Chapter 4 : Fashionista  

Tumigil ang sasakyan ni Kuya Red ilang metro ang layo mula sa isang mala-palasyong building. The building is not too wide but it is tall. The exterior is made of bricks. The dominant color is beige but the edges of the bay windows and accents of the building are painted in red.

The center of the building has a clock tower, while two narrower towers stand tall in the building’s left and right wings. Elaborate rin ang pagkakagawa ng mga decorative sculptures ng mga anghel na mas nagbibigay buhay sa istraktura.

Bukod doon, parang nakaka-excite maglakad sa cobblestone pathway sa paligid.

“That is the main building. Nandyan lahat ng offices ng school, pati ang main library. The left wing is occupied by the Humanities Department. Teacher Education naman ang nasa right,” pag-tuloy ni Kuya Red sa campus tour namin.

All I can say is ‘Wow! Ang ganda.’

Pagkatapos ng sight seeing sa main building, dumiretso na kami sa parking lot—sa napakalawak na open space parking lot. Hindi ko alam kung parking lot pa ba o may pa-car show si mayor.

Sa bungad pa lang, agaw atensyon na ang mga mamahaling sasakyan na parang naka-exhibit doon, lalo na ‘yong mga bold colors. May bright yellow na Ferrari, may neon green na Lamb, may mga customized vintage cars pa. Kumikinang pa ang mga ito, either bagong carwash o bago talaga.

Sa gawing kanan ay may mini fountain na napapalibutan ng Japanese garden at mga trimmed na bonsai.  May mga stone benches doon na maaring tambayan ng mga estudyante. Sa gawing kaliwa naman at sa tapat ng fountain ay may dalawang stone towers na pinagdurugtong ng isang stone bridge. Ang kulay, mga bintana, pati na rin ang mga dekorasyon ng building na iyon ay ibinase sa disenyo ng main building.

My brother saw me staring at the building which seems to be patterned after the Petronas Towers. Posible kaya iyon? Parang mas matanda pa ang building na iyon kaysa sa Petronas Towers, eh.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? That is the Agatha Griffiths Building. The left tower is occupied by Architecture students. The right tower is where I spent three fourths of my five years in SPU. That’s where you’ll find the Engineering Department and the most good looking and talented people in SPU.”

“Psh. K,” I said rolling my eyes at him.

Then a mischievous smile crept from his face, “but the really interesting part is that,” he said while pointing at the middle of the building.

“The bridge?” I asked.

He nodded in response.

Muli kong ibinaling ang tingin ko sa stone bridge to find out what’s so special about it. Puro mga boys ang naroon. Ang iingay nila. Kahit malayo kami naririnig ko ang tawanan at palakpakan nila. Ngunit, halos malalag ang panga ko noong napansin ko ang mga hawak nilang white board with numbers habang may mga dumaraang babae sa harapan nila.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” I said, my voice almost a whisper.

Nabaling ako kay Kuya Jared and I asked him, “are they doing what I think they’re doing? Nag-re-rate ba sila ng mga babaeng dumaraan?”

“That is the ‘Runway.’ And those guys are just living up to the Engineering and Architecture Department’s tradition.”

“Tradition? Tradition iyan? Kailan pa naging tradition ang kamanyakan, kuya?”

Napalatak na lang si kuya at umiling, “loosen up, Lorryce. Huwag mong seryosohin lahat ng bagay. You have to learn how to have fun once in a while. Huwag kang mag-alala, may sense of fairness ang mga Peterfolks, maya-maya lang ay mga babae naman ang tatambay riyan para mag-rate ng mga lalaki.”

“And you have to know that here in SPU, there is the so called Runway Rule. It says, ‘passing by the Runway means you consent to being rated.’”

“Don’t you think it’s mean?”

“Yeeesss. It could be. But you see, the real world is a lot harsher than that. Siguro kaya pinapabayaan lang iyan ng SPU para na rin turuan ng leksyon ang mga estudyante na kapalan ang mga balat. Dahil sa totoong mundo, kailangang mong matutong lumunok ng ka-bulshitan dahil kung hindi ay malalamon ka ng buong-buo at hindi mag-a-adjust ang mundo para lang sa’yo.”

“Minsan, kahit ayaw mo, kailangan mong matutong makisama. But of course, you have to be careful not to lose your humanity. Besides may choice ka naman. Kung ayaw mong ma-rate, huwag kang dumaan sa Runway, maraming ibang daanan.

“Isa pa, kung sa mga conservative ay bastosan iyan, iba sa amin. We’d like to look at it as a way of appreciating the beauty of God’s creation.”

Bahagya na lamang akong natawa sa huling sinabi ni kuya. Okay na sana, eh. Nabilib na ako sa very enlightening lesson ni Kuya Red kaso humirit pa.

“Appreciating the beauty of God’s creation, huh. Kamanyakan ‘yon kuya. Pinaganda mo lang.”

He just chuckled and shook his head in response. “You’ll understand in time. Sige na. Dito na lang kita maihahatid. Malaki ka na at hindi na alagain. Kaya mo nang maghanap ng classroom mo. Get outta ma car.”

Natawa na lang ako sa pagtataboy ng kuya ko.

“Fine. Sige na kuya. I’ll go ahead. Hihintayin ko na lang si Hannah Banana. Thank you. How ‘bout a kiss?”

His face soured when I tried to offer him a kiss, “no. Just go.”

“Hmm, grabe ang sweet mo talaga, kuya.”

Nakababa na ako sa sasakyan at isasara ko na iyong pintuan nang tinawag ako ulit ni Kuya Jared.

“Lorryce, take this,” I hesitantly took from him the paper bag that he handed me.

“This is SPU, sis. There’s an unspoken dress code.”

“Huh?” I asked confused. He just brushed me off and closed the door of his car and just like that, he drove away leaving me with a big question mark. I was only able to take a few steps when I stop on my tacks as I took in the view in front of me.

Holy guacamole…

Right then and there, my brother’s words once again echoed in my head.

“This is SPU, sis. There is an unspoken dress code.”

Overwhelming aesthetic! Upper East Side much.

I feel like I stepped in a fashion show more than in a University. I suddenly saw myself surrounded by very well-dressed fashionistas. Everybody is making a statement with the way they dress and walk. I see all kinds of styles.

They all look like they walked straight out of a magazine. May naka-outfit na parang member ng isang sikat na K-pop group dahil sa mga kakaibang hairstyles at kulay ng buhok nila. May mga parang a-attend ng kasal kasi naka-tuxedo. May mga girls na komportableng naglalakad in their five-inch stilletos.   

Lahat ng nakikita ko, mukhang mamahalin. Nagkalat ang mga high end luxury fashion brands na gamit ng mga estudyante. Mula Hermes hanggang Versace, mula Armani hanggang Hilfiger, mula Rolex hanggang Prada, name it, may makikita ka. I even saw some girls wearing rare diamonds!

‘Di ko tuloy napigilang tumingin sa sarili ko. V-neck na white t-shirt saka simpleng skinny jeans at converse lang naman ang suot ko. Nakalugay ang aking mahaba at itim na buhok at malalaking kulot lamang ang tanging palamuti nito.

It’s my first day in SPU and I’m still testing the waters kaya I decided to go low key on my outfit. Kung alam ko lang na ganito pala ang kalakaran dito, ‘di sana um-outfit rin ako.

Hindi man lang ako in-inform nina kuya para nakapaghanda ako. Mabuti na lang, kahit papaano medyo pasok naman sa dress code ng SPU itong Antigona Givenchy sling bag na regalo sa akin ni Hannah at nakapag-make up ako ng slight.

And speaking of, ayan na siya.

Witwiw, chix.

“Am I the only one who did not get the dress code memo?” I asked her. She came prepared. Mula ulo hanggang paa, pusturang-pustura.

“Ganda ko ‘no!” ngiting-ngiting pagmamalaki niya.

She shook her head in disappointment after looking at me from head to toe, “Lorryce, I saw you wear better clothes. You did not do your research, did you? SPU’s population composes mainly of fashionistas.”

“Hhhhmmm, that explains the Louis Vuitton,” sabi ko sa kanya habang nakatingin sa bag niya.

“Yup. Cute, ‘no,” bumulong siya sa akin, “8,000.00 sa ukay. Legit.”

Marahan akong natawa. Mahilig si Hannah sa mga branded bags. May collection siya ng mga branded original bags. Kung tutuusin, afford na afford naman niya ang mag-shopping ng mga brand new bags sa Europe. Pero marunong siyang mag-ukay, praktikal daw. 

“Ano naman ‘yan?” tanong ni Hannah habang nakatingin sa hawak kong paper bag.

Sinilip ko ang laman no’ng paper bag na bigay ni Kuya Red. I just can’t help but smile at what he got me.

“Tignan mo nga naman, he is sweet in his own ways,” I said smiling.

Na-curious si Hannah kaya sinilip din niya. She just flashed me a satisfied smile as soon as she saw what’s inside.

“Your brother just got you a Valentino Garavani outfit for school. Ugh! Sana may kuya rin ako, o kahit hindi kuya, basta kapatid, masaya na ako.”

“Bakit, nandito naman ako, ah. ‘Di ba nga we’re sisters from different mothers,” I teased.

She looked at me intently, tila ba sinusuri ang aking mukha, “hmmm… sige na nga, pwede na. Let’s go, BFF, maghahanap pa tayo ng classroom.” She locked her arms around mine and she was smiling widely when she said, “but first we have to get you into the right clothing, BFF.”

I can’t help but chuckle at that, “yup! Baka magmukha pa akong alalay ng mahal na prinsesa kapag tumabi ako sa’yo.”

To fit into the unspoken dress code, I changed into the clothes that my brother got me. In fairness naman sa kuya ko, he knows my size. Kinilig tuloy ako. Kasi at least na-confirm ko na he does pay attention to me.

Now, I’m wearing an all white one piece Valentino jumpsuit. Wrap style ang top, samantala, flowy squarepants naman ang bottom na may hanggang hita na side slit. Pinaresan pa ito ng metal belt at three inch stilettos. I just tied my hair in a high messy ponytail para naman hindi ako masyadong formal tignan.

Now, I’m ready to go and see and conquer just like Kuya Jared!