Chapter 7: Anne

Winter A. Rodriguez

"Winny~"

A girl with a hair black as onyx called me, Anne.

"Bakit Anne? Maglalaro na ba?" Tanong ko sa kanya and she replied with a nod.

"Anong board game naman?" I asked when I turned my head to her.

She shaked her head and said "We won't be playing board games," That's odd "But instead cards! Let's play Uno! I invited my other friends~!" If I remember clearly, all of my classmates is her friends including me.

"Dianne!" One of my classmates call her, Trixie.

"Trix! Dala mo na ba yung cards?" Anne asked her dahilan para u-mo-o siya.

"Sige! Laro na tayo!"

.....

"Dianne bakit ba kinakausap mo yung multo na yun?"

"Ano bang paki mo? Bati kami eh."

Nagtatago ako ngayon sa likod ng pinto habang nakikinig sa usapan nina Anne at Raquel.

"Bad kaya siya, pumapatay yung papa niya tapos pagti-tripan niya yung katawan. Gusto mo bang mapatay ka ng papa niya?"

"Hindi ako naniniwalang bad siya pati ang papa niya. Diba sabi niya nga Scientist ang papa niya?"

"Bahala ka na nga! Di na kita bati!"

Nang maramdaman kong malapit na si Raquel sa pintuan ay agad na akong tumakbo para hindi nila ako mahuli na nakikinig sa usapan nila.

.....

"Aray!" I exclaimed when someone pushed me. Tumama ako sa pader kung saan may mga pako na nakalagay dahil sana para sa pagkakabitan ng picture frames ng mga naging principal namin.

"Ano ba Marcus! Tigilan mo yan!" Pagsigaw ni Anne habang inaawat ang tumulak sa akin.

"Wag ka ngang makialam! Mamamatay tao yung papa niya! Tapos white lady naman ang anak niya! Ano naman nanay niya? Aswang?!"

Tatadyakin na sana ako ng lalaki nang may humarang sa kanya at hinawakan ang kanyang paa dahilan para hindi niya magalaw ng maayos ang kanyang katawan.

"Hoy! Ano ba! Umalis-" napatingin ako nang napatigil ang lalaki sa pagsasalita.

"S...Senior L..Luke..." It was obvious that the boy was very shocked but I don't know why.

"It's not nice to hurt someone, especially a person who has a special condition like her."

"Ah! Winny nagdudugo ang braso mo!" Anne screamed while looking at me worriedly.

The guy who saved me from Marcus looked at me and went closer at me.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" Tanong niya habang tinulungan akong tumayo habang hinahawakan ako ng maiigi para hindi matumba.

I couldn't talk properly kaya tumango nalang ako sa kaniya.

Tinulungan ako nung senior na pumunta sa infirmary para sa first aid habang tinawag nina Anne ang teachers sa nangyari.

.....

"Winny may tanong ako." I am here with Anne while going to the rooftop at nagtataka ako sa hawak niyang paper bag na hanggang ngayon di niya parin sinasabi sa akin kung ano ang laman.

"What is it?"

"Scientist diba ang papa mo?"

"Uh-huh"

"Then that means he do experiments and stuff right?"

"Yes."

"Does it involves animals too?"

"I think so, bakit mo natanong?"

"Gusto ko sanang buhayin niya yung kuneho ko."

"What?" I asked surprisingly.

"Do you remember Grey? He died..."

"My father can't do your request."

"Bakit naman? Can't he do something about this?"

"Anne, hindi siya Diyos o bathala, okay?!"

"Bakit naman gan'on?! Pumapatay siya pero 'di niya kayang bumuhay!"

Napatigil ako sa huling sinabi niya dahil hindi ako makapaniwala. Pati rin pala siya.

"What did you say?" I said seriously while looking at her. Nailang siya kaya napatingin siya sa ibang direksyon.

"You also believe them?!" I shouted while holding both of her arms dahilan para mabitawan niya ang paper bag at mahulog. Ngunit ang hindi ko inaasahan ay...

"I-Isn't that...G-Grey?" Imagine my surprise nang makita ko ang bangkay ng kanyang kuneho na lumitaw sa paper bag.

"What did you do?!" I asked her aloud.

"Ibibigay ko siya sayo para buhayin siya ng papa mo!" She answered back and started crying.

"Why didn't you think twice?! Obviously my father or any person can't do that!"

Tumagal ang pag-aaway namin kaya naman ako na mismo ang nanahimik at nagtangkang umalis nang bigla ako hawakan ni Anne dahilan para mawala ako sa balanse.

"Winter!"

After that my surroundings starts to get blur until it turned pitched black.

***

"Hoy! Win-win!"

I immediately stopped reminiscing when George called me.

"Did I miss something?"

"Waley naman pero yang iniinom mo teh lumalamig na!"

I took a sipped at my tea and just ate my cake.

SCRATCH! SCRATCH!

"Theora, ano ba yang ginagawa mo sa resibo?" His brother asked while Theora kept scratching the receipt with her nails.

"Look kasi o, ang satisfying." While she kept scratching, there was black lines appearing as if she was writing with a pen.

"Tigilan mo na yan Theora." Sabi ni Theo.

"What's your paki ba? You're so disrespectful, I'm your ate diba? Call me ate."

"It's so maingay kasi ATE." Theo answered back emphasizing the word 'Ate'.

"Tigilan niyo na nga yan! Nagsisimula nanaman kayo eh." Awat ni George sa kambal.

"Oo nga pala, Yung pinsan ko na sinabi kong parang katulad ng kaibigan mo Win-win, bibisita siya sa amin." George told us while looking at me.

"Your point is?" I don't know why he needs to tell us this.

"Kasi sabi ni Mamang i-entertain ko daw siya, tapos daw pwede ko daw kayo i-sama."

"Mag-jojoin ako, pero si Winny baka di naman mag-join." Theora said in dismayed while she sighed.

"Who said I won't join?" Tanong ko sa kanila at as always, nagulat sila.

"Hindi nga, sasama ka?!"

"Why? You don't want to?" I asked while taking a sip from my tea.

"Siyempre gusto! It's decided then! Next week, Tuesday siya dadating, I-chachat ko nalang sa inyo." George said cheerfully.

This is good, I won't spend my time at home with my father. I don't wanna hear more scolding from him.

Pagkatapos ng aming pag-uusap ay nagpaalam na kami at umuwi na dahil malapit na rin gumabi.

It seems like next week won't be boring then.

7:26 PM

G.A.Y:"Guys! Next Tues

3pm ha! Sa mall ulet"

I replied 'Ok' and turned off my phone as Mang Berto arrived.

To be continued ...