Blog Seven: Butterfly
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“No way!” I screamed at Cleopatra.
“Yes way!” sigaw niya pabalik sa akin.
Umiling ako. “Ayoko nga!”
“Wala akong pakialam kung ayaw mo, pero kailangan mong sumama sa akin right now! As in, right now!”
“Make me!” I shot back.
Nakakainis! Pinipilit na naman nila akong gumawa ng kalat! I mean, alam naman nilang wala akong katalent-talent sa Arts, idadamay pa talaga nila ako sa pagpe-paint ng walls doon sa plaza ng Barrio Belleza! Gusto ba nilang magmukhang sinabuyan ng putik ang mga dingding na ‘yun!?
“Look, Celeste,” she snapped, “this is community service! We Chengs should be serving our barrio wholeheartedly!”
“Puwede namang sa ibang bagay eh,” I snapped back. “I mean, I could bake cupcakes and sell them! Then the proceeds will go to—”
“Well, do you know how to bake cupcakes?”
“I could learn!” depensa ko.
“Then you should just learn painting!”
“Ayoko nga ng kahit na anong may kinalaman sa pintura!” I shouted.
“Anong kaartehan na naman ba ‘to, ha, Celeste?”
Cleopatra and I turned around to see Cadmus and Bubbles making rampa papalapit sa amin.
“Why are you still here?” Cadmus demanded. “Dapat nandoon ka na sa plaza with my ugly sister.”
“Ayoko nga sabing sumama,” I snapped.
“That can’t be,” maarteng sabi ni Bubbles. “You are required to join the wall-painting activity sa plaza, Celeste, kung ayaw mong ma-catch ang attention ni Lolo at maparusahan.”
“Can’t I just do some other community service?” I wailed.
“No. Bilisan mo. Your kuya will be there, too,” maarteng sabi ni Cadmus.
I cussed under my breath. Leche. It’s bad enough na nga na I should join that lecheng painting session na ‘yan, nandoon pa ‘yung kapatid ko!
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“Ano ‘yan, Celeste? Paru-paro o ibon?” natatawang tanong ni Kuya Cielo.
I glared at him. “Bulaklak ‘yan!” I snapped.
“May bulaklak bang may mata?” Kuya Clynn asked, smirking. “Parang paru-parong napisa eh.”
“Ikaw ang mapipisa kapag ‘di ka pa tumigil diyan,” I snapped.
“Eh totoo naman, Celeste. Mukhang paru-paro ‘yung bulaklak. Tapos mukha pang napisa,” natatawang sabi ni Kuya Boom.
“Mukha mo mapipisa,” asar kong sabi. “Why don’t you all make layas from here? Stop annoying me.”
“Arte nito,” sabi ni Kuya Cielo. “Hindi mo ba alam ang tawag sa ginagawa namin? Art criticizing to improve your art work.”
“Wala akong pakialam sa improvement ng art work ko dahil for one thing, I don’t like Arts,” I snapped. “So why should I need Art critics like you?”
“Basag!” natatawang sabi ni Kuya Box kay Kuya Cielo.
“Sapul ka doon, ‘Tol!” sabi ni Kuya Czar.
“Hoy, Celeste, nagmamaldita ka na naman,” sabi ni Kuya Cielo.
“I’m so not nagmamaldita, pero kapag hindi niyo pa ako tinigilan, masasalanta na kayo,” I snapped.
