The Girl He Never Loved Back (Montealegre Series #1)

xlii. buried memories

"Brianna . . ." Bakas ang poot at hinanakit sa boses ko nang banggitin ang pangalan niya.

I feel like there's an ice in my chest that's slowly burning. Tila nagliliyab sa galit nang makita siya sa 'king harapan habang unti-unting bumabalik ako sa nakaraan.

"U-uh . . . m-magandang umaga, my name is Aubrianna Pauline Rivera. I'm f-fifteen years old and . . ."

My eyebrows met.

Using my pen, I continue to scribble on my notebook while solving a math problem. Not minding what's going on with the class. Umagang-umaga ay ito ang inaatupag ko rather than hintayin na dumating si Miss. I've already studied last night for this week's lesson and now I'm studying and solving a math problem for next week's lesson naman.

My Mom found out that I was having a hard time in Mathematics and Chemistry. I remember her scolding me last night after she found out that I got twenty seven out of thirty items in our long quiz in Chemistry.

I sighed heavily nang maalala ang nangyari kagabi at nagpatuloy sa pagsasagot.

Wala na naman mangyayari. I already got that score and I was already scolded by my mother. Ang mabuti pa, mag-aral pa ako nang mag-aral para hindi na 'yon maulit pa.

Sa kalagitnaan nang pagsasagot ay bahagya akong napakunot noo at nairita bigla. I got distracted by my classmates' chuckles and loud murmurs. Matalim ko silang tinignan ngunit nahuli ko silang nakatingin sa harapan. Kahit na nagtataka, dumako ang paningin ko ro'n at nakita ang isang babaeng nakamaong pants at nakasuot ng napakatingkad na purple shirt na may kung ano-anong design.

Transferee?

Third Quarter na, right? Isn't she a bit too late?

Her hair's a bit messy. Maybe because she did not comb it? Or . . . maybe she tried to flat iron her hair using a straightener but failed to do so. That's why her hair ended up as if a monkey pulled it?

I rolled my eyes. What did I just say?

I went back to studying but their silent gossips and laughs irritates me. They're like bubuyogs! Is it required na mag-usapan ng like that? Can't they keep their voices and their chuckles down?

"Are you interested in fashion, new student? Cause . . ." my girl classmate chuckled a bit and prevented herself from laughing while slightly covering her mouth with her right palm.

I saw how this new girl looked down at her clothes as if she's checking something there.

"H-hindi naman pero--"

"Of course, you're not! It's very obvious naman, 'oh!" She pointed her finger at the transferee and bursted out laughing.

"Look at her bag . . . it's so cheap!" I heard someone from my back.

"Oh my gosh, isn't that the bag that is commonly sold in . . . wait . . . what's that place called again? That very ingay and sikip place?"

"Deyvasorea?" Maarteng sagot ng nasa kanan ko.

"Oh, yeah! That's it!" Nagtawanan silang lahat. "She looks so low! How did she even end up here though?"

Nakisabay naman ang mga kaklase ko. Halos lahat sila. Even the top two of our class . . . my rival laughed with them. The class officers even "Boo"-ed the transferee and insulted her which made me feel bad.

I may be quiet and often focus on myself only most of the time but at that point, I felt bad for the new student. She did not deserve their boos and their insults. Wala naman siyang ginagawa sa kanila and . . . she was just basically introducing herself.