Chapter 11

Rita went to school with us the next morning and this time, ako na ang nag-drive. Naging maaliwalas rin ang panahon sa wakas after the rainy days. The day was warm and balmy, the sky was clear and blue na may mapuputi at makakapal na ulap that looked like pieces of floating cotton.

We entered the campus at gaya ng halos lahat ng high schools, the crowds of students hanging around were divided into their packs. Nagsama-sama ang mga brainiacs na naka-eyeglasses bitbit ang kanilang mga libro, mga Glee Club members na nagvo-vocalization in harmony, mga basketball athletes kasama ang mga cheerleaders, at mga socialites na walang ibang ginawa kundi mag-picture at mag-live sa social media.

Kurt joined the group of athletes nung tinawag siya nina Jake at Seth. Pinasuyo ko na lang din sa kanya 'yung perang pambayad sa utang ko kay Jake dahil sa tubig kahapon. He didn't ask any more questions. Rita also said hi to her Glee-mates then we went immediately to the fourth floor and took some textbooks in our locker.

"Alam mo ba, Mamita is telling me I'm a siren," kwento niya sa'kin, out of the blue. "She said something like, I can persuade anyone at pasunurin sila sa lahat ng gusto ko."

"So, isa kang sirena . . .?" di ako sigurado sa tanong ko. "Can I see your tail?"

She laughed. "Hindi sirena, like, the mermaids. Siren. As in, sa Greek mythology."

Well, I've had a little knowledge about the mythological sirens. As far as I know, they're dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices at lunurin ang mga barko.

"Sabi pa ni Mamita, I can also change people's thoughts and emotions using my voice habang kumakanta," dagdag pa niya. "Namana ko raw 'to from our ancestors. My grandfather and my mom had the same gifts. Ridiculous, right?"

"It actually sounds pretty cool to me," I said. "Not all people can have gifts."

"So, naniniwala ka?"

It sounded a little weird considering these modern times but I also told her, "There's no harm in believing it. Na-try mo na bang gamitin ang gifts mo?"

"Siyempre, hindi pa. Feeling ko tumatanda lang si Mamita kaya niya nasasabi ang mga 'yun."

We started walking in the hallway papuntang Physics class ng nakasalubong namin si Raven kasama ang dalawa pa niyang mga kaibigan. Or should I say, his minions.

"Morning, girls," bati niya sa'min ni Rita. Napahinto kami sa paglalakad dahil nakaharang sila sa buong hallway. "Kat, free ka ba mamayang hapon after class?" tanong niya sa'kin. He stared right into my eyes and wet his lips with his tongue.

"Samahan mo naman ako mamaya sa Milky Way. May ipapaturo sana ako sa'yo sa Entrep," sabi niya. "You can also call it a first date with me, if you like.

Like I wanted that. Sabi ko na nga ba, walang magandang outcome ang pakikipag-usap sa dakilang bully at playboy ng PEU. I cleared my throat, preparing myself to say something to him. And then---

"You wish, Raven." The words finally came out. Pero akala ko ako ang nagsabi. 'Yun pala, naunahan ako ni Rita to speak up.

"What now?" baling ni Raven sa bestfriend ko with his eyes glaring. Parang di siya makapaniwala sa narinig niya. "Oh, wait, baka naiinggit ka at gusto mo rin sumama sa'min. Well, you're now invited. Threesome --- I mean, a group study would be much better."

His minions laughed and cheered for him. Pero di 'yun nagpatigil kay Rita.

"We're not like the girls you used to play around with, Raven," sagot niya and the cheering went on again. "You know what, ba't di ka na lang kaya mag-skip ng classes today at umuwi sa bahay n'yo? Para naman makapag-relax ang buong campus from your negative presence. Kahit isang araw lang."

I felt the tense between the two of them growing larger. They stopped talking to each other at nagtitigan lang sila. Mga titig na parang may kuryenteng lumalabas sa mga mata nila. Tahimik lang din ang mga kasama ni Raven, waiting for who's going to talk next. Until Raven finally broke his silence.

"Okay," he sighed. "See you tomorrow."

Nakita ko ang pagkagulat sa mukha ni Rita pagkatapos 'yun sabihin ni Raven. Kahit ako, di nakapaniwala na sumuko siya at nagpatalo sa bestfriend ko nang ganun na lang. After that, nag-walk out agad siya and he headed towards the elevator na parang walang nangyari. Tinatawag siya ng mga kasama niya, trying to catch and stop him.

Kami naman dalawa ni Rita ang nagkatinginan ngayon.

"That was quite a persuasion," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Napahiya lang 'yon sa mga kasama niya. Maya-maya andyan na naman 'yon."

Physics class started at hinahanap ni Ms Rivero si Raven. Hindi siya pumasok sa klase and nobody said anything. Rita and I looked at each other then she just shrugged. Entrep was next at di pa rin pumasok si Raven. He's supposed to be my classmate. Hanggang narinig ko ang usap-usapan ng mga friends niya. It turned out na umuwi na pala talaga siya after his encounter with Rita. That must've gotten him so badly. Di ko alam kung matutuwa ako because someone stood up against him o mag-aalala ako para kay Rita. I had seen these kinds of troubles before. The other party wouldn't just give up that easily.

I had lunch with Rita again at pinag-usapan namin si Raven. Sabi niya, baka first time lang na may lumaban sa kanya. He was embarrassed and she felt good about it.

I went to my Cookery class pagkatapos ng lunch. We discussed culinary arts and the variety of kitchen professions. Excited na'ko mag-hands on sa pagluluto pero sabi ni Ms Aldama, all laboratories wouldn't happen until next month. Sabi niya, discussion ng kitchen theories and foundation muna ang aaralin namin.

I met Rita and Kurt again sa PE at sa History classes. On our last period, Mr Barrientos was talking about the history of Puerto Estrella.

"Like Batanes, Puerto Estrella is gaining international significance as a potential early stepping stone in the dispersal of Austronesian people from Taiwan," simula niya. "The name Puerto Estrella is derived from the Spanish words which respectively mean gate and star. So, how did we end up with this name?

"Spanish missionaries landed here in 1689. Available documents, legends, and other folk materials also tell that on the day they arrived here," he continued, "they were greeted by a massive meteor storm and there were stray bits of meteorites hitting the land. Because of this celestial event, the Spaniards called this island Puerto Estrella. The gate of the stars. Then the name was made official in 1786."

Nagpatuloy lang sa pagdi-discuss si Mr Barrientos habang halata sa mukha ng iba naming mga kaklase ang pagka-bore. 'Yung iba ay nagpapanggap at may ibang ginagawa sa kanilang mga desks. Our teacher didn't seem to care at patuloy lang siya sa pagsasalita.

I survived first week in Junior High. To celebrate, inaya namin ni Rita sina Pops at Mamita na mag-beach sa weekend. It had been weeks since nung huli kaming pumunta ng Sol del Sur. They agreed it was a great plan kaya Saturday was beach day.

The first thing that hit me was the smell of saltwater in the humid air. The warm breeze swirled around me sending my hair in all different directions. Halos magkapareho ang kulay ng langit at ng dagat. The sky was a gorgeous light blue with big, fluffy white clouds while it met the majestic deep blue ocean at the horizon. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was so relaxing habang niraramdam ko ang malalambot at kulay gintong buhangin underneath my feet. Nagmasid ako sa beach at nakita ko ang ibang mga taong nagsa-sunbathing, mga usok sa cottages caused by grilling, at mga batang naglalaro ng beach ball at 'yung iba gumagawa ng sandcastle.

I caught myself just staring at the scenery at walang ibang iniisip. No school, no social drama. Hanggang sa nagulat na lang ako nang biglang may sumaboy sa'kin na malamig na tubig and I could tell it was seawater dahil nalasahan ko ang alat nito when it also splashed into my face.

Narinig kong tumawa ng malakas si Rita. Pagkalingon ko may bitbit na maliit na balde si Kurt at 'yun ang ginamit niya para sabuyan ako ng tubig. Isang iglap lang, may laman na namang tubig-dagat ang balde niya at si Rita naman ang sinunod niyang basain.

Biglang nag-switch ang emotion ni Rita. From laughing, she turned cursing at Kurt and promised to kill him. Kumaripas agad ng takbo si Kurt habang hinahabol namin siya. Pero dahil napaka-athletic niya, mabilis siyang tumakbo at di namin siya mahuli.

Rita shouted, "Kurt! Bumalik ka dito! Humanda ka sa'kin! Kakain ka ng buhangin!" Her voice was echoing on the beach.

We were both laughing at first. In just a matter of seconds, Kurt came back running towards us habang naghahanda si Rita na gumanti sa kanya. Huminto si Kurt sa harap namin at agad siyang lumuhod sa buhangin. Nagulat kami pareho ni Rita sa sumunod na ginawa niya. He took a handful of sand at bigla niyang isinubo sa bibig niya.

Agad-agad, sinubukan naming pigilan si Kurt at hinawakan namin pareho ang mga kamay niya. I told him to stop pero nagmamatigas siya and he kept reaching for the sand. Halos di namin siya maawat dahil sa lakas niya. Rita and I were both panicking.

"Make him stop," sabi ko kay Rita.

"What!?" gulat na reaksyon niya.

"Make him stop!"

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