The More You Hate by GoofyXycho, winner of WattpadRomancePH's ReMEMEber Me Prompt-writing contest.
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"...Genghis Khan exempted the poor from taxes, encouraged literacy and many more. In his time, he was considered a great man," wika ko.
"Conjecture! I'd like to contradict Ms. Anastasio's statements, sir."
Agad akong napalingon sa pinagmulan ng boses at nagsimula nanamang uminit ang ulo ko.
I gritted my teeth.
Benjamin Ambrose, ang hinayupak na lalaking parang ingrown sa paa ko, taghiyawat na ayaw mawala-wala sa mukha ko at raisins sa salad ko. Nakakasira talaga ng araw.
"Go ahead, Mr. Ambrose," pahintulot ng guro namin.
"A great man does not massacre millions of innocent people during his conquest. Genghis Khan is far from such."
I gave him a piercing glare. "We have our difference in perception about what we know about him and his exploits. We have yet to exist at his time, so good or bad, we need only to respect each other's opinions about him."
"Perception is not history. History is fact. Positive proof that cannot be changed for anyone's interpretation," kontra niya naman.
"Those that you consider facts could be full of holes. Remember that most often than not, history is written by the victors not by the vanquished. It is determined not by what's right but who's left," pagtatanggol ko sa panig ko.
Magsasalita pa sana siya ng biglang tumunog iyong bell.
"Good job both of you, since we ran out of time, let's continue this discussion next meeting," puri sa amin ng guro at lumabas na.
Muli akong tumingin sa direksyon niya at nakangisi lang siya sa akin.
That annoying grin is infuriating!
...
Sunod na klase na naman. Napabuntong hininga ako ng malalim. Ang sunod na klase ay English Literature. Ewan ko lang pero lumilipad talaga ang utak ko sa subject nato.
"Ms. Anastasio."
Napaigtad naman ako nang mabanggit ang pangalan ko.
"It seems like you're not listening. Read the first passage for Shakespeare's Sonnet 87 and share your insights about how it can relate to the modern era," wika ng guro namin sa akin.
Pipi akong napamura. Tumayo nalang ako at nag-umpisang magbasa.
"Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou know'st thy estimate,
The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;
My bonds in thee are all determinate.
For how do I hold thee but by thy granting?
And for that riches where is my deserving?"
Napakunot ako habang paulit-ulit na binabasa sa isip ang mga salita. I should've studied this last night.
"What can you infer, Miss Anastasio?"
"Uhmm...I think it's about unrequited love, ma'am. The author loves a person but at the same time, he's aware that it's unlikely that they're ever going to have the kind of relationship that he wants most. It's clear that Shakespeare feels that that person is out of his league. I think it applies to the present times in a way that there are times where people stay silent, that's why their love goes unrequited and they can only express it into different methods," wika ko.
"I'd also like to express my insights, ma'am." Tumaas na naman muli ang dugo ko nang marinig ang boses ni Benjamin.
Wala talagang ibang libangan ang lalaking ito kundi kontrahin ako.
Tumayo siya. "The sonnet is really about farewell to the writer's youth, not unrequited love. Furthermore, referring to Miss Anastasio's earlier statements, most people do not end up together not because one only stays quiet. It's probably that some people are too dense to see the hints that are blatantly infront of them. "
Napataka naman ako. Seryoso iyong mukha niya, malayo sa madalas na ekspresyon niyang palaging nakangisi. Hindi ko alam anong nasabi kong tama para mawala iyong nakakainis na ngisi niya. I'm enjoying it.
"Maybe because, just like Shakespeare, their messages are hard to understand," kontra ko. I'd like to see more of his unhappy expressions.
"Or maybe because some people only see the worst in others and don't recognize when a person makes an effort for them," aniya.
Napataas ang kilay ko. "Maybe because some people only do things that annoy some people."
Naputol ako nang pumalakpak ng malakas iyong guro namin. "Interesting insights both of you! Since you're so enthusiastic about this topic, I want both of you to team up and report on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the class tomorrow."
Pag minamalas nga naman.
...
Uwian na at kami nalang dalawa ang natira sa classroom upang gawin iyong Romeo and Juliet report.
Kanina pa ako nagsusulat pero nakakainis talaga ang lalaking to dahil wala man lang siyang ambag. Sa tuwing tinitignan ko siya ay tumititig lang siya pabalik at kung sasamaan ko siya ng tingin ay ngingisihan niya lang ako.
Padabog ko siyang inabutan ng libro at highlighter. "Eto! Para may silbi ka. Highlight the most important stuff."
Kinuha niya iyong highlighter pen. "I don't think this is enough," aniya.
I closed my eyes and counted till ten. Nauubos talaga ang pasensya ko pagdating sa lalaking to, lagi nalang akong hina-highblood.
Napamulat nalang ako nang may maramdaman akong may sinusulat sa mukha ko. He was writing something on my face with the highlighter!
Nakangisi pa siya.
"I'd get anything to get into your nerves right now. " Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin at padabog na nagmartsa sa pinakamalapit na sliding window upang makita iyong repleksyon ko.
Inilapit ko ang mukha ko doon at sinubukang tingnan kung ano ang sinulat niya.
May letrang 'I' sa kaliwang pisngi ko tsaka 'U' sa kanan. May guhit na puso naman sa ilong ko.
I hurriedly turned away from the glass window but suddenly gasped when I came face to face with Benjamin.
Napaatras ako hanggang sa mapasandal sa pader.
He put one hand on the wall beside my head.
Hindi ko alam pero bigla nalang kumabog ng mabilis ang puso ko.
"You got into my nerves ages ago, now you're just annoyingly living rent free in my mind and heart. Tsaka sinunod ko lang naman iyong sinabi mo. You said to highlight what's important. The ink isn't enough to highlight all of you though," aniya.
Napalunok ako ng laway. "A...ano bang pinagsasabi mo?"
"Kung gaano ka katalino, ganon ka rin kamanhid. Kahit sinulat ko na mismo sa mukha mo di mo parin gets." Mas inilapit niya ang mukha saakin at halos maduling na ako sa pagtingin sa kanya dahil sa lapit namin. I could smell his minty breath fanning my face.
"I'm inlove with you Ms. Jezzani Anastasio, kita mo tong eye bags ko? Para lang mapansin mo, halos gabi-gabi akong puyat kakaaral para lang masabayan ka sa klase. Di na pwede to. Panagutan mo yung eyebags ko."
Seryoso siyang nakatingin sa akin. Suddenly I felt weak in my knees.
