Paper Memories

Chapter 12-II

Chapter 12-II

Is that Ralph talking with Percival?

Sinubukan ko humabol pero masyadong maraming estudyante sa daan, hindi rin akong pwedeng sumigaw dahil kahihyan lang idudulot nun sa akin. I tried my best to run after him, but the one I end up facing is Ralph." Is there anything wrong, Sheena?"

"W-wasn't Percival with you?" Nauutal kong tanong.

"Ah, just while ago." Ralph said, grabbing his nape.

I stepped forward." Really? Anong pinagusapan ninyong dalawa?"

Ralph just shrugged and smile it off, may kakaibang frustration at disappointment sa mukha niya na palagay ko ay dahil sa pinagusapan nila ng boyfriend ko." Our conversation was nothing of importance. Baka hinihintay ka niya sa parking? Mauna na ako."

No, he's not. Hindi pa siya bumabalik.

But Ralph left before I got say that. Si Gregory ang may gamit ng sasakyan ko at naghihintay sakin ngayon para sunduin ko, hindi ang pekeng boyfriend ko. Weekend na bukas kaya pinplano ko dapat na mag-grocery para mag-unwind at mas kumapit sa normality, pero sa ibang direksyon na naman pumupunta ang pinaghirapan ko. It's almost a month since he left, it's already September.

This is because I keep our charade going on.

"Samahan mo ako maghintay, ha?"

I look up from my sketchpads then back to my tablet where I'm video calling Ellie,pareho kaming nasa sala ng mga bahay namin." Sino pa hinihintay mo? Yung sumunod ba sayo kapatid ? Si Ezra? Busy ka pa naman ngayon."

Ellie dread over her reviewers." Yung dalawang bunso pa namin."

"Must be hard to be an Ate." I teased, then my phone beep.

Galing kay Nabi at screenshot ng isang thread sa social media. Lagpas isang oras na ang nakalipas mula ng lumabas ang original post na nasundan pa ng marami mula sa iba. Ellie keep talking as well." Sinabi mo pa, I just don't get boys someti----NO! Most of the times! Be it men or kids or little ones, they're just difficult! Nagrerebelde na ata yung dalawa."

"Boys would be boys..." I chuckled half-heartedly.

"Huwag mo nga sabihin yan, Shin!" Saway ni El sa biro ko.

I turned my eyes away from my best friend, tumahimik kasi siya saglit dahil may sinusulat. Habang ako naman napasilip sa smartphone ko dahil may nag-notif." "El, are you on twitter now?"

Ellie look up for one moment. Is there news about our country or at school?"

I look back on the thread. Nasa top comments ang user name ni Ralph.

"Accusation without evidence is just as low as mere gossip.Creating another sea of hatred in our school and earning sympathy this way doesn't make you a better person. It seems like you want us to believe this happened to you firsthand, but among all the expelled students in this thread, you're the only one who refused to reveal who you are. If you want help and justice, why don't you reveal yourself and not just ruin someone else's reputation?"

It was the mass student expulsion last year; may ilan na ako pa rin ang sinisisi ng walang sapat na dahilan o ebidensya. I am glad Ralph is by my side after all; even if we never properly talk about this.

"Even if she made a mistake, everyone is flawed but has the chance to change; you're not giving that to her. Since then, the accusation against Ms. Cervantes was never proven, and the school administration and staff made sure that they found the best version of the truth; she was just a witness and not a villain that conspired against any of you."

I thought Ralph already defined me a bad person he pities and refused to love.

"What happened was a tragedy, but you can't correct a mistake with another wrongdoing. That's what happened to those scholars who were expelled; they chose to take matters into their own hands. These people were proven guilty of group cheating, falsifying grades, and illegally accessing the school database. Maybe they didn't do it for themselves, but they did it anyway."

Pinoprotektahan ako ni Ralph laban sa username na si MatthaeusXXVII.

"The school-privileged kids made them do it. Palaging inu-utos-utusan yung mga mahihina at vulnerable para mandaya para sa kanila o hahanap ng ibang paraan para pagkatuwaan sila. This is not a rare case, but those certain bullied individuals snapped because they could no longer take it.And yes, they fell on the same level as their tormentors and yearned revenge."

Ellie started to call my attention when my replies became slower. Ngumingiti lang ako at sinusubukang sabihin walang problema. ko. My hands tremble as I read the response of the person who started this thread.

"And who did they approach for compassion and help? Goddess Sheena, she played her heroism wrong and caused those students to lose their dreams; why expose them when she could just live on a happy lie? But you know there's more to that story, Mr. Quizon."

Kilala niya ang account Ralph; the owner of this user is from our school.

"Magkaiba ang pagbabago sa pananahimik, hindi naging mas mabuting tao si Sheena o tumalikod sa mga mali niya, nanahimik lang siya. Baka nga ang dahilan kaya walang naniniwala sa mga naninisi sa kanya dahil magaling siyang magbaluktot ng katotohanan. Mas lumalayo ang kapatawaran o pagkakataon para sa mga katulad niya. Makasarili si Sheena, at may higit ka pang ideya kung anong klaseng tao siya.""

Minuto na ang lumipas pero wala naging panibagong sagot si Ralph. Midnight came and day ended but my first love, childhood friend and knight shining in armor lose words on how he can protect me.