkabilang pisngi ko.

She let out a cold chuckle. "Nagtatago ka na samin ngayon ah? Nasan ang pera mo?"

Napapikit ako nang iangat niya ang ulo ko at mas hinigpitan pa ang hawak sa mukha ko.

"Oh ano? Diba bilyun-bilyon pera niyo? Nasan na?!"

I felt hands roaming around my uniform. Akala ko sanay na ang mata ko sa ganito ngunit nagsimula pa rin itong humapdi para sa mga nagbabadyang luha.

"Nandito sa bulsa, Frid." one stated.

Marahas niyang binitawan ang mukha ko dahilan para mapatagilid pa ito. I saw her smiling in victory as someone handed her the wallet.

She opened it and picked up the single piece of chewing gum from my wallet. She opened it and put the gum inside her mouth before diverting her attention to the cash. Bumalik ang ngisi niya habang ngumunguya at binibilang ang mga inilalabas niyang laman mula sa wallet.

Bahagya pa siyang lumayo habang binibilang iyon.

"Tanggalin niyo sapatos niyan," utos niya.

Her accomplices obliged and instantly removed my shoes from my feet. It didn't take Frida long enough to come back. Hinagis niya ang wallet ko sa akin habang binubulsa ang nakuha roon.

She smiled. "Marami namang pambili ng bagong sapatos Mommy mo diba?" she smirked. "Ni hindi niya nga siguro napapansing nawawalan ka na ng mga gamit eh,"

From the sly smirk, the curve on her lips slowly disappeared. The view made me quiver. Her face turned into a bold expression. I think I even saw her gritting her teeth.

"Paluhurin niyo," mariing utos niya. There was no humor in her face anymore.

Halos mapadaing ako nang maramdaman ang malakas na pagkakatulak sa likod ko para dumausdos pababa. I found myself kneeling on my bare knees. Dammit. This will make me ran out of scar cream again.

The rigid and harsh movements are already making me feel dizzy. Even more when they started singing their wicked jingle for me. My head was just directed downwards and I don't have the energy to look up. It's not like I even want to look at them anyway.

"Yara mukhang paa! Yara mukhang paa!" laughter was evident in their voices.

Napapikit ako nang may sumabunot sa buhok ko at hinila iyon para iangat ang ulo ko. Nang idilat ang mata ay sumalubong sa akin ang mga nakatutok na cellphone.

I tried to avert my head but the grip on my hair was tight.

"Yara mukhang paa! Yara mukhang paa!"

I flinched when I felt raw eggs being thrown on me. Sunod sunod iyon at hindi ko na nabilang pa.

Bahagya pa 'kong napapitlag nang may sumaboy na harina sa akin mula sa kung saan. It was followed by their loud laughters.

Galak na galak ang bawat halakhak nila. Halos ingud-ngod na rin nila ang mga camera sa mukha ko dahil sa sobrang pagkakalapit ng mga iyon.

"Now, for the finishing touch," Frida has that evil smile while holding a single egg.

She took few steps backwards while not taking her eyes away from me. I'm having goosebumps at her stare.

Humigpit ang kamay na nakakapit sa buhok ko. 

Frida positioned herself. Kitang-kita ko kung paano siya bumwelo habang hinahanda ang kamay.

She smirked. "Get ready to have a facial, Yara.."

She was about to throw it. 

Aiming directly right into my face.

My heart hammered inside my chest.

I shut my eyes close before it can even hit my face.

I was trembling while waiting to feel it crashing on me.

"Yara,"

But there was none.

"Yara.."

My forehead knotted.

"Yara..."

Where is that voice coming from?

"Yara, wake up.."

The gentle shaking on my arms made me open my eyes.

I was welcomed by the view of Sky.

It wasn't the Sky up there but it feels like it.

Mabilis pa rin ang paghinga ko. Panay ang pagtaas-baba ng dibdib habang naghahabol ng hininga. My eyes cluelessly roamed around where I was.

For a moment, I was lost and confused. The bright lights of the living room were almost blinding me.

I tried to think of why I was here.

The last thing I can remember was that I just finished having my dinner and decided to watch a movie first in order to let the food go down. I may have fallen asleep while waiting for the time to pass by.

I blinked repeatedly.

Then.. that one dreading scene was just a dream?

No, scratch that. 

It was another one of those nightmares.

I can't help but shudder in fright as I recalled it.

My eyes went back to the pair of eyes in front of me.

For a moment, I feel like hugging him.

I badly wanna throw my arms around him. It seems like the only way to feel secured. Like what he always used to do just to comfort me before. Every after he saves me from the bullies. Every after he chases them away for me. Every after he protects me from any harm they might cause.

But I stopped myself. I stopped myself from embracing him. I stopped myself from doing it.

Cause this isn't that same Sky.

This is the Sky who've changed.

This is the Sky after his brother died.

This is the Sky after his brother committed suicide.

This is the Sky who told me that I should start learning how to save myself. Cause he was done protecting me.

The thought made me feel like there was something twisting in my stomach.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I accepted the fact that this would be another sleepless night for me.