Chapter 1
(STORY IS WRITTEN IN FILIPINO AND ENGLISH)
RINGGG... RINGGGG
Gosh... Is it morning already? Parang ilang minuto lang tulog ko.
I turn off my alarm and get up from my bed, putting on my slippers before I go and get ready for the first day at Marble Hills Academy–A school I’ve been attending since I was in my 2nd year of junior high.
Outside my room, naririnig ko yung Daddy ko na may kausap sa phone.
Palagi naman nandito sa bahay si daddy, pero it’s more often na nasa office siya since he’s busy managing his company.
I got dressed in my MHA uniform, just a knee-length skirt with a matching navy waistcoat, underneath it a white short-sleeved polo.
"Martha, nak! Kain na!” Sinigaw ni ate Mimi sa baba.
I fixed my hair, grabbed my stuff, and went out of my room to eat breakfast downstairs.
“Himala, nagising ka sa alarm mo,” sabi ni Ethan, yung nakita nya akong bumaba ng hagdanan.
“Di naman palagi ’yon. Grabe ka sa akin.” Umupo ako sa usual kong spot sa lamesa, tas kumuha ako agad ng agahan na inihanda ni Ate Mimi.
“Ay, bilisan niyo na kumain, 6:30 na at 7:30 pasok niyo!” Sabi ni Ate Mimi habang naglagay siya ng hotdog sa lamesa.
“Ate Mi, ang aga pa naman, we don’t really need to rush.” Sabi ni Ethan habang kumukuha siya ng ulam.
That is Ethan Pierce De Vera, he’s my younger brother. He’s somewhat of a troublemaker since he does everything dad doesn’t want him to do, like skipping class and sneaking out to hang out with his friends and girls.
“Hoy, traffic na ng ganitong oras kaya bilisan mo din,” I said as I finished up my breakfast quickly, which I probably shouldn’t have done kase baka sumakit tyan ko mamaya.
While we ate, Daddy finished his phone call and bumaba din sya.
“Art, Ethan, here’s your allowance for the week,” Dad said, habang nilalabas nya yung wallet nya. “Ethan, I don’t want to hear that you’re spending more time in billiards than in school. Icucut ko yung allowance mo if you do.”
“Di na naman ko yun ginagawa palagi, dad, you exaggerate.” He said as he took the money and shoved it into his pocket.
“Wag mo isaksak nang basta basta sa bulsa mo yan, baka mahulog nanaman”
We finished eating our food, then we grabbed the rest of our stuff and headed out the door.
“Ano sched mo?” Ethan asked as we got into the car.
“7:30 to 2 pm ako, pero baka mag stay pa ako ng konti since we have a council meeting,” I said while I took out my phone.
“Wow, sipag neto oh. Kala mo di nag pupuyat kaka scroll”
“Baliw! Wala kasing pasok noon, kaya wala, ’yun lang ginagawa ko!”
*NOTIFICATION: MHA-SSG*
--
MA’AM GONZALES:
!! REMINDER !!
Student council meeting with Professor Gonzales.
TIME: 2:30
PLACE: CLASSROOM 2-1, SECOND FLOOR, MAIN BUILDING.
BAWAL MALATE! If malalate, please inform us before the meeting starts, or you will be penalized.
.
“Sabihin mo nalang kay kuya driver na I’ll just book a car pauwi, and tell ate Mimi,” Sabi ko kay Ethan while I read the message.
“Bahala ka”
⋆‧°𓏲ּ𝄢
“Oh my gash! Andito na si baklaa!” I was greeted by my best friend, Ysabel Lian Garcia. Matagal ko na siya kaibigan since I met her when I first came to MHA. I literally tell her everything, and she does too, and she’s also like a sister to me.
“Ang aga aga, taas ng energy mo ah,” I said as I sat down on a seat next to hers.
“Nakita ko kasi si crush kanina, nag good morning pa.” She smiled.
“Yung Kristian? Puro naman siya nalalaman mo sa buhay?”
“Grabe ka! Cute nya kaya,” She laughed, and I laughed alongside her.
While we were talking, dumami na yung mga students sa class, then Ma’am Chua came in.
“Good morning, students. I am Ma’am Marielle Chua, and I’ll be your advisory teacher for this school year.” She said, grabbing all of our attention because of how stern and serious her voice was.
“Let’s start with introductions, muna. First is Mister Alder Alfonso”
“Alfonso? Diba yun yung bagong guidance?” Binulong sa akin ni Ysa.
“Wow, di naman sya siguro masungit kasi guidance yung kamag-anak nya,” I said while we watched him introduce himself.
Mga nakailang students before umabot sa akin. I’m so nervous!
“Okay, next is Miss De Vera. Tell us your name, age, and your motto in life.” Motto? Bat may paganun?!
“Yes, po Ma’am,” I said as I stood up and walked towards the front of the class.
I composed myself before I gained the courage to talk. “Hello everyone, I am Martha Beau De Vera, but you can just call me Art or Martha if you want. I am 16 years old.” Nag isip muna ako saglit, bat kasi may pa motto motto pa yan si ma’am! Hirap mag isip kaya non.
“My Motto in life is, uh, one step at a time, meaning don’t rush,” Jusko, okay lang kung di sya complex, basta it makes sense.
“Thank you, next naman si Mister Dizon.” I walked back to my and Ysa’s table and sat down.
“Galing a, on the spot motto” Binulong sakin ni Ysa.
“Wala ako maisip eh, tas dun naman ako magaling.”
“Kase tamad ka?”
“Baliw ka.” Okay, okay, I know that I’m a huge procrastinator, pero like minsan lang naman.
After what felt like so long, everyone said their introductions, and Ma’am Chua began to tell us the grading systems and the school calendar.
“Also, para di kayo mabigla, we have an exchange student coming in next week.” Exchange Student? Since when has MHA been accepting exchange student programs?
“Huy, baka pogi ’yan, afam, eh,” Ysa said to me. Siguro ini-imagine na nya kung ano yung mga pwede niyang gawin para makapunta sa snow.
“Baliw ka, wala pa dito yung tao ganyan na agad naiimagine mo sakanya”
“Malaya mo! It’s not bad, Kaya.” Hay nako, nothing changes with her parin, but she’s still a super kind friend.
We went through the rest of the day sitting in class and doing introductions, but I couldn’t help but be curious about who this new exchange student is gonna be. Babae kaya siya o lalaki? From what country kaya sya galing?
I checked the time and saw that it was almost time for the student council meeting. I gathered my things before leaving my class and headed to the 2nd floor.
When I arrived, I saw the other members already there and chatting away while waiting for Ma’am Gonzales.
“Ayan na best girl naminn!”
That’s our secretary, Ate Myah, she was a part of the party list I was in during the Election last year! She’s very nice, and she’s been a consistent member for a long time now.
“Kulang pa ah, ’di pinapunta yung mga Repre?” I said as I sat down next to Myah.
“Excuse yung representatives, they’re setting up the welcoming bulletin boards.”
Ito naman si Kuya Fabian, he’s our council president na medyo sineseryoso masyado yung duties nya, but at least he’s trying to do his job.
Soon dumating si Ma’am Gonzales.
“Alright, Lucio and Jayden are excused, their parents messaged me,” She said as she put her stuff down on the table.
“So we’ll be discussing the plans for the first event,” She began to write on the board about what we should do for the first event of the school year.
So it was gonna be a school-wide event, something to introduce the newer students to the school. There’s gonna be a club and activity fair, so extracurriculars can get introduced to younger high schoolers, and for transfer students.
“Fabian, Myah, make sure to inform the absent members. And I’ll be assigning who will be in charge of each booth.”
Mathematics club - Fernando Geoffrey Ylagan
Art Club - Myah Dee Basan
Music Club - Myah Dee Basan
Basketball - Jayden Porfirio Chio
Volleyball - Fabian Sein Blanco
Badminton - Jayden Porfirio Chio
Debate and Speech - Fabian Sein Blanco
Robotics - Lucio Andres Martinez
“Martha, I want you to be in charge of the documentation of this event. I expect your team to also make the post and captions” Grabe naman si ma’am, kakastart lang ang dami nanaman pinapagawa!
“Noted, po Ma’am,” I said as I was already prepared to send a message to the docu-team.
“Also, speaking of newer students, I also want two of you to assist our exchange students for this school year.” Ma’am Gonzales gave us a map pamphlet.
“Jayden and I can’t, we’re gonna be too busy with the preparations.”
“Ako din po ma’am.”
“Well then, considering that one of the exchange students is your classmate, Martha, I’ll leave him to you. Then inform Lucio that he’ll take care of the 10th grader exchange.” Luh, bat sakin din yan? I have docu duties po ma’am bat sakin din yung exchange student!!
“Uh, Sure ma’am, I’ll try my best” was all I could say since di ko din naman pwede tanggihin si ma’am.
Soon, the meeting ended, and I texted the driver to pick me up from school.
“Huy, do you want me to help you out with sa documentation? I can help with editing the photos, Naman!” Ate Myah said while sinabayan nya ako sa entrance.
“That would be amazing ate, pero hindi ka ba matatambakan din ng duties mo sa clubs? Dalawa pa naman naka assign sayo.” I don’t wanna be too much of a pabigat kay ate Myah, even though she’s trying to help me out, nakakahiya din kaya sakanya since I’m her underclassman.
“Sus, madami naman kami dun! Ikaw naman yung binigyan ng mas mahirap since sayo dadaan lahat ng editing and photos para sa documentation natin, I’ll help you nalang pag free ako”
“Thank you talaga, ate Myah, I literally don’t know what I’ll do without you.” I smiled, then I saw my driver pull up in front of the gates, so I quickly bid my farewell to Myah before getting inside the car.
!! PING - Panget na bunso sent a message !!
Jusko, ano nanaman gusto nito? Kakalabas ko pa lang ng meeting, may chat agad.
-
Panget na bunso: Daan ka mcdo plis ate kong maganda at matalino :))
Marthats: Luh, bat di ka mag padeliver?
Panget na Bunso: may mga bisita si mommy sa
baba, nahihiya ako bumaba
Marthats: Sino? la naman sinabi sakin si dad about visitors ah
Panget na Bunso: Bilhan moko flisssssssss
Marthats: Sige na nga, bayaran moko ah
Panget na Bunso: Yayyythankyu ate ganda
--
Eto talaga alam kung pano mambudol ng ate eh, kainis.
We passed by a fast-food place, and I bought him a simple burger meal and a Coke float with fries for myself before we headed home.
When we arrived home, I was surprised to see the family van parked out on the driveway. We usually don’t use it unless we’re going on a trip, kasi its spacious and more convenient for luggage.
“Ethan! Food mo!” I said as I came inside, putting his food on the kitchen counter before heading up to my room.
The moment na nakarating ako sa 2nd floor, may nakita akong unfamiliar na lalaki.
“Uh, excuse me? Bat po kayo andito?” I said, keeping distance unless he was actually more dangerous than I thought.
Lumingon sya sakin, eye brow raised na akala mo mas may karapatan sya dito!
Matangkad siya, baggy sweater and sweatpants, muka syang afam to be honest. But who is he, and what is he doing in my house?!
“Pardon me?” Hala, yung accent nya pang Russian! Who the hell is this guy?
“Ay- I mean, who are you?” Galing mo mag-English, Martha, kaya mo ’yan! Defend your home!
“Martha! You’re home na pala.” Mommy suddenly showed up and walked up to us, standing between the distance we had.
“Nikolai, this is my daughter that I mentioned earlier. Martha, this is Nikolai, he’s gonna be an exchange student at your school.”
... Ha? Siya yung exchange student namin?!Ba’t dito siya sa bahay namin mag-stay?!
