I Was Her

Chapter 17

PENELOPE'S POINT OF VIEW.

I open the watering hand to water the flowers that my club planted. I joined the gardening club because I thought about Mom. We have a garden at the back of our house, so I got interested in this club. Pero hindi mga gulay ang mga tinatanim ng Gardening club kundi mga halaman at bulaklak na nilalagay sa mga flower base ng ilang mga building, sa Dean office at iba pang mga pa-event ng school for decorate. Gustong-gusto at mahilig talaga ako sa mga halaman dahil nakakagaan ng loob at nakakawala ng stress.

Phoebe is lucky to have a view of Mom's garden on her balcony. Every day, every hour, and every minute she wants to see them, she always has time to mesmerize and enjoy nature, but the library also has a good view of the garden, and I sometimes stay there to read while drinking coffee and having a good view.

Dalawa lang kaming freshmen ang sumali sa gardening club, kami ang nakatoka sa pagdidilig ng mga pananim at sunod dito ang pagtuturo nila kung paano magtanim at mag flower arrangement.

On our first few days, the club explains every plant and flower they have, and they explain to us the proper way to water them, how to take care of them for Pests and Diseases, how to put fertilizer on them, and how to prune and trim. The next day, they let us into the garden and showed and demonstrated to us how to take care of the plants and flowers.

"Penelope, here." I look at the water bottle he's giving me.

I stop watering the plant, put the watering hand on the ground, and take the water bottle from his hand.

"Thanks."

"No worries, do you want snacks?" he asks one of my colleagues in the club, also a freshman. Ano nga pangalan niya?

"I'm fine," I say. I open the water bottle and drink.

"Alright, hehe. The president says we can go home after we water the plant."

"Oh, yeah? I'm done with my area, you?"

"I am," he says, smiling.

I nod and start walking back to the Gardening club room, which is only on the first floor.

"Are you guys done?" the president asks.

"Kain muna kayo bago kayo umuwi," Sia says, sitting in front of the table, which has a box of pizza and snacks.

I want to join them to have snacks, but I badly want to go home and finish my assignment, so I tell them I'm going home first. They insist on having snacks with them before I go home, but I tell them that I have a lot of homework to do. Sa huli, wala na silang nagawa pa kundi, pumayag na lamang.

....

I stretch my body when I finish my assignments. I take my tumbler, open it, and see it empty, so I stand up and walk out of my room to refill it with water.

As I go down the stairs, I see Inay Beth, and Susan talking to a guy whom I don't know. He's wearing a plain black T-shirt and jeans. He has dark, clean-cut hair and tall, brunette skin. Naka side siya sa'kin kaya hindi ko makita ang mukha niya, I look down on his big tattoo on his other arm, which faces me. Para akong hinihigop nito, it is somehow attractive and cool.

"Miss. Penelope." napasinghap ako ng hangin nang tawagin ako ni Susan.

They are all looking at me now; the guy looks at me, and I look away when our gazes meet. I suddenly feel nervous. I don't know what to say to them, so I just nod and continue to step down the stairs, and I walk straight to the kitchen to refill my tumbler.

I think they are the same age as Mom and Dad. I put my tumbler down on the table, and I sneak into the living room, trying to overhear their conversations, but they are no longer there. I open the refrigerator and take two pieces of chocolate and two water bottles. I sit on the chair in front of the table, open the water bottle, and pour it into my tumbler. I did the same to the other one.