Chapter 7

Drama Club

I was intimidated but she does nothing and the girls around her were just looking at me—they were not the typical mean girls na makikita mo dahil pansin ko naman, may gusto lang talaga silang patunayan at wala akong ideya sa bagay na iyon at kung ang dahilan man noon ay si Reddy, wala akong magagawa doon, dinala ako nang kalangitan sa piling niya. Hindi ko alam kung saan ko napulot ang mga salitang iyon, dala lang siguro nang kaba dahil ihing ihi na ko at mukhang kakausapin pa nila and the worst I could think of—ang maihi na lang sa underwear ko.

"Ahm... do you need something from me?" I said, just making some excuses para umalis na sila sa harapan ko.

The brunette smirks, and I think she didn't like what I said, "I don't why you had the guts to talk to Korg but here you are, you stand so proud."

Napa-anga na lang din naman ako sa sinabi niya, hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko dahil mukhang hindi niya ako gusto—and as for me, on the way she looks at me, I will never like this kind of girl! Hindi na kagandahan, mukha pang inidoro!

"Can I take a pee? Kung pwede, after niyo na lang ako kausapin?" aniko at nagtawanan naman iyong dalawang babae na katabi niya, napailing naman ang brunette sa akin.

"Let's go girls!" brunette girl said and they left the restroom.

Naiwan naman akong nakatayo sa pintuan ng restroom, sinilip ko pa sila maglakad palayo at napag-isip isip na lang din nang kung ano ano dahil ang weird nila, hindi ko alam kung anong ibigsabihin no'n or it's just because I got to ride with Korg and that would make a big deal for her? Kakaiba ka girl, kinaiinggitan ka ni brunette girl.

Binilisan ko na lang din naman ang pagpasok ko sa cubicle at nang matapos ay tiningnan ko na lamang ang sarili ko sa sarili para maghimalos. Wala naman akong make-up dahil hindi uso iyon sa akin, siguro lip tint—lip tint ang aura ko at lalaban na kaagad ang aking face, though, this face wouldn't be so good without my parents sacred creation. They totally did it.

Nagmamadali naman akong maglakad palabas ng restroom at hinanap kung nasaan nakaupo si Pee Shooter at napansin kong nandoon na rin pala si Bella, hindi naman mahirap hanapin dahil nasa usual table lang sila.

Nang maupo ako, agad kong napansin ang reaksyon nila dahil natigil sila sa pag-uusap at sa kinakain nila.

"Ahm... What's the problem?" I asked.

Nagkatinginan naman silang dalawa bago muling ibaling sa akin ang atensyon, "where have you been, Alex?" Bella said.

I pointed the restroom, "doon lang, sa restroom... anong meron?"

Napakibit balikat naman silang dalawa sa akin, "mukha kasing may nangyari and don't worry you don't have to tell us—"

But I immediately stopped Pee shooter, "I've meet the brunette girl inside the restroom and that's all that happened. And can we please move on 'cause I don't wanna talk about that." Iyon na lang din ang sinabi ko.

They nodded as if they really want to mock on me but still I wanted to hear their thoughts about that pero ayokong pag-usapan iyon, ayokong maging all around topic ng campus tapos ang magiging kalabasan ay isa pala akong napakaswerteng dyosa na nabihag si Reddy. I just made it up, 'cause I know, it'll ruin everything.

Hindi pa man nangyayari ang dinner sa bahay, ayoko muna magkaroon ng ibang intervention. That thing should happen and nothing afterwards.

Nagbabalak pa sana akong pumila para sa lunch ko pero binigyan na lang ako ni Pee shooter at Bella nang foods mula sa tray nila. Apple kay Bella at muffin naman kay Pee shooter. Matatagalan lang daw ako sa pagpila—iyon ang inalala nila dahil after lunch break, diretsyo kami sa drama club.

"Alex..."

Panay pa rin ang pagtingin ko sa paligid, hindi ko alam pero may hinahanap talaga ang mga mata ko.

"Alex..."

"Allison!" nabigla naman ako nang wisikan ako ni Pee Shooter ng tubig sa mukha ko, natawa na lang din sila sa reaksyon ko pero hindi ko gets kung bakit nila ginawa iyon. "Hindi ka mapakali, sino bang hinahanap mo?" tanong pa niya.

Umiling naman ako sa tanong niya.

Bella sneakily laughed, "don't you make it hard for us to guess, Alex because as we think, we already know who that is."

Napataas naman ako ng kilay sa sinabi niya, "you're thinking too much, Bella."

"Nope." Iling pa nito sa akin, pinandigan niya ang sinabi niya. "I'm not going to say this but the only person who isn't here were that redhead jerk, tell and look at my eyes if he wasn't the one you're looking for." She said.

And I needed to prove that and basically, just looking at her eyes makes me wonder what could possibly be the reason kung bakit niya naisip si Korg nga ang hinahanap ko—nope, it wasn't Korg—but I need to give up... probably he is.

And I blinked.

She clapped her hands like she figured out what's happening on my brain. "Got 'ya!" she said.

My eyes narrowed, seemingly trying to get what she said. "Does that supposed to mean something?" tanong ko pa sa kanya.

Confident naman siyang tumango sa akin, "of course, it means something! You should look just straight into my eyes, giving no emotions but you did—you did."

"Err..." I mumbled.

"I don't get that also," pee shooter said, "but I think the point here is, you're looking for Korg and what's that supposed to mean, Adeline?"

I rolled out my eyes, "it's not Korg—that redhead. I was just... maybe, at some part of my brain."

Bella laughed, "you can't tell it but I can, Alex."

Napangiwi na lang din naman ako sa kanya. Hindi na naman humaba ang pang-iintriga nila sa akin dahil malapit na rin matapos ang break at hinihintay na lang nila ako matapos para dumiretsyo kami sa drama club, bigla rin namang sumagi sa isipan ko ang sinabi ni Miss Keltz na sumali sa Decathlon Team. Though magkaibang forte ang kailangan sa magkaibang club na iyon and I don't think I'll fit into those, but I'm gonna try in Drama Club, baka pumasa ang pagiging over acting ko.

When the bell rang, we decided to leave the cafeteria and lead our way to the main building, but as we get to it, we noticed that there were students walking towards the open field and the only thing that goes in my head were, Korg is there. I don't know why I keep tracking him, maybe because I look forward to the dinner with my family?

Pee shooter took my arms away from slipping them again, "don't ever leave us again." He said, glaring at but I just laughed instead.

We come with other students entering the main building. May iba na papasok sa kanilang next classes pero kaming tatlo ay dumiretsyo na papunta sa Drama Club. While were on the way, kung ano ano lang ang pumasok sa isip ko, nakasalubong pa namin si Miss Keltz dahilan para kausapin niya ako—kami.

"Miss Alex, still have classes?" tanong naman niya sa akin.

Umiling naman ako bilang sagot, "wala na po but we're heading to the Drama Club for an orientation."

Napatango naman siya sa sinabi ko, masasabi kong nagulat pa siya sa sinabi ko dahil namilog ang kanyang bibig sa binigay niyang reaksyon. "Oh, I see... but I hope Miss Alex you'll think of what I said."

Ngiti na lang din naman ang binigay kong sagot sa kanya bago niya kami tuluyang iniwan para pumunta sa susunod niyang class. Dahil sa kuryusidad, hindi naman napigilan nang dalawa kong kasama kung ano iyong tinutukoy ni Miss Keltz. Pee shooter had the idea pero wala pa rin siyang alam kung saan tungkol iyon. Hindi ko naman sila sinasagot hanggat sa makarating kami sa room for Drama Club. Sinalubong naman kami nang ibang students doon.

"Oh... new faces." Pee shooter mumbled and I guess, he's pointing at those good looking guy pero for sure, hindi sila magtatagal dito at aalis din sila dahil mas deserve nila sa ibang club... sarili ko ba ang sinasabihan ko? Nope... it is not.

"Well, Drama club is gonna be big this time." Bella said and came to those new members, tinawag niya rin naman ako dahil pinaupo niya kami sa kabilang side ng upuan mula sa mga old members at sa mga bagong members.

In my count, the new members we're on fifteen people at nasa ten naman ang old member, it is because some of their members just graduated o kaya ang iba ay nagtransfer nang ibang school. Who would transfer when you can be anything here in Savvy? Not literally of anything, but what you can be instead.

"Okay, as we start, this is the Drama Club..." Bella started, and there's a lot of details she said that the previous batch of Drama Club performed in a month with such sufficient budget and the most beautiful thing happened was they accommodated different school to watched their performance and they were praised a lot by it. "In Drama Club, we can be anything, if the story says we're gonna be an animal, then be it! And also, Drama Club performed not only with their emotions but also we do dancing and singing if needed. So, I guess, in this club, we got to show our bests, right?"

"Yes!" they said in chorus but I just stay quiet and listening to Bella.

"The first thing we do to get us all comfortable with each other is by introducing ourselves and give yourself show some acting or dancing, singing whatever." Dagdag pa ni Bella. "And we'll start with..." and she's starting to look on the pool of newbies and her eyes stuck on my direction, "of course, my new found friend." And she pointed at me, pansin kong nakahinga nang maluwag ang mga katabi ko pero nabato naman ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"Me?" Pointing at myself because I couldn't take the humiliation first. Anong talent ba ang ipapakita ko sa kanila? I don't have one!

Tumango naman si Bella sa akin. "Yes... and you wouldn't be humiliated, they're all gonna do the same... but not as what you will do."

Napangiwi na lang din naman ako sa sinabi niya and my brain's keep thinking to do one thing. Acting, singing or dancing and I couldn't get it straight dahil kung dito pa lang ay bagsak na ako, hindi ko alam kung deserve ko ba dito.

"Go, Annaliese!" Pee shooter cheered. "We're waiting for you!" aniya.

So the old members chanted para lang mapatayo ako sa kinauupuan ko. The recruit member's cheered me up para lang din tumayo ako. Wala naman akong choice kundi ang sundin na lang din para mas lalong hindi nakakahiya. Lumapit na rin naman sa akin si Bella para hatakin ako sa harapan at doon niya ako iniwan.

I contemplated myself before voicing out whatever's going in my brain. "I am Alex Carreon... Seventeen years old but we're always gonna turn Eighteen and mine is soon and y'all guys don't need to know about that and I'm homeschooled and yeah... I think that's all..."

"So, what can you give to us, Alex?" Pee Shooter said.

"I really don't know..." sagot ko naman and when I look the new member's seat, they were sneakily laughing and I'm already embarrass by it. "I really couldn't do all those things na sinabi niyo..."

Tumayo naman si Bella at pansin ko ang malalim na pagbuntong hininga niya, ilang saglit lang din nang makalapit siya sa akin ay nabigla na lang ako nang bigla niya akong itulak to make me out of my balance. Nagulat naman ako sa sinabi niya at ang katahimikan sa room ay hindi ko kinakaya.

"What did you do?!" I asked.

"Oh, you're not ding well, Alex."

Napabuntong hininga naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"Alex, you're supposed to act on it! It was meant for acting..." aniya at natulala na lang din naman ako nang sabihin niy iyon sa akin, "okay... but I guess, we can work that out but as of now, show us your singing and dancing."

I gulped, trying to compromise what she said. "I can't move forward." I said.

"Just a stanza, Alex, it will do." Bella said.

Tumango naman ako sa sinabi ni Alex, saka tumalikod at humugot nang lakas ng loob para kumanta. Kung anong unang pumasok sa isipan ko, iyon ang kinanta ko, tila sa bawat paglabas ng boses ko ay kaunti na lang ay mabibiyak na at ang hindi ko inaasahan ay ang tahimik nilang pakikinig sa akin.

Nang matapos akong kumanta at idilat ang mga mata, sunod ko na lang din namang narinig ay ang kanilang mga palakpakan. Ngumiti naman ako sa kanila at hindi ko inaasahan na magugustuhan nila iyong ginawa ko. Matapos no'n ay bumalik ako sa kinauupuan ko at sumunod pa ang ibang new members para i-share ang sarili nila.

Napansin ko naman ang pag-thumbs up nila Bella at Pee shooter mula sa kabilang side. Napangiti na lang din naman ako dahil hindi ko inaasahan na tatanggapin pa rin nila ako sa unang pinakita ko sa kanila. Siguro nga, at first, you need to find yourself but eventually, you will and you'll learn that you have it.

Nagkaroon naman nang panandaliang break para makapag-ayos, mag-restroom at kumain na rin. Tumabi naman sa akin sina Pee Shooter at Bella.

"You really did a great job, Apple." Pee shooter said.

Napahagikgik na lang din naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"You didn't even tell us na may kakaiba ka palng talent, but good thing dahil hindi ka napunta sa glee club."

"Is that a good thing?" tanong ko pa sa kanila.

Tumango naman silang dalawa sa akin at kung iisipin din ay mas mapapalagayan ko nang loo bang mga nandito sa Drama Club, bukod na nandito ang mga bago kong kaibigan ay mukhang madali rin namang pakisamahan ang mga members dito.

"But I see doubts there, Alex, what happened?" Bella asked.

"Is this because of what Miss Keltz told on you?" Dagdag pa ni Pee shooter.

I really don't have the guts para sabihin sa kanila pero siguro mas okay nang malaman nila kaysa naman manggaling pa sa ibang tao diba?

"Don't be offended but..." I said and they eagerly waiting for me to speak it up, "she told me to sign up with Decathlon Team."

"Oh..." they said in chorus and I couldn't get the fact na tumahimik sila after kong sabihin iyon.

"But I didn't give any assurance." Biglang bawi ko naman sa kanila.

Napatango naman si Bella sa akin saka ako tinapik sa balikat ko, "but whatever you find that can help you, we'll still support you." aniya at tumayo siya para tawagin muli ang iba pang members for her final announcement.

Tiningnan ko naman si Pee shooter, "what just happened?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Napakibit balikat na lang din naman siya sa akin, kaya naman nang binalikan ko nang tingin si Bella ay napunta sa ibang members ang atensyon nito.

Nanahimik na lang din naman ako sa kinauupuan ko hanggat sa matapos ang oras at mag-uwian na. Sinubukan ko namang lapitan si Bella para sabihin na hindi ako nagbigay nang ideya na sasali nga ako sa Decathlon Team, alam kong medyo nadisappoint siya sa sinabi ko and I wouldn't let that happened.

Nang lalapitan ko na siya, before I could say anything, she started it. "It's okay, Alex... I asked and I know it's still your decision." Ngiti pa nito sa akin, "we should go now, the bus will leave in any minute."

Tumango naman ako at sumunod sa kanila ni Pee Shooter plabas ng Drama Club at tumungo sa mga school bus. Nagpaalam naman ako sa kanila at ngiti lang ang pinaabot nila sa akin. Hindi ko naman maintindihan kung bakit, hindi naman iyon sigurado at wala naman din akong balak sumali doon dahil ang nagpupumilit lamang na sumali ako doon ay si Miss Keltz.

"Desperate Blonde!" namintig ang tenga ko nang marinig ko ang mga salitang iyon.

Nang harapin ko naman kung sino ang tumawag sa akin, iyon pala ay ang mga member ng football team. Nagtatawanan naman silang umalis at hindi ako makapaniwala dahil doon nakilala nila ako sa pangalang iyon. Wala akong against sa blonde, but being called a desperate is like what would a jerk do.

Oh, still Korg is in my brain.