I knew that I shouldn't have lost my cool with Lara but I couldn't stand how unremorseful she was.
She should have just turned this opportunity down kung gan'un naman pala 'yung thinking n'ya, I thought to myself as I made my way to my bedroom.
The only way I could contact Principal Delgado was through e-mail and I knew that he probably wouldn't read his mails during weekends.
"That was hasty of me. Sana kinausap ko na lang si Lara nang maayos. But if she continues to act-up the way she's acting-up, mas mabuti na rin sigurong mag-isa na lang ako."
But points will continuously be deducted for all the activities and lectures that she'll miss...
I groaned. "Paano ba 'to...?"
I took my phone out of my sling bag before I dialed Ate Ice's number.
"O, Aleph, bakit ka napatawag? Is everything okay?" my girlfriend's sister asked.
"Hello po, Ate Ice...Ate, may number ka po ba ni Principal Delgado? Wala po kasi akong number n'ya at kailangan ko lang po s'yang makausap."
"Why wouldn't you have his number when you're the Student Council VP?" she queried. "Unless na-bad shot ka sa kanya, may pagkamatampuhin talaga 'yun."
"Hindi naman po, Ate. Last month po kasi may nag-leak ng personal number ni Principal Delgado kaya tuloy ang daming nag-prank call sa kanya. He changed his number after that incident and he no longer shares his personal number even with the student council officers. Kung gusto po namin s'yang makausap ay through e-mail na lang po or through his secretary."
"There's such a story? I didn't know. I just received a text message informing me about his new number. But, anyway, sige ipapadala ko sa'yo, hindi mo naman siguro i-pa-prank call si Sir Delgado, 'di ba?"
"Hindi po, Ate," I immediately said.
Ate Ice laughed. "Alam ko naman, ikaw pa ba? Kilala kita, mabait ka kayang bata. Pero, maiba tayo, how's the conference, are you having fun?"
"Okay naman po..."
"Hm...that's a less enthusiastic response than I anticipated. May problema?"
Hindi ko alam kung sasabihin ko ba kay Ate Ice dahil kung tutuusin ay parang s'ya ang ginawang dahilan ni Lara kung bakit ito nagkakalat sa conference.
"Aleph, what's wrong? Kumusta si Lara?"
"'Ayun po, Ate, Ice, uuwi na raw po si Lara."
"What? Bakit?"
"Parang hindi yata po s'ya sang-ayun na nasa atin lang 'yung Dynamo trophy at balak po yata n'yang ipamigay muna sa iba..."
"Ano? Hindi n'ya ba alam na kapag nakuha ng school 'yung Dynamo trophy for five consecutive years ay may cash prize na makukuha ang St. Bernadette? It's big enough to help finish the Science Complex. Besides, dalawang taon na lang we'll be in ISYC's Hall of Fame. Wala pang nakakagawang school n'yan and if ever, St. Bernadette will be the first school to do so."
I sighed. "Ate Ice, that's the reason why I am trying to contact Principal Delgado because I really don't know what to do next. Lara was late during the first lecture and she wasn't present in the next two activities. Kaya po, Ate, may deduction na po kami kaagad na forty-five points unang araw pa lang po ng conference."
"What, nasaan 'yang babaeng 'yan?! Let me talk to her!"
"Hindi ko po alam kung saan po ang room n'ya at ayoko rin naman po s'yang puntahan d'un kasi sa pagkakaalam ko po ay bawal ang boys sa floor ng girls and vice-versa."
