[2.1]
After one hour of discussion, our teacher was finally dismissed us. Kaya naman agad ding nag sitayo-an ang aking mga kaklase. Ang iba sa kanila ay tumakbo agad palabas ng room kahit na hindi pa nakakalabas ang aming guro. Ang iba
sa kanila ay harap agad sa katabi o sa kung sino man ang makita ng kanilang mata at pinag-uusapan iyong tinuro kanina ng aming guro, na ke'sho mahirap daw 'yong lesson, na hindi nila ma-gets iyong sa ganitong part. At ang mga chismosa naman, s'yempre chismosa pa rin, may panibago siguro silang topic na naman. Sana naman nangshe-share rin sila kung anong pinag-uusapan nila 'di ba?
"Finally! One hour had finished for our Science class!" Si Ash na tumayo at nag-inat na kala mo e isang oras siyang naka-freeze habang nagkaklase.
Ako? eto, nakaupo parin. Mainit na 'tong upuan ko pero syempre joke lang, syempre tumayo na rin ako bago umupo ulit. O sige umupo na lang tayo.
"Tara Thal, labas tayo, 'dun tayo sa puno ng Narra." Pagsabi niya'y agad akong hinala mula sa pagkaka-upo ko. Hindi pa nga ako nakaka-oo e.
"Grabe! naubos brain cells ko 'don! Hindi ko ma-gets iyong may mga box-box." Tukoy niya roon sa lesson namin kanina ng maka-upo kami sa ilalim ng Narra.
Minsan talaga mahirap 'yung science pero syempre it depends naman siguro iyan sa nagtuturo. Meron kasing teacher na ginagawa na ang lahat, 'Yong tipong may mga techniques sila para madaling maintindihan 'yong lessons. The right teacher can make major subjects easy for the students.
Sa totoo lang, medyo mahirap nga iyong lesson namin kanina pero gora lang! Kaya yan! Kakayanin! Para sa future namin ni crush. Pero syempre charot lang. Para sa future ko lang. Wala akong crush. Believe me or not, hindi na ako nagkaroon ng crush ngayong college na ko, sa totoo lang simula ng tumungtong ako ng Grade eight hanggang ngayong college e hindi na ko nagkaroon ng crush. Samantalang nung nasa elementary pa ko e nagka-crush na ako. Grade two! grade two ako nung una akong nagka-crush. Oh 'di ba? ang bata ko pa nung nagsimula akong lumande.
Tapos ayon pa sa mga kaklase ko nung high school pa ko, kapag wala ka raw crush abnormal tapos 'yung mga may crush 'yong normal, like dzuh? lah kong pake kung abnormal ako. Mapipilit ba nila ako? e sa wala akong crush e.
"Hoy!" Pinitik ni Ash ang daliri sa mismong harap ko. "Ayun! Tulala ka na naman!" At namewang pa nga sa harap ko.
"What the?" I ask her about what she did a while ago.
"Anong 'what the?' para naman ma-inform ka, ayun tulala na naman you." At tinuro pa ako. Like before, I just rolled my eyes at her while she was busy telling her rants about me.
"Ang OA! I was just thinking about the discussion earlier." Siyempre magaling ako magpalusot 'no, ayoko namang ilaglag sarili ko at marami na namang chichiburiching idadaldal iyang si Ash. Ashley will always be Ashley. Maingay kahit saan! Hindi na nahiya sa ka-daldalang dala niya.
"Ugh! For your information Luinsse Nathalia, bulok na 'yang mga palusot mo sakin! Try something new next time." And she sat beside me.
"Try something new next time, try something new next time. Pinanganak ka ba talagang walang hiya Ash? Ako rito 'yung nahihiya para sayo eh."
"Nahihiya?"
"FYI, pinagtitinginan kaya tayo, I mean ikaw lang. Dahil d'yan sa kadaldalan mo." At tumingin s'ya sa paligid. Totoo naman kasi, lahat ng estudyanteng nadaan sa puwesto namin ay napapatingin sa kanya dahil sa ka-ingayan niya. Maingay siya kahit saan, kahit kelan!
"Maganda kasi ako." Sabay kunwari flip hair.
"Ay may bagyo ata? Ang lakas kasi ng hangin!" Sabay tingin ko sa kalangitan. Ashley just rolled her eyes at me because of what I've just said, instead she just sit beside me and watch the students passing by.
Minutes had passed when Ash speak, Hindi n'ya talaga maalintana ang manahimik. "Anyway, why would Ms. Ignacio want to talk to you? She was Errol's adviser after all." Ash said out of nowhere. Because of her question, my eyes got big, you know what I mean, then I remember something.
"Shit!" And got up my bag.
"Where are you going?!" Ash, as she follows me.
"I forgot that I am going to Ms. Ignacio's office! Ugh! Stupid Thalia!" But I suddenly stop running, so as to Ashley when I saw our next teacher walking, heading to our roo
"Argh! shit." I just whispered it to myself, enough for Ash to hear it. Baka mamaya kapag narinig ng teacher namin e ma-guidance pa ako. No way! That will be a bad record, and I don't wanna have one! Dahil mamayari ako kay Tita! A bad record will never be a good one.
"Good afternoon ma'am." Ashley greeted our teacher with a smile while she stands beside me.
"Get inside the classroom if you want to attend the class." Our teacher said without even smiling as she continues walking until she passed by where we were standing.
"Ang sungit niya talaga," Ashley whisper so I look at her. She frowns her face still looking at our teacher's back.
She is our one and only terror teacher, no other than Miss...Ballentos. Well, kaya Miss kase wala siyang asawa, hindi rin naman siya biyuda, nasa fourty plus na yata edad nu'n hindi ko sure. Basta wala na siyang thirty plus, mga nasa forty na.
Maybe she's picky when it comes to men? Or she just doesn't wanna have a husband? Get married? Having children? Ms. Ballentos won't even see smiling, even a small smile? Nuh-uh. She won't even be seen laughing too.
Basta lagi niyang suot 'yong no-expression niyang mukha, kahit saan kahit kailan. Kaya siguro walang nagtangkang manligaw sa kanya kasi lagi siyang walang expression. Natatakot siguro sa kanya, mukha kasing laging may galit sa mundo si Ma'am, lagi siyang naka-busangot ang mukha.
"Let's go." And she started to walk towards our classroom that made me confused because Ash became, or let's just say she sounds way too serious? Or, is it just me? Or what?
Hmm weird.
As I take one step I saw that animal again, the animal that I saw this morning near the school gate. Again, it was looking at me, like really? I look around to check if I was right that it was looking at me. But when I put back my eyes where that animal is, I saw nothing. It was.... gone.
It was just your hallucination Nathalia!
Breathe in, breathe out then I look at the way that's heading towards our classroom as I finally decided to go and attend the class.
Did I really saw that? or is it just my hallucination? Wala na bang ibang nakakakita sa hayop na 'yon? Sabagay medyo malayo sa akin 'yung pwesto no'ng hayop. Nasa may pader siya at maraming puno ang likod ng room, kaya't hindi siya masyadong makita ng iba. Baka naman kasi may iba pang nakakita pero natatakot lang na magsalita kasi baka walang maniwala sa kanila. Tulad ko. Baka hindi maniwala si Ash kapag sinabi ko sa kanya na nakakita ako ng hayop na nakakatakot.
Agad ko ring inalis sa aking isip ang nakita at pilit na ilibang ang sarili sa ibang bagay para hindi ko maisip ang nakita. Lutang ako habang naglalakad papasok ng room namin, buti nalang at hindi ako tinanong ni Ash kung bakit ganun na naman ako.
Another one hour had finished and here I am, still like I had my own world. I was like floating in the whole one hour! Wala sa sarili, tulala lang. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano iyong lesson na diniscuss kanina ng terror teacher namin e. Ugh! I think I was hallucinating often, I need to go to the hospital for a check-up, I think.
"Hoy!" Isang palakpak ang nagpabalik sa akin sa reyalidad.
"You said earlier that you're going to Ms. Ignacio's office right?" Right!
:)
[2.2] "Yeah. Wanna come?" She didn't respond, instead, she just nodded. So we started walking towards Ms. Ignacio's office, Errol's adviser. After minutes of walking, here we are now infront of Ms. Igancio's office. We're standing here more like one minute I guess. The door opens and reveals Ms. Ignacio wearing her teacher uniform with her eyeglasses. "Oh! here you are. Come in." While smiling at us so we return her a smile too. "Have a seat, Ladies," She said as she fixes her eyeglasses. I sat at one of the chairs' so as Ashley, "So... Who's Luinsse Nathalia?" I raised my right hand as an answer to her question. She nodded her head and ask my cousin's name. "Ash Shun Ruiz, ma'am. Thalia's cousin," Ash said and give her a beautiful smile. Sana beautiful din smile ko 'di ba. "Okay. I'll get straight to the point. Kaya kita Nathalia? pinapunta rito sa office ko kasi.... Uhm, well you and Errol know here in
[3.1] Ashley's Point Of View I was carrying Thalia's conscious body at my back as I walk in this place full of tall trees. Forest. "Ugh! Why you're so heavy, Thalia?" I roam my eyes in the place, hoping that I can find something where we can take a rest. "Sana naman buhay ka pa. Hindi ko hahayaang pati ikaw ay mawala pa saakin," I whispered referring to Thalia's conscious body. I check her pulse if she's still alive, and thank God. "Where would that place be?" I run fast so I can find a place where to rest. After minutes of running, the forest with tall trees are gone. These isn't the human world. Napalitan ng mga kabahayan ang mga nagtataasang mga puno, naglakad ako papunta sa isa sa mga bahay sa 'di kalayuan at kumatok. I guess this is the place. The house door opens, and it reveals a girl with her house clothes. She walks outside and opens the gate, she smiles at me so I return her wit
[3.2] Ashley's Point Of View (Continue...) Kinabukasan ay maaga akong nagising, bumangon ako at tinignan ang putlang-putla ng katawan ni Thalia. "Thalia is already mated to someone," Mom said while she caressed my hair. "Someone? Is he a vampire too?" I looked at her confused. "Not just a vampire." She looks at me and shows her beautiful smile. "What do you mean?" "Her mate needs to bite her at full moon." That memory of my mom reminded me of that scenario. She told me about Thalia's mate, but not all. I wish she had just told me who really is that 'mate' of Thalia, why you couldn't get me straight to the point and tell me, mom? Why you're just giving me hints? Tomorrow night, the bright full moon will show. I need to find her mate and bring Thalia to him or else, her body will bid a goodbye. And as if I will gonna l
[4.1] Awake I open my eyes and stared at the white ceiling for a couple of minutes and I realize that the place wasn't familiar. The atmosphere wasn't familiar to me. I roam my eyes around while still lying at my bed until found out I was inside a room or more like in a room because of the apparatus attached to me. Mag-isa lamang ako sa silid, wala si Ash. Wether I wanted to get up and find her, I can't. It feels like my body was really tired, as if I just came from doing something that results my body to be like this. Sinubukan kong i-angat ang ulo ko ng bahagya ay hindi ko magawa. Ang sakit talaga ng katawan ko, sobra! Urgh! One move and I felt my body aches! As in buong katawan ko yata ang masakit. And, why am I here in this place anyway? What did really happened? And where's Ashley? Why am I feeling so tired? Urgh! Where are you Ashley Ru—?! "Doc! She wakes up!" speaking of the devil, the devil is coming. Ash w
[4.2]"Pagaling ka na Thal." I don't know why but, by how Ash said that it sounds like there is something else she want to say. I can feel it. Pero sa halip na tanungin siya ay pinili ko na lamang na inialis sa isip iyon dahil baka ako lang ang nag-iisip ng ganoon."Syempre. Ayoko ng nakaratay ako sa ospital." And I ended up a fake laugh to make it sound a joke because Ashley looks too serious. But I guess it didn't work, she didn't even bother to change her serious-look-face expression. Instead, she just smile while looking at me. Inayos niya ang aking buhok at inipit sa gilid ng aking tainga. Ilang minuto pa kaming dalawa na nasa ganoong posisyon habang nakakabingi na katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin.I couldn't take the silence so I spoke up, "Ano ba 'yan, masyado kang seryoso."Saglit pa bago siya nagsalita, "matulog ka na." Tumayo siya at iniayos ang sofa na mahaba na narito mismo sa silid upang doon matulog. Hanggang sa nahiga na
[5.1] “You’re….” Ash pause for a moment while she didn’t even bother to break the gaze on me. “You’re going to be discharged here tomorrow,” she said and look at both Myra and Bryan. I am going to be discharge tomorrow? Is she joking? She said yesterday that it’ll be on next week. Ano iyon nagbago ng desisyon? Hindi naman niya nakausap si Dr. Henry e, ibang tao ang pumasok dito kanina at inaya niyang sa labas na lang sila mag-usap na dalawa. Kaya paano niyang nasabi na lalabas na ako dito bukas? Ashley was acting strange lately, I swear. I can see it. Marahil ay nakita ni Ash ang pagtataka sa aking mukha kaya naman ay nagsalita siya. “I talk to Dr. Henry after I talk with that guy,” she explained. Speaking of that ‘guy’ who entered the room lately, there is something wrong with his aura. ‘O baka naman guni-guni ko lang iyon. “You...talk to Dr. Henry huh? Nagbago siya ng desisyon kaya bukas na ako lalabas?” Tumango ng bahagya si Ash habang ang tingin a
[5.2] “Ano'ng pangalan niya, Ash?” Napunta sa akin ang atensyon ng tatlo ng magtanong ako. “Who?” “No’ng lalaki, iyong pumasok dito tapos inaya mong sa labas na lang kayo mag usap.” Paliwanag ko “Ah a-ano kasi…” Napalingon ako kay Myra ng siya ang magsalita. “H-hindi namin alam ‘yong pangalan niya e, ‘di ba?” Dugtong niya at tumingin siya kay Ash at Bryan. “Ah? O-oo.” -Si Bryan. Tumingin siya sa akin at binigyan ako ng tipid na ngiti. Samantalang si Ash naman ay tumango lang sa akin bilang pagsang-ayon sa sinabi ni Bryan. “Iyon ang totoo,” paninigurado ni Ash. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil roon. “Paano kayo naging magkakilala kung hindi mo alam ang pangalan niya?” Masasabi mo bang magkakilala kayo kung hindi mo alam ang pangalan niya, ‘di ba? These three is really weird, hmmm. “When we met, I asked his name but he just said ‘I don’t have the name’ so I called him that.” “Ay grabe naman siya, pangalan na nga
[6.1]Umalis ang lalaki na parang wala lang sa kanya, samantalang ako ay halos gusto na lang mahimatay habang nakatitig siya sa akin. Kung nakamamatay lang ang titig ay kanina pa ako namatay. Sigurado iyon. Salamat na lang talaga at hindi nakamamatay ang titig.Nang makaalis ang lalaki ay doon lang ako nakahinga ng maluwag, para bang may kung anong nakabara sa aking lalamunan para mahirapan akong huminga kanina, ngunit ang tibok ng aking puso ay matagal pa bago kumalma. I was afraid earlier that he would inter the room! Good thing he didn’t. Akala ko talaga ay papasok siya kanina! Kinabahan na nga ako ng sobra do'n sa titig pa lang niya, paano pa kaya kung pumasok pa siya kanina? Malamang sa malamang ay namatay na talaga ako.Pasalamat na lang talaga ako ay hindi siya pumasok kanina. Sino ba talaga siya? Bakit niya iyon ginagawa? Bakit niya ako tinititigan ng ganoon ka-tagal? Hindi ko naman siya inaano. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay wala akong atraso sa kanya para