Chapter 3 - GEU?!

Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez

It's been 3 days and ngayon ang first day of school at kasalukuyang papunta akong GEU. I am expecting na hahanapin ako ni Yana.

I groan as I once stuck in this traffic again. Fuck kahit kelan ang traffic talaga dito.

After 30 mins nakarating narin ako sa school at nag hahanap ako ng maparkingan. Pababa nako ng kotse at grabe makatingin mga tao sa hallway.

What's wrong with these people?

They're staring at me as if I'm some kind of superstar.

I was walking in the hallway when I saw three people—a very familiar one. Ang nasa kanan is Deissy Celine Sanchez, habang nasa gitna si Jasmine Celeste Chavez at ang nasa kaliwa naman ay si Zaireen Jomylaine Collin. These girls used to be my friends, but now I'm not really sure. I know I ghosted them a few years ago and I don't know if they can forgive me for that.

Oh to correct it, I didn't ghost them.

Papalapit sila ng papalapit gusto kong umiwas, hindi ko alam kung alam nilang ako to or iniisip nilang si Yana ako.

I don't even know what that girl looks like although we're twins but there's always a difference.

"I-it doesn't look Yana.....could it be—" I heard Deissy mumble

"Impossible" Jasmine cut her off

"Maybe it was her"

They looked at me with a mesmerizing eyes. Agad akong nag iwas ng tingin at daan.

I don't want to be near with them.

No. Hell no.

As I enter my classroom hindi maiwasan ang mga tingin ng mga taong ito. I just wear my poker face and didn't mind them saka naupo sa pinaka dulong upuan

"Good morning class" the professor said who's now in front of us

"Good morning Prof "- everyone answered to him

"So first, before we proceed to the lesson. Can you all introduce yourself and after that ako naman"- sir?

At nag simula na silang mag pakilalang lahat. I'm not interested in knowing them one by one.

Ang naiisip ko lang ngayon ay masurvive ang araw na to without interacting with them.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto ay natapos na ang lahat at ako nalang ang natitira. Damn this place I look like I'm lonely.

Tumayo na ako at nag simulang mag lakad papunta sa harap

"Rhianna? Why are you here in this block? You weren't supposed to be her—" I cut him off

"I'm not her" I answered him coldly that makes him stop and I could say everyone is amazed by it

Tsk. Who wouldn't?. Para ngang hindi alam ng mga tao na nag eexist ako eh. They didn't even know that Yana has a twin sister.

"What? " the professor confusedly asked

Hindi ko nalamang pinansin ang tanong niya. What's the point anyway. I'm going to introduce myself din naman so malalaman rin nila kung sino ako.

"Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez, 18 years old"

I said and umalis na sa harap.

I hate how they stare at me as if I'm not real. I mentally rolled my eyes. Too much attention.

"Are you really a Lopez?" tanong ulit ng professor na to

I faced him "I wish I'm not but unlucky I am" I heard some gasp as if they're not expecting me to say that.

The professor didn't answer me and just nodded after that he starts discussing his subject

Damn this place, I should memorize this. It's so big and hindi ko alam kung asan ang cafeteria na yon

Kanina pa ako lakad ng lakad and I'm getting fucking tired. Damn this. I should go to the President's office kanina pa pero damn this feelings of mine pinapangunahan ako sa mga desisyon ko.

Palinga linga ang tingin ko ng makita ko siya kasama ang isang babaeng may mahabang buhok na at nakasuot ng dress na hindi gaanong kahaba.

They start walking toward me. Damn. Hindi na ba aayos ang takbo ng araw na to?

"Ali"- tawag nito saakin

I wear my poker face.

Ali. Gosh, ang layo sa real name ko.

Who even invented that kind of nickname? It's sucks.

"What are you doing here? Hindi ka ba kakain? " She asked again

I wonder bakit hindi siya nag sasawang kausapin ako kahit hindi naman ako masyadong sumasagot sa mga tanong niya.

" Kakain "

"The cafeteria is far from here" she answered. Oh yeah right, how should I know this is my first time here.

Andami niyang tanong.

Ramdam ko ang pagtitig saakin ng kasama nito.

Reminisce.

A sudden flashback came to my mind.

No! Not again!

I'll be needing Zhera sooner or later!

Again and again, nakakasawa na rin alalahanin ang mga bagay bagay pero kusa itong nagpapaalala.

"How should I know" I boredly answered

She once gave me a sweet smile again habang ang kasama nito ay nakatingin lang saakin with some emotions in her eyes—longing. Impossible.

"Right. I forgot to give you the map" she answered to me but I didn't answer her once again

While yung katabi niya naman ay titig na titig saakin as if I'm not real. Bakit ba lahat sila ganyan makatingin? Do I have dirt on my face?

"Sumabay ka nalang samin. Let's go" dagdag pa nya

Hindi na ako sumagot at sumunod nalang sakanila.

Pagkarating ay agad silang naupo. Me? I tried to find another seat but I guess I'm unlucky today kasi wala na akong mahanap.

Nakita ko sila Yana, they're looking at me

"Ali, why don't you sit?" rinig kong sabi niya

I just stared at her at umupo na rin.

" Oh wait nag usap na ba kayo ni yana?"- tanong niya

" No"- maikli kong sagot

Naupo nalang din ako sa table nila. I have no choice. Walang ibang table na available. Pwede naman wag nalang ako kumain but I won't do that.

Wala rin naman akong takas cause I'm going to see them everyday even if I don't want to yun nga ang purpose kung bakit pinauwi ako dito eh.

I still didn't agree with that Old mans plan at kung ano man yon ay siguraduhin niya lang na makakabuti para saakin. I can't risk my walls for this fucking set up.

Apat na araw palang ako dito but it feels like a year already. Four days feel so long. I miss my old life and I want it back but I can't.

Pwede naman akong umuwi doon ng hindi niya alam. Pero alam kong malalaman niya rin agad yon at pipilitin akong umuwi dito. Papagurin ko lang ang sarili ko pag pinagpilitan ko ang gusto ko.

"O-okay, ako na bibili ng food" sabi niya at umalis na

So, I was here naiwan sa babaeng kasama niya. Allisha Alvares. Yes dad said that she's a cousin of mother but I don't care.

Every memory we shared keeps flooding back, but it feels like something's missing, like a piece of us was lost along the way. Those moments were once enough, but now they seem incomplete—like a puzzle with a crucial piece forever out of reach, leaving me to wonder if I’ll ever truly understand the full picture.

"Ali!" malakas na sigaw na nanggaling sa taong inaasahan kong makikita ko, just like our older sister.

I let a sign and didn't turn to face her.

"Stop hugging me."- I coldly said when she jumped off and hugged me as we were close.

"So-sorry, namiss lang kita," she whispered, her voice trembling as she spoke. I met her gaze, and the pain in her eyes was undeniable.  It reminded me of the way our older sister looked at me when I said things I didn’t mean—words that cut deeper than I realized.

Namiss lang kita — is that even real?

"What do you need?"

"Ali, will you stay here?" Deissy said but I just look at her

Lahat sila ay naupo sa may table namin. Tahimik pa rin ang babaeng kanina lang ay kasama ko. Hindi ba siya marunong mag salita? She kept on staring.

"Namiss ka namin. Antagal mong nawala. Bakit hindi mo kami kinausap kanina. Hindi ka nag sabing hindi ikaw si yana"- Jassy spoke, I felt their stare at me as if they're waiting for my response but I remain silent

"Oo nga" I didn't answer once again and I felt the tense that's starting to grow

Oh come on, sino ba naman ang taon gustong kumausap ng taong hindi sumasagot? Wala diba?

"Why are you so silent? May nangyari ba?" And there she goes, she finally arrived with the food.

I'm hungry

"Wala naman Ate Ryl, ayaw naming biglain si Ali"- Yana said while looking at me with those fake smile

She doesn't look so convinced though.

"I want to eat peacefully if you mind" I said in monotoned.

Ramdam ko naman ang pag aalanganin ng mga to but they remain silent and agreed with me eating peacefully

I would be so much happier when they're not around but what can I do. I just had a deal with old man and that deal revolves around this.

"Uhmm Ali is it okay with you?" my older sister asked me, kaya tinignan ko ito

What? Okay?

"I mean the food. You know baka hindi ka sanay?"

"I'm fine." I didn't bother to say any words again as they gave me a peaceful lunch

Better.

After we ate I excused myself at dumiretso nako sa room and to my surprise Allisha is the professor

She looked at me and smiled.

Tsk.

Natapos na ang time niya kaya naman agad nakong lumabas sa room. I'll stay in library na muna while wala pang next class. Siguro naman tahimik don. Alam ko ring pupuntahan ako nila yana sa room namin kaya it's better na umiwas ako kesa makisama. I can't bear to see them. I still hate the fact na apektado ako masyado.

Pagkapasok ko sa library muka okay naman, this is the peace that I've been wanting. Naupo ako sa table sa pinakadulong bookshelf walang tao dito except sakin. Sarap matulog

"Ali"- someone said at hinawakan ako

How dare him or her???

Inangat ko ang ulo ko, it was Allisha

Okay back to poker face again.

"What? "

"C-can y-you get that book?" Tanong nito at tinuro ang librong nasa pinakataas na shelf. I look at her height, matangkad naman siya. Why can't she get it herself?

At ako talaga naisip niyang tawagin kahit na marami namang ibang tao dito?

Hindi nalang akl nagsalita at tumayo na para kunin ang librong sinasabi niya. After kong makuha ito ay ibinigay ko na ito sakanya.

"Thank you" she smiled at me.

Ow cute

Dimples.

I just nodded her as my response saka ito tinalikuran

Ramdam ko pa rin ang presensya nito sa likod ko kaya nilingon ko ito.

"Thank you again. I have to go, I still have class. Goodbye Ali, see you again"- she said and smiled at me

Ali

Ali

Why is Ali so familiar? Iba ata ang epekto pag siya ang nagsabi?

It feels like someone I know but hindi ko maalala kung sino ito?

Ilang minuto rin akong nakatulala at iniisip kung bakit parang iba ang pakiramdam pag siya ang nagsabi noon

Umakyat nako sa room namin for the next subject. I just sat in the room and listened to our Professor. Yan lang naman ang paulit ulit na nangyari ngayong araw sa mga bawat professor na pinapasukan ko.

A/N: Next na