chapter 4

Grace Joy sat down  on the vacant chair located at the back part of the fourth column which is next to a wide window. She never knew that Sherdel was seating on a chair just  beside her. 

She put her notebook and a pen on the desk and then she began to look in front. While Sherdel was looking at her, wondering if she also remember him that awkward moment. Grace Joy was so focused on the teacher's lecture that time so  she hadn't noticed that someone's looking at her. Suddenly, the moment broke when his phone suddenly vibrated. Sherdel immediately turned it down. He laid his eyes on Grace Joy once again. He got surprised when he saw her looking at him, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Grace Joy couldn't believe her eyes, the boy who sat beside her back then who looked pitiful was sitting next to her.

Sherdel can't help but to remember what happened and then he laughed faintly. Grace Joy cleared her throat and then she faced in front. She felt so embarrassed again. What she did was to pretend that she didn't saw him there.

                                                                                ****

Her next class was still an hour away, Ana was with her  fellow Arts Club members . They were at the first floor corridor of the Ramos Building - another building beside the UPA Building. She, with three senior high students and two  college students, were distributing flyers to the students who were walking along that area.

"Kuya. Arts Club po. Huwag niyo pong kalimutang sumali," she persuaded. But she was ignored.

Another girl coming toward her.

"Ay ate!" she reached out her hand handling a flyer. "Arts Club po. Please join." Yet, she was ignored.

Meanwhile, a Grade-12 student, the president of the club, approached her. 

"Malapit nang matapos 'yung Study Hour. Bukas na lang kaya ulit?" She told her.

"Oo nga." Ana agreed. Pagod na din kasi ako. 

And then...

A group composed of five girls suddenly seen walking and approaching while laughing. They were all in college. The Art club members slowly compressed to each other while seeing them coming. 

They began to murmur. 

"Ayan nanaman 'yang mga matapobre."

"Akala naman nila ang gaganda nila."

"Ang papangit! 'Yung isa nga  diyan feeling sexy . Baboy naman.

"Uhus! Ang yabang. Mayaman lang kayo uy..."

"Mga malalandi..."

"Akala mo naman sila ang may-ari nitong school.."

And other more terms they spoke out. Ana was silent, just staring at the approaching group with an insecure expression on her face. 

Finally,  they stopped by. Ana's club members crossed their arms across their chests as they scowled. The girls also did the same. 

"Puwede po ba lumakad na po kayo? Binigyan na po namin kayo ng space para daanan ninyo o. See?" A college freshman told them.

The girl who appears to be the eldest and their leader rolled her eyes. 

"Ugh...Look who's talking,"she said. The girls behind her laughed.

"Ano ba nanaman ang kailangan mo ha? Ate Jennifer." Ana asked.

"Wala lang. Gusto ko lang makita si Eliza."She said. " Kaso nga lang...nakalimutan ko na may sakit pala siya ngayon." She creased the upper part of her nose.

" And I am happy that she isn't around right now because at last I can have my revenge on you." She pointed one to another. "And you! And you." Then she turned her fingers to Marjorie, a second year college student and a friend of Elisa. "And especially you!"

" Hoy! Tandaan ninyo kayo ang palaging nagsisimula ng gulo dito." Marjorie talked back. Everyone on her side agreed. " Palagi lang kayong natatalo."

"Tama! Tama!" The five yelled. 

"Palibhasa wala kayong magawa sa buhay ninyo kung kaya't nambubuli kayo ng ibang tao. Hindi purket mayaman kayo, kaya niyo nang tapaktapakan ang mga mahihirap dahil kayong lima..." Marjorie paused for a second. She put her hands on her forehead as she closed her eyes.

"Ay oo nga... may isa pa pala kayong ni-recruit. She continued. "Lorie ba pangalan nun?"She muttered. " Kahit isali pa natin siya, wala pa ring magbabago dahil ang papangit ng mga ugali ninyo. So, tantanan mo na ang Arts Club dahil pare-parehas lang tayong nagbabayad rito."

After that, Marjorie and her comrades walked away, leaving them there speechless.

                                                               ***

She couldn't move on to that awkward moment that happened to her with Sherdel awhile back.

While Grace Joy wasn't looking, Sherdel's eyes were examining her while a grin was painted on his face. Grace Joy knew that he was still looking at her even though her pupils were focused on the blackboard. Slowly, she  rotated her head to see if he was still looking. Immediately, Sherdel faced in front. Confirmed, he was still making fun of her. She rotated her head back in front then she began to take down notes . Sherdel slowly turned his head around once more. Grace Joy wasn't  looking. 

Then, unexpectedly, his phone he laid down on his desk vibrated. It made him startle.The vibration was reacted to the wooden surface and so the sound was enhanced that everyone around him did heard. Even Grace Joy turned her head around toward Sherdel. Sherdel immediately shut down his phone.

"'Yung phone mo. Kanina pang nagva-vibrate," she told him as she gave him an awkward smile.

Sherdel slightly smiled back, then he raised his left arm. "S-sorry,"he said. Then he apologized to the others. After that he put his phone inside the 'pocket' under the flat wooden desk.

                                                                ***

It's already end of the day, Grace Joy's first day of school was also over. It's past six when she was walking down the stairs of the Ramos Building heading to the first floor so she could go to the main building and then to the grassy ground.

She finally arrived at the first floor. While walking along the corridor, she got surprised to see Ana approaching - the girl who told her the direction to where the UPA Building is. Ana was also glad to see a familiar face coming towards her. Later, a meter closer to each other, they smiled. 

"Hi." Ana gently waved her hand.

Then Grace waved back. 

Suddenly, someone on a distant away behind Grace Joy called their attention.

"Babe!" the girl yelled. Grace Joy turned around to see who yelled. She widened her eyes since she got amazed. A good-looking girl rushing towards their direction. She never knew that she's Sherdel's girlfriend.

"O! Babe,"someone who was just behind Ana called. Then he raised his hands and he waved them cheerfully. 

Grace and Ana got startled. They turned their heads to the boy. Grace Joy, got surprised to see that the cute light complexioned guy  who yelled was Sherdel. 

"Babe!" the girl hugged him so tight as if they haven't seen each other in years. Not only that, they hugged on the distance just between Grace Joy and Ana Dorothy. A couple of seconds later, they finally let themselves go. Sherdel held her cheeks then he kissed her on the forehead. They seemed not to care if someone was watching them especially those two girls who were standing just near them. The two who were watching them got disgusted. They brought their eyebrows together as their eyes narrowed and their noses were creased. Then, they compressed. 

"Hindi man lang ba sila nahiya?" Ana told Grace with a whisper.

"Sino ba 'yang mga 'yan? Nakakahiya?" Grace Joy said. 

"Buti sa noo niya hinalikan kung hindi...baka nagsuka na ako rito,"she added.

"Babe! Namiss kita," the girl sounded like a whining child.

"Huh? Pero babe. Tatlong oras lang tayong hindi nagkita namiss mo na ako?" The boy said.

"Alis na nga lang tayo. Nakakahiya naman. Tara na?" Ana suggested. Grace Joy agreed. And so,  they walked away, without a sound, so that they won't ruin the lovebirds' conversation. 

                                                ****

"Kilala mo ba kung sinong mga iyon?'" Grace Joy asked. 

"Sila ba? Hmm... Saan ba ako magsisimula...?"Ana muttered. 

"'Yung babae...Alexa 'yung pangalan. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit nagustuhan ni Sherdel 'yung babaeng iyon.  Maganda, pero spoiled masyado."

"Si Sherdel? 'Yung lalaki?"Grace Joy asked.

"Iyon naman. Siya 'yung apo ng may-ari nitong university."

"Talaga? As in? Isang Alhibbing?" She got surprised. There, she realized that it might be the reason why everyone in the class was talking about him. Then, her memory suddenly popped out which made her feel more embarrassed. Because of that, she yelled in a high pitch voice as she covered her lips with her hands. 

"Shacks anong gagawin ko! Diyos ko!"She panicked. 

"O? Bakit?" Ana was startled, wondering why did she react like that.

Grace Joy snapped out of it. "Ay. Wala..."she answered. "Wala lang."

Ana creased her forehead. Then she said 'okay'.

                                                                    ****

At that night...

The moon was shining bright that lit it up a dark forest. Inside the forest was a man who was panting as he ran as fast as he can. He kept on stumbling over and over but he kept on standing up and run to avoid the large wolf who was after him. The wolf growls as it chased him which made the man to tremble more. He stumbled once more. That time he's got no time to stand up since the large dog was very close to him and about to jump into him. When the creature did jumped into the air, the man quickly turned himself into a creature the same as it but different kind. As the wolf landed on him, he scratched its face - the area down its left eye. Then, he pushed it away with all its might. He got up. Just when he was about to run, the opponent tackled his body with its hard head. The dog(the man)fell to the ground. The opponent wolf quickly bit his neck.Because of that, he squealed in pain. Later, the man gathered up his strength. He wrapped his four legs around the body of the opponent then he rolled over making the opponent to roll along . The opponent was now laying on the ground and he was over it. He scratched the opponents' face over and over again. Later when the enemy saw an opening, it scratched both the wolf's (the man's) front leg. Then, using its strong hind legs, it pushed the man away. 

Instead of a take back, he immediately ran away while the enemy was still mobilized. The opponent can't do anything that time since it was hard for it to get up because of the injuries. The man was no longer on sight  just after it got up. 

Because of its disappointment and anger, it clenched its teeth together as it growled so loud. A few seconds later, it howled against the sky.

Ana Dorothy gasped as she woke up on her bed.She was catching her breath as her eyes widened in shock. It was just a dream. She sat up for a while to relax herself. 

"Panaginip lang pala," she murmured. 

                                                                            ****

In a hidden barrio away from the other civilizations, where no one outside know it exists. It was a barrio where Lignodons live that was currently taken over by no other than Daya's father, Dionisius, who's the chief of their tribe. There, they had built a mansion which serves not just a shelter but also a headquarter.

In the basement floor, where it's dark and quiet ,and very lonely since the room is entirely empty but only shelves without books in it. It is also the place where Wendel is. He was at one of the room's corner sitting on the floor as he sleeps. He rest his back against the wall while he held his head down. His hands were tightly tied together on his back and his mouth was sealed by a piece of tape. Even his feet were tied together.

"Bullshit!" Someone suddenly slammed the door open then he rushed towards him. Because of that noise, Wendel woke up. He got startled when someone in front of him suddenly removed the tape that was sealing his mouth.

"An-nay!" Wendel complained.

"Magsabi ka nga ng totoo..." his brother-in-law said.

"Dallon!Bayaw!" He greeted him with a smile. But he got a hard blow on the face.

"Ba't hindi mo sinabi sa akin na buhay pa pala si Danny?" Dallon yelled.

"Ay oh?" Wendel said while pretending to be surprised.

Dallon grabbed his collar. "Huwag kang magsinungaling."

"Hindi ko alam. Nandito ako sa buwisit na lugar na ito ng matagal na panahon... tapos ako pagtatanungan mo kung buhay pa siya o hindi?"

He got more annoyed. And so, he punched his right cheek once more. "Sabihin mo sa akin ang totoo kung hindi makakatikim ka ulit ng isa pa!"

"Wait lang ha?" then Wendel coughed. "Bakit ba kung buhay siya o hindi?" He asked. "Kung buhay man siya...hindi niya naman alam kung nasaan 'yung lugar."

"Nakita ko siya kanina sa Sagada." Dallon said. "Lumaban pa siya sa akin. Alam kong hinahanap niya rin 'yung dalawang susi. " 

After he had heard that, Wendel suddenly smiled and later he chuckled faintly.

"So, buhay nga siya," he muttered.

He  took another blow from his frustrated brother-in-law. After that, Dallon pulled up Wendel's bangs and Dallon put his face close to Wendel's face.

"Itong tatandaan mo ah...kung makita ko lang ulit 'yung Kuya mong iyon. Sisiguraduhin ko na hindi na siya mabubuhay. Kung kaya't subukan lang niyang guluhin ang plano namin at mapapasa-akin ang  kaniyang ulo," he warned.

"Sa tingin mo hahayaan ka ni Daya na gawin iyon?"

"Huwag mong idamay si Daya rit--!"

"Kung isa man sa dalawang pinakamamahal ko ang ginalaw ninyo..."Wendel's irises turned shiny brown in color as he glared at Dallon. " Sisiguraduhin kong hindi lang bungo ninyo ng ama mo ang durog kundi pati na rin ang mga pinaka-iingatan ninyong parte sa katawan." He warned.

While staring at him, Dallon kept his mouth shut. Then, he gulped. After a few moments of no talk back to what Wendel had warned, Dallon decided to turn around and head to the door and leave.