A Hundred Days With You

T H I R T E E N

I WAS JUST staring at Venice as she explains to the class how she answered the math problem on the board. She answered proudly while I am here, confused on where she got the value of x.

After three attempts of figuring it out, I already gave up. Napakahirap talaga ng math lalo na ang lesson namin ngayon. Pero kay Venice ay parang sisiw lang ito! How can she do that? Wait, did she used some kind of ability? She has some kind of powers, right? What if she just cheated?

"Okay Ms. Abellana. Very good!" Puri ni Sir Falcon. Kahit si Sir na kilalang terror ay napahanga niya. And of course, our classmates. They clapped their hands while shouting and praising her.

"Whooo! May valedictorian na tayo!!"

"Ang galing!"

"Ang talino ni Venice, grabe!

"Oo nga, tapos maganda pa."

Napangiwi ako sa huli kong narinig. I don't know if her intention was to hit me with her words but even if it's not, natamaan pa rin ako.

Oo na, ako na ang panget. Wait, hindi ako panget! Hindi ko naman kasi ito katawan kaya hindi ako ang dapat na matamaan. Si Leinnie dapat! Oo tama.

Venice finally sat down beside me after that.

"No need to say that I cheated if you can't accept that I really am smart at Math," sabi niya. I just rolled my eyes. Syempre, nabasa niya na naman ang nasa isip ko.

I CAN SAY that I am lucky dahil natapos ang klase nang hindi ako natatawag para mag-recite or sumagot ng mga problems sa board. Mapapahiya lang ako sa harapan kung magkataon.

Nandito kami ngayon sa cafeteria at kumakain. I am biting on the sandwich filled with mayonnaise that Mrs. Bernardo prepared for me while staring at Venice. I just can't believe it!

How did she have the money to buy a strawberry cake and lemonade? Where did she got the money? I was tempted to ask her but I didn't bother since nakakabasa naman siya ng isip. I'm sure she already know what I was thinking.

"To answer your question, binigyan ako ng allowance ng mga higher judges para maka-survive dito sa mundo. Hindi naman kasi pwedeng basta na lang ako bumaba dito na ganda lang ang dala." She smiled proudly.

My eyebrow raised. Bakit parang kanina pa ata ako pinatatamaan ng mga ito? Kanina ko pa naririnig yang tungkol sa kagandahan niya and I'm obviously her opposite.

Mukha namang hindi niya nabasa ang nasa isip ko dahil nagpatuloy lang siya sa pagkain o baka nabasa niya na pero hindi na lang niya pinansin. That's the least of my concern now.

"Hey, alam mo na ba yung tungkol kay Crisa?"

I was peacefully eating my food when I heard a familiar name, well, that's my name. My real name. Napalingon ako kaagad doon sa lamesang may kalapitan sa amin at doon ay nag-uusap ang dalawang babae.

I glanced at Venice who is busy eating na para bang hindi nakakain ng isang taon bago ibinalik ang tingin doon sa dalawa.

"Ano yun?" the other girl asked curiously.

"Nahanap na daw nila si Crisa."

"Huh? Talaga? Dalawang araw din na nawawala siya diba?"

"Oo. Tapos nasa hospital daw si Crisa!"

Some girls heard their conversation. They walked to them then asked.

"Is that true? Where mo naman nalaman?"

"Ang sister ko kasi ay nurse sa Piamonte Medical. Ipinatransfer daw doon si Crisa mula sa Hidalgo Hospital. Tapos......"

Nablangko ang utak ko sa lahat ng narinig ko. How can I forget that I am here because of an accident? How did I not think of the possibility that my body is missing?