Caught up in Your Storm

Chapter One

Sa buong klase ni Mr. Mendoza, ni isang bagay walang pumasok sa isip ko.

I had my chin sitting on my hand the entire class, eyes on the blackboard but everything written on there didn't translate to me. My thoughts were jumbled altogether, jumping from what I'd eat later when I got home to an assignment that I didn't do.

Medyo kinakabahan ako dahil baka bigla akong tanungin about sa lesson at wala akong masasagot. Kaya paminsan-minsan, kunwari na binubuhos ko ang atensyon ko kay Mr. Mendoza kahit wala akong maintindihan.

Paulit-ulit akong tumitingin sa relos ko, at nung una, akala ko ay sira 'to dahil mukhang hindi umaandar ang oras. Ambagal ng oras at hindi rin tumulong ang mainit na panahon.

"Okay, class, that's it for today. Na-cover ko naman na lahat ng nasa sa quiz niyo bukas so I'm expecting good scores from you," sabi ni Mr. Mendoza habang linalagay niya ang mga gamit niya sa bag.

Ngumiwi ako dahil kung sinabi niya before mag-start ang lesson namin na may quiz pala kami bukas, then I would've listened and taken down notes. Bumuntong-hininga ako at nag-heads down sa desk ko.

Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko habang hinihintay ang susunod namin teacher. Pinagdasal ko na wala ang sunod na teacher dahil antok na antok ako.

Paano kasi, pinuyat ako kagabi kakalaro ng Call of Duty. It was all Heath's fault, invite nang invite sa akin hanggang sa inabot kami ng four o'clock kakalaro.

I wasn't the type to go to school sleep-deprived. I prefered to have a good amount of sleep para nakakapagfocus ako sa lessons namin. What just happened with my class is the consequence of staying up late last night.

My mind wandered off and I could only see the darkness from within until someone started poking me on the side.

"Girl, wake up, nand'yan na si Bulldog." It was the recognizable voice of Tasha. Tinaas ko ang ulo ko at nakita ang teacher namin sa harap.

It was a stupid nickname developed within our friend group, but then a few of my classmates also started calling her that. It always made me feel icky hearing or calling her that pero kailangan kong makisabay sa kanila.

Naiisip ko lang paminsan-minsan na malalagot kami sa oras na malaman niya na ayan ang tawag namin sa kanya.

We stood up and greeted her. Sinimulan niya ang klase niyang hindi ko pinakinggan.

Nang matapos ang klase namin sa subject niya, she dismissed us for lunch. Kasama ko sina Tasha at Willa.

I've known Tasha for so long, grade three pa lang ata kami at magkaibigan na kaming dalawa. She's snappy and a little mean but I've gotten used to her personality.

As for Willa, si Tasha ang unang nakakilala sa kanya back in grade seven. I've known her for three years na pero hindi ko pa rin siya masyadong close. She's the kind to keep to herself pero madaldal kapag kinakausap.

The three of us sat around the table. Nagsimula sina Tasha at Willa kumain.

Hindi ako nagbabaon kaya palagi lang akong nambuburaot. I never buy anything from the canteen, hindi naman kasi masarap ang pagkain nila. Tapos junk foods lang ang tinitinda nila other than the ulam and rice.

It only took a few minutes for the other sections to go down. Dumating na sina Emmie at Roman. My other close friends are Emmie, who has been a friend since my pre-school days, and Roman was my first crush until I found out he didn't like girls.

Umupo silang dalawa sa tapat ko. It was always the five of us together.

"Hoy, ikaw, sabi ni Sir kapag hindi ka raw umattend sa meeting mamaya, iki-kick out ka na daw sa club," sabi sa akin ni Emmie habang binubuksan ang baonan niya.