To Find You Once Again

Chapter Three

Kakapasok pa lang ni Nikki sa compound ng school ay agad siyang sinalubong ng mga pagbati galing sa ibat-ibang direksyon.

"Hi, Nikki!"

"Good morning, Nikki!"

"Nikki, how was your weekend?"

She sighed inwardly and gave them her trademark smile. Ilang beses na ba niyang pinraktis ang mga ngiting iyon sa harap ng salamin?

Being Miss Popular was never easy. Kung dati-rati ay hinahanap niya ang atensyon ng lahat, mas maraming panahon ngayon na nararamdaman niyang nakakapagod ang mundong ginagalawan niya. But it was a hard-earned popularity, and one that she couldn't dismiss instantly.

Simula nang mamatay ang ama niya noong ten years old pa lang siya, ang mommy niya ang naging busy sa lahat ng naiwang business ng kanyang ama. Pabalik-balik ito sa US upang asikasuhin ang ilan sa mga branches ng food chains na naitayo doon. Dahil sa pagiging busy nito, hindi na nito halos naaalala na may naiwan itong anak sa Pilipinas. Sa lahat ng mga importanteng okasyon ay wala ito. Mas madalas na kasama ni Nikki ay ang mga yaya niya, na lagi niyang inaaway nung bata pa siya kaya kusang nag-re-resign ang mga ito.

She thought that would catch her mother's attention. She was wrong. Ni hindi nga ito dumalo when she graduated valedictorian in elementary. Kaya simula noon, mas ninais pa niya na mabuhay nang mag-isa sa malaki nilang bahay kaysa may kasamang estranghero. She was an only child, and she was lonely. But she couldn't take it against her mother. Alam niyang nahihirapan din ito sa pag-a-ayos ng negosyo ng daddy nya.

Nikki learned everything by herself- cooking, cleaning the house, tending to the garden. Natuto din siyang mag-bike nang walang nagtuturo. Nagsawa siya na mag-isa ginagawa ang lahat noong bata pa siya kaya naman ipinangako niya sa sarili na gagawin ang lahat para maging popular pagtuntong ng high school.

It wasn't hard on her part. She was gifted with an interesting face, iyon ang sabi ng marami. Her face was the kind that painters love to paint – somewhere between beautiful and average. Tama rin lang ang height niyang 5'4". She wasn't exactly fair pero hindi rin siya maitim. The only advantage she had was her long hair na may mga nag-riot na curls sa dulo. It was very beautiful and unusual. All she had to do was enhance her features. She tried dressing up more than the usual. Natuto din siyang mag make-up sa sarili niya nang mag-enrol siya sa isang make-up tutorial session.

Unti-unti ay napapansin na siya sa isa sa mga prestigious na eskwelahan sa Cavite. She became vice-president of the student council on her third year, and was qualified to be president sa susunod na taon. Her image? The pretty and smart Dominique Martinez. Her icing on the cake was when popular senior Ryan Ortega asked her to be his girl at the start of the school year.

Ryan was the typical school prince: gwapo at ubod ng yaman. He was the youngest of the Ortega political clan and the son of a senator. Ang mga magulang din nito ay kasama sa board of directors sa eskwelahan. The Ortegas practically owned the academy kung saan siya nag-aaral.

No'ng nanligaw si Ryan sa kanya may apat na buwan na ang nakakaraan, hindi na siya nagdalawang isip na sagutin ito. Akala niya kasi ay maayos naman ito. Pero nagkamali siya. Ryan maybe rich and all, but he was brainless. Wala itong alam pag-usapan kundi ang mga pag-aari ng pamilya nito. Napipilitan na rin lang siyang sumama dito kaysa naman magmukmok siya mag-isa sa bahay.

"Hey, beautiful."

Nikki turned around and saw Ryan walking towards her. Awtomatiko siyang inakbayan nito at hinila na papasok sa compound. Nikki was aware that everyone was looking at them as if they were the most beautiful couple that walked the planet. She almost rolled her eyes.