in between the lines

bukod-tangi

Bukod-tangi. If Leonor were to describe Theresia in one word it would be bukod-tangi; walang katulad, marilag, maganda, kahanga-hanga.

Everybody in their campus knows Theresia. One, because she's one of the top students, and two, because she's always been this ray of sunshine. Madaldal at pala-kaibigan. Kapag narinig mo ang pangalan niya, automatic puro magagandang salita lamang ang maririnig mo. She was extraordinary, as she said, which is why Leonor may have developed a bit of a crush on her (a bit in a sense that she stutters whenever they talk).

Leonor, on the contrary, was more reserved. Sure, fellow students also expressed their admiration towards her but she never entertained any of it. Dahilan niya kasi busy rin siyang mag-aral, but the truth is she would drop everything she was doing kung si Theresia ang magsasabi.

High school pa lang naman, katuwiran niya. They still have a long way to go kaya never niyang naisipang umamin. Leonor was fine being in the sidelines; their little interactions that makes her heart flutter almost immediately. Masaya na siya kapag nanghihiram si Theresia ng scical tuwing may mahirap na computation sa Math at Chemistry. Kaya naman niyang i-solve ito sa utak kaya sige lang daw, kahit i-uwi na niya.

Totoo na Thank God It's Friday nga dahil ito rin ang isa sa mga araw kung saan buong araw niyang makikita si Theresia sa lahat ng subjects. Madalas kasi ay na e-excuse ito sa training ng theater guild. Agad na tumabi si Leonor sa kaibigan niyang si Kiko na busy sa pag c-cram ng kanilang asignatura. It was a rare sight for Leonor, lalo na't hindi naman mahilig mag cram ang kan'yang kaibigan.

"Parehas ba tayo ng sagot?" Agad na tanong ni Kiko matapos siyang makaupo. Tumango naman siya bilang sagot.

"Thanks! Muntikan ko nang makalimutan, buti na lang kamo at nagsasagot din si Therese. Mukhang nakalimutan niya rin atang gumawa ng assignment."

Parang bala sa bilis kung tumingin si Leonor sa kinauupuan ni Therese. Kiko was right, the woman was still answering the assignment, but she wasn't looking pressured at all. Hindi niya ito agad napansin dahil nasanay siyang sakaniya tumatabi ang dalaga. Bakit lumipat ng ibang puwesto? 'Di niya rin alam pero nakababa naman pala ang bag nito sa upuan sa tabi niya.

"Ginagawa no'n doon?" Asked Leonor. "Dinaldal mo ba?"

"Ako? Dadaldal diyan? Baka sunggaban mo ako bigla," Kiko answered jokingly. "Baka nagpatulong sa assignment."

"Ganu'n," Leonor sighed as she looked at the floor with a little disbelief. "Andito naman ako, ah."

"Anong andito ka naman?"

Upon hearing the voice it was like Leonor didn't want to look up and rather continue staring at the floor. She can't seem to puzzle out how Therese went from there to here in a snap.

"U-uy! Andiyan ka pala." Leonor tells her, trying her best to sound chill and composed.

"Oo andito ako, pero paano mo 'ko makikita kung nakatitig ka sa lapag?"

She could hear Kiko chuckling next to her. The man seems to be enjoying her humiliating herself. Kung mayroon lang siyang kawali ay baka napukpok na niya ito sakanya.

"Sorry, sorry. Na-realize ko lang na maganda pala ang tiles dito sa school... hehe." She replied, glancing at her face this time. It was a quick glance, though, her heart can't bare eye-to-eye contact for more than two seconds.

"Ay, tiles pala. Haha," the woman awkwardly smiled. "Anyway, p'wede bang pahiram ng scical? Ang haba kasi ng formula sa last question, eh," reklamo ni Therese sakanya. "Nasagutan mo na?"

"Ah, oo," she shortly answered.

Therese raised both of her brows, "Iba ka talaga, Leon."

Iba ka talaga.