Chapter 35 - Mistakes are what makes us human
Homeroom started. Pinapunta ako ni Ms. Ryn sa prefect para papirmahan yung aking excuse letter. Eto yung pinaka-ayaw ko pag uma-absent, yung excuse letter ang dami pang process para lang dito. Pupunta muna sa prefect para kumuha nung excuse letter na may pirma na niya at isasama niya yun sa excuse letter na may pirma ni mom at yung medical certificate ko. Pagkatapos ay dadalhin ko naman yun sa assistant ng principal bago at maghihintay pa ako bago pirmahan yun ng principal. Pagkatapos babalik sa adviser at siya naman pipirma.
Every class, tatayo pa ako para lang pamirmahan to sa mga teacher, sabi nila Ella iwan ko na nga lang daw yun sa teacher's table kaso ayaw ko dahil malulukot lang.
So ganun yung nangyari ngayon, pumunta ako sa prefect at office ng assistant ng principal pagkatapos ay bumalik na ako sa classroom, walang ginagawa dahil Homeroom lang. Binalik ko na kay Ms. Ryn yung excuse letter ko at pinirmahan niya na ito.
"Tungkol sa Special Classes mo, sinama ka na nila Carmina sa subjects nila pero kung gusto mong baguhin pwede pa. Hindi ko pa binibigay sa mga instructor yung listahan niyo." Ms. Ryn told me after signing my excuse letter. "I'll keep this one. Ako na magpapapirma sa mga teacher mo." sabi niya at sinuksok lang niya ito sa folder niya. May kinuha siya sa loob ng table at inabot sa akin. "Yan mamili ka diyan ng gusto mo at after Homeroom sabihin mo sa akin."
Tumango nalang ako at umupo sa pwesto ko kung nasaan sila Carmina rin ngayon kasama sila Ella. Naglalaro sila sa may lapag ng jack's stone, binuklat ko yung brochure at nabasa yung mga special classes ngayon year.
Ang daming mga classes pero yung iba para lang sa respective levels. Tulad nalang nung Archery para lang sa seniors. Binasa ko lang yung class description nung mga yun. At nung nasa Calligraphy na ako, naintindihan ko na kung bakit gustong gusto nung dalawa sa Calligraphy.
Nagpunit ako ng papel sa notebook ko, I crumpled it and throw it at Ynna. "Kaya pala gustong gusto niyo sa Calligraphy ah!"
They both grinned at me. "Nakita mo na? Ang galing diba!" Carmina said.
Tumango ako. "May matututunan kaya tayo niyan?" I asked them both chuckling at the idea of us ogling the instructors we have for our special classes.
Yung instructor kasi namin sa Calligraphy ay yung pinaka-gwapo na teacher dito sa school namin. Kaso sa grade school department siya kaya wala kaming chance na maging teacher siya. Kung siguro sa high school department siya may fan base na yan. Siguro nga meron na ngayon.
Nagkwentuhan at naglaro lang kaming lahat dahil Friday ngayon ibig sabihin ay club day ngayon. Walang mga klase buong araw. May mga meeting lang ng clubs at pwedeng manatili lang sa classroom kapag hindi kasali sa mga meeting. Yung mga officers lang minsan kasi ang kasali sa meeting at nagbibigay lang sila ng gagawin sa mga members nila.
Which everone preferred dahil para sa amin eto yung free period namin. Walang mga teacher na nagbabantay sa amin. This is what I love the best about our school. Free periods.
Dahil uso pa sa amin yung jack stones ay halos lahat kami ay naglalaro pati boys ay naglalaro. Yung iba naman yung pickup stick yung nilalaro. Parang mga bata lang ano?
Ako naman ay nagsusulat ng mga notes na wala ako simula nung umabsent ako. Ang sakit na nga ng kamay ko pero kailangan kong magsulat para may reviewer naman ako sa mga quiz sa Monday.
"Hi po. Pwedeng pumasok?" inangat ko yung ulo ko at tinignan kung sino yung nasa may pinto namin. Hindi na nila hinintay yung permiso dahil pumasok na sila at ako naman ay bumalik na sa pagsusulat. Malay ko ba kung anong mga kailangan niyan.
"Hi Ate." bati sa akin nung isa sa kanila.
Inangat ko ulit yung ulo ko, nasa tapat ko para yung dalawang babae. "Bakit?"
"Pwedeng ma-interview ka ate?" tanong nung babaeng kulot yung buhok.
Narinig nila Ynna yun kaya nagsilapitan sila sa akin at umupo sa tabi ko. "May bayad interview sa kanya." pagbibiro ni Ynna sa dalawa.
"Para saan naman yang interview na yan?" tanong ni Ella.
"Sa Journalism Class po namin." sagot nung isang babae.
"January pa ang start ng special classes ah." said Carmina.
"Yung iba po start na po, basic lang po. Kailangan namin ng interview sa mga pinili ng president ng class."
"May president na agad?" tanong ko. Binalik ko yung takip ng ballpen ko at sinara yung notebook ko. "At talagang kasama ako?"
"Opo."
"Kanino muna nanggaling yung mga tanong?"
"Sa president din po."
"Sino president ng Journalism? Si Cyril diba?" sabat ni Ynna.
"Hindi sa Journalism si Cyril. Sports at Governorship." Sabi ni Ella.
"Oh edi sino president?"
"Si Ate Ira po." sabi nung babaeng kulot yung buhok.
"Si Ira? Wow first time maging president nun!" biro ni Ynna. Hindi naman kasi ganun kasikat si Ira, isa sa mga batch mate namin. Ayaw na ayaw ni Ynna kay Ira dahil ang OA din kasi ni Ira. Never ko naman naging classmate yun kaya hindi ko alam ang ugali nun.
"Sige paki-bilis lang may ginagawa pa ako." sabi ko.
Ngumiti yung dalawa. "Ako nga pala po si Leah at siya po si Agatha." sabi nung babaeng kulot.
Tumango ako. "Okay. So first question."
"Totoo po bang kayo ang pinakamayaman na estudyante dito sa St. Peter's High?" tanong ni Agatha.
Gulat naman ako sa tanong niya. "Anong klaseng tanong yan." I brushed off. "Next question."
"Ate..." Leah said.
"Siya nga." sabat ni Ella.
"Hindi ano!" pag-deny ko naman.
"So hindi po totoong nakatira kayo sa isang mansyon?" tanong ni Agatha na tinaas yung kilay niya.
"Hindi naman mansyon yung bahay namin. Saan niyo ba nakukuha yan." I told them. It's not really a mansion, it's just a big house I admit but not a mansion. A mansion is what my paternal grandparents lived before, that was a mansion not ours.
"Anong hindi! Ang laki laki nung bahay niyo! Classroom natin CR lang ata ng mom mo eh!" Ynna said.
"At may sampung kwarto kayo, hiwalay pa yung malaking library at office ng mom mo!" Carmina pointed out.
Tinignan ko yung dalawa. "Grabe kayo. Ang OA lang."
"Deny deny. Sulat niyo siya nga." Sabi ni Ella.
Nagsulat naman yung si Leah. Tas nagtanong na ulit si Agatha. "Totoo po bang may collection kayo ng headbands at ginagaya niyo si Blair Waldorf?"
I smiled proudly. "Yeah may collection ako ng headbands. Of course, Blair Waldorf is my role model." I answered. Dahil high school kami, ito yung era ng Gossip Girl. Simula nung napanood ko ito sobra ko ng kinaadikan yung palabas. At gaya ni Blair Waldorf ay marami rin akong headband.
"You girls should see her closet. Punong puno ng damit at sapatos. Yung mga headband niya, sobrang rami." Carmina told them.
Nagpatuloy lang sa pagtatanong sila Agatha habang si Leah yung nagsusulat. Kaming apat yung sumasagot sa mga tanong nila at pansin kong nakikinig yung mga iba kong classmate. Pumasok din sa classroom sila Chelsea dahil nalaman nila yung interview ko.
"Totoo po bang may boyfriend ikaw sa ibang bansa?"
"Wala akong boyfriend." agad kong sagot sa kanya.
"Anong wala kang boyfriend? Eh ano si Kim?" Chelsea interrupted.
Hindi ko tinignan si Chelsea dahil ayaw kong sabihin sa kanya yung nangyari at isa pa hindi ko naman boyfriend si Kim eh. "Next question."
Agatha hesitated first but she continued. "Dahil po ba sa namatay niyong best friend kaya wala ka pang boyfriend?"
I was taken aback by her question. How the hell did Ira know about Louie? This was really personal. Ira was never a friend of mine, chismosa siguro talaga yung Ira na yan. "That's not true. Kaya wala pa akong boyfriend dahil ayaw ko pang magkaroon."
"Really? Then nilalaro mo lang si Kim?" Chelsea asked.
"Why do you care?" I asked glaring at her.
"He's the best thing that ever happened to you!" Chelsea said.
"Louie was the best thing that ever happened to me." I corrected.
"Tignan mo, si Louie parin. Paano naman si Kim? Kawawa naman yung tao!"
"Kawawa?" napatayo ako at ganun din si Chelsea. "Sa tingin mo kawawa siya? Hindi mo ba alam kung anong ginawa sa akin ni Kim?" I asked her. "He betrayed me along with Pat! Sarili kong best friend sinulot ako. Hindi mo ba alam yun? Anong kawawa dun kung nagpapakasaya siya kasama si Pat?"
Halatang nagulat si Chelsea pero agad din itong nakabawi. "How could you call that betraying? He wasn't even yours."
"So sinasabi mong tama lang yung ginawa niya?" I asked her. "Sinasabi mo ba na ayos lang sa isang lalaki na sinabing ako ang mahal pero kayang makipaglandian sa iba?"
"Bakit ka nagagalit sa kanya? Mas masama nga yung ginagawa mo sa kanya hindi ba? Pinaapasa mo siya. Masama na rin bang maghanap siya ng iba kung yung babaeng mahal niya hindi maka-move on. Sa babaeng hindi kayang mag let go sa taong patay na?"
Naiiyak na ako pero ayaw kong umiyak sa harap ng marami. Kaya pinigilan ko ito. "Why do all of you ask me to let go of the only one person whom I love?"
"DAHIL PATAY NA SIYA!" Chelsea yelled. "Isipin mo naman yung taong buhay pa. Hindi yung patay na. Hindi na babalik si Louie, si Kim na yung nandito."
I turned my back and started walking away. Nung nasa labas na ako, agad kong pinunasan yung luhang pumatak. Naririndi na ako sa mga taong hinihiling na pakawalan ko na si Louie, bakit hindi nila maintindihan?
Naramdaman kong may humatak sa braso ko. "Totoo ba?" Allen asked.
"Ang alin?" I asked.
"Yung sinabi ni Chelsea. At yung sinabi mo. Yung Louie lang ba yung mahal mo?" Allen asked me.
I pulled my arm away from him. "Don't ask those questions Allen dahil tiyak hindi mo magugustuhan yung sagot."
"May karapatan akong malaman."
"You have no right. Hindi kita boyfriend. Hindi ko kailangan mag explain sayo dahil HINDI KITA BOYFRIEND!" I told him frustrated at everyone right now. "Stop acting like you are!" I told him and stormed off.
Nung nakakatatlong hakbang na ako sa hagdan ay narinig ko yung boses ni Cyril. "Pabayaan mo muna si Mary. Lalo mo lang pinapagulo yung isip nun."
Hindi na ako nakinig pa at umakyat nalang ako at pumunta sa debate club room. Pagpasok ko ay nagulat ako nung may tao sa loob. Alam ko kasi nasa auditorium ang debate team kasama yung mga ibang club under English department. "What are you doing here?" I asked.
He looked up. "Oh." he said. "I'm printing the program and sorting it out."
Umupo ako sa kabilang silya na katapat niya. Sa table naman ay mga papel na may label. Kumuha ako ng isang piraso. "The Seven Dwarfs, the Sleeping Beauty and the Beast?"
"You didn't know? Drama club rewrote the play."
"How did that go?"
He smiled. "Sleeping Beauty grew up under the protection of the seven dwarfs. You see, Sleeping Beauty was supposed to be death under the order of the Evil Queen but the seven dwarfs who were the friends of the deceased queen took Beauty away and raised her. The Evil Queen learned that Beauty was alive after all these years and she sent someone to kill Beauty once and for all. The assassin took Beauty away from the cottage and brought her to the ruined castle of another kingdom for there was a rumor that a beast so cruel lived there. The Beast took her as a prisoner, and you know what happened they grew closer. The Evil Queen found out that Beauty wasn't dead yet so she asked for the aid of an old witch to kill Beauty. The old witch foretold that in order for Beauty to never open her eyes again was if Beauty prick her finger in a torn of an enchanted rose in which the Beast held as his lifeline." he explained.
"So you mean to tell me, Beauty accidentally prick her finger to that torn and she just slept? What happens next?" I asked curious to what the Drama Club wrote for the Christmas play.
"The Seven dwarfs learned Beauty's whereabouts. They journey on but they were too late for Beauty had already pricked her finger. Beast was so devastated he trashed everything in his room. The Seven dwarfs with the help of the transformed servants prepared Beauty for her last resting place. They placed her in a white glass coffin and was about to bring back to their lovely cottage when Beast told them to put Beauty on her room. They followed his orders and left Beauty in her room inside the castle."
"What happens then?" tanong ko ulit. Ang cute lang kasi nung story.
"Years later, when only one petal left on the rose, Beast was happy that he would finally die and be with Beauty for there was no other woman for him but Beauty herself. Meanwhile the Evil Queen, greedy with power and richness told her soldiers to raid the neighboring kingdom where Beast was living. The soldiers forced their way inside the castle gates, with the help of the seven dwarfs the transformed servants prevented the soldiers from getting inside the castle. With no hope Beast decided to let the soldiers to kill him, he opened the casket and kissed Beauty once last time."
"Oh I get the ending already!" I cut in. "That's a nice story line. Who wrote it?" I asked.
He looked shy "I did."
I smiled and looked at him. "That's really good! You're brilliant." I told him.
He smiled shyly at me. "Thanks."
"Do you remember me?" I asked him.
He nodded. "Mary right?"
I beamed. "And Kevin Liu."
Somehow dahil sa pagkukwento niya ng story nung play, nawala yung inis ko. Hindi na ako nalulungkot sa mga nangyari sa baba kanina. Yung pag side ni Chelsea kay Kim, yung pagpilit niyang mag let go na ako.
"What brings you here?" he asked.
I raised my eyebrow at him. "This is the debate club isn't it? I am a debate club officer, am I not allowed inside the room?" I asked grinning.
"That's not what I meant. It's just that they said you're busy with writing down notes."
"Yeah I was but well it was hot in our room."
"Is the air conditioner not working?"
I chuckled. "No, no. It felt suffocating." I said and looked away. "Kevin, would you forgive someone who betrayed you?" I asked looking at him once again.
He looked confused but he answered me still. "It depends."
"On?" I prodded.
"If what that someone did to me, if it's grave then I wouldn't forgive too easily but if there's some explanation then..."
"What if, the girl who told you she loves you betrayed you with your own best friend?' I asked.
He looked like he was thinking about it and for a few minutes he didn't answer. "I'm going to ask her first. Why did she betray me?"
"To get back at you?" I said. "Because you're in love with someone else and not her?"
He smiled faintly at me. "Then I'm going to forgive her."
"WHY?" I asked exasperated. "She betrayed you. She loved you but then she went traipsing with your best friend!"
Bakit niya naman papatawarin yun kung ganun hindi ba? I won't. I can't.
"Because she was hurting." he told me flatly. "I hurt her when I couldn't love her."
"You've been direct with her right in the beginning." I said.
"I hurt her. It's natural that she would want me hurt too even unconsciously."
"So you're willing to forgive and forget?"
"Forgive yes but not forget. I won't forget it, it will serve as a reminder that I've hurt her and she had hurt me and maybe someday it would remind me not to hurt someone else again in that way." he said while he held a stack of papers.
"Why are you willing to forgive her?" I asked, simply wondering why would someone forgive the person who betrayed him?
He placed the stack of papers in the label Freshmen. He then looked at me and smiled. "Because she made a mistake. True, we shouldn't get back to people who have hurt us and that was her mistake. Everyone makes mistakes that's what makes us human. Do you know what Beast's two mistakes were?" he asked.
I shook my head no.
"The first one was turning someone in need away, he shouldn't have done that. He was arrogant, believed others were beneath him. The witch wanted him to learn something that was why she turned him into a beast. His second mistake and I believe his greatest mistake was giving up too easily. He gave up the hope he could be a human again and also gave up that Beauty could no longer be with him. He gave up. But he righted his mistakes and that was what made him human again." he told me. "We are bound to make mistakes once in a while and it what makes us human. It's hard to forgive someone who betrayed your trust, it comes easy when the other feels remorse."
"You're something Kevin Liu." I told him uneasy.
"And you need to learn to forgive."
Every class, tatayo pa ako para lang pamirmahan to sa mga teacher, sabi nila Ella iwan ko na nga lang daw yun sa teacher's table kaso ayaw ko dahil malulukot lang.
So ganun yung nangyari ngayon, pumunta ako sa prefect at office ng assistant ng principal pagkatapos ay bumalik na ako sa classroom, walang ginagawa dahil Homeroom lang. Binalik ko na kay Ms. Ryn yung excuse letter ko at pinirmahan niya na ito.
"Tungkol sa Special Classes mo, sinama ka na nila Carmina sa subjects nila pero kung gusto mong baguhin pwede pa. Hindi ko pa binibigay sa mga instructor yung listahan niyo." Ms. Ryn told me after signing my excuse letter. "I'll keep this one. Ako na magpapapirma sa mga teacher mo." sabi niya at sinuksok lang niya ito sa folder niya. May kinuha siya sa loob ng table at inabot sa akin. "Yan mamili ka diyan ng gusto mo at after Homeroom sabihin mo sa akin."
Tumango nalang ako at umupo sa pwesto ko kung nasaan sila Carmina rin ngayon kasama sila Ella. Naglalaro sila sa may lapag ng jack's stone, binuklat ko yung brochure at nabasa yung mga special classes ngayon year.
Ang daming mga classes pero yung iba para lang sa respective levels. Tulad nalang nung Archery para lang sa seniors. Binasa ko lang yung class description nung mga yun. At nung nasa Calligraphy na ako, naintindihan ko na kung bakit gustong gusto nung dalawa sa Calligraphy.
Nagpunit ako ng papel sa notebook ko, I crumpled it and throw it at Ynna. "Kaya pala gustong gusto niyo sa Calligraphy ah!"
They both grinned at me. "Nakita mo na? Ang galing diba!" Carmina said.
Tumango ako. "May matututunan kaya tayo niyan?" I asked them both chuckling at the idea of us ogling the instructors we have for our special classes.
Yung instructor kasi namin sa Calligraphy ay yung pinaka-gwapo na teacher dito sa school namin. Kaso sa grade school department siya kaya wala kaming chance na maging teacher siya. Kung siguro sa high school department siya may fan base na yan. Siguro nga meron na ngayon.
Nagkwentuhan at naglaro lang kaming lahat dahil Friday ngayon ibig sabihin ay club day ngayon. Walang mga klase buong araw. May mga meeting lang ng clubs at pwedeng manatili lang sa classroom kapag hindi kasali sa mga meeting. Yung mga officers lang minsan kasi ang kasali sa meeting at nagbibigay lang sila ng gagawin sa mga members nila.
Which everone preferred dahil para sa amin eto yung free period namin. Walang mga teacher na nagbabantay sa amin. This is what I love the best about our school. Free periods.
Dahil uso pa sa amin yung jack stones ay halos lahat kami ay naglalaro pati boys ay naglalaro. Yung iba naman yung pickup stick yung nilalaro. Parang mga bata lang ano?
Ako naman ay nagsusulat ng mga notes na wala ako simula nung umabsent ako. Ang sakit na nga ng kamay ko pero kailangan kong magsulat para may reviewer naman ako sa mga quiz sa Monday.
"Hi po. Pwedeng pumasok?" inangat ko yung ulo ko at tinignan kung sino yung nasa may pinto namin. Hindi na nila hinintay yung permiso dahil pumasok na sila at ako naman ay bumalik na sa pagsusulat. Malay ko ba kung anong mga kailangan niyan.
"Hi Ate." bati sa akin nung isa sa kanila.
Inangat ko ulit yung ulo ko, nasa tapat ko para yung dalawang babae. "Bakit?"
"Pwedeng ma-interview ka ate?" tanong nung babaeng kulot yung buhok.
Narinig nila Ynna yun kaya nagsilapitan sila sa akin at umupo sa tabi ko. "May bayad interview sa kanya." pagbibiro ni Ynna sa dalawa.
"Para saan naman yang interview na yan?" tanong ni Ella.
"Sa Journalism Class po namin." sagot nung isang babae.
"January pa ang start ng special classes ah." said Carmina.
"Yung iba po start na po, basic lang po. Kailangan namin ng interview sa mga pinili ng president ng class."
"May president na agad?" tanong ko. Binalik ko yung takip ng ballpen ko at sinara yung notebook ko. "At talagang kasama ako?"
"Opo."
"Kanino muna nanggaling yung mga tanong?"
"Sa president din po."
"Sino president ng Journalism? Si Cyril diba?" sabat ni Ynna.
"Hindi sa Journalism si Cyril. Sports at Governorship." Sabi ni Ella.
"Oh edi sino president?"
"Si Ate Ira po." sabi nung babaeng kulot yung buhok.
"Si Ira? Wow first time maging president nun!" biro ni Ynna. Hindi naman kasi ganun kasikat si Ira, isa sa mga batch mate namin. Ayaw na ayaw ni Ynna kay Ira dahil ang OA din kasi ni Ira. Never ko naman naging classmate yun kaya hindi ko alam ang ugali nun.
"Sige paki-bilis lang may ginagawa pa ako." sabi ko.
Ngumiti yung dalawa. "Ako nga pala po si Leah at siya po si Agatha." sabi nung babaeng kulot.
Tumango ako. "Okay. So first question."
"Totoo po bang kayo ang pinakamayaman na estudyante dito sa St. Peter's High?" tanong ni Agatha.
Gulat naman ako sa tanong niya. "Anong klaseng tanong yan." I brushed off. "Next question."
"Ate..." Leah said.
"Siya nga." sabat ni Ella.
"Hindi ano!" pag-deny ko naman.
"So hindi po totoong nakatira kayo sa isang mansyon?" tanong ni Agatha na tinaas yung kilay niya.
"Hindi naman mansyon yung bahay namin. Saan niyo ba nakukuha yan." I told them. It's not really a mansion, it's just a big house I admit but not a mansion. A mansion is what my paternal grandparents lived before, that was a mansion not ours.
"Anong hindi! Ang laki laki nung bahay niyo! Classroom natin CR lang ata ng mom mo eh!" Ynna said.
"At may sampung kwarto kayo, hiwalay pa yung malaking library at office ng mom mo!" Carmina pointed out.
Tinignan ko yung dalawa. "Grabe kayo. Ang OA lang."
"Deny deny. Sulat niyo siya nga." Sabi ni Ella.
Nagsulat naman yung si Leah. Tas nagtanong na ulit si Agatha. "Totoo po bang may collection kayo ng headbands at ginagaya niyo si Blair Waldorf?"
I smiled proudly. "Yeah may collection ako ng headbands. Of course, Blair Waldorf is my role model." I answered. Dahil high school kami, ito yung era ng Gossip Girl. Simula nung napanood ko ito sobra ko ng kinaadikan yung palabas. At gaya ni Blair Waldorf ay marami rin akong headband.
"You girls should see her closet. Punong puno ng damit at sapatos. Yung mga headband niya, sobrang rami." Carmina told them.
Nagpatuloy lang sa pagtatanong sila Agatha habang si Leah yung nagsusulat. Kaming apat yung sumasagot sa mga tanong nila at pansin kong nakikinig yung mga iba kong classmate. Pumasok din sa classroom sila Chelsea dahil nalaman nila yung interview ko.
"Totoo po bang may boyfriend ikaw sa ibang bansa?"
"Wala akong boyfriend." agad kong sagot sa kanya.
"Anong wala kang boyfriend? Eh ano si Kim?" Chelsea interrupted.
Hindi ko tinignan si Chelsea dahil ayaw kong sabihin sa kanya yung nangyari at isa pa hindi ko naman boyfriend si Kim eh. "Next question."
Agatha hesitated first but she continued. "Dahil po ba sa namatay niyong best friend kaya wala ka pang boyfriend?"
I was taken aback by her question. How the hell did Ira know about Louie? This was really personal. Ira was never a friend of mine, chismosa siguro talaga yung Ira na yan. "That's not true. Kaya wala pa akong boyfriend dahil ayaw ko pang magkaroon."
"Really? Then nilalaro mo lang si Kim?" Chelsea asked.
"Why do you care?" I asked glaring at her.
"He's the best thing that ever happened to you!" Chelsea said.
"Louie was the best thing that ever happened to me." I corrected.
"Tignan mo, si Louie parin. Paano naman si Kim? Kawawa naman yung tao!"
"Kawawa?" napatayo ako at ganun din si Chelsea. "Sa tingin mo kawawa siya? Hindi mo ba alam kung anong ginawa sa akin ni Kim?" I asked her. "He betrayed me along with Pat! Sarili kong best friend sinulot ako. Hindi mo ba alam yun? Anong kawawa dun kung nagpapakasaya siya kasama si Pat?"
Halatang nagulat si Chelsea pero agad din itong nakabawi. "How could you call that betraying? He wasn't even yours."
"So sinasabi mong tama lang yung ginawa niya?" I asked her. "Sinasabi mo ba na ayos lang sa isang lalaki na sinabing ako ang mahal pero kayang makipaglandian sa iba?"
"Bakit ka nagagalit sa kanya? Mas masama nga yung ginagawa mo sa kanya hindi ba? Pinaapasa mo siya. Masama na rin bang maghanap siya ng iba kung yung babaeng mahal niya hindi maka-move on. Sa babaeng hindi kayang mag let go sa taong patay na?"
Naiiyak na ako pero ayaw kong umiyak sa harap ng marami. Kaya pinigilan ko ito. "Why do all of you ask me to let go of the only one person whom I love?"
"DAHIL PATAY NA SIYA!" Chelsea yelled. "Isipin mo naman yung taong buhay pa. Hindi yung patay na. Hindi na babalik si Louie, si Kim na yung nandito."
I turned my back and started walking away. Nung nasa labas na ako, agad kong pinunasan yung luhang pumatak. Naririndi na ako sa mga taong hinihiling na pakawalan ko na si Louie, bakit hindi nila maintindihan?
Naramdaman kong may humatak sa braso ko. "Totoo ba?" Allen asked.
"Ang alin?" I asked.
"Yung sinabi ni Chelsea. At yung sinabi mo. Yung Louie lang ba yung mahal mo?" Allen asked me.
I pulled my arm away from him. "Don't ask those questions Allen dahil tiyak hindi mo magugustuhan yung sagot."
"May karapatan akong malaman."
"You have no right. Hindi kita boyfriend. Hindi ko kailangan mag explain sayo dahil HINDI KITA BOYFRIEND!" I told him frustrated at everyone right now. "Stop acting like you are!" I told him and stormed off.
Nung nakakatatlong hakbang na ako sa hagdan ay narinig ko yung boses ni Cyril. "Pabayaan mo muna si Mary. Lalo mo lang pinapagulo yung isip nun."
Hindi na ako nakinig pa at umakyat nalang ako at pumunta sa debate club room. Pagpasok ko ay nagulat ako nung may tao sa loob. Alam ko kasi nasa auditorium ang debate team kasama yung mga ibang club under English department. "What are you doing here?" I asked.
He looked up. "Oh." he said. "I'm printing the program and sorting it out."
Umupo ako sa kabilang silya na katapat niya. Sa table naman ay mga papel na may label. Kumuha ako ng isang piraso. "The Seven Dwarfs, the Sleeping Beauty and the Beast?"
"You didn't know? Drama club rewrote the play."
"How did that go?"
He smiled. "Sleeping Beauty grew up under the protection of the seven dwarfs. You see, Sleeping Beauty was supposed to be death under the order of the Evil Queen but the seven dwarfs who were the friends of the deceased queen took Beauty away and raised her. The Evil Queen learned that Beauty was alive after all these years and she sent someone to kill Beauty once and for all. The assassin took Beauty away from the cottage and brought her to the ruined castle of another kingdom for there was a rumor that a beast so cruel lived there. The Beast took her as a prisoner, and you know what happened they grew closer. The Evil Queen found out that Beauty wasn't dead yet so she asked for the aid of an old witch to kill Beauty. The old witch foretold that in order for Beauty to never open her eyes again was if Beauty prick her finger in a torn of an enchanted rose in which the Beast held as his lifeline." he explained.
"So you mean to tell me, Beauty accidentally prick her finger to that torn and she just slept? What happens next?" I asked curious to what the Drama Club wrote for the Christmas play.
"The Seven dwarfs learned Beauty's whereabouts. They journey on but they were too late for Beauty had already pricked her finger. Beast was so devastated he trashed everything in his room. The Seven dwarfs with the help of the transformed servants prepared Beauty for her last resting place. They placed her in a white glass coffin and was about to bring back to their lovely cottage when Beast told them to put Beauty on her room. They followed his orders and left Beauty in her room inside the castle."
"What happens then?" tanong ko ulit. Ang cute lang kasi nung story.
"Years later, when only one petal left on the rose, Beast was happy that he would finally die and be with Beauty for there was no other woman for him but Beauty herself. Meanwhile the Evil Queen, greedy with power and richness told her soldiers to raid the neighboring kingdom where Beast was living. The soldiers forced their way inside the castle gates, with the help of the seven dwarfs the transformed servants prevented the soldiers from getting inside the castle. With no hope Beast decided to let the soldiers to kill him, he opened the casket and kissed Beauty once last time."
"Oh I get the ending already!" I cut in. "That's a nice story line. Who wrote it?" I asked.
He looked shy "I did."
I smiled and looked at him. "That's really good! You're brilliant." I told him.
He smiled shyly at me. "Thanks."
"Do you remember me?" I asked him.
He nodded. "Mary right?"
I beamed. "And Kevin Liu."
Somehow dahil sa pagkukwento niya ng story nung play, nawala yung inis ko. Hindi na ako nalulungkot sa mga nangyari sa baba kanina. Yung pag side ni Chelsea kay Kim, yung pagpilit niyang mag let go na ako.
"What brings you here?" he asked.
I raised my eyebrow at him. "This is the debate club isn't it? I am a debate club officer, am I not allowed inside the room?" I asked grinning.
"That's not what I meant. It's just that they said you're busy with writing down notes."
"Yeah I was but well it was hot in our room."
"Is the air conditioner not working?"
I chuckled. "No, no. It felt suffocating." I said and looked away. "Kevin, would you forgive someone who betrayed you?" I asked looking at him once again.
He looked confused but he answered me still. "It depends."
"On?" I prodded.
"If what that someone did to me, if it's grave then I wouldn't forgive too easily but if there's some explanation then..."
"What if, the girl who told you she loves you betrayed you with your own best friend?' I asked.
He looked like he was thinking about it and for a few minutes he didn't answer. "I'm going to ask her first. Why did she betray me?"
"To get back at you?" I said. "Because you're in love with someone else and not her?"
He smiled faintly at me. "Then I'm going to forgive her."
"WHY?" I asked exasperated. "She betrayed you. She loved you but then she went traipsing with your best friend!"
Bakit niya naman papatawarin yun kung ganun hindi ba? I won't. I can't.
"Because she was hurting." he told me flatly. "I hurt her when I couldn't love her."
"You've been direct with her right in the beginning." I said.
"I hurt her. It's natural that she would want me hurt too even unconsciously."
"So you're willing to forgive and forget?"
"Forgive yes but not forget. I won't forget it, it will serve as a reminder that I've hurt her and she had hurt me and maybe someday it would remind me not to hurt someone else again in that way." he said while he held a stack of papers.
"Why are you willing to forgive her?" I asked, simply wondering why would someone forgive the person who betrayed him?
He placed the stack of papers in the label Freshmen. He then looked at me and smiled. "Because she made a mistake. True, we shouldn't get back to people who have hurt us and that was her mistake. Everyone makes mistakes that's what makes us human. Do you know what Beast's two mistakes were?" he asked.
I shook my head no.
"The first one was turning someone in need away, he shouldn't have done that. He was arrogant, believed others were beneath him. The witch wanted him to learn something that was why she turned him into a beast. His second mistake and I believe his greatest mistake was giving up too easily. He gave up the hope he could be a human again and also gave up that Beauty could no longer be with him. He gave up. But he righted his mistakes and that was what made him human again." he told me. "We are bound to make mistakes once in a while and it what makes us human. It's hard to forgive someone who betrayed your trust, it comes easy when the other feels remorse."
"You're something Kevin Liu." I told him uneasy.
"And you need to learn to forgive."
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