The Land of the Morning Star

CHAPTER FOUR

ROYCE JORDAN LANCAMON

"Bye ma." Paalam ko pero pinigilan n'ya ako.

"'Wag mong kalimutan ang inhaler mo, bata ka." Aniya tsaka binigay sa 'kin 'yon. I sighed and grabbed it. "Thanks." I hate using this shit.

"Nagbaon ka ba ng tubig at extra shirt ha?" Tanong n'ya ulit.

Napabuga nalang ako ng hangin, "Ma, kaya ko na ang sarili ko, 'wag kang mag-alala." I assured her.

Tinaasan n'ya naman ako ng kilay, "Oh? Talaga lang ha. 'Wag mo ring kalimutang bawiin ang application mo sa Sepak Takraw Club na 'yan. Matagal ko nang sinasabi sa'yo na hindi ka talaga pwede sa takraw dahil d'yan sa hika mo---" I cut her sentence off, "Ma, let me play."

She smiled and tapped my back, "You just can't, Royce." She said, "Bawiin mo ang application mo, okay? It's for your own good."

I just forced a smile to convince her, "I'm off." I said and walked away. There's no point of arguing after all.

Nadatnan naman ako ni Euria sa sala. Humihikab pa s'ya at gulong-gulo 'yong buhok. "Aga mo ah."

I covered my nose, "Baho ng hininga mo." Pang-aasar ko sa kan'ya at tuluyan ng lumabas sa bahay.

"Pangit mo!" Sigaw n'ya tsaka ako binato ng tsinelas pero 'di ako natamaan.

"Duling!" Sigaw ko pabalik sa kan'ya at tumakbo na palayo bago n'ya ako masugod. Pikunin pa naman 'yon.

Hininaan ko na ang takbo ko nang nakaabot na ako malapit sa highway at naglakad nalang. 'Di masyadong malayo ang school tsaka ang bahay namin pero minsan nag-c-commute kami ng kapatid ko pagdesperado na kaming makauwi o makapasok. Walk in distance lang ang school sa bahay namin kaya sobrang carefree lang ako na late magising kaya na-l-late tuloy, but not today.

What happened in the Sepak Takraw Club last week made me crazier, and it wonders me because March keeps on avoiding me since that happened. I mean, she approached me first that day then in a blink, she's being distant? I clearly remembered that I woke up in the clinic after my seizure and saw that she's there. But at the moment that I spoke a word, she suddenly stood and hurriedly went off.

The next day came, then the next day, until umabot na ng Friday. I've been thinking that she's so early everyday attending classes and leaving school kaya 'di ko s'ya nadadatnan. I tried getting her attention by messaging her in her social media accounts but I never got a single reply. She's completely ignoring me.

"Have you ever seen this student?" Bunggad sa 'kin ng isang babaeng studyante habang may pinapakita sa 'king picture sa cellphone n'ya nang makapasok ako sa senior building. I can tell that she's a junior dahil sa kulay ng sling ng ID n'ya. Kulay red ang sling ng mga juniors while kulay blue naman sa mga seniors.

Napatingin ako sa kan'ya kaya tinaasan n'ya ako ng kilay, "Don't ever dare to cover up this man's crime." Bigla n'yang salita at kwenelyuhan agad ako.

"Jesus, easy! Hindi pa nga ako nakakapagsalita." I said in a tone of annoyance.

Why is she acting so damn tough with a senior student like me---Ah, I see. She's the 'Cornella Foculan'. The junior student they've been talking about last school year's second semestral election. She's one of the current members of the sixth ranked Disciples, the so called Cerberus. Last ranked Disciples like her usually does the field work just like what she's doing right now.

I looked at her without any emotion written on my face. She's shorter than me. I can see the pissed expression her face is making.

Tinulak n'ya ako, "Answer me with a yes or a no, dumbass!" Naiirita n'yang ani.