I was left dumbfounded when she just passes beside me ignoring my sudden reaction.

Following stones instead of shells, Oh! That's new. Maybe she's just so in love of stones.

"Hey!" tawag ko sa atensyon nito. But she just ignored me again.

She has the guts huh?!

Napangisi ako when something came up to my mind, a royal? She maybe belongs to a royal family. Acting that way, hindi na nakapagtataka.

I heave a sigh of disappointment.

Sino nga ba naman ang mangangahas ibaba ang sarili para lang maabot ng iba, o para lang makipagusap sa mas nakabababa sa kung nasaan ka? Kung gan’yan ka magisip, well,

I pity you dude!

Wala 'yan sa tayog, tulad ng kawayan, gaano man katayog ay 'di nito mapigilang yumukod. Mas lalong wala iyan sa apelido, respect is something that can't be given, but rather earned.

I shook my head and was about to leave when...

"You did follow the stone too. Baka ikaw naman si Dory?" I was surprised to hear that.

When I look at her, mas lalo lang akong nasurpresa when I saw the surprise look on her face too.

"Dory's not a muscular man, Sweetheart." I jested.

Confusions drawn on her face upon hearing what I said, I then turn around and was about to leave again when, "You heard it?" She asked.

I frowned. Kami lang naman 'yung narito, kung hindi ako, sino pang makaririnig? I roamed my vision around.

May kasama ba siyang 'di ko nakikita?

"Tayo lang naman ang narito, unless," when I gazed at her, her expression didn't change, she still has that surprise look on her face.

"Are you on high, Sweetheart?" napapailing nalang ako, at nang hindi ito sumagot at nanatili parin ang gulat sa mukha niya, I turned my back on her for the third time, and was about to leave for about a couple of attempts now when I noticed something is missing.

"Where are the stones?" I asked in disbelief without looking at her.

"And you even saw the stones too?" good thing she answered, but that's not the right answer I expected.

Mukhang naglolokohan nalang kami rito ah! I took a deep sigh and finally went on walking my way to where I left my bag.

Hindi na din naman sumunod ito, palayo na ako when I heard her calling someone. "Zannah?" Marahang tawag nito.

"Zannah! Sandali!" now she's shouting.

Hindi ba siya aware na nasa library ito? And the golden rule when you enter a library, 'Observe Silence!' given how simple it is yet everyone seemed to forget, hindi na nakapagtataka kong ang simpleng pagyukod sa mga nakakatanda, maging roon ay pumapalya. 

Tsk! Since when did I start butting my ass to someone’s business?

"Stop it Nana! Look what you've done!" halos mapatid ako sa paglalakad sa narinig kong pagsigaw.

Shit! She doesn’t sounds like earlier.

Puno ng awtoridad ang boses nito, iba sa kung paano ako nito kausapin kanina, her voice earlier is so feminine, it was in a very low soothing tone, hindi makabasag pinggan.

She's not suffering from any short term memory, but how 'bout Dual Identity Disorder? Could be, right?

"Silence!" Ms. Esmeralda's shout banged the four corners library. It then caused silence right after.

Zannah? Nana?

The fuck is my business!!!

Is that green-eyed lady a nerd who gone crazy upon seeing millions of books? And that Zannah is an imaginary friend of her, the result of her craziness? Oh! Too bad,

"Maganda pa naman siya."

"Sinong maganda?" I almost jump when a stupid dick head came in my view.

"Get out of my sight, Frondo!"

"You know I won't!" He said. So full of himself! Did I already say that he's a dick head? Arghhh!

"Now tell me, who's the lucky girl?" He added. "No worries man! We're best friends your secret's fine with me! The darker the safer---"

"We're not best friends! And I’m not even looking for one." I snorted. At saka muling nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

"You're so mean Haunt!" usal nito, with pouted fuckin’ lips! Alam na alam talaga nito kung paano ako inisin! Kotang kota na siya sa akin.

If only I'm capable of beheading someone! He's far dead! Swear!

Meet, Lahari Frondo. A certified Royalty, nasa kanya na ang lahat, money, brain and everything. Pero tulad ko he's too far of being sociable.

And I don't freaking know why on hell he's so persistent of pursuing me to be his so called friend. Kung puwede namang maghanap nalang siya ng iba.

It is easier that way. Hindi 'yung ipinagpipilitan niya 'yung sarili niya sa taong walang ibang ginawa kundi ipagtabuyan siya.

Things are not always what we think they are. Not all the places we fit, is where we truly belong. Iba ang kasiya sa pinagsisikan lang. For enough is quite far from almost.

I snatched my bag place on the desk and walk my way out. Nilakihan ko rin ang bawat paghakbang sa pagaakalang in that way hindi na ako masusundan pa ni Frondo. But like what I just said,

He's a persistent living creature with an oozing perseverance and focused goal.

"Haunt? This afternoon na 'yung gathering, imbitado k---"

"The what, Frondo?!" Putol ko rito, did I hear him right?

Napapangiti naman itong sumulyap sa akin. Damn! Tell me I'm wrong!

"Sakit ka talaga sa ulo!" Singhal ko rito, bago mabilis na tumakbo. Shit! Not again!

The gathering, which that idiot's pertaining to is something I'm not into! Nagaganap ang gathering months before the semester’s midterms. Dito na malalaman ang resulta sa naganap na halalan nang nakaraang buwan.

To where, that mokong nominated me as the student body president. And fuck it! I did try to step-back, but the Supreme's didn't accept my appeal! Another fuck for that!

And now that I heard him say that I was invited, isa lang ang ibig sabihin noon,

Agaran kong binuksan ang pinto ng office ng Head Mistress, our school's Supremo, without even knocking.

"I object!" Walang paligoy-ligoy kong saad rito, catching my breath. Napaagat naman ng tingin ito sa akin, without a trace of shock on her face, tila ba inaasahan na talaga nito ang pagdating ko.

"Congratulations, Mr. Mallory!" sagot nito putting aside my sudden appeal!

Ngumiwi ako sa naging tugon nito, shit lang!

"Next time you enter, you must knock first! Though, you're always welcome here, learn to pay respect. See you later, Mr. Student Body President." Pinal nitong saad.

I damn won!

Magtago ka na Lahari! Yari ka sa akin!

~~~