Lesson 6 WTSC
Cattleya Venus
If people are trying to bring you down, it means that you are above them. If people are trying to throw thousands of criticism, hitting hardly your wounded heart and you as a human being still standing firm, it means that you are a fighter.
Maraming mapanghusgang tao, sanay na sanay na ako.
Pero nananatili pa rin akong matatag. I won't give them the satisfaction though. Instead, I'm more motivated to prove myself and to disappoint them for all the negative ideas they are believing in.
That's the reason kung bakit pinipilit ko talagang i-angat ang sarili ko upang maabot ang mga pangarap ko. Ayaw kong ipahiya ang sarili ko at ang magulang ko. Ayaw ko rin na matuwa ang mga nanghahamak sa akin.
Yes, I admit. Nabubuhay ako sa mataas na expectations ng ibang tao sa akin. Expectations nila na ninanais ko rin naman abutin dahil kailangan. Ilang beses na rin ako pinaalalahan ng nanay ko na dapat maabot ko ang pangarap ko, na kailangan galingan ko para maiahon ang buhay namin mula sa hirap. Kailangan may mapatunayan ako.
Ilang beses niya rin inulit sa akin na huwag muna mag-asawa. Huwag muna mag-boyfriend which is kahit hindi niya ipaalala ay hinding-hindi ko talaga gagawin. Having a boyfriend or any special feelings for someone is least of my priorities right now.
Wala talaga.
I'm not interested to any kind of men. Except, it's required to know deeply a well-known person through his autobiography and biography for the sake of grades. Other than that, I'm not interested at all.
Kaya nakakatawa 'yung ibang tao na iniisip na mabubuntis lang ako nang maaga. Iniisip nila na nasa loob ang kulo ko at mapapariwara lang din ako.
But no. My future lies within me, not to those people who dictates for what I can be in the future.
I heaved a heavy sigh as I stepped away from that monstrous den, a tenement full of wild animals. There's a lot of houses and room in that place, but not a kind of home to consider.
Nangungupahan kami sa Sitio Tenement. Apat na palapag iyon at mayroong siksikan na mga kwarto. Maraming nangungupahan, maraming kapitbahay.
There might a lot of people from that place, but I see no humanity at all.
Napailing na lamang ako at tinahak na ang daan papunta sa Webster- Montessori Academy. I may look calm and confident as I walk with my feet, but deep inside my mind is always activated by these numerous thoughts which is difficult to shut down.
Nang makita ko na ang main gate ng school namin ay dali-dali na akong tumawid. I was about to have another step, but suddenly a loud screeching noise echoed in my ear.
My eyes widened as I noticed a big motorcyle heading so swiftly towards my direction. My inial reaction was to close my eyes. Automatic na rin akong napaatras at biglaang napaupo sa kalsada.
Dahan-dahan akong napamulat. I gasped as I saw how that motorcycle almost hit me. Yes, almost. 1 inch from me!
Mabilis na bumaba ang driver nito. Tinanggal niya ang kaniyang helmet bago lumapit sa akin.
"Okay ka lang? Natamaan ka ba?" A student from Webster-Montessori Academy said in worried tone. I've noticed that he is so worried, surprise and guilty for what just happened. He should be.
"Hey! Speak up!" I glanced at him with a sharp look. Wait, he is familiar.
I don't know his name, I don't remember rather. He's the guy with lots of questions. He was my opponent in our class debate last time.
"Do you have a driver's license? Is it with you?" I asked in monotonous tone. He suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. Bakas ang pagkagulat sa kaniyang reaksyon. Anong nakakagulat sa tanong ko?
"Seems like you're the one who was almost got hit with that big motorcycle of yours, Mr." I said in an irritating manner. Mukha namang natauhan na siya.
"Sorry. I just didn't expect a woman who almost got hit but still manage to ask if I have a driver's license." He answered and shook his head in disbelief.
"So? Mayroon o wala?" pagbabalik ko sa tanong ko kanina.
"I don't have it yet. My papers are still on process." He answered and he was about to help me to stand but I didn't allow him. I stand all by my own and removed the dust that clings all over my uniform.
"Okay ka lang ba talaga? Walang masakit sa'yo? Let's go to the infirmary." He was about to hold my hand but I moved it away from him.
"5,000 pesos."
"W-What? Ang mahal naman hawakan ng kamay mo." Sumilay ang mapang-asar niyang ngisi. Ngunit hindi ako nagpatinag, nanatili akong seryoso habang diretsong nakatingin sa kaniya.
"5,000 pesos as your penalty for violating the law."
Nag-iba bigla ang expression ng mukha niya. Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin siya sa akin.
"Explain mo sa akin kung paanong may babayaran ako sa'yo? Bigla-bigla ka na lang nagbibitaw ng presyo. Bawal iyan. " He flashed his playful smirk, thinking that I am just making up an imaginary law.
"Under Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, Department of Transportation and Communications, together with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office, released fines and penalties for the violation of laws, rules and regulations governing land transportation," panimula ko at pilit na inaalala ang pinag-aralan naming mga batas.
Napansin ko ang bahagyang pagkatulala ng kausap ko.
"Driving without a valid driver's license is 3,000 pesos. Another 2,000 pesos for being reckless driver. Plus, you will be disqualified or suspended from granting a driver's license for 3 months." I stated with no hesitant at all.
"If you are not yet satisfied, search Republic Act No. 4136. Laws related to land transportation and traffic codes were mentioned there." Bahagyang napaawang ang kaniyang bibig.
I didn't mean to brag out my knowledge, most especially in law. Yes, I memorized human rights, 1987 Constitution and other necessary laws-not to show off, but in order to defend myself in different situations.
Maraming abusadong tao. Kung mangmang ka, talo ka. Kung duwag kang ipaglaban ang karapatan mo, dehado ka.
Swear, may advantage kapag alam mo ang karapatan mo. Kahit hindi mo alam ang pangalan ng batas, sino nagpatupad or even anong nilalaman ng batas na iyon, basta alam mong nasa tama ka, alam mong ikaw ang biktima, lumaban ka.
"O-Okay. Hindi na kita kokontrahin doon. Mukhang wala ngang masakit sa'yo." Nawala ang ngisi sa kaniyang labi. Imbis na makipag-argue pa sa kaniya ay humakbang na ako palayo.
Mahuhuli na ako sa meeting namin.
"Wait!" He halted. He looked directly at my eyes and seems like he is struggling to find a right words to say.
"About what happened. I'm sorry. I didn't notice you were hurriedly crossing this way."
"You are trying to say that it was my fault, Mr? Aren't you?" Kaagad naman siyang umiling at napahawak pa sa kaniyang batok.
"I didn't mean it. Sorry, okay?" mahinahon niyang paumanhin. "Baka kasi mas lalo ka pang mainis sa akin," dagdag pa niya at napansin ko ang pagkagat niya sa kaniyang pang-ibabang labi.
"Huwag mo na akong habulin at kulitin. Okay ako. Kung magbabayad ka, then akin na?"
"May I withdraw first? " problemado niyang tanong nang tignan ang wallet niya. Mababakas na galing din siya sa karangyaan gaya ng ibang estudyante rito sa Webster-Montessori Academy. Mayroon siyang maangas at mamahaling motor at may makapal na wallet na puro card ang laman.
Isa na namang estudyante na maswerte. Ang tanging gagawin na lamang ay mag-aral nang mabuti.
"Huwag na. Huwag mo na lang ako abalahin ulit," madiin kong sambit bago tuluyang pumasok sa malaking gate ng Webster-Montessori Academy.
__
pinky_jenjen
BINABASA MO ANG
When Two Stars Collided
General Fiction[On-Hold] Cattleya Venus Belleza is a girl with superb intelligence and principle in life. She has a strong determination to achieve her dreams and won't let anyone to make her dreams shatter into pieces Love is not in her vocabulary. Wala siyang ka...
