Paper Memories

Chapter 6-III

Chapter 6-III

I came to school to think my life through.

Bumalik pa rin ako this school year dahil walang silbi ang tumakas, nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa pag-aaral dahil hindi ako pwedeng mas matalo pa nila. I know I used to be better than this, that's why I stepped back and became that solitary than ever. I need to know myself, and the people I put in my life. But then I just abruptly put Percival in it.

Kahit pagpasok ko sa Art Sociology and Psychology room namin ay hawak ko pa rin ang flyer na binigay sakin. This lecture class is one and half hour long, and all of my block mates is in this class.

Matitiis kong naman manahimik lang." H-Hi! Sheena."

Napalingon ako sa tumawag sakin. This girl is beside my normal seat by the window, she's smiling awkwardly as she straightened the arm chair. I notice her even before, especially when she's staring at me whenever I'm with my pseudo boyfriend." Uh, you're sitting there? But you wouldn't want to be  with me right? Sige, lilipat na lang ako."

"Gusto ko dito! I swear. I want to ta--------"

"Aw, look at the leech! Pati sa magkukulam kakapit."

This girl, she's trying include me in the class again. I was almost happy. Pero nakalimutan ko pa lang may kokontra. Binagsak na lalakeng blockmate namin ang kamay niya sa arm chair kaya napatayo agad ang kaklase kong nag-alok sa akin ng upuan. Kahit kaswal akong naupo na ay malamig ko pa ring pinagsabihan si Lionel." Don't raise a hand at her if you want to make her leave. Ang galing mong mainsulto sa iba pero hindi mo inaayos ang ugali mo."

Lionel smirked, then he grabbed the anti-bullying flyer I'm still holding. Saka biglang pumuwesto sa bakenteng upuan. Nakita ko kung paano kami pagtawanan ng mga kabarkada niya. " You don't get to have friend again, Sheena------you don't deserve anyone."

I bit my lips, I don't like how men in my class is." That's not yours to decide."

"It doesn't mean everybody else would accept you because your boyfriend does. Ah, that's probably the girl talk that bitch I drove away wanted to talk about." Patuloy na pag-ngisi at pag atake niya sa akin habang kunware binabasa ang flyer." Naging loner ka lang ngayong taon ang landi mo na. Sigurado akong kelan mo lang yun nakilala pero pinatulan mo na."

"Stop talking." Asik ko." Nandito na si sir."

His mouth choose to shut up for a while, but his head is still scheming.

Tumatakbo ang oras na nagpipigil lang ako ng inis na katabi siya, halos di na rin akong makasulat ng notes, dahil nakikita ko ang sketches na ginagawa ni Lionel; nakasulat dun ang pangalan ko at mga hindi magagandang label na ginagamit nila laban sa akin.

This thirty minutes wait felt too long---- but then the door slammed open.

"...You're late, iho." Tinigil ng professor namin na si Sir Vallera ang pagsusulat sa pisara, tila nalilito niyang makita ang bagong pasok na binata." Estudyante ba kita?"

Naghagikhikan ang mga kaklase ko--------Isang binatilyong nakasuot ng hoodie, ripped jeans at tantya ko magkalapit kami ng tangkad, ngiting-ngiti siya kahit halos thirty minutes na siyang late. "Simula ngayon opo! Kakatransfer ko lang po, pero bukas mas maaga na po ako sa guard!"

"At late transferee din? You're a fourth year?"

"Opo, pwede na po ako umupo?"

"Introduce yourself first."Sir Vallera instructed, that merely made the guy shrugged as he look for a seat left and right. Naglakad siya papuntang sa gitna at kumaway gamit ang dalawa niyang kamay. The guy sounds so young and I think I've seen him from somewhere."And Mister, its disrespectful na ganyan ang ayos mo sa loob ng klase, pakibaba ang hood."

"Akala ko wala nang ganito, Sir." Parang batang angal niya.

Sir just repeated." Ikaw na lang hindi nila kilala, go on."

I notice a classmate on the front seat stare at the transferee oddly. Parang nag-alangan kasi ang bago naming kaklase namin na ibaba ang hood niya kaya naasar siya ng lalakeng blockmate namin na nasa unahan." You're all in black and covered up-----di ka ba naiinitan?"

The transferee giggled. "Hindi naman ganun kainit."

"I'm Ricos Dela Cerna!" Napansin ko ang pagkatameme ng blockmate namin na kinausap pa lang niya. Pero si Ricos ay gagkibit balikat siya at binababa ang hood niya. Natahimik ang buong klase para lang pagmasdan siya. "I'm eighteen years old, that's all!"

His right-face is severely burnt.

Halos makalmot ko na ang sarili kong mukha ng makita yun. He introduced himself like a first-grader that made him uncanny, as his completely pale white complexion made him look so frail and delicate. Perhaps everyone was overcome by pity and horror.

"You're a bit younger that your classmates here." Sir almost apologetically and with concern. Most people here age 19-22, he basically a indeed kid." Take any free seat, ask your neighbour for notes and everything."

Ricos smiled as he replied, now walking to the middle of the room to find a vacant seat. Almost everyone is still quiet except the murmurings. Nobody was accommodating him or offering him greetings." I skipped grade levels. Baka halos lahat kayo mga ate at kuya ko. Nice to meet you!"

My temporary seatmate Lionel, suddenly raised his hand, to give the allure of formality since our professor is present." Are you a genius or something? Kaya ba lakas ng loob mo mag-transfer eh august na at fourth year college ka na?"

The transferee titled his head, saka tumawa habang naglalakad na siya papalapit sa aming mga kaklase niya. " Hindi po. I'm only good at painting. I suck at everything else. Three weeks ago ba dapat ako papasok pero nagkasakit ako. I'm fine now so I'm excited to be here."

Lionel scoff, bumulong siya sa akin." Itong freak pwedeng mong kaibiganin."

But much to our surprised, nasa harap pala namin si Ricos."Then, I want to sit there."

Bigla-bigla nakaturo na lang pala si Ricos sa upuan sa tabi ko. I hope he won't bother me if he choose to sit next to me--- Sobra-sobra na ang unwanted attention na nasa akin.

But someone else protest.

"Ah, ako ba? Pero meron pa naman sa iba."Lionel grimace and could barely look at the boy. Lionel isn't exactly a nice person to anyone, even to me. What more of this pitiful transferee? " Dito ang pwesto ko sorry."

"But I want my seat to be there, pretty please?" Pagpupumilit ni Ricos na nagbibigay ng discomfort sa buong klase. Ah, naalala ko na. Siya yung nakasalubong ko na kasama ng guidance counsellor nung nakaraan. Bakit ngayon lang siya pumasok?" I like that spot so please let me take it, won't you, Kuya?"

"I also like it here." Palusot ni Lionel.

I was covering my mouth, pero sinagot ko siya." I doubt it."

Lionel snickered, glaring at me." Kampihan kayo? Losers."

Dinuro siyang parang bata ni Ricos, his last word a whisper." You're a liar, Kuya."

"Give the seat to Dela Cerna." Sa huli utos ng prof ang masusunod, agad na lang lumipat ang klase namin ng padabog. Yet he muttered more insult for me and the new guy. Malamang inis siya hindi napahaba o natupad ang schemes niya." We still a have lesson to catch up."

Now the seat is completely free. I instinctively fix the chair for the petulant child classmate we now have, but he just stares at me oddly.Umayos ako ng upo at mas gumilid papuntang sa may bintana"...Is there something wrong? Ricos? Do you prefer my seat instead?"

"Hello Ms. Sheena Clio Cervantes."

"Oh, you know me..."

Ngumisi si Ricos." Should I all you Ate?"

When a stranger knows who you are the first time you meet that only means trouble, right?

He didn't lift up his hood even when our classmates threw degrading words pertaining to him, then to me, to us being compared to one another.. Sa totoo lang parang ipinagmamalaki pa niya sakin ang mga lapnos at sunog niya sa balat, at may gusto siyang iparating.

His half-burnt face couldn't possibly bring me familiarity.