Chapter 1

Fictitious works ahead.

Any resemblance of the place, character, actions, and personality are purely coincidental.

_______________________________________________

"Salute!" isang malagim na boses iyon galing sa kabilang parte ng building kung saan naroon ang mga platoon members.

We were hanging on for our Instructor. I am in 2nd year Class Masigpat, and sometimes it's hard coping with my studies lalo na at madalas wala ang professors.

I can hear the sound of feets walking towards me. I didn't have time to look at them lalo pa at namomroblema na naman ako sa ipambabayad ng tuition sa darating na Pre-finals.

Nakaupo ako malapit sa bintana, first window beside the front door kaya madali akong nakakalabas agad tuwing uwian. My face were buried in my folded arms in the arm-chair, staring at the outside suddenly being clouded with students wearing maroon shirt.

"Anong year 'to?"

I didn't have time to reply. Because this one guy almost wanting to envelope himself to the window, all I can see was his garrison belt in between his tucked in shirt and pants.

Napabuntong hininga ako at pumikit.

I can still hear them with their rumbling noises alongside with my classmates having their own chitchats inside. I am the only one in silence.

Papikit pa lang ako nang bigla na lang may malakas na pag-hamba sa itaas na bahagi ng bintana dahilan para mapaigtad ako sa kinauupuan. Ang kaninang maingay na kaklase ay natahimik, feels like we are being run over by a ghost.

"Tinatanong kita." he said angrily while his both hands were on the two side of the window, he's leaning towards to stare completely at me.

4rth year. He's an OJT.

Napatayo ako at binaba ang tingin sa garrison belt niya.

"2nd year, Sir." mahinahong sagot ko.

One of the policy here in SCCI was to always greet them as a lower year. Most especially if you are an incoming officer, you should always show respect by doing a salute on them while they walk passed through. The salute that the 3rd year were doing to them raised some of their pride.

"You have the guts to disregard me?" he asked, viciously.

"No, Sir. I'm sorry."

"Come here outside." he commanded.

I groaned in my mind. This is really pissing me off. Just because I didn't answer them, especially him, I am already in bad. Tatandaan nila ang pangalan ko. They always do that when they think a lower year didn't respect them.

Sinunod ko ang sinabi niya. I stepped out and remain my eyes down. Nakatingin lang ako sa pants niya, madalas sa garrison belt niya. They are three OJT's. Ang dalawa ay nasa gilid lang habang nakatingin sa akin na lumalapit sa isa nilang kasama.

I stand straight in front of him. His both hands are on his waist. Hindi ko pa nakikita ng buo ang physical appearance niya because we really can't. All I can say was he's tall, taller than his two subordinates. His skin was kinda tanned, his shoulder were broad and his entire physique screams vigor.

He's looking ardently. The reason why some are really scared of him, but not me.

In my peripheral, I noticed his stares in my face. Tumagal iyon at para bang may sinenyas pa siya sa dalawa niyang kasama bago siya magsalita.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Oh, hell.

"Solemn Marrie Vartivo, Sir." I answered.

I know I was doomed by this time. I know what they are going to do when they asked a student about their identity.

"Vartivo, down 30."

Argh! This is for real. Tirik na tirik ang araw tapos eto ako magpapapawis sa push ups. So nice, right? 

Bumaba ako and I did what he told me to do. Hirap na hirap ako sa 20 tapos 30 ang pinagawa niya! 

After doing it, I feel like I run over a mile. Pawisan agad ako but I had no choice but to follow the command of this selfish, arrogant senior. Hindi ka sana makapasa sa Pre-finals, tangina ka.

"Good. I'll tell you, Vartivo. This will not be the last time we'll meet. I'll always come here, and once I'll caught your eye on me..." he lean closer to my face and tried to made an eye contact with me but I immediately removed it by looking down on his shoes.

"...beauty is over, Solemn." he said grinning.

They left me after that. I was breathing heavily because of the push up as I ran back to my seat at nakiusap sa kaklase na iharap sa akin sandali ang electric fan.

Hindi naman sila nagreklamo. They gave it to me for a minute until I can manage the heat. When they saw me in calm, pinaikot na nila ang electric fan.

"Ikaw naman ngayon ang pinagdiskitahan. Noong nakaraan mga First year." sabi ng katabi kong babae, si Chie.

I shook my head in disbelief. They always do that just because of one mistake. Some of them were okay, but those three are really jerks.

Kahit sino na lang, akala mo talaga may mga position ng hawak, e. We are all students here, the difference are the year we are in. But do we have to suffer just because we wrongly stare at them? Can't they let it passed?

The incoming 3rd year must have had hard time coping with it. The every moment salute when they see them, and the much of respect they want to fill their pride. 

Hindi lahat katulad sa tatlong iyon. Marunong makisama ang ibang OJT. They don't like punishing, pero kapag iyong tatlo na 'yon ang nandito talagang impyerno ang buhay namin.

Dumating na ang instructor namin. Isang subject lang ang meron kami ngayong umaga at dalawa naman mamayang hapon. After class, mabilis na akong lumabas ng room. Nagpaalam agad ako kay Chie dahil hindi naman raw siya uuwi. Dito na raw siya maglalunch kasama ang iba niyang tropa.

It's 10 o'clock already. 

I walked towards the gate. There are some of the OJT's that I walked pass through kaya naman bumabati ako. Some would smile, some would greet back but some will just stare at you and left.

I'm okay with those. Those are valid. Those are okay. Hindi lang okay ay iyong pagtitripan kami.

Tuluyan na akong nakaalis ng campus. Our campus was located nearby Aemillanum College Inc. There's just an small entrance, beside was the BMMCI and the Jay-R barber shop. The campus itself was not that wide unlike the other campuses here in Sorsogon.

Though, it's enough to attain the student numbers.

I have my motorcycle to use for my daily drive here. Binili ito ni mama sa akin noong first year ako dahil mas marami raw ang gastos kapag commute. It's a Raider Fi no modification since I have no enough money to have it on a thai concept. I really wanted that modification, it feels heavenly.

Kinuha ko ang susi sa loob ng secret pocket ng bag ko. I used my old plain white Zebra helmet since mainit sa mata ng mga kawatan ang Evo helmet ko. I cannot leave it here unattended lalo na malayo itong pinag-parkingan ko palagi.

The kou Mahachai pipe groan the moment I start the engine. I put down the visor before I ride on my way home.

"Happy lunch, Ma!" bati ko noong matanaw ko siya sa harap ng bahay sa may poso. Naglalaba siya ng mga natitirang damit, ang iba ay nakasampay na.

Tinanggal ko ang helmet ko pagka-parking ko ng motor sa designated place nito. I walked towards her and kissed her cheeks. She smiled and washed her hands.

"Happy lunch din, magandang anak ko." bati niya pabalik.

My mother, in her mid 50's, was looking young and healthy. Her hair was a bit curly, color brown and her body has its figure. Hindi siya ganoon kataba kahit na madalas sa nakikita kong mga nasa 50 na ay tumataba talaga. Her skin were white na may kaunti nang kulubot. 

Her brows were perfect, her nose were straight and tall, her lips were much near alike with a cupid bow, and her jawline were small. If we'll sit beside each other, I'm the teen version of her. Everything about her was in common with my physical appearance. Kaya hindi rin talaga maitatanggi na anak niya ako.

"Tumayo ka na diyan, Ma. Tulungan kita diyan mamaya. Kain muna tayo." pag-aaya ko.

"Hinihintay talaga kita. Akala ko sa labas ka na naman kakain." aniya tila nagtatampo sa akin noong mga nakaraang araw na panay sa labas ako kumakain.

Ngumiwi ako. "Sus, hindi ka pala kakain kung wala ako?"

"Gusto kasi kita kasabay, 'nak. Ang lungkot kumain dito sa bahay ng mag-isa."

Tumango-tango ako as I squatted beside to level with her atsaka inakbayan ko siya.

"Okay po, mama." I smiled.

I put the side of my head on her shoulder. She put her head on me.

"I love you." she said. Napangiti ako. 

"Pero wala pang ulam. Mangutang ka muna."

Napaangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. She chuckled at me.

"Joke lang. Nagluto ako ng nagmamantikang adobo. Paborito mo." bawi niya.

"Mga joke mo mama hindi nakakatuwa."

She laughed. "Maghanda ka na ng plato doon. Susunod ako sa loob."

Tumango ako at mabilis na tinungo ang loob ng bahay. Our house were like an old ancestral house. Pero sa labas lang iyon dahil ginawa naming modern ang style sa loob.

Curtains are in light gray colour that are hanged in the sala. We have two small sofa which are also in light color, something in pastel. In front of it was a small wooden table and a small TV.

Our walls are cream, giving the curtain a much highlight. The lighting made much more impact to what the interior was.

Our home was small pero tama lang iyon sa aming dalawa. We have two bedrooms, one comfort room na naroon sa kusina. Mayroon din kaming gulayan sa likod.

Matagal na noong binili ito ni papa at si mama naman ang nagdecide ng interior. I was 15 that time when Papa died because of a motorcycle accident. Nabangga siya ng nagmomotor. Ang rason sa amin ay nagmamadali lang raw siya.

Sinagot nila ang hospital bills ni papa but then he still died because tinakbuhan siya noong nakabangga sa kaniya in the middle of my father's crucial therapy. I cannot contain my agony during those time because I am both mama's girl and papa's girl. And it is more painful knowing I am the only child, and that I lose my father because of irresponsible man.

Natapos kaming kumain ni mama bago pa man mag-alas onse ng tanghali. Maaga pa naman para bumalik ng campus kaya tinulungan ko muna si mama sa labada.

We finished at 12:30. Nagpaalam agad ako na babalik na sa campus dahil may dalawa pa kaming subject. Iniwan ko si mama na magsasampay na lang ng mga nilabhan.

Mabilis kong narating ang centro. I parked at the usual at iniwan ang helmet sa side mirror ng motor. Tumakbo ako sa campus para hindi na ako mag-protocol.

I stopped running when I saw a familiar face near the gate. Putanginang malas nga naman. Sila pa talaga ang bantay.

Nakita ko naman na hindi nila pinapakealaman ang mga pumapasok dahil hindi naman talaga required magprotocol na ganitong maaga pa. I was so confident to do the same thing with those students. Pero bago pa man ako lumagpas ng gate ay isang malagom na boses ang tumawag sa apelyido ko, dahilan para matigilan ako.

"Vartivo, saan ang punta natin?" mapaglaro ang tinig niya noong sabihin niya iyon.

I calm myself first before I face him. He's sitting in between his two subordinates. Ang lawak pa ng upo, akala mo hari.

"Good afternoon, Sir." pagbati ko sa kaniya.

He tilted his head as if he's looking intently at my face. Tangina mo, sarap dukutin ng mga mata mo!

"Balik." utos niya.

"Sir?" I questioned his authority.

"Hindi ko pa nakikita ang pag-protocol mo." he said as he stand up to face the gate where the protocol happens.

Hayop talaga.

I didn't move yet but he raised his eyebrows, giving me a warning look. Fine! Putangina, pati pag-protocol ko pinag-iinitan!

I walked towards him. I stand beside the cemented post and faced him, feet in 45°. Malalim na buntong hininga ang ginawa ko bago nagsimulang mag-tap ng tatlong beses sa haligi then I salute.

"Good afternoon, Sir. Solemn Marrie Vartivo, requesting permission to enter the SCCI campus, Sir!"

The protocol had to be spoken in fast, clear, and louder voice. Once the one on guard tells you that permission is granted, you have to end the salute and step foward to which direction you are taking.

But then, I know that I am not able to do the last 2 steps just because this OJT is a cruel one.

The moment I saw his smirk, I know that I'll be going through hard times from this day forward...

and that's because of him.