That was it. We just stopped being friends. At ilang ulit kong binalik-balikan sa isip ko kung ano ang nagawa ko at kung bakit bigla na lang n'ya akong ayaw kausapin.
Was it Ara? Was it the flowers which Ara thought were for her? Was it because of Mr. and Ms. Nutrition Month? What was it? I repeatedly asked myself.
My nine-year old self couldn't understand what had happened but still, I went through lengths just to gain her forgiveness. I even sent her a long letter written on a piece of perfumed stationary with its matching pink envelope that Yaya and I chose. But that plan backfired because instead of forgiving me, she got bitten by a bee that came with the bouquet of flowers that I bought to go with my letter.
"Ingrid will not be representing Section I in the Mr. and Ms. United Nations because she got stung by a bee and is still recuperating," Miss Punzalan announced to the class. "Ara, you will take Ingrid's place."
"Yes, Miss Punzalan," Ara replied.
Hindi alam ng mga kaklase ko na binigyan ko ng bulaklak si Ingrid at sa mga bulaklak na 'yun nanggaling ang bubuyog na kumagat sa kanya. At lalong hindi nila alam na ilang gabi na akong hindi nakakatulog dahil sa sobrang konsensya.
"Stay away from the botanical garden, apparently that's where Ingrid got stung," our teacher added much to my surprise.
I raised my hand.
"Yes, Aleph?"
"She got stung at the botanical garden, Miss?"
Miss Punzalan nodded. "Yes, that's what she said."
Bakit? Bakit hindi n'ya sinabi na galing sa d'un sa mga bulaklak na ibinigay ko sa kanya 'yung bubuyog? I couldn't help but ask myself.
A week later, Ingrid was back in class and I gathered all the courage I could muster to ask her why she did not tell our homeroom adviser about the truth.
"Do you want to get expelled?" she asked.
"Expelled?" I asked back in confusion.
"You might get expelled, kaya h'wag mong sasabihin sa kanila, sa atin na lang 'yun. Besides, you recently just got friends and I don't want them to make fun of you again."
"Ingrid..."
"Aleph, I just have one request..."
"Ano 'yun?"
"Pwedeng h'wag mo na akong kausapin?"
I nodded thinking that she wanted a few hours, a day at most, to herself.
But days and weeks had passed and Ingrid still refused to talk to me; she even asked to be transferred to the first row because she reasoned that she wanted to see the board better.
"Pwede na ba tayong mag-usap?" I asked four weeks later as I followed her down the stairs of the elementary school building. "Ingrid, kausapin mo naman ako."
I saw how she slowed down her steps.
"Hindi ko naman sinadya 'yung sa bubuyog, eh. I promise, hindi ko alam at hinding-hindi ko sasadyain na saktan ka—"
"Aleph! Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat lunch with us?" I heard Ara holler. Ni hindi ko namalayang nakasunod sila ng mga kaibigan n'ya sa akin. "Aleph!"
I ignored her as I looked imploringly at Ingrid. "Bati na tayo, Ingrid, please...sige na naman—"
"Ara is waiting for you, Aleph," she said before she left.
Out of sheer desperation, I talked to Ate Irina, her sister. Kilala sa buong St. Bernadette si Irina Ysobel Samonte and Ingrid is extremely proud of her older sister. Kaya naman naging idolo ko si Ate Ice dahil katulad n'ya ay gusto ko ring hangaan ako ng isang Ingrid Yelen Samonte.
