Sumeul
Nathalia Pristine's
I made sure that I had enough breakfast before I went to school. Mahirap na at baka magpass-out pa ako during performance. I put some dog food and water sa pagkainan ni Maxi bago umalis. I felt guilty leaving her alone here always pero hindi ko naman siyang pwedeng dalhin sa school.
This morning will be the opening for the Intramurals and the cheerdance competition. Mamayang hapon naman ay simula na ng iba't-ibang events. Bukas pa ang unang laro ko for Taekwondo. Since our president listed me for badminton, I also got the schedule for that at sa susunod na bukas pa naman.
They were already busy as I entered the classroom. Nakabihis na ako ng costume namin at yung braid at make-up na lang yung kulang. Hindi na ako nagdala pa ng libro dahil sigurado naman akong wala talagang klase ngayon.
I put my things on my armchair bago nakihalubilo sa kanila. I sacrificed my things for the competition. Labag man sa loob ko, I let them borrow some of my make-ups.... just not the things like my brush and blender. Come to think of it, I'll use it on my face tapos gagamitin nila sa mukha nila tapos gagamitin ko na naman? Ew.
I asked Yana to braid my hair first para matulungan ko yung iba sa pagme-makeup. Yung ibang tapos na, they were staying at the corner while reviewing the dance steps para hindi sila magkamali mamaya.
I was actually nervous but I managed to hide it through pacing back and forth and helping the others do their make-up. I stayed on my chair and did my make-up na rin. Ela went near me and asked me to help her and I did.
Para maibsan ang kaba, I recalled the dance steps with Ela. I also busied myself through scrolling on my phone. The other grade level went to our classroom and checked if tapos na ba yung preparation namin.
"Ate Cheska!" Ela called one of our seniors and handed her the make-up kit na hiniram nila kanina.
"Lia," Nikko called. Hinarap ko siya.
He handed me his phone and I saw that there was an on-going call with Ate Sef. Ba't hindi na lang akong yung tinawagan niya?
"Hello, Ate." salubong ko.
She just asked me on how things are going here. Of course I told her that everything was doing fine. Ayoko siyang pag-aalahin pa.... and everything was really doing fine. For a moment I got scared. Kelan kaya to babawiin ulit?
She ended the call. They were talking on the phone pala when Nikko mentioned na papunta sila sa classroom namin kaya kinumusta na rin ako ni Ate Sef.
I handed Nikko his phone. He's wearing a bandana on his forehead, part ng costume ng mga props. As if sasali siya at sasayaw sa audition. Ewan ko nga kung bakit cheerdance yung tawag. It was more of a powerdance.
"Lia, lagyan mo ng liptint si Nikko." Ate Cheska shouted as she was still busy putting some silver dust on someone's hair.
"Ayoko nga, Cheska!" inis na tugon naman ni Nikko.
Hindi na siya pinansin ni Ate Cheska. I called Ela para yung liptint niya yung gamitin. She lets the others borrow it naman so it's not a problem.
"Ba't hindi na lang yung sayo?" Ela asked habang inaayos niya yung mga gamit sa bag niya.
"We'll have an indirect kiss if I let him use my liptint," I said. Letting others have my liptint is a problem to me but it wasn't for Ela. She wasn't thinking the same way as me kaya okay lang sa kanya kasi finger naman daw yung gamit hindi naman diretso sa labi that's why she just scrunched her nose at me before leaving us.
Nikko glared at me.
"You mean to say that it's okay for Ela and I to have an indirect kiss?" he asked.
"Depends on what you think. If you're thinking the same way as me, but your own liptint." I answered.
"I won't buy a liptint but I've got another solution instead," he said.
I thought that he'd suggest na h'wag na lang siyang lagyan ng liptint kaya kaagad akong naglagay ng liptint sa finger ko ngunit bago ko pa ito malagay sa labi niya ay hinuli niya ang kamay ko. Inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa mukha ko.
"Let's make that into a direct rather than an indirect one," he said.
"What the freak!" I hissed at tumawa naman ang loko.
I gave him the liptint and made him apply it to himself instead. Inannounce sa speaker na magsisimula na ang opening kaya sabay-sabay kaming bumaba lahat. I brought my things and gave it to Lance para mabantayan niya.
We were the second to the last performer and we managed to perform well amidst the scorching heat of the sun. Mabuti nga at wala namang kahit anong aksidente ang nangyari.
After our performance, kaagad kong hinanap si Lance dahil nasa bag ko yung tumbler ko. When I saw him, kinuha ko yung bag ko and thanked him. I sat beside Ela para makita rin ang last na magpe-perform which is yung ABM.
"Show support naman, Gel." panunuya ni Ela kay Angela.
"Gago nastress ako sa props, enough support na 'yon." sagot ni Anj.
Nawala na yung kaba ko kanina. Basta tapos na kaming magperform. Manalo o matalo, nando'n na lahat ng effort namin.
Unang inannounce yung sa Junior High category and grade 9 yung nanalo. I couldn't really express it into words when we were announced as winners.
"Boba, ABM ka gurl." Ela said nang makisaya na sa amin si Angela.
"Wala akong pake basta STEM yung mga kasama ko ngayon!" sabi niya at tumawa pa.
We had a lot of picture taking after that. Nagkaroon kami ng litrato sa harap ng new building since doon daw yung magandang background.
"Sa'n kayo magla-lunch?" I asked.
"Uuwi ako," Ela said dahil pinapauwi daw siya ng mama niya.
"Manlilibre si Keisha, birthday niya eh." Anj said and Keisha is her classmate.
"Oy, wala akong kasamang mag-lunch!" reklamo ko.
"Sama ka nalang sa'kin," Ela said.
I declined her offer kasi naisip kong umuwi na lang sa bahay para makaligo. We separated ways dahil sa Main gate sila dumaan habang sa Nazareno gate naman ako. Mas malapit kasi 'yon sa ruta pauwi sa amin.
"Sa'n ka?" tanong ni Nikko when he saw me approaching. Nakatambay kasi siya sa gilid ng gate. Nakikipagchikahan siguro sa guard.
"Bahay. Lunch," I answered.
"Sabay na tayo," he said. "Sa Mcdo na lang tayo kumain. Katamad umuwi,"
"Basta libre," I said. "Pero kailangan ko pang maligo."
"'Wag na, matatagalan ka lang. Matagal matanggal yung silverdust. May laro pa ako ala una," sabi niya habang naglalakas kami papunta sa McDo na walking distance lang naman galing sa paaralan namin.
"Spar na mamaya?" I asked. Wala naman kasi akong nakita sa schedule kaya nabigla ako.
"Volleyball," he answered.
He pulled me while we were crossing the street at inakbayan niya ako. I was taken aback by the action pero hindi ako makareact kaagad. And I just chose to supress my emotion at hindi na lang nagpaapekto.
When we entered McDo, kaagad nanlaki ang mata ko sa dami ng estudyanteng nandito. They were all literally from our school and some were even shocked to see na magkasama kami ni Nikko considering na nakaakbay siya sa'kin ngayon. They were probably speculating something on their heads right now.
Nikko volunteered to order at pumunta naman ako sa second floor para makahanap ng mauupuan namin. Mabuti at nakakita pa ako sa sulok dahil halos lahat ay okupado na.
We just ate after Nikko arrived with the food. I got my phone and took a snap sa food para malagay ko sa IG story ko. I also took a photo with Nikko para masend ko kay Ate Sef.
We weren't really talking habang kumakain. We were silent the whole time and it was a comfortable silence as I get to enjoy my food. Habang kumakain ay kaagad tumunog yung phone ko kaya I checked the notifications.
Ela replied on my IG story.
ela.lalala: luh bahay niyo 'yan gurl
ela.lalala: hulaan ko magkasama kayo ni Nikko hahahahaha
thaleeya:
we just happened to see each other sa gate lol
I just put my pic with Nikko and mentioned him on my IG story so people won't think like we're on a secret date or something. We're not doing anything wrong rin naman kaya I don't really need to worry about other people talking about us. I was getting conscious while people are going in and out of here.
I survived that lunch. Naglakad lang rin kami ni Nikko pabalik sa school. I turned off my data because after I posted our picture together, people kept on reacting with that emoji na may dalawang heart na mata. I don't even know some of them.
Nagpaalam na ako kay Nikko na pupunta na ako kay Angela since kanina pa naman siya nandito. Nikko also needed to go to his teammates para makapaghanda na.
"Sinong first game ngayon?" I asked Angela when I went near her.
"ABM vs STEM," she said.
I greeted her friends rin as I sat with them. They were nice to be with since I already talked to them na. Kind naman sila.
Nakisali ako sa usapan nila. This is what I liked about Angela's friends, they never made me feel out of place.
We were talking about girly stuffs kaya I could relate. They even complimented my skin and I thanked them for that. I told them my skincare routine and they told me theirs. Gano'n lang.
Dumating na si Ela at sakto namang pagdating niya ay nakarinig na kami ng mga toy trumpets sa gym. The announcer also announced na magsisimula na yung first game. Sabay pa nga sa basketball na nasa open court.
"Anong una mong papanuorin?" Angela.
"Volleyball, walang pogi sa basketball ngayon. Nasa STEM lahat ng pogi eh," Ela answered at napailing na lang ako.
Along with Angela's friends ay pumunta na kami sa gym. Wala ng upuan kaya tumayo na lang kami sa gilid.
The players were still warming up and when I heard a whistle, the game started.
The game was intense, I could say. But as we were watching, we could easily tell kung sino yung mananalo. STEM was leading.
"Ano ba 'yan, talo na naman." reklamo ni Anj.
"Manahimik ka wala ka ngang sinalihan!" sagot ni Ela sa kanya.
"Meron! Compulsory yung gagong parlor games, hindi naman na tayo bata! Nakakabanas na PE pa'no naman kung singing yung talent ko?!" Anj said.
They requested for a break. Nasa opposite side kami sa kung saan yung bench nila pero kita ko rito yung mga players clearly. They were all sweaty, of course, due to the game. Some of them were wiping themselves with the towel and some were drinking water. They were doing that habang nakikinig sa mga sinasabi ng Coach.
I couldn't really tear my gaze off from Nikko. I hate to admit that he's a lot more attractive whenever he's sweaty and I get to see that always after training. The turban that he's wearing right now added up another points.
"Go Kuya Nikko!" I heard a 9th grader said. Hindi ko namang maiwasan ang mapatingin. It was due to my reflex and it was the involuntary movement my body created. Dala na rin siguro ng gulat ko.
When she noticed that I was looking at her, kaagad siyang nagtago sa likod ng friends niya. I wasn't even scaring her. I was just looking.
Don't worry, sweetie. I understand what you're feeling. I probably understand.
As what we expected, panalo nga kami.
I had my training again for that day. I made sure I was prepared for my fight the next day. I even had a stretching before and after I got to bed. I did a split and stretched my body by lying it left and right. I also did a 180 degree vertical high kick. Ginawa ko yun sa door frame.
I slept early like what I usually do whenever there's an important event the next day.
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Tell me if naguguluhan kayo ples.
(*'∇｀*) see media for smnthn