7 Chapter 4 - Tinuklaw ng Ahas (1/2)

”Isuot mo nga kasi!” pagpupumilit ni kuya Jared sa akin na isuot ko daw ang clear plastic raincoat na bitbit niya buong byahe. Paalis pa lang kami ng bahay, pilit na niyang pinapasuot sa akin ito pero pilit din akong tumatanggi.

”Kuya naman! May payong na nga ako o!” pabusangot kong sagot. I was a seventeen-year old senior high school being forced to wear a raincoat. Seriously?

”Dinala ko nga 'to para hindi ka mabasa. Isuot mo na!”

”Ayoko nga.”

”Ay! Cece. Isusuot mo to.”

Mapagpumilit talaga siya. Ilang minuto rin kaming nagtalo sa ilalim ng ulan, sa tapat ng gate ng school ko habang pinagtitinginan kami ng mga estudyanteng papasok.

Si kuya Jared and pinaka matigas ang ulo sa apat kong mga kuya. Napagtanto kong hindi siya aalis hanggat hindi ko isusuot ang raincoat. Labag man sa kalooban ko ay isinuot ko na.

”Isusuot mo din naman, makikipag away ka pa. Ano gusto mo, mabasa?” pagsusungit pa niya. Sinuot ko na nga, pinapagalitan pa rin ako.

”Si Jael ang magsusundo sayo mamaya ha, may group project ako. Alam mong laging late yun! Huwag kang aalis mag isa ha,” ika-limang beses niya nang paalala habang inaayos ang hood ng raincoat ko. Si kuya Jael ang pangalawang panganay sa amin.

I felt like a four years old pre-schooler being sent to school. I wondered if my brothers would ever realised na dise-syete anyos na ako. Hindi na nga kailangang ihatid-sundo pa ako eh.

”Woooshooo! Group project daw. If I know tatambay ka lang sa condo ng isa sa mga girlfriend mo.”

Pinisil niya ang ilong ko. ”Tsismosa ka din eh no? Pumasok ka na nga! Antayin mo si Jael ha! 'Wag ka ng umasa magtetext 'yun o tatawag. Magantay ka. Hmmm!”

❧ ❧ ❧

I took my time walking under the drizzling rain habang patungo sa main building. The sky was grey and gloomy, but the surroundings seemed to be a bit brown, like a light coffee stain. I watched the raindrops on my clear plastic umbrella as I head towards the main building. I took pleasure listening to the rainfall and the sound of splashes when people steps on puddles. And I also find it relaxing - the quiet noise when it's raining, like you can hear a busy hubbub but it's afar.

”GooOOod mOrning Cece,” pagkataas-taas na energy na bati ni Mam Hachi nang magkasalubong kami sa entrance ng main building.

Si Mam Hachi ang teacher ko ngayon sa English Comms. Isa din siya sa mga paborito kong teacher. Mahusay na magturo, mabait pa. Mam Emoji ang tawag sa kaniya ng ilan, may sariling buhay kasi talaga ang mukha niya, parang mga emoticons.

”Mas good ka pa po sa morning Mam!”

”Naks! Ganyan dapat, shAre the goOd vibes!”

Nahawa na lang din ako sa hanggang langit niyang ngiti. Aliw na aliw talaga ako na may kaniya-kaniyang buhay ang iba't-ibang parte ng mukha ni Mam Hachi; yung mga kilay niya ang pinaka favorite ko, it's the most expressive amongst her facial features. Parang bawat salita ata niya, gumagalaw ang kilay niya. It's black, a bit thick but neat. It suited her deep expressive eyes too na palaging nakangiti. She has full and plump cheekbones na mas nae-emphasized lalo kapag ngumingiti siya. And parang, by default, she always have a wide, full smile where all her front teeth and hints of her gums would be visible. For me, in addition to her positive, charming and refreshing personality, she is the prettiest teacher dito sa school.

”Ano Cece, excited ka na ba sa midterms?”

Mahigpit na umakbay-akap sakin si Mam Hachi habang patungo kami sa stairways.

”Nyeee! Sino ba ang excited sa exams Mam?”

She laughed. Just as well as for her speaking voice, her laugh resonated a happy morning sunshine. Parang, there was always a giggle in her tone.

”Well, yea, yea, I agree. But the trick is, never to feel dreadful about exams. Kasi mas mahihirapan ka lang nun. You have to embrAce it. Ikaw rin naman ang makikinabang eh,” payo niya habang umaakyat kami sa hagdan at sabay sa sinsero niyang mga ngiti sa mga estudyanteng bumabati sa kaniya.

”Magreview kang masaya Cece ha. Kahit hindi mo maintindihan lahat o mamemorya, basta dapat masaya ka pa din. Study happy, trUst me.”

Tinapos niya ang advice niya sa isang nakakagood vibes na ngiti bago kami naghiwalay sa floor ng classrom ko. I find it so easy to trust her.

Mabuti at nagmarka ang good vibes feel ni Mam Hachi sa akin; from first period to lunch break, isinapuso ko ang 'study happy' na payo niya. Ang first subject ko with Teacher Kim became more and more awkward since the shower room incident. Nagdadala na ako ng extrang panty dahil may mga pagkakataong hindi ko talaga mapigilan ang mag wet, and I thought, I needed to make sure na amoy fresh ako palagi - just in case.

Dahil maulan, pinili kong sa library na tumambay after lunch instead sa cafeteria. Kapag ganitong weather, medyo malamok dun at maalinsangan pa; mas malagkit kapag sa tag-ulan maalinsangan. Si Mecky ang lagi kong kasabay maglunch, and just about at anything else I do at school. Si ate Juris, makikipag kwentuhan saglit pero babalik din sa group of friends niya. Si Balong naman, well, he was being Balong, he's everywhere pero minsan bigla na lang sumusulpot.

”Ay, naalala ko, nakita ko na pala yung librong sinasabi ni Mr. Severus. Gusto mo i-borrow ko na now para i-review natin mamaya kapag may chance between subjects?” tanong sa akin ni Mecky while we're scanning through the bookshelves.

”Talaga? Sige girl, marami bang copy yun?” tugon ko sa babaeng mas mukhang musikero kaysa bookworm, which both were true din naman.

Kasing-tangkad ko lang ito si Mecky. Balingkinitan ang kaniyang katawan, but she evokes a boyish style. Since the school year started, I've mostly seen Mecky wearing pants. 'Yung pananamit niya regularly rotates from bohemian, to american country style, to boyish-look soulful band musician. She started having few spots of pimples on her forehead noong nag-Grade 8 kami; her skin has always looked pale, parang hindi naaraawan; pero tuwing nagbibihis kami after P.E, I noticed, in fairness to her, she have a smooth and flawless body.

I've only seen her wearing one pair of sneakers for quite sometime too, at halatang marami nang pinagdaanan ang sapatos niya. I reckoned, she's sentimental that way kasi yung boho style bag na christmas gift ko sa sa kaniya three years ago ay siya pa ring gamit-gamit niya. Lagi lang nakalugay ang lagpas balikat niyang buhok, at madalas may malaking bluetooth headphones na nakasabit sa leeg niya.

”Isa lang nakita ko sa shelve eh. Ask ko na lang si Mrs. Aklatan kung may extra copy pa.”

Ang librarian namin ang tinutukoy ni Mecky. Naaaliw din talaga ako kapag naiisip kong bagay na bagay sa apelyido niya ang trabaho niya - librarian, masungit, tahimik at mukhang pinaglihi talaga siya sa libro.

”Sige, kung meron pa, tag-isa na lang tayo. Paki book mo na lang sa ID ko o. Iko't-ikot muna rin ako, baka may iba pa akong makitang review material.”

Tumango si Mecky na mukhang excited na magreview. Siya lang, siya lang ata talaga ang excited magreview sa eskwelahang ito.

”There, there, Ms. Kim. I'm massively pleased that you make this well efforts in getting ready for your Math midterms.. good for you, Cece.”

Biglang kumibot ang makipot kong pagkababae nang marinig ko ang malamig na boses ni Teacher Kim na sumulpot na lang sa likod ko.

”Ganon, sir? I'm just skimming through the bookshelves lang naman po,” kimi kong tugon. I tried to keep my cool.

”Yeah. At the mathematics section.”

”Well, I've always enjoyed math. And sir, it's Kim --- Menendez.”

”I know.”

I took a short look at him. He was scanning the rows of books but I noticed there was a smile behind his poker face. Napangiti na lang din ako.

He continued, ”but, don't you have anything else you enjoy?”

Tinango niya patagilid ang ulo niya trying to catch my face, which, even with mental protest, I automatically obliged; I looked at him again.

His whole face lit up, his brows puckered, his expression even looked romantic; his gaze was telling me something I've been wanting to hear, but I couldn't hear it. Naghuhumiyaw lang ang utak ko. We were so close at each other.

I'd enjoy it, sir, if your face is down in my pussy! Oh, I'd enjoy it a lot!

Hindi ako makatagal, I needed to break the moment, it was just getting too much for me. I turned around and took two steps away, pretending that I was still scanning the row of books.

”Well, I enjoy a lot of things, sir. I mean, subjects, school subjects. But, math, medyo mahirap e, so I take extra aral pa. Ikaw, sir, what else do you enjoy?”

I winced at my own question. I might have sounded far from innocent.

”The human body.”

”Sir?”

”Anatomy. I've always been fascinated about the human body.”