Chapter 6
"God has given you one face
and you make yourself another."
- William Shakespeare
* * *
I JUST STARED as Arellano sat furiously in front of me. Hindi siya tumitingin sa akin at hindi rin siya umiimik pero alam kong galit siya. Nakikita ko sa pagkumpas niya ng kamay niya sa desk at sa maya't-mayang pagtitiim ng bagang niya.
Galit kanino? Sa'kin? Kay Santos?
I know Santos still hopes that I won't touch this bastard but I never swore to him so whatever. Ginawa ko naman eh. Pinagbigyan ko naman siya. Pero hindi ko talaga kayang tiisiin na walang gawin habang masayang-masaya pa ang batang 'to na mang-agrabyado ng kapwa niya rin naman tao.
At my time, no one did this. No one stepped forward to protect someone bleeding and I learned how it hurts. And seeing it happen again is just something I couldn't take. Anymore.
One thing I learned above it all is that if you have all the chance to help others, grab it. Do it. Take their hands and help. We may not just be helping them from physical pain, we may be saving a life.
"So we're just gonna sit here until dismissal. That's the plan." Bakas parin ang pride sa boses ni Arellano. He talks as if telling everybody to look up to him and praise him and fear him.
"I was waiting for you to start talking." Sagot ko. He finally met my gaze.
Nagsimula na ang meeting sa gymnasium at kami lang dalawa ang nasa loob ng detention. It was what I asked habang hinihintay pa namin na dumating ang principal galing sa meeting sa labas ng school. They called the principal. They don't trust me. They don't trust each other either. Stupid game.
Arellano smirked. "What do you want to hear?" Parang kaedad niya lang ang kausap niya base sa pananalita niya. Mukhang ibang-iba na talaga ang kabataan ngayon.
"I don't know? What do you think?" He showed a smirk. He really has the guts.
"I think we must not waste each other's time, ma'am."
Ngapangisi nalang rin ako sa sinabi niya at napabuntong-hininga. This kid resembles someone I know too. Pakiramdam ko I'm dealing with Jeremy right at this moment.
"Then you better start talking."
He laughed. A sarcastic laugh. Binabalak niya talagang inisin ako. "Why are y'all so worried about Santos? He's just a nobody." His laugh suddenly turns out genuine. Para pa siyang masaya sa huli niyang sinabi.
I smiled at him. Itinago ko sa ilalim ng mesa ang nakakuyom kong kamao.
"Hindi ba sinabi ko na sa'yo? A nobody remains nobody in the eye of someone who wants to see them that way. I told you, haven't I, Jose?"
"I mean he likes to be that way." Tiningnan ko lang siya. How can he say that? Who would want to live that way?
"So ganito kasi talaga 'yun ma'am." He leaned forward. "People don't like him. And he kinda like it that way. Don't know why. He's a weirdo, you know. No one cares what he does and how he's doing. And no one cares what is happening to him. It has always been that way eversince." Bumuntong-hininga siya at bumalik sa pagkakasandal sa upuan niya. Inilibot niya ang tingin niya sa buong kwarto. "We're just playing with him the way he wanted to. If you think he's miserable, that's what he wants for himself. No one would care about him because even he-" Ibinalik niya ang tingin sa akin. "-he doesn't care for himself."
