Somebody To Heal

2nd: Courage with Remorse

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are"

-E. E. Cummings

"So you mean to say that, that journalist actually wrote that article because she thinks that we're not doing anything for this univeristy?" Tila naiinis si Elisha habang kausap nila si Sierra nang mag-break matapos ang tatlo nilang klase. Nasa Student Leaders Office sila upang makausap si Sierra tungkol sa kaso ng Grade Level nito.

"I'm planning to talk to her pero hindi ko siya naaabutan kapag dismissal nila. Feeling ko tinataguan niya ako." Paliwanag ng nakababata nilang miyembro na si Sierra. Napahilamos naman ng mukha si Elisha dahil sa inis ngunit nanatiling tahimik si Alona.

"Who's that journalist?" Pagkaraa'y tanong niya. "Cassandra Salvador." Sagot nito at napa-irap na lamang si Alona sa pangalang isinagot nito.

Cassandra Salvador is one of the journalists of Criston University. Baguhan lang ito sa unibersidad nila at kasing edad lang ni Sierra. But Alona knew better, Cassandra is Cristina Salvador's youngest sibling who was one of her sister's close friends, Alana Tolentino.

Paniguradong kasabwat ang kapatid niya sa mga ipinapakalat na balita, talagang sisirain nito lahat ng mayroon siya. Ang Student Leaders na nga lang ang kaya niyang maipag-malaki sa mga magulang nila ay panay pa ang pilit nitong makisawsaw. Palibhasa'y hindi ito nakasali sa Student Leaders ng college building nila.

"Looks like I know where this is going." Aniya habang naka-tingin sa kawalan. Talagang hindi siya titigilan ng kapatid. "I'll do something about it." Napa-lingon siya nang marinig ang sinabi ni Sierra. Napataas naman ng kilay ang namamanghang si Elisha.

Agad naman napansin ni Sierra ang reaksyon ng dalawa kaya't napa-buntong hininga ito. "It's started in my level, I think I should be the one to fix this. I also want to prove to everybody that I deserve this position that you gave me as a Student Leader." Paliwanag nito. Elisha rewarded her with a small smile bago mapa-tingin kay Alona na seryosong naka-tingin sa kaniya.

Bigla niyang na-alala ang sarili sa dalaga. She was far from anything like that before, not trying her hardest and being brave enough to prove her worth. Sana lang malayo ang marating ng katapangan nito.

"What do you think?" Untag sa kaniya ni Elisha kaya't nabalik siya sa reyalidad. "Alright, do what you want. Make me proud." May naglalarong ngiti sa mga labi niya bago tumayo mula sa pwestong kinalalagyan.

"We better go to class, malapit na din ang tapos ng break. I don't want to get late for math." Aniya habang naka-talikod bago nag-lakad palabas ng kwarto.

Ramdam niya ang pag-sunod sa kaniya ni Elisha at ang pag-tabi nito sa kaniya habang nag-lalakad sila sa hallway.

"You look amused earlier." Elisha stated which she replied with a smirk. "That girl, Sierra. She's too young." Makahulugang saad niya. Nanatili namang tahimik si Elisha habang hinihintay kung anong susunod niyang sasabihin. "I remember how I was her exact opposite when I was her age. Not fearless, too weak and always scared." Aniya. Na-aalala niya kung paano siya paikutin ni Alana sa mga daliri nito noon. She's too gullible for her own good and she badly wanted to forget how stupid she is to let her sister control her.

But when she finally found the courage to fight back, that's when she lost her parents. Not literally lose them, but they don't feel like her parents anymore. Kaya't sobra-sobra ang galit niya para sa kapatid.