Chapter 3

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Chapter 3: Insult
Zanashi

Trigger Warning// Mention of Abuse

Weekdays have finally come to its end. Today's saturday and while some students claim this day as the day when they can do what they wanted to do, that's not the case here in accountancy department. It's actually the day when we should do what we're ought to do.

So, instead of going out with friends, we are expected to stay at home or go to coffee shop to study and finish our requirements.

Umagang-umaga pa lang ay nasa computer shop na ako para sagutan ang online quiz na binigay ng prof namin. One hour and thirty minutes quiz lang iyon. After that, dumaan ako saglit sa isang school supplies shop para bumili ng isang pad ng yellow paper, and then I decided to go home.

I was already standing outside our house when I realized that going home was the most unfavorable decision I made for today. I could already hear the violent screams from our house and the clattering sounds like something has been thrown over and over again.

Mabilis kong binuksan ang luma ngunit matibay naming bakod at sumalubong sa akin si Tita Victoria, ang nakababatang kapatid ni Papa. She is fuming with anger when she saw me. Her eyes were red. Tears, perhaps, of so much anger.

"Tita, what—"

"Talk to that stupid father of yours, Aphra Danine! His pride won't save him! That stupid dumbass man! Stupidest of all!"

Umawang ang labi ko. Balak ko sanang magsalita pero hindi ko magawa. Did she just... insulted my father? Her brother?

She straightened her dress and combed her hair like something just troubled her. The soothing eyes that I used to see from her were replaced by something I couldn't explain. Was it anger? Worry? Was it a look of being exhausted? Of being bothered? I don't know, but one thing's for certain— this woman in front of me looked like she's not Tita Victoria at all.

Tita Victoria has always been composed. Siya ang pinakagusto ko sa lahat ng mga kapatid ni Papa. She's the calmest and nicest of them all. She never insulted us. She never downgraded us. She never treated us like a disgrace in our family name.

I remember those times when Tito Dantes and Tita Yvona tried to insult us, Tita Victoria was the only one who tried to save us from embarrassment.

Noong unang beses kaming pumunta sa family reunion ng Pantorilla, everything was so extravagant. The dress I wore that night, which was the most beautiful dress I've ever had, appeared so simple and out of place.

I didn't care about how they insulted me for wearing some 'ragged dress' on big occasion like that, what really broke my heart was the way how they looked at my father. It was the most insulting look I've ever seen.

My father... what did he do to deserve those stares?

It was then Tita Victoria who saved us from humiliation. It was her who comforted us. It was only her who treated us like a real Pantorilla.

That's why I always try my best to become the best. Being second was not an option to me. I wanted to prove that the girl whom they insulted for wearing some 'ragged dress' was able to be the best student among her batch, that status in life has no say in her academic performance.

It was during my fourth year in high school when Tita Yvona's daughter shared the same class with me. Hindi ko pinalagpas ang pagkakataong iyon. Iyon na ang pagkakataon ko para magpakitang-gilas. Pero ang balak kong iyon ay hinaharangan ng isang de Lopezes.

Balakid talaga siya sa plano. First grading, he became the top student of our class and I was second. Dahil honor student din si Thalia, anak ni Tita Yvona, naroon si Tita Yvona during recognition day.

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