Ghost Girl

Haunt # 19

Haunt # 19

.~*~+~*+~*~.~*~+~*+~*~.

I wasn't able to answer.

Noong sinabi niya sa akin na mahal niya ako, hindi ako nakapagsalita. Pero hindi siya nag-demand ng sagot or anything. He just looked straight into my eyes and gave me a genuine smile.

It's like... it's like naramdaman niya. Kung ano man ang gusto kong sabihin... narinig niya iyon. Hindi man nanggaling sa mga salita, alam kong narinig iyon ng puso niya.

Habang naglalakad ako papasok sa campus, naalala ko ang lecheng eksena kahapon. I sighed, thinking kung anong klaseng pintura kaya ang bubungad sa akin ngayon.

Sa totoo lang kasi ay hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang dapat kong gawin. Should I fight back? Kung lalaban ako, what good will it do? Lumalaban naman ako eh, pero dahil sa mga pangyayari, may na-realize ako. Mahirap palang lumaban kapag hindi mo ka-lebel ang kalaban. And in my case, below-below sila. Fine, then, I might be a bitch para mag-isip nang ganoon sa tao-na below-below sila. Alam kong hindi magandang mag-isip ng ganoon sa kapwa, pero hindi rin naman ako santa para hindi mag-isip ng ganoon. I mean, seriously, they are disrupting my campus life just because bet nila 'yung loveteam nina Wesley at Jamie? Nang-aaway dahil doon? Like, seriously? Okay, so I probably should not judge them. Pero seriously? They are bashing and trying to destroy a person's quiet university life dahil lang hindi nila gustong siya ang nagugustuhan ng idol nila? Tanga lang? Oh, well, I rest my case.

I guess I don't have to fight. Baka kako ako na 'yung tanga kung papatulan ko pa 'yung mga 'yun. I guess I just have to survive. Tama. I'll just have to survive.

I took a deep breath habang papasok sa loob ng campus. In fairness, walang sumalubong na pintura sa akin or something. Ayokong batiin, pero deep inside eh gusto ko nang magdiwang.

When I reach the building of College of Fine Arts, agad akong natigilan dahil may napakalaking crowd sa entrance ng building.

Uh-oh.

I might have spoken too soon. Bet ko pa man ding magdiwang tapos may naghihintay palang crowd sa akin.

Oh, well. I'm glad marami akong dalang extra uniform.

Maglalakad na dapat ako papunta sa entrance, but I stoppedupon hearing the sound of afamiliar voice.

"So unless you want to be banished from Barrio Belleza forever and your lives ruined, stay away from Mandy Cheng. Malaman ko lang na may pipitsuging chakang nanggugulo pa sa kakambal ko, I swear on your stupid ugly faces, hindi kayo sisikatan ng araw here sa Barrio Belleza. And oh, yes, I'm threatening you. Why? Magsusumbong kayo? Go ahead, iparating niyo sa admin o kung kanino mang Poncio Pilato na I threatened you. You think ako ang malilintikan? Wait, do you know who I am? I don't think there's anyone here in this campus who doesn't know who I am unless you know, tanga siya. Ay, wait, tanga nga pala kayong lahat, so let me give you a piece of knowledge na kakailanganin niyo for the rest of your campus life. I'm Millie Cheng, so..."

A series of gasp exploded at ako? Seryosong napanganga na lang ako sa narinig ko.

OMG, I know she's a bitch, but I never expected her to flaunt it that way. Then again, I couldn't help smirking.

From where I stood, I saw my twin sister with her arms crossed, chin up, and looking smug. At kasama niya ang mga pinsan naming babae. And just near them, stood my boy cousins with playful smirks on their faces. Girls were ogling them, trying to get a closer look. I had to roll my eyes, but I couldn't help feeling rather... touched.

I never asked them for anything, but I'm grateful. Kahit na alam kong naiiba ako sa kanila, pinakita at pinaramdam nila sa aking... isa akong Cheng.