"Hey can you still use your hand, right?"
"Ye. .yess!"
Anitong napalunok ng laway bago sumagot.
"Give me a hand, sinu-sino sa mga ito ang nanakit sayo?"
"Hindi ako!"
"Not me!"
Anang isa na akmang tatakbo palayo.
"Try to make another steps—"
Hindi na nila pinatapos ang kanyang linya bigla nalang lumuhod ang mga ito at sabay-sabay na itinaas ang mga kamay.
"Sorry hindi rin naman namin gustong mag bully but Moira will turn against us!"
"Shut up!"
nanggigil na bulyaw ni Moira sa lima habang si Jenny ay nakalimutan na yata kung paano tumayo mula sa sobrang pagkagulat nito.
Habang si Mildred naman namimilipit sa sobrang sakit ng kanyang sikmura mula sa tadyak na natanggap niya kay Sophia.
"You don't want to apologized?"
Sophia asked impatiently.
"Hey. . it's your turn now!"
bigla niyang baling kay Glaiza.
"Isampal mo sa kanya kung gaano kalakas ang sampal na natanggap mo mula sa kanila kanina"
Utos niya dito.
"You dare!"
mabalasik na bulyaw ni Moira kay Glaiza.
"Go on!"
anyang di pinansin ang banta nito.
Dalawang mag asawang nakakabinging sampal ang ibinigay ni Glaiza sa pagmumukha ni Moira.
"Bitch!"
Impit na mura ni Moira.
"Isama mo narin yong mga yon!"
Ani Sophia kay Glaiza.
"You know why I'm here in this place?"
ani Sophia kay Moira.
"Why should I be interested?"
Moira blurted out kahit duguan na ang pagmumukha nito, matigas parin ang ulo.
"Because I was expelled for almost killing someone and up to this time nasa hospital pa siya. I'm just wondering baka gusto mong sumunod sa kanya!"
Malamig niyang sabi. She already calm down but still she did not let her guard down.
"I been expelled three times for beating a bunch of useless thugs like you and I'll make sure this time it's not me who's going to be kick out!"
Dahil sa narinig ang dating mabalasik na mukha ni Moira ay napalitan ng takot.
"Not coming here was supposed to be saving your ass pero mapilit kang talaga"
Sophia snorts.
"Now I'm going to give all of you an option!"
"Why should we—
Marahas na hilablot ni Sophia si Moira habang hawak nya sa isang kamay ang leeg nito.
"One more word from you and I'm going to snap your neck!"
Moira saw something in Sophia's eyes that make her tremble in fear. Napaigik sya sa sobrang sakit at tila nauubusan na sya ng hangin.
"Anong karapatan mong manakit ng iba? Every child is precious to their parents eyes, tas sasaktan lang ninyo? You don't deserve to be a bully, you don't even know how to fight for real!"
Anya saka marahas na binitawan ito.
It was getting late at malamang nag aalala na ang kanyang abuelo she knows him, Mr. Ybañez could turn one place upside down just to find her at ayaw niyang mangyari ang bagay na iyon.
"All of you!"
anya sa mga ito.
"Meet me tomorrow at the back of herbiology garden, don't show up and this whole school will knows what kind of loser you are!"
Tatalikod na sana siya ng may maalala. She already started this kaya't itutodo na niya.
"kayong tatlo!"
anya kina Moira, Jenny at Mildred.
"Join them, gayahin nyo sila at aalis lang kayo sa lugar na ito kapag di niyo na nakikita ang anino ng sasakyan ko, and don't think to cheat me you'll know what will happened!"
The three of them silently gritted their teeth in anger alam kasi nilang di nila kayang e bully si Sophia.
She grab Glaiza in her arms at inalalayan itong makaupo sa kanyang sasakyan.
"I'm going to send you in the hospital!"
May pag alala niyang sabi rito.
"Wag na gabi na masyado nag aalala na sila mama sa akin, I'm just going to tell them na nadulas ako sa hagdanan!"
Dahil sa sinabi nito an idea come up in Sophie's mind, binuksan nya ang bintana sa tabi ni Glaiza.
"Hey!"
sigaw nya na ikagulantang ng sampu.
"Don't forget to tell your parents you slip off in the stairs!"
Madilim ang mukha nyang sabi bago pinaharurot ang sasakyan.
"Where is your place?"
napakunot noo niyang tanong.
"May kalayuan dito, naglalakad lang ako pauwi araw-araw!"
Sophia learn that Glaiza is a scholar from her M&M scholarship program, Glaiza is a top student in their class which makes her think na magiging karibal nya ito in academic.
Glaiza has to visit the Capital to renew her scholarship dahil sa dami ng scholar na studyante, she needs to apply every semister.
"How much shcolarship did they grant you?"
Curious nyang tanong habang nagmamaniho.
"They covered all my school fees at my allowance din ako but see I still have two sibbling kaya yong allowance ko napupunta sa kanila!"
She felt guilty. Habang nagtatapon at nagsasayang siya ng panahon, meron palang naghihirap at nagsusumikap araw araw makatapos lang ng pagaaral.
"Part time din ako sa school library natin!"
Kaya pala ito late nakauwi kanina! aniya.
"Those bullies will no longer bother you at kahit na sino!"
"You know what?"
Sophie hummed to answer her.
"Mas nakakatakot ka pala kesa sa mga yon!"
anito na biglang napabungisngis.
Sophie just smiled, hindi sya ang tipo na palakaibigan but it was strange that she found a warmth feelings towards Glaiza.
It was probably guilt, habang nasa kanya na ang lahat which Glaiza doesn't have pero nag susumikap parin ito while she grow up being a spoiled brat.
Ang bahay pala nila Glaiza ay nasa bayan at may kalayuan nga talaga sa main road kailangan pa nitong maglakad papunta sa highway bago makasakay ng bus sa umaga habang naglalakad nalang pauwi kinahapunan.
"Since madadaanan kita, antayin mo ako dito bukas!"
aniya habang tinatahak ang daan papunta sa looban.
"Naku ibaba mo na ako rito, nakakahiya naman sayo!"
Anyang pinamulahan ng mukha.
"It's ok I'm sure this time mapapagalitan kana ng parents mo, let me explain to them!"
Walang nagawa si Glaiza kundi manahimik.
"Nga pala I forgot to ask your name!"
"I'm Glaiza and you?"
"Are you in my class right?"
aniyang naguguluhan.
"I was late for two period this morning but since I'm a top student they still allowed me to come but I'm going to have a community service in the weekend!"
"Ah!" aniya na napatango." I'm Sophia!"
Hindi na nya sinabi ang buong pangalan para hindi ito maging aloof sa kanya.
"We're here, Soph!" masaya nitong sabi.
Nakita nyang nakaabang ang lahat ng pamilya nito sa labas ng kanilang barong barong.
She felt like her heart was being wrench, mas malaki pa ata ang kanyang kwarto kesa sa bahay nina Glaiza but still she envied the warmness of the family.
Sophie suddenly realized that she did not have everything at all, she might have all she needed but Glaiza had a parents, who gets worried everytime she comes home late.
"Cook something for me, next time I come!"
Aniya na may halong biro, na ikinatuwa ng mga magulang ni Glaiza. She wave goodbye on them before leaving.