Chapter 51: The Openheim
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Pinapapunta na naman kami ngayon sa auditorium para pagayusin. Mamaya na kasi ang recognition. Ang first year ay assigned maglinis sa school grounds. Second year ay sa gym, kaming third year dito nga sa auditorium at ang fourth year naman, since graduating, ay todo review nalang. Swerte. I don't even know kung bakit pinapaayos pa ang ibang zones eh dito lang naman sa auditorium ang venue ng recognition.

"Kath!" tawag sakin ni ate Myla. President kasi siya ng Fourth year, so parang siya yung supreme leader or something. "Pwedi bang kunin mo muna yung DLP? Wala kasing mga gustong kumuha. Puro mga busy daw, eh wala namang mga ginagawa."

"Ah sige. Saan ko ba kukunin?"

"Sa dean."

Shet. Bakit sa dean pa?

"Hala naman. Wala po ba sa faculty ng academic coordinator? O kaya ibang mahihiraman, wag lang sa dean!"

"Hay sabi ko na eh. Haha. Miske nga rin ako di ko makuha. Alangan namang utusan ko ang teacher. Sige sa iba nalang."

Papaalis na sana si ate Myla nang may biglang sumingit.

"I'll get it."

Okay. Edi siya na. Palibhasa nakuha niyang patawanin ang dean noon. Sus! Psh.

"Oh ayan na Kath. Samahan mo nalang si Kenneth kuhanin. Tapos pabigay nalang muna sa control room para safe for preparation na later." then umalis na rin sya.

Lumakad naman ako palayo. Kunin niya magisa. I'm not annoyed or what, ano lang kasi... Naiilang na ako. Pakiramdam ko dapat maayos na ang kilos ko pagkaharap siya. Crush ko eh. At NAKAKAINIS yung ganitong feeling. Ewan ba.

"Where are you heading to? Let's go." tsaka niya ako hinigit. No choice.

Lumakad na kami papunta sa dean's office. Tahimik lang naman ako. Si Kenneth naman ay panay tango lang sa mga bumabati sa kanya, halatang hindi interesado. Joke. Hindi ko alam pala, baka ako lang 'to. Nung nasa tapat na kami ng pintuan ay napahinto ako.

"Ikaw nalang kaya ang humiram. Tutal ikaw naman ang nag-volunteer eh."

"Oh come on. You wouldn't let me go in there alone. Would you?"

Napaisip naman ako. Sabay, "I would. Now go." tsaka ako kumatok then pinagpilitan siyang ipasok sa loob. I remained outside, and this is a relief.

And as predicted, nakuha nga nya yung projector. So naglakad na kami pabalik sa Auditorium. I'm keeping distance, kasi sobrang naiilang na talaga ako. Bakit? Eh dun sa sinabi nya kasi. Sino ba namang hindi mabibigla dun!

"Future with you."

Seryoso ba siya don? Oh talagang pinagttripan niya lang talaga ang feelings ko without even knowing that he's really doing it? Masyado na ba akong halata? Lumayo na ba ako?

"Don't. Come near me Kathy." bigla niyang sabi. Anu ba yon?! Mind reader? Naman eh! So no choice lumapit ako baka kasi sobrang mahalata pa diba.

"You look different today."

"Good or bad?" Hala naman.

"Always good." and he winked. Gahd!

Nang makarating kami, binigay na namin yung projector sa control room at after ay bumalik na kami sa gawain. Ako ay syempre lumapit sa part nila Linds at Yna. Nakita ko naman si Kenneth na dumiretso sa kina James at sa iba pang basketball players? Eh? Friends friends sila? Woah.

"Hoy Kath! Anong nangyayari sayo ha?" si Yna. "Natutulala ka na naman yata ha?"

"Sino bang tinitignan nyan?" Lindsay

Sinundan naman ng tingin nung dalawa yung direction kung saan ako nakatingin. And there, they saw Kenneth. Aba. I denied syempre. Parang napatingin lang naman nang sandali eh. Napatingin lang ba talaga? Psh.

"Si Kenneth naman pala eh. Hayaan na natin." Linds

"Pero hinay ka lang Kath ha. Pwedi pa bukas, alam mo yun?"

Tumawa lang sila. Kahit kelan talaga yung mga yan. Hindi nalang ako umimik. Ayokong makipagtalo. Pinauwi kami before lunch para makapagayos. Bigla naman akong kinabahan na ewan. Syempre kasi yung deal namin ni Kenneth. Sino kaya mas angat samin? Hala. Sana ako. Shet.

Pagkahatid sakin nina Linds ay kumain kaagad ako at nagayos nang konti. Like, ligo and fix clothes for later tapos umidlip nang konti. Si daddy nalang ang umuwi from work to attend recognition. Ayos lang naman. So bali dalawa ang pupuntahan ni daddy later. Ako at si Lyka. Kahit naman kasi luko-loko yang batang yan ay may alam din naman. Nagayos na rin ako kasi at around three-thirty ay magsisimula na.

"Dad, tara na. We'll be late!" narinig kong sigaw ni Lyka.

"Time freak!" sabay ko.

"Whatever! Tara na kase!"

Pumasok naman na si dad galing labas, garage perhaps. Ako naman eh chill lang kasi third year naman ako at paniguradong mauuna ang elementary. So why bother. Sorry nalang Lyka. Haha.

"The car broke down." sabi ni dad.

"Edi magc-commute nalang tayo—"

"What?!" sigaw ni Lyka. "Naman ehhh! Fix it dad!"

"Stop being a nagger!" nakakainis na kase. "Ano ba kasi't nagmamadali ka ha?"

"Wala!" sagot niya at nakita ko naman na parang namula siya. Ah! Alam ko na. Dahil yata kay Angelo. Haha.

Saktong labas ni dad ay may biglang bumusina. Tinawag naman ako at sabing may naghahanap sakin. So naiwang nagmumukmok si Lyka. Pagkalabas ko naman nakita ko ang Silver Porsche. Kay Kenneth ba 'to? And my question was answered when he stepped out of his car.

"Hey."

Teka lang kasi. Naiilang pa rin ako. Kaya naman hindi ako makatingin sa kanya nang maayos.

"Bakit ka nandito?"

"I'm here to give you this." inabot niya sakin yung papel. Pagkatingin ko naman ay yun lang palang recognition programme. "You forgot to grab one, so ma'am Ramos asked me to send it to you."

"It's not that important, you know." totoo naman eh. Wala akong pakielam. Just go with the flow lang ako kapag may ganito.

"Really? Wait 'till you—"

Bigla namang labas ni Lyka.

"Kuya Kenneth!!!" sabay lapit samin. "Kuya! Papunta ka na bang school?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Pasabay! Please? Please, please?" then she pouted.

"Arte oh." I murmured. "Wag na Kenneth. Dad's fixing the car kaya sige una ka na."

"Ohh? You sure?"

"Yah."

Nagalit naman sakin si Lyka nung nakaalis na si Kenneth. Sabi eh ayos na nga raw yun at para hindi na kami magccommute. Hindi ko nalang siya sana papansinin eh kaso nagsumbong ba naman kay dad. Nakakaiyamot! So sabi naman sakin ni dad na tama raw si Lyka. At kaibigan ko rin naman din daw si Kenneth. Dad! Kung alam mo lang talaga. So I ended up calling him and asking for a ride. Pumayag naman at here we are on the way to school. Si dad na yung nasa passenger seat sa unahan at kami ni Lyka sa likod.

I can tell na nagkakasundo yung dalawa kasi panay ang tawa. Ako naman itong nagffake ng ngiti kada tinatawag ako ni dad at tinutukso. Nakakainis aba. Pag ako nahulog nang sobra, isa ka dad sa sisisihin ko.

Nung nakarating na kami nagpasalamat syempre si dad kay Kenneth at may sinabing iba na hindi ko maintindihan kasi ang hina. Oh well, paki ko ba diba. Si Lyka muna ang sinamahan nya kasi sya naman yung una. Nakita ko na rin naman sina Lindsay at Yna. Lalapitan ko na sana kaso lang tinawag kaming may mga honors at may corresponding seats daw kami. Ano pa bang magagawa namin? Eh ang arte ng school. Psh.

Tinawag si Lyka as third honor. Tuwang tuwa naman ang bata. Tapos may parang binelatan siya, at pagkatingin ko naman si Angelo yata. Hala. Then after ng ibang year ay kami na. Kinabahan na naman ako kasi nga gawa nung deal or bet.

"Nervous?" tanong nya na kalapit ko na naman.

"Heaven yes." Hindi na rin ako umusap. Kasi nakakakaba talaga. I remembered my exam in Technology, baka kasi namali ako ng isa. Eh kapag pa naman nagkamali dun ay may possibility na mamali na sa lahat. Eh psh. Yun lang yun eh. Siguro naman tama yun.

Tapos nang bigyan ng award ang iba, so kami nalang ni Kenneth ang natitira.

"Don't be scared if I got the higher place." I threatened him.

"You wish." sagot nya na may pag-smirk. Kinabahan na naman ako kasi halata namang confident siya.

"Congratulations to our First Honors," ma'am Ramos announced. May mali ata?

Napa-cross finger nalang ako and hoped.

"Katherine Villanueva."

"YES!" napatayo naman ako bigla ang heard the applauses. Then umakyat na ako sa stage with my dad. Second lang si Kenneth. Bleh. Haha.

"And..." sabi ulit ni ma'am. "Kenneth Verge!"

Nagpalakpakan na naman ang tao, pero ako? NGANGA!

W-what?! Paano nangyari yun? Dalawa ang first? Psshh!

"Congratulations! Due to tight competency between these two, general average were found to be exactly alike. Inquisition of their academic records were done and found that it's just pure coincidence that they have the same average. First time in Sermount history that this had happened. Again, congratulations."

Pagkatapos ng stage ceremony, bumaba na kami syempre. Nganga pa in ako, not literally. Pero kase! Paano na 'to?!

"So this means that the bet is void, right?" I said.

"Nope."

"Eh ano na pala? It's useless anyway since we're both first."

"Let's just put it this way. You'll have your chance to order something to me, and I'll have mine." he explained. "Got it?"

"Tch. Eh ano pa nga ba. Bahala ka eh."

May announcement daw for third years kaya hindi muna ako umuwi agad. Kadalasan kasi ganun ako. Wala naman ang sa fourth years kasi nga diba graduating. So diretso announcement na agad.

"In partnership of the Sermount with other prestigious universities, there was a deal contemplated last year. The on-going construction of the most-talked Openheim University is now complete. Now, the decisions of the Pre-Uni are linked together. We're giving humongous opportunities to students who ranked first and second to every year." Announced the Sermount University President.

[Star's Note: Pre-Uni is short for prestigious universities. Openheim is pronounced as "Open-HAYM"]

Matapos ang introduction ay nagsimula nang magusap usap ang mga tao. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. Prestige kasi ang Openheim sa pagkakaalam ko. Super exclusive lang daw yan. Nadadaanan namin yan dati kapag lumuluwas kami, ngayon completed na talaga. Ang laki nga ng opportunity na yan.

Ranked one and two for every year? So that means... I'M AUTOMATICALLY IN! Yes!

Maya maya ay nagflash na sa wall via projector ang Openheim University. Syempre inuna muna yung labas. Grabe lang ang securities, lalo na sa main gate. You have to be a VIP to enter. At syempre dahil protected nga ang inside ng Openheim, sulyap lang ng rooms ang pinakita. May resort na raw sa loob, food chains, library, mini-mall, medical zones, and most importantly, the condominiums.

Pagkatapos ng presentation ay nai-dismiss na ang program by the closing remarks of the Dean. Then lahat ng nagfirst at second every year ay pinaiwan along with their parents.

"Sayang ka!" pang-asar ko kay Lyka. Third lang kasi siya.

"Eehhh! Nakakaines!" sabay walk-out nya.

Dumiretso kami sa conference room para doon na daw i-discuss ang lahat. Buti naman at kumpleto lahat. Excited ako na ewan. Kinakabahan din.

"Good Morning parents and students. First and foremost, congratulations!"

And there, nagsimula na nang pageexplain kung ano bang mga plano at mangyayari.

"Since this is a deal within the Pre-Uni, two students were also picked from their university. So there won't be much high school students in the Openheim, only the chosen ones."

So may sa ibang university ay kumuha rin sila ng top two. So it'll be like the TOPS. Woah. Competition na ito. Mahirap na.

"The condominium and expenses, what about it?" tanong ng isang guardian.

Tama nga naman. Magastos din kasi.

"There will be a corresponding condominium for students in different university. One condominium will be freely utilized for the two chosen students. So if one has problem with the given one, there'll be other condominium for rent, but it'll be very expensive."

"What about in my daughter's state. The second honor is a boy, isn't that—"

"Mom!" sway naman nung babae sa mommy nya. Eh pero tama rin naman kase.

GAHD! I just realized we're the same. Kenneth and I were the chosen from third year. Halaaa!

"Since for every two students from every year has only one condominium, security cameras are provided. There's also a protected division line with a switch. If it's switched on, there will be a loud noise if one crossed it except for the one with permission."

Napa-oo nalang yung ibang magulang. Syempre gagawin ba naman nila itong ganitong deal kung hindi safe. I'm sure na pinagisipan nila 'to nang matagal and with certainty, mga professionals and highly-educated ba naman eh.

"Eh paano naman po kapag hindi kayang suportahan ang iba pang expenses?" tanong ng isang babae. As I can see it, simple lang siya and... You know it.

"And there will be no problem with that. Allowances will be provided in each students. As long as they can manage to spend it wisely, they'll be fine. And what's the use of choosing top two students if they can't figure out a way to survive Openheim." natawa nalang sila.

"My nephew has lots of agendas outside the school and further than that. Are they allowed to go outside the university?" yung tita ni Kenneth ang nagtanong. Yung mommy ni Gabe. Nasaan kaya ang parents ni Kenneth?

"As a matter of fact, they can." sagot naman ng president. I actually like Ms. Sermount, kasi siya ang nandito to explain everything. Di katulad nung iba na yung speaker nila ang pinapapunta sa mga conference like this.

"If so, is there a schedule for that?" tanong ulit ng tita ni Kenneth.

"It depends on their agendas inside. And it's strictly prohibited for students to go outside the university on school days, most especially on weekdays. Permission letter from parents and university director or to whom it may concern might work."

May nagtanong na naman ulit. "May iba pa po bang nag-aaral na doon?"

"Yes, there are already students staying there. Like your son and daughter, they were also carefully chosen. Some aren't Filipino but in other nationality. Openheim ought to be an international university. And the students from Pre-Uni has different curriculum and university zones."

"When will they leave?"

"As we formulated it, they have to be in Openheim this Wednesday."

It's too fast. Pero wala na rin naman kaming magagawa. Take it or leave it and now or never kumbaga ang approach.

At dahil medyo napatagal na ang meeting, naidismiss na rin kami. May ibibigay nalang daw na Handbook tomorrow. Lahat kaming students ay nae-excite na. Syempre eto na yung time na magiging independent kami, considering the fact na sa most prestigious university kami magsstay. Yung iba nga bakasyon na agad ang iniisip eh.

"Kath una na ako ha, hanapin ko lang si Lyka." tapos umalis na si dad. Di manlang muna tinanong kung uuwi na rin ako. Nakakainis. Wala naman akong ibang pupuntahan na eh.

"So, are you excited?"

My heart skipped a beat. Pwedi naman kasing tawagin muna ako eh.

"Yeah. Sino bang hindi?"

"Me."

"W-what? You're not?" nagtataka kong tanong.

"Well I have to consider some things before going." he sighed. "I'll get you home."

Nagpahatid na rin ako. Bukas ko na sasabihin lahat kina Lindsay at Yna. Pagkababa ko ay biglang binuksan ni Kenneth yung bintana.

"On the second thought, I'm excited for Openheim. I'm excited to LIVE WITH YOU." he winked at sinara na nya yung at umalis na.

What was that?

Oh that's just my heart beating extremely fast.

Unlucky Cupid © 2011-2012 Starine