The Mask Behind the Past (RVS#1)

Chapter Fifteen

SHANELLE

They said that time has always been paired with change. At first, I never believed in change. What I believe is that people just grow and learn things in life.

But in my case, for the past three years I've been imitating and adapting Beatrice's life, changing and growing were novel to me.

It was a gradual process, but I learned.

People never change, but I did.

Revenge and living another person's life were never defined by what I am, but they molded me into who I am at the moment.

And it's damn scary and disgusting how I never chose to be alive like this when I was in the Philippines where I still refuse to go back until now...

"Beatrice!"

Napalingon ako kay Phoebe at nagtaas ng kilay sa kanya. Hinawi ko ang aking buhok.

"What now, Phoebe?"

Phoebe is my best friend. She's Beatrice's, too, and so she thought, ako rin. She is a good friend, kaya tinuring ko na rin siyang malapit na kaibigan. Pure Filipina siya. Ang kanyang stepmother ay dito na rin sa New Zealand nakatira, just like me.

"I'm going back to the Philippines!" maligayang sambit niya at tumalon.

Philippines? Umirap na lang ako at napailing.

"That country sucks, Phoebe," I said boredly.

Ngumuso siya at inatras ang ulo na parang napakamaling husgahan ko ang hometown naming dalawa.

"Ay, grabe naman 'to! Hoy! Ipapaalala ko lang sa 'yo na doon ka lumaki!"

"E, ano naman? Let's go. You also suck."

Tinalikuran ko na rin siya at nagsimulang maglakad.

"Ang sungit mo talaga kagaya ng dati! Hindi ka na talaga magbabago!"

Sumabay siya sa lakad ko. Hinawi ko na naman ang aking buhok. Napadaan kami sa schoolground, kung saan nandoon ang mga kaibigan kong lalaki na naglalaro ng soccer.

"Beatrice!" tawag sa akin ni Bryan mula roon, a friend of mine. "Kick this ball!"

Binato niya papunta sa akin ang bola. Ang tanging nagawa ko ay pumosisyon at umikot para sipain ang bola sa ere. Sa hindi inaasahan, napunta ito sa ulo ng isang kakilala ko.

"What the-!"

Tumingin si Elise sa akin.

"How dare you!"

"OMG, bakit mo sinipa sa ulo niya?!" natatarantang tanong ni Phoebe sa aking tabi.

"Tss. Hindi ko naman sinasadya," malamig na tugon ko.

Lumapit sa akin si Elise kasama ang tatlong alipores sa likod niya. They were pure foreigners, and they are obviously citizens here in New Zealand. Mga schoolmates ko ang mga 'mean girls' na ito, kaya nababangayan ko sila dahil sa mga mapapanghi nilang ugali.

Well, noong nandito pa talaga si Beatrice (the real one), kalaban niya na talaga si Elise. Kahit walang ginagawa si Beatrice sa kanya ay nang-iinis siya dahil nga, insecure.

In the span of three years, it was hard to catch up with their trends and who they are. Maraming mga kaibigan at kakilala si Beatrice, at talagang ilang beses akong nawindang kapag nagtataka sila sa akin dahil hindi ko sila maalala noon. I don't know the background stories of how Beatrice met them and how she acted around them, but I did my best to cope and communicate with them. For the first months, they were strange toward me, but I handled it okay.