Chapter 3: First Blood (Part One)

Remind me again what happened to my old school? I got betrayed and I nearly killed someone and I'm definitely not telling them that. Now look at me hanging out with new friends on the very first day of school. What happened to the 'no friends, no burdens' quote here? Just nice going, Cammy.

"Nasabi ko ba na paborito ko ang burger?"

Umirap lamang ako habang kumuha ng isang piraso ng pizza. Libre kasi at masama ang tumanggi sa grasya at sila naman ang pumilit.

"Hindi ako nakapag-breakfast kanina. Feel na feel ko na talaga ang college," sambit ni Alberto.

Sumang-ayon si Leslie habang takam na takam sa kanyang sisig na inorder. 'Tamo wala pang lunch pero naka-sisig na. Sumulyap ako kay Alberto pero lunod na lunod ito sa paglamon.

"Cammy, look! You need to know these people. Heads up nalang din."

I leaned on my chair and sighed. To be honest, wala naman akong pakialam sa mga tao at sa ibang sections. Hindi ko na napigilan si Leslie dahil dada na ito nang dada. Una niyang tinuro ang isang table na puno ng mga lalaki, maingay at ang gulo nila tingnan. "Those are the jocks in our school."

She leaned closer. "They are a bunch of basketball players, and that guy with dark curls? Mourish Shii, known as the Dunk King."

Pinigilan kong tumawa nang marinig ang 'Dunk King.' Eh kasi naman, 'Dunk King' daw. Ano siya, si Sakuragi?

"The other side, iyong table naman na medyo tahimik. They look like hunk nerds but Cams, they're from the soccer team and their team captain? That's David Conscience, I'd be lying if I'll say that he's not fine."

Alberto let out a fake cough and made a disgusting expression at Leslie's remark. "May kaunting rivalry nga lang ang namumuo sa dalawang Team Captain na 'yan." Muli ay tumango-tango lamang ako.

My eyebrow furrowed when someone caught my attention. Dali-dali kong kinalabit si Leslie habang sinunod ang mata ng babaeng iyon para tanungin kung sino siya.

"Alam mo Cammy? Pansin ko lang. 'Di ka man lang nagpakita ng interest sa dalawang team captain at ngayon sa lahat ng estudyante ay 'yang babae na 'yan pa ang nakakuha ng atensyon mo."

Nabulunan ako sa sinabi niya at agad na kinuha ang pineapple juice. Isa pa 'tong tao na 'to na nakakainis. Babatukan ko sana nang naka-ilag ang bruha. "Just keep talking."

She laughed. "Where should I start? Unfortunately, we have the same Department, Stacy Reign Ada, famously known as Starina Diamond, BA Political Science - Section Partial, the town's princess. She's a huge B and I'm not even kidding," she mumbled.

"But just be careful not to bump on her."

"Why?"

"See for yourself."

I looked at Starina's direction at may namumuong gulo roon. May isang babae na halos umuusok ang ilong nito at pumunta siya sa direksyon ni Starina.

"You flirted with my boyfriend and now he broke up with me!"

She stopped eating her strawberry shortcake and wiped her lips. She faced the girl with an appalled look and replied, "Excuse me?"

Tumili iyong babae at kung ano-ano na ang lumabas na salita sa bunganga nito. Starina only yawned and fixed her reading glasses. The girl continued talking but Starina wasn't even looking. Hindi nagtagal, tumayo si Starina at kinuha ang mga gamit niya pero hinawakan nung babae ang balikat ni Starina.

"You freak! Did you just touch my brand new clothes?!"

I scoffed and later on laughed. It was really her. I scanned my eyes around the area while those girls were causing a scene. I didn't blink while watching how their banters progressed. Tumayo ako at hinila si Leslie. Nagpahila naman ito at hindi nagtanong. Sumulyap ako sa direksyon ni Starina. I wasn't able to hear nor read her lip anymore. She whispered something. That poor girl was stunned and walked off like a zombie.

"What do you have in mind?" Leslie asks when I was in the middle of unconsciously dragging her.

"H-ha? Ah, wala. Libre ko kayo ng drinks. Gusto mo milktea?" I blurted out without thinking. Curious pa rin ako kung ang binulong ni Starina para ganoon ang reaction nung babae. Maybe there's a reason why Leslie described her as a huge B.

She clapped like a seal at unang pumila papunta sa counter para mag-order. Wala sa sarili akong napangisi ako sa kalokohan na naisip nang may tumapik sa akin. "Cammy, three-hundred daw. Nagpa-add ons kasi ako, hehe."

I was left deadpanned. Gago. Napagastos tuloy nang wala sa oras dahil sa kalokohan. 'Di bale na. Kinuha ko ang aking card at inilahad sa cashier. "Ano inorder mo?"

Napahagikhik siya. "Honeydew flavor, Cranberry para kay Bert, at Matcha para sa iyo. Pansin ko lang sa keychain mo sa bag. Teka, tama ba nang mapalitan natin?"

Mangha akong tumingin sa kanya at pumalakpak pa. "Oo nga, Leslie. May tama ka!"

She grinned proudly and later on grunted. "Sarcism ba 'yan? Teka, tapos na. Kunin na natin."

Kahit papano ay natuwa pa rin ako sa kanila. I was thinking ill about them and here they are, giving me comfort with their presence. Nang makuha ko na ang aking mahiwagang matcha flavored na milk tea ay agad ko itong nilantakan. Holy cow, it's too perfect. Hindi masyadong mapait at hindi umaapaw ang creaminess. Just the right amount.

When we were about to return to our seats, I purposely grabbed Leslie with force and headed in the other direction.

"Hoy, ano ba? Doon ang table natin."

I shushed her and kept my eyes on Starina. Nang makalapit na kami sa table niya ay agad akong tumikhim. Just enough for her to hear it. Sobrang busy naman ng prinsesa. Naghi-highlight ito sa reviewer niya at may itinipa sa laptop.

"Grabe! Matcha is the best. Ang sarap-sarap at ang bango-bango pa. I swear, people who do not like matcha have literally no taste at all."

Muntik na akong masamid dahil pinigilan ko ang aking tawa. Ayaw ko sanang lumingon ngunit 'di ko mapigilan. When I looked back, Miss Diamond was already twitching her eyes while glaring at me. Patay malisya akong umiwas ng tingin at nagpanggap na kinakausap si Leslie habang hinihigop ang sa straw ang boba.

--

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay tinuloy nila ang pagto-tour sa akin. Gusto ko nang umuwi, tulong. Ang lawak-lawak ng lugar at nakakahiya kapag bibisita kami sa buildings ng ibang department. Kasalukuyan ay nandito kami sa tapat ng library. Nakatutuwa dahil nasa gilid lang ito ng department namin sa kaliwa at malapit lang. Sa kanan naman ay sa College of Nursing. The library is in the middle of our perspective building which looks like it's the only bridge-like hallway in between.

"Lee! Bert!"

May isang lalaki at babae ang tumawag sa kanila. 'Di ako kumibo kasi 'di ko naman sila kilala. Tumingin sa 'kin 'yong lalaki at lumapit. May clean cut ito at halatang plantsado ang polo ng uniform. May dimples kapag ngumingiti at ang lakas lang nang appeal. He's aesthetically attractive. To my surprise, he suddenly held my hand and kissed it. What is wrong with them?! Personal space, please?! "Kaleb, at your service."

My eyebrows furrowed. I looked at him with pure disgust. Binawi ko agad ang aking kamay doon sa Kaleb na 'yon at pinahid sa palda ko. Everyone laughed because of what I did while that Kaleb dude looked hurt. Sorry? I may have praised you in my head but don't ever do that.

"'Yan kasi. Ang landi-landi mo. Hi! I am Carolyn, Cammy right? Blockmates tayo. We were supposed to join you guys for lunch, but we had to run some errands, that's why. You can call me Carol." I accepted her hand and shook it.

Si Carolyn naman ay nakasuot ng jacket. May vibes ng isang clean aesthetic girl na makikita mo sa Pinterest. Her hair is tied into a high ponytail and trust me how she looks so refreshing. 'Di ata uso ang school air nito, ang fresh ng aura. While looking at these two, Kaleb and Carolyn, mukhang amoy baby-powder at never nakaranas ng pawis.

"Teka lang, guys. May pupuntahan muna ako sa room. I'll catch you later!" Nagmamadaling tumakbo si Alberto habang kaming apat na lang ang natira.

This is my cue.

"Leslie, I better go. Tapos na 'yong tour 'di ba? Thanks for today." Tumingin ako kay Carolyn at Kaleb. "You two. It was nice meeting you."

Ugh, more people and just as I thought that having Alberto and Leslie was enough. I gave them one last glance before walking away.

Habang naglalakad ay nakasalubong ko si Sir Trevor. Babatiin ko sana ngunit hindi niya ako napansin. Putlang-putla ito at wala sa sarili. I didn't know what's gotten into me pero sinundan ko siya. Nagtago ako sa likod ng wall nang pumasok siya sa Comfort Room.

Naghintay ako saglit pero wala pa ring lumalabas. I got distracted while looking the big bulletin beside me with the Campus' Map. Halos sampung minuto na rin ang lumipas. Ano na? Kinain na siya ng inodoro?

Napatingin ako sa speaker na nakasabit sa mga dingding nang biglang naging static sound ito. Napangiwi ako at nagtakip sa tainga dahil sobrang tinis. Pati na rin ang ibang estudyante ay nagtaka kung saan galing ang sound na iyon. Good thing it's gone.

I scratched my cheek. What am I even doing... My intuition has been telling me to follow him and this is just silly. Liliko na sana ako nang may pumasok na janitor- Wait, a janitor? Wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa kawalan hanggang sa makarinig ng sigaw. Doon ako natauhan at tumingin sa gawi nila. Lumabas iyong Janitor at sumigaw ng tulong. May mga estudyanteng na-alarma at pumunta sa direksyon niya.

"Mang Ruben! Ba't po kayo sumigaw?" tanong ng isang estudyante.

May isang guro na dumating, marahil ay narinig din nito ang boses ni Mang Ruben. "Go back to your room, students. Sino ang sumigaw?"

"A-ako po Ma'am," sabi nung Janitor.

"Mang Ruben, kumalma kayo. Ano po ang nangyari?"

"M-may bangkay! Si Sir Trevor po!"

All of a sudden, it seemed like the whole universe had cast a curse upon me. See that struggling child? Chase her with all the bad omen and take it with her to her grave. And that's me.

Lunar University, huh? Maybe this school is really for me.

-

BlueDisorder

Revised version