Only Home (Completed)

Chapter 14

"Try to be more expressive. I think you can look sideways while you say the phrase or you can do this," Kiel said as he gestured some movements. Tumayo pa siya sa bench para maipakita sa akin ang mga iyon ng maayos.

"Hirap naman," I complained.

"Ano ba, pagalitan ka ni Linda, sige ka!"

I imitated his suggestions upon hearing the name of our terror adviser. I was picked to become the representative for the spoken poetry contest. Ilalaban ako sa ibang representatives ng ibang sections and Kiel has been helping me for my entry.

I was the one who actually made the poem and he helped me with my delivery for it. Kulang na nga lang siya na iyong pumalit sa akin e.

"Uh huh, okay I think that's enough already. Basta siguraduhin mo lang na hindi siya magmukang pilit na actions para mas convincing. Kain muna tayo, gutom na ako," he stated after a few rounds.

Lumapit ako at kinuha ang pagkain sa bag. We prayed before eating but Kiel was still looking at the copy of my poem like he was thinking of the next suggestion that he could throw to improve my piece while unbuttoning his school uniform revealing his white shirt inside.

"Akala ko ba gutom ka na?" tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Yeah, tumingin lang e," he stated and smiled like a kid. I stopped eating and stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Paano kapag hindi ako nanalo?" I asked him. Masyado siyang nag-e-effort sa entry ko e. Baka mamaya masayang lang ang effort niya. Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay bago tumawa.

"Edi hindi ka nanalo," he said, chuckling.

"Hindi ka magagalit? Madi-disappoint na nasayang lang ang effort mo?"

"Bakit? Sasayangin mo din ba?" he laughed.

"Well, hindi naman. Of course, I'll do my best in there and apply all there is to apply but what if hindi pa din ako manalo? Won't you be disappointed?"

"Hindi," simple niyang sagot.

"Why would I be disappointed to a person who did nothing but her best? You know what Jade, our best is not always the best for the others. We might have given our all but there are just times that they look for something else. What's more important is you did your best anyway," he added and resumed eating.

Napangiti ako. He just knows how to lift up my mood.

"Ano'ng oras next class mo?" I asked him.

"Wala naman daw kaming teacher sa next class kaya baka sa second period pa." Tumango ako.

Our adviser excused me for the whole day so that I can practice kaya wala akong problema. Kiel, however, cannot go with me all the time. We are not on the same year and he's a year older than me, hindi din tugma iyong mga schedule namin that's why I really appreciate his efforts for me. Mas ginugusto ko na tuloy manalo.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked him a random question nang matapos kaming kumain. Masyado pa akong busog e.

"Uy, future talks?" humalakhak siya. I rolled my eyes on him at nag-focus na lang sa field na mayroong mga soccer players na nagpa-practice sa ilalim ng napakainit na araw.

"Huwag mo na nga lang sagutin," I said.

"Ay, pikon agad? Tingin nga ng pikon," he stated trying to peek at me while still laughing.

"Ang babaw ng kaligayahan mo, 'no?" siningkitan ko siya. "Sa sobrang babaw, abot ng langgam."

His eyes widened in a dramatic shock and slowly clapped his hands as he stood in front of me.