Carefree
Nakatingin ako sa pagdidistribute ng mga papel at kabadong sinundan ang guro na isang inilapag ang mga activities na ipinasa.
Ma'am Lim slowed down and stopped beside me as she placed my papers on my desk and looked at me meaningfully.
"Congrats. You've got the highest score, Ferrarin."
My eyes slowly narrowed. Halos malaglag ang aking panga nang tingnan ko iyon.
"Huh? Highest siya? Matalino ba siya?" I can hear the giggles of my classmates.
"Ginoogle siguro 'yung answer. Mayaman sila. Afford nila 'yung premium," ang iba kong kaklase.
I scanned each paper curiously. I checked his answers too. Ito ang kauna-unahan kong makakuha ng pinakamataas na score pero hindi naman akin.
A part of me felt happy that I gained higher grades, but another part of me isn't satisfied at all, because, as I know, some of these weren't even my hard work.
How did he ace it without sweating? How did he finish it so abruptly? Ganoon ba ka bilis gumana ang utak niya na babasahin niya lang, maiintindihan niya agad? Makakahanap agad siya ng sagot? How did his mind even do that?
Palaisipan iyon sa akin. Our top student, Clarissa, is also a fast thinker like that. Hanga ako lagi sa tuwing tatawagin siya sa recitation, kahit ata nakatanga lang, masasagot agad ng utak niya. She doesn't stutter and doesn't look nervous. She always has that confidence and determination that she's speaking facts.
"Now from the top!" si Miss Hernandez nang nasa open space ulit kami para sa aming practice.
We are already practicing the crucial parts, which are mine as the flyer. Naalala ko ang usapan ng mga girls, but the boys are eager to catch me. But there's something about it that sometimes bothers my mind.
Nasa isip ko iyon habang papauwi na nang bigla itong huminto ang SUV na sundo ko.
"Naku... Mukhang may natalsikan tayo ng putik, Ma'am," ani Manong at tarantang tiningnan ang salamin.
Lumingon ako at natataranta ring tiningnan kung sino. But when I saw Trison's familiar image—his white uniform with stains of mud—I calmed down.
Oh, it's just him. Again.
Ibinaba ko ang salamin ng kotse at inilabas ang aking ulo. I tilted it and smiled at him. Trison's eyes slowly narrowed when he realized it was me.
"Sorry," I smiled innocently.
His eyes abruptly gleamed with irritation. Ibinalik ko ang aking ulo sa loob at isinara ang salamin ng bintana.
"Tara Manong!" I giggled.
It didn't end there. Ang mga araw na sumunod, sa tuwing magkikita kami, ay talagang isa lagi sa amin ang minamalas. Either it's him, or it's either me.
Nagtipa ako ng mensahe para sa driver na naghihintay na sa labas sa akin. I was clumsily striding fast when someone bumped into me. Ang hawak niyang kinakain ay tumalsik sa akin kaya halos dumikit ang ketchup sa aking puting blusa.
"Sorry! Nagmamadali ako—" The sudden panic in his voice trailed off as he was about to hand me his handkerchief when he realized it was me.
Nagkatinginan kami ni Trison at sabay rin ang pag-ismid naming dalawa. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kaniyang panyo at nahawakan na iyon ngunit agaran niyang hinila pabalik. I pulled it again, but he's determined to pull it back and use his full force.
Nadala ako sa marahas niyang pagkakahila kaya natabig ko ang hawak niya at lumundag paalis ang kinakain niya sa lalagyan.
His eyes narrowed as we both watched how the orange egg rolled to the ground. Tumikhim ako at kusang binitiwan ang kanyang panyo. His eyes drifted toward me with so much annoyance. Tumalikod ako, nag-aambang tumakbo ngunit agaran niyang hinawakan ang braso ko.
