3 Chapter 3: Plate Number

I fished out my phone from my schoolbag and checked my phone for any messages. Still, Jacq has not replied yet. I wonder what he is up to.

The chirping of birds caught my attention. I saw a family in a nearby tree, a few steps away from the bus stop. I continued watching them as I also wait for my bus when a car drove in its, looks like, the highest speed, drowning me to its floating sea of black smoke. I coughed loudly, almost choking. I even feel like throwing up what I ate earlier this morning because of too much black smoke I accidentally inhaled.

I eyed the culprit. Even though the car continued droving off, I vividly saw its plate number. I gave it a quick glance and saw what the rectangular plate carries.

Oh no, you did not...!

The bus finally arrived, and with a new sense of irritation, I went inside it as I think deeply. I made a mental note to keep a hanky next time. Reckless drivers exist!

When I reached the school vicinity, I heard the school bell ringing. I quickly moved towards the entrance and presented my I.D with so much haste. I even dropped my I. D on my way to my class.

I breathed out a sigh of relief when I finally reached the classroom and got seated. Luckily, the teacher was not yet in class and will be a couple of minutes late, like what I heard from my classmates that came earlier. They said that our teacher is talking to someone and was called in the principal’s office.

With the given time, I roam my eyes around, looking for someone with a familiar gelled hairstyle. When I saw him sitting at the far corner, chewing a gum, I went to him and ask the favor I was asking him last night.

I found Jacq laughing together with his friends circling around him. I went to him with my phone in my hand.

“hey Jacq!” I greeted. “I texted you last night. Did you happen to receive it?”

Their wild laughter end when they heard me talking. One of his friends eye me from had to toe as if asking me silently what my problem is.

“hey Ans!” that is how he calls me ever since. “you did? Sorry, man I was busy the whole day. Tell you what, meet me later at lunch. I am going to show you something awesome!” He showed me his infamous wide smile, that the back of my mind interprets differently. I always have that weird feeling whenever I see it.

The teacher arrived, after a while. He said his sorry for being a bit late. I did not notice the time though. I was out the whole time he was out of the class. I fell asleep all the while and was just woken up by a classmate, notifying me about my teacher’s arrival.

“Ans! You cannot believe what my pops just gave me today!” He said excitedly, not minding that we are not seated yet.

I held the strap of my bag. I was not surprised. His “pops”, referring to his father, Uncle Bien, and the town’s mayor, gave him another present. Every week is like Christmas to Jacq. Being the only son of his father, and the mayor at that, he spends most of his time receiving and opening presents. Several are from his father’s constituents, trying to impress his father and their family, but mostly are from Uncle Bien.

“Hey, aren’t you excited at all?”

I am. As a matter of fact, I am happy for him. It is just that this does not really surprise me anymore. Even his friends hovering around him every time, are not surprised that he has the latest edition of the newly released Xbox and whatnots.

But I am no hypocrite. I admit that I sometimes feel envious towards him. I wish that I have what he has. To receive the amount of love and attention that he receives. It does not literally mean that I greed for money and fortune, but maybe if I have the money, if my mother and I are as capable as Jacq’s family, then maybe, just maybe, we will be happy. My mom will not have a hard time cleaning somebody’s house and washing somebody else’ clothes just for us to have something to eat. She will not need to stay up late and I will not caught her barely standing up because of exhaustion. I will not see her at the kitchen sink, trying her will to stay awake to finish cleaning, as I fetch for a drink in the middle of the night, and we will not need to fight because of that.

I smiled widely, trying to cover my not-so-surprised reaction moments ago.

“no! I am excited.” My voice a bit raspy, it almost sounded like a whisper. I cleared my throat after realizing that. “What is it that you want to show me?”

“Pops bought me a car. Do you want to see it?” His excitement did not falter, and it relieved me. I nod as an answer, holding my smile.

We are friends since childhood. Before Uncle Bien became the Mayor and was just a supporter of the then reigning mayor, Jacq was my classmate in kindergarten. We met in the cafeteria. I saw him being bullied by the other party’s son. He is a fat kid back then with big, fluffy cheeks. His round eyes scream innocence. Thinking about it now makes me wonder how he changed so much overtime. His cheeks are not as soft and not as big round, and his eyes now glints mischievously.

He tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to come along with him. Surprisingly, he has no friends with him this time. We stopped at a wide space in the school’s parking. In front of us is a green matte car and I almost choked with my own spit when the car’s entirety finally registered.

That is the car! The car that the reckless driver is driving with!

“You are the reckless—”

“What?”

I bit my tongue when the words suddenly came out of my mouth. His expression is now hard and attentive. Spending a decade and years with him made me realize that he is bad as an enemy. I witnessed him, immaturely and wickedly, defend himself. Not that I am afraid of him of some sort, but I do not want mama to worry if ever. And I do not feel the need to start something that will make things awkward for the both of us. We are not kids anymore.