Chapter 2: Pumpkin

"Shut up Mildred!" Mr. Sanchez cut me with authority.

"But-"

Tumahimik nalang ako, maiyak-iyak na ako dahil for the first time in my entire life ngayon lang ako naka encounter nang ganitong klase ng lalaki. I feel attacked. Ganito pala ang feelings ng binubully. I was wondering, how the hell did those kids I bullied overcome the fear I've given to them. And now, this guy in front of me is the wildest. I can't tame him. He is so good at making stories.

I looked at him, nag-iisip siya. He opened his mouth at mas nawindang ako sa mga sinabi niya. "Plano na namin na magkita kanina Sir." Tumingin siya sa akin na parang nanunukso. "I was stripped down the stairs adjacent to Mrs. Magno's class kaya nadumihan ang damit ko." He paused again and continued what he was saying. "I just couldn't hold my excitement to kiss this young lady in front of me-"

"Yuck! Kilabutan ka sana sa mga pinagsasasabi mo, Patrick!" Gustong-gusto ko na siyang suntukin sa galit. "Ngayon lang nga kita nakita and you are claiming me as your girlfriend? Oh c'mon wake up!" Tumayo na ako nun habang pakumpay kumpay sa mga kamay ko dahil iritableng-iritable na ako.

Lumapit si Mr. Sanchez sa akin ng nakataas ang kilay, "Ms. Garcia, talaga bang hindi mo ito boyfriend?" Tinitigan din ako ni Sir na para bang gusto niyang sabihin ko na totoo ang pingsasabi nitong si Patrick. "Then why are you caught kissing in the act?" tanong ni Mr. Sanchez.

Na-corner ako sa tanong ni Sir, "That, that Sir... kasi manyak yang si Patrick!"

"But you like it? Right?" putol ni Patrick sa akin.

Like mo mukha mo!

Kitang-kita na gulong-gulo rin si Sir sa mga sagot naming dalawa. "Okay! Okay! Walang aamin?" Nilingon niya kami pareho ni Patrick. "Why not call your parents, Ms. Garcia and Mr. Alonzo?" Pananakot ni Sir sa amin.

Syempre, ayoko namang papuntahin si Dad dito. "Sir, baka pwede naman na ma-settle lang dito without calling our parents?" Lumapit ako kay Sir para bigyang diin ang opinion ko. "You know Sir, hindi naman sa nagmamagaling pero baka may warning pa? It's my first time naman dito diba?" sunod sunod na sabi ko.

Tumawa si Sir, "Yes, Ms.Garcia. First time mo dito pero hindi mo first time i-complain ng mga batang pinapaiyak mo!" taas kilay na sabi ni Sir.

May point si Sir.

"Ganito nalang, Sir!" saad ko. Hindi pwedeng malaman nila Dad yung nangyari today. "Let's make a deal!" Tumingin ako sa kisama hoping na may maibibigay ako na suhestiyon.

"Why not let us do community service?" sabat ni Patrick.

"Call!" pagsang-ayon ko. This time pareho naming ayaw papuntahin ang mga parents namin.

Parang nagustuhan ni Sir ang sagot ni Patrick. "One month community service?" seryosong tanong ni Sir.

"Sir naman, para namang hindi mo ako kilala, pwedeng one week nalang?" tanong ko.

Tumayo si Sir at kinuha ang phone niya, pananakot na tatawagan talaga mga magulang namin. "Ok Mildred, tawagan nalang natin parents mo?"

Patakbo akong lumapit kay Sir. "Ok sir, call na call ako sa one month, kahit pa one year!" pabirong sabi ko sabay high five kay Sir Sanchez.

Along with that agreement, we are asked to sign a form para legit na legit ang napagkasunduan. I and Patrick will be having community services every after class, 4-5pm including Saturdays and Sundays.

Tapos na kaming magsulat when Mr. Sanchez called me, "Alex?"

"YES!" sabay naming sagot kay Sir.

Nagkatitigan ulit kami. This time ako na ang galit at iretable samantang enjoy na enjoy siya na nagagalit ako.

"Oh, pareho pala kayong Alex?" sabi ni Sir habang tumatawa.

Mildred Alex Kate Garcia

Patrick Vonne Alex Alonzo

________________________________________

Pabalik na kami sa classroom while he is smirking again. "Hoy!" I pointed my index finger at him. "Patrick- Alex or whatever your name is, would you please stop smirking and smiling. Hindi mo ikinaka-pogi yang-"

"You want another kiss, Alex?" Napahinto ako, napaatras, to be exact.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "Manyak talaga!"

He then steps his right foot near me. "If I'm not mistaken, I was your first kiss," panunukso niyang sabi. "Seeing you like this-" Looking at me from head to foot. "your face as red as an apple," Another step closer to me. "I bet I got the right words to say!" He winked at me.

Mas namula ako.

His face is an inch away from mine. Yumuko pa siya, "You are unlikable!" He paused and examined me. "You're not even close to pretty!" He touches my cheek. "You are not even cute!" his words get deeper and deeper. "You dont have something to be proud of!" Tumalikod siya at humakbang papalayo sa akin. Akala ko tapos na siyang pahiyain ako pero hindi pa pala. "Did you think you looked cool harassing kids who were weaker than you? I've known you since Day 1 Mildred. I've been watching you and will be watching you!" mariin niyang sabi habang naniningkit ang mga mata na nakatitig sa akin.

Tuluyan na siyang umalis. That hit me, his words hit me. I didn't even notice the tears in my eyes. I'm not a crybaby but why am I crying? It tears me down and it keeps my heart pounding for aches.

End of Flashback.

I was 16 during that time and that was the scariest encounter we had, my first love. I've been thinking repeatedly if I hadn't thrown the vase and if he hadn't thrown back his phone, would I have had the roller coaster ride in my high school days?

We had the same name, Alex.

Kaya hindi ko siya makalimutan dahil dala-dala ko palagi ang pangalan niya.

I am Mildred Alex Kate Garcia.

Teachers call me by my first name and the rest call me Alex, always Alex. I am in my last year in college, major in Tourism. Something is missing. I bet someone is still missing.

Flashback.

Umuwi ako ng bahay na puro luha pa ang mga mata. Nobody would notice at home dahil busy si Dad sa trabaho and my Mom lives abroad. Yeah! I'm all alone. Katulong lang sa bahay ang laging nandito. Hindi na nga kami nagkikita ni Dad. I can't even contact my Mom because she already has her new family.

I sat in front of the mirror.

"You are unlikable! You're not even close to pretty! You are not even cute! You don't have something to be proud of!"

Paulit-ulit na naririnig ko ang boses ni Patrick. Tinitigan ko ang sarili ko.

"Yeah! I don't have the looks, maybe because I don't have a Mom to take good care of me. I look plain and haggard. With my hair na sobrang buhaghag para talaga akong gangster."

"You are unlikable! You're not even close to pretty! You are not even cute! You don't have something to be proud of!"

"Kung makapagsalita ka naman akala mo kung sino kang gwapo. Matangkad ka lang tsaka matangos ang ilong pero di ka gwapo Patrick! Hindi ka gwapo!" Inis na inis na kinakausap ang sarili ko.

Nakatulogan ko ang pag-iisip sa mga sinabi ng hunghang na yun. Nagising ako ng madaling araw. I checked my f******k account and may mga nag friend request. Isa sa kumuha ng atensiyon ko ay ang pangalan ni Alex.

ALEX ALONZO sent a friend request.

Wow naman may gana pang mag add friend pagkatapos niya kong sakalin kanina at pagsalitaan ng mga di maganda.

Confirm. Delete.

Of course I click delete. Ayokong makipag friend sa presko, hunghang, feeling gwapo, manyak na katulad nitong si Patrick!

But, before I closed the app, I visited his timeline and even stalked his DP. He has a nice build. Matangos ang ilong at medyo maputi. I visited his albums pero wala naman akong magandang nakita, naka private lahat.

May nag pop na naman.

ALEX ALONSO sent you a friend request.

Confirm. Delete.

Delete ko na naman.

Patuloy ako sa pag-view ng timeline niya and it caught my attention again.

Pumpkin! You are not pretty at all.

Updated: 1:30AM

Tiningnan ko ang relo ko ang it's 1:33AM. "Ako ba pinariringgan mo?" Kinakausap ko ang screen ng cellphone ko.

For the third time.

ALEX ALONSO sent you a friend request.

ALEX ALONSO sent a message.

"Hi, pumpkin!" So ako nga talaga ang pinaparinggan niya.

I accepted the friend request and automatically blocked him.

Segi mag friend request ka pa! Kulit mong kupal ka! May pa watching you watching you ka pang nalalaman. Tsee! Stalker!!!

I turned off my data and went back to sleep. I hate him to death. Kanina ko pa lang siya nakita at minumulto na niya ako! Nakakainis!!

Napabalikwas ako nang makitang tumutunog ang cellphone ko, may tumatawag. I opened my eyes and looked at the screen. It was 3 in the dawn. Sino ba namang ungok ang tatawag ng ganitong oras? It was an unregistered number, so I canceled it.

Tumunog na naman ang cellphone ko. It was the same number so I canceled it again.

For the third time, tumunog na naman ang phone ko. I feel annoyed, so I answer the phone loudly. "Can't you see what time is it!? Stupid!"

"Hi, pumpkin!" I heard a familiar voice on the other line at nanlaki ang mga mata ko.