Polarized Antagonism

23:

(See Lucia's photo above)

Lucia

When I got back to the house, my Mom called my phone. I was so excited picking up the call that I ended up with a stubbed toe in my study table.

We talked for like an hour about school, my friends and my life living here. I told Mom na para akong may kapatid dahil kay Cameron. Tumawa naman siya sa mga sinasabi ko sa kaniya dahil she said that it sounded exactly like what Cameron would do. Matagal na din kasi sila hindi nagkikita nito.

She asked me if i was having fun, i didn't waste any second and said Yes. I don't know, kahit na i have a fair share of frustrations, i am still having a good time.

And then, Mom said sorry all of a sudden about sending me off because of circumstances. Iba talaga pag nanay niyo yung umiiyak. You can physically feel the pain in your heart at ang nasa isip mo lang ay kung paano mo sila mapapatahan.

It's been so long since I got a call from her, it's sad to hear my Mom cry. Kahit na gusto ko din umiyak, I hold my together to make her see na I'm doing fine. And that I'm not mad for her decision.

Nung natapos kami mag-usap, I took a hot shower and do some advance reading. I also worked on our research paper bago ako nagpahinga sa kama ko.

My heart feels heavy. And i exactly know the reason why. I can't help but to let my tears fall. Even though, I'm in a good place, I can't help but to feel like this. Like a burden.

Someday, I will be independent and will stop relying on people. But for now, all i can do is to cry myself to sleep.

Cameron

I got used to being pulled out from class ever since I start highschool. Lagi nagagalit sa akin ang mga teachers dahil hindi ko daw sila nirerespeto and that i don't do school works.

It's true but at least I go to school everyday.

There's this one time in 9th grade na binato ako ng makapal na libro ng History teacher ko. She's a strict one at hindi siya mag sesecond thought na ipahiya ka pag may nasabi ka na mali sa klase niya.

I often got in to trouble with her because I always sleep in her class. Sobrang boring kasi ng lessons niya. My classmates would even commend me everytime na sinasagot ko yung teacher namin. She thinks because she's a teacher, she's better than all of us.

I wouldn't even talk back to her kung hindi niya pinahiya si Naomi that time. See, this teacher gave us 30 minutes to read a whole chapter of our book and afterwards she would call a class number para mag recite.

Thirty fucking minutes! It's possible na mabasa mo yung 20 pages na chapter na iyon but to understand all of it's contents under 30 minutes is a different matter.

Tinawag niya ang pangalan ni Naomi and she started asking her questions. At first, Naomi was doing fine. She answered all the questions thrown at her but this teacher started asking questions that were not on the book.

It was ridiculous. Everyone was so tense kasi baka sila na ang sunod na tawagin para sa recitation.

Naomi told the teacher that she does not know the answer in her absurd questions and this stupid fucking teacher called her out for being lazy and not doing advanced reading.

I was so mad at her. Hindi ko kayang umupo na lang at hayaan na bastusin niya si Naomi who did her best to stand there and accept her baseless accusations.

So I said:

" I don't understand why you're so upset about her not answering your questions that is clearly not related from the previous ones. You're being unfair. "