CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

Lucresia's Point of View

Months Ago, Christmas Vacation

Later is my flight going to France. Joe and I planned this few months ago that we will spend Christmas in France but at this point, I will spend it alone.

My dad is in New York because he's going to do a business meeting. He doesn't want to go because of me but I told him he should go there. I'm perfectly fine.

I heard Ross – my brother is in Milan to do some workshops so I called my mom to asked her if she's okay. I think she's okay since she's having fun with her friends in New York.

So I decided to continue this trip. I'm going to unwind instead of sulking alone.

I'm currently fixing my stuffs when I heard that my phone rang. I immediately get it and expecting it came from Unknown. It's been a long time that this sender didn't send any messages. I thought the last rule is what happened on Israel's game.

I read it and it made my forehead crumpled.

9th Rule – Find someone who can talk about your feelings

Telling them what you feel or what you have been running through doesn't make you weak...

I can't speak French. How can I make a conversation in France since I'm going to spend a couple of days there?

Nilagay ko nalang ang cellphone ko sa aking bag at baka maiwanan ko pa ito. Tatlong luggages lang naman ang dala ko. This is enough. I'm gonna buy new clothes nalang kapag nagkulang.

Departure

Naka-upo na ako dito sa plane ngayon. Siyempre nasa business class ako since saamin ang airlines na ito. Mayamaya lamang ay aalis na rin kami. Medyo puno ang economic class since holiday season...

Habang hindi pa nakaka-alis ay nag-browse muna ako sa cellphone ko. Nakita ko ang archives ko sa Instagram ang mga memories namin magkasama ni Joe. We were happy back then...

Nagbrowse pa ako nang may nakita akong isang picture niya. He was sitting in in a beach and I'm at his back. Maganda ang shot na ito dahil medyo silhouette siya at kitang-kita ang sunset.

Medyo nalungkot ako sa aking nakita pero walang rason para malungkot ako sa buong trip ko. Gaya nga ng sabi ko dati, hindi siya kawalan saakin.

Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel

Nandito na ako sa aking hotel at naka-check in na ako. Before my trip, I planned my itineraries at dito ko binalak mag-stay kasi malapit ito sa Eifel Tower.

Maganda ang hotel na ito at infairness hindi pa puno ang mga bookings despite of holiday season.

Humiga ako sa aking kama at ipinikit ang aking mata. Nakaramdam ako ng peace of mind kahit papaano. Gabi na ako nakarating dito sa Paris dahil almost 14 hours ang flight. Hello Europe! Hindi ko namalayan na makakatulog ako dahil sa haba ng biyahe...

2 Days After...

Naka-lipas na ang dalawang araw dito sa Paris at wala naman talaga akong masiyadong pupuntahan. I planned this trip to buy designer clothes and other stuffs.

Hapon na dito. 4:00 to be exact. Medyo marami na akong napamili na mga damit mula sa iba't-ibang high-end brands kaya napag-desisyunan ko na ilagay muna ang mga ito sa hotel para hindi ako mahirapan sa pamimili uli. Malapit lang naman dito ang hotel kung saan ako naka-check in kaya hindi hassle. Good thing is, pwede ka naman mag-taxi anytime.

Naka-lipas ang 30 minutes at bumalik ako sa Eiffel Tower. Gaya nga ng sabi ko, malapit lang ako dito pero ngayon ko lang napag-desisyunan puntahan.

Nakabili na ako ng ticket online for the price of 29.50 euros. Sa pera natin, nasa 1,500 pesos siya.

Itong ticket na nabili ko ay ma-a-access ang all levels including Summit, 2nd Level at 1st.

Ang Summit ay ang pinaka-tuktok ng Eiffel Tower kung saan makikita mo ang buong Paris. Gusto ko mag-mesmerized doon.

Ang method para makapunta sa bawat levels ay stairs at elevator. In my case, kasama ang Summit sa aking pupuntahan kaya hindi pwede ang Stairs at kailangan elevator talaga. Sumakay na ako ng Elevator at nagtungo na sa 1st Level. Tamang ikot-ikot lang hanggang sa pumunta na ako sa 2nd Level. Medyo mataas na dito sa 2nd Level dahil 116m ang taas niya mula sa ground floor. Tamang ikot-ikot lang din. Maganda ang view dahil sunset na.

Mayamaya ay nagtungo na ako sa Summit. Sumakay na ako sa second elevator papunta doon at medyo matagal ang pag-akyat dahil na rin sa taas. Habang nasa loob ng elevator, nakakaramdam ako ng konting pagkalula dahil ramdam kong tumataas na ang sinasakyan namin.

Nakarating na kami sa Summit at lumabas na ako ng elevator. Medyo konti nalang ang mga tao dahil siguro takot ang iba sa mga matataas. What a pity...

May nakita akong binocular kaya lumapit ako dito at nilibot ko ito sa siyudad ng Paris. Manghang-mangha ako sa ganda ng lugar na ito. Sulit talaga ang flight kong ito kahit mag-isa.

"Ang ganda no?" Nagulat ako nang may biglang magsalita. Teka? Filipino ba 'tong nasa likod ko?

Inalis ko ang aking tingin sa binocular at tumingin ako sa aking likod at nakita ko ang isang familiar na mukha kaya nanlaki ang aking mata... si Israel...

"What are you doing here???" Nanlalaking matang tanong ko sa kaniya.

"I followed you from the Philippines. How about you?" Naka-ngiting tanong nito saakin. may kakaiba sa kaniyang mga ngiti. Parang may kumabog tuloy sa aking dibdib.

"I continued my plan even without Joe" I answered.

"So here's your plan with him? To spend Christmas here in Paris?" He asked.

"Yes. Sayang naman kasi eh. Paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?"

"I booked my flight in your airlines plus kinuha ko lahat ng itineraries mo sa travel agency niyo. Sad thing is it took me a couple days to find you" napa-tingin ako sa kaniyang mata at ang sincere ng mga ito.

"Do you still love him?" Nagulat ako sa kaniyang naging tanong at pumunta sa binocular na nasa harap ko upang magtingin-tingin din.

Pinagmasdan ko siya habang pinagmamasdan niya ang Paris.

"Why don't you give me a chance?" napatingin siya saakin kaya mas nautal lalo ako.

"I'm just kidding. I'm not forcing you to love me but I'll wait for your answer" he added.

Napabuntong hininga ako at nagsalita.

"You know what Israel, my feelings started to grow for you. I'm just still confused because I miss Joe so much. You don't have all the characteristics I've been looking for in a man" I answered frankly.

"That's an absurd! Ouch!" At napahawak ito sa kaniyang puso.

May nakita siyang upuan at umupo siya dito.

"I can't be Joe but I can change myself into best version." He said. Mali pala ako. Huwag ko pala dapat hanapin ang mga ugali ni Joe kay Israel dahil may kaniya-kaniya silang pagkakaiba.

"He's your ideal man?"

"no that's not it..."

"Then what should I change for myself?" alam kong ma-o-offend ko siya sa sasabihin ko pero wala na akong paki. Alam kong makakatulong ito sa kaniya.

"Mahal na kita Israel pero sana baguhin mo ang sarili mo. I just want you to quit your vices. That's all what I need. You're such a gentleman, and a good listener" I answered. iniwasan ko siya ng tingin dahil may oras na maiiyak nalang ako.

'Yan ang sabi ko kay Isaiah noon pa. Mamahalin ko si Israel kung magbabago siya at iiwan niya ang mga vices niya.

"you know what Lucresia, I love you since day one but you're always ignoring me. The day I found out that Joe ditched you, I want to punch him and broke his face. I hate it because he made you feel the pain you didn't deserve." Tumayo siya sa kaniyang pagkaka-upo at lumapit saakin.

"I'll promise to you I will leave my vices. Just give me a week. Today is my last day here in Paris and I'm going back to Philippines to undergo rehabilitation for a little time. When the classes resume, I'll come back clean." Nahulog na ang luha mula sa mata ko. Medyo masakit lang dahil he needs to undergo rehabilitation but I know it will help him.

"Don't cry my love. Sana kapag naka-balik na ako, bigyan mo ako ng pagkakataon iparamdam sa'yo ang pagmamahal ko" he wiped my tears and hugged me tightly.

End of Flashback

"Lucresia???" napabalik ako sa reyalidad nang may marinig ako na boses.

"Kumain ka muna oh. Mamaya lalabas na si Miggy" Sabi saakin ni Isaiah at inabot saakin ang sandwich na may kasamang bottled water.

"Thank you" walang ganang sagot ko. kasalukuyan kaming nasa precinct dahil ine-interrogate si Israel kasama ang kaniyang lawyer.

"Don't worry he will be okay, Lu" Sabi ni Isaiah saakin. Hindi ko lubos maisip na ganto mangyayari kay Israel. He's changing and he deserves second chance naman diba?

Mayamaya ay lumabas na si Israel kasama ang lawyer niya kaya bigla akong napatayo at tinanong siya.

"What happened?" nag-aalalang tanong ko sa kaniya.

"We won! They cannot arrest me since they don't have strong evidence. Plus the witnesses said that DIA planted the drugs found on my locker so case closed!" At natuwa ako sa kaniyang sinabi at niyakap ko ito.

"I'm thankful!"

"Mr. Cruz we're okay now. Excuse me!" Paalam ng lawyer ni Israel at umalis na ito.

"congrats bro!" At nakipag-appear si Isaiah kay Israel. Lumabas na kami ng presinto ngunit may sumalubong saamin sa labas nito.

"What are you doing here?" Trying to gossip para ibalita sa mga Autarky students?" and yeah it's Maja the Blanca.

"As I said, grabe na ang crime rates sa Scout. May tinatago pala kayong drug lord!" At tumawa ito sa harap namin kaya pinag-taasan ko siya ng kilay.

"sorry dear but it's case closed!" I said while smirking at nagulat ito.

"Iba nga naman nagagawa ng pera!" at tumawa na naman ito na parang baliw. Nakita ko ang mga friends ko na sina Arsin at sinenyasan ko silang i-video kami.

"Yes money can buy everything. Kaya ko ring bilhin ang buhay mo. Ayy, you're a waste nga pala so sayang lang ang pera ko!" at nginitian ko siya ng nakakatakot. Kita sa mukha ni Maja the Blanca ang inis kaya bago ako mag-walkout ay binangga ko muna siya. Sumunod sila Isaiah saakin kaya naiwan si Maja na nag-iisa. Tumigin ako sa kaniya at ang sama ng tingin nito saakin kaya itinaas ko ang middle finger ko sa kaniya para lalo itong mainis.

Few weeks before Graduation.

This is terrifying. Most of the students are afraid because of our plans. Basic education and senior high department have different principals. We talked to the parents of basic ed students and including their principal but they refused to cooperate. That's why we need to face this without fear.

I made a petition to get rid of the principal, guidance counselor, school director including the heads of Department of Internal Affairs and some members of the Judicial Department. Good thing, we reached our quota of signatures, and I arranged a meeting with the founder slash owner of Scout International School. We had a meeting with him and tackled about the injustice of the heads. It seems like he's convinced with our stance and he urgently signed the petition too. The heads will be removed effectively once our graduation over.

Nasabi niya rin saakin na babaguhin niya ang academic style ng Scout International. He discussed new curriculums na very similar sa USA. Maganda ang curriculum na ito at makakatulong ito sa mga students na gusto mag-trabaho sa States dahil parehas doon ang curriculums na ite-take nila. I feel envy nga lang kasi hindi namin naabutan ito. The new principal, guidance counselor, and school director will arrive next week to have a small conversation with the founder. Siguro magkakaroon ng discussion ng discussion about new academic curriculum ng Scout International.

Other thing is lahat ng laws ng Scout Internation ay ibabasura which is nakakalungkot. The new elected SBO President will make new laws and dapat nandito raw ako sa araw na 'yon para ma-guide ang future president. Some of the laws was made of former presidents at nakakalungkot dahil 'yung nakasanayan naming rules ay mawawala. What's the purpose of this? Hindi na raw kasi tugma sa new academic curriculum ang mga dating policies kaya kailangan paltan.

SBO will remain as SBO I think? But I don't have any assurance with it. Pwede silang magtanggal ng position at pwede rin magdagdag.

Since my time as President is going over soon, I need to sign a paper kung saan pumapayag akong mangyari ang major changes sa school na ito. I don't have any choice naman eh. Once na hindi ako pumirma, they can do it since hindi na ako President so what's the sense of signing a paper huh?

All head departments will be having changes also! DIA will no longer the highest department in this school! The founder will create his own department which is obviously the highest department of all. Tama rin naman 'yon para malaman niya ang nangyayari sa kaniyang school.

Scout International will be having a re-branding also sabi ng Founder but I begged na huwag na lang paltan ang name ng school dahil ito na ang nakasanayan namin.

By the way, media companies came to our school to interview DIA and the principal but they refused to give statements regarding the issue that happened weeks ago...

So, the reporters interviewed me and other SBO Officers and we gave our statements. They interviewed Israel also and he said the whole story happened in the police station.

Our school lawyer also talked to the media and she said that we're not the problem in this school. The school heads have a responsibility for everything but they didn't take any action and it makes the situation worse.

The police who interrogated and hurt the students have been punished including their high ranked police officer. The chief police said that students are not criminals to put handcuffs and the most important matter is this happened on school grounds which is a violation of our basic rights.

Most of the parents want to file a case with the school staffs but the owner persuaded them not to push through since he's making some actions already...

Stressful right?