Four years ago
Sammy looked out the window of the car, staring outside at the school that was in front of her, the many different kids that were piling inside the halls. Sammy looked down at her black dress pants with her white dress shirt, her hair tied up into a bun that her mother did for her before she was sent off. Her father putting the car into park as he spoke, “Alright, we’re here. Out you go.”
Sammy looked out at the school, feeling a bit nervous at the sight of it, turning to her father to ask, “Dad, are you sure-”
“Yes, I’m sure” He interrupted her, his finger drumming against the steering wheel. He didn’t turn to her, he did not hug her, he just kept his eyes to the road in front of him before as he continued. “Now have a nice day, Samantha.”
“But dad-” Sammy attempted again in vein to get a response
“Samantha, I have to get to work” her father sinabi “Now if you would please get inside. Whatever it is, it can wait until you’re home. Remember, your bus number is 24. You wait for it every araw down the block. Don’t forget that. I can’t pick you up every day.”
Sammy struggled to find the right words, to find any words for that matter. She just stepped out of the car, her backpack around her shoulders and closed the door behind her, her father driving off immediately, without giving her another look. Sammy looked up at the school, Edgefield High. Having moved from northern Ohio down to the east, she wasn’t sure what to expect from this place. She wasn’t even sure if she would fit in. The area was a combination of kids from madami high end families, while others were from low income families. As a result, some of the students were separated from their social status, those from madami well off families looking down on the poorer kids and the poor ones regularly getting aggressive with the rich ones. Sammy took a deep breath and told herself she would just fly by, stick to herself, get through the four years of high school, go to a good college, and do her own thing in theater or arts. Maybe she'll be an actor for musicals, or even a director of one. She just had to tell herself to never step out of her lane. If she never gets involved, she’ll never have to worry about life. Life will just be easy for her.
Sammy made her way down the halls, the halls pader to pader crowded with students as she had to push her way through without pushing too hard. She kept a distance as she moved through the waves of people, moving through the bathroom as she would see it fly open. A group of three guys stepped out of the room, laughing to each other, pushing each other and making wise cracks. Shortly after, as sammy was just approaching, the door would pop open with another person stepping out. A large student, almost a full seven feet tall, his face covered in water and smelled of a toilet. He had this blank expression on his face, but it was clear what had happened. He looked over at Sammy for a moment, who had come to a stop with him being in the way. As she examined the look on his soaked face, he closed the door behind him and spoke, “Excuse me”.
He walked passed her without another word or a glance, moving passed the other students, all of who took glances at him and laughed. Sammy was almost tempted to say something back, to ask if he was good, to ask what had happened in there, but she didn’t. She turned from the student as he walked off and sighed.
“Keep to yourself, Samantha. Just keep to yourself” She spoke as she walked down the halls, the large student fading into the crowd behind her.
Sammy stepped onto the bus after school, all the other kids piling onto it excitedly as Sammy sat in the far back, looking out the window of the school, her eyes looking around at the cloudy day. As she looked outside, she would see the large student again from outside. He looked at all the buses, and as he looked over them, he moved passed them and made his way down the sidewalk, walking down the school’s walkway and passed the different houses. Where could he live. The school was further out in a large plain that would take a solid oras to get to the town, let alone the housing areas. But for some reason, he seemed madami dedicated to walk his way tahanan than take the bus. She wasn’t sure why. She was certainly not sure why she was so interested in the matter. It’s not like she had any reason to care. She wasn’t his mom. She wasn’t his friend. She was just the new rich girl. No reason to get involved with whatever he was up to in his life. But as she looked around, it was almost like she was the only one to notice, the only one who saw him stand out and not be some sort of background pagpaparangal to everyone’s lives. She didn’t know why, but he just stood out.
The susunod day, Sammy got off the bus to school. She had her backpack and her money for lunch prepared for her on the mesa while her parents were off to work without a single message for her to have a nice araw or anything. She didn’t let it bother her. She told herself it shouldn’t bother her. It was always this way back in Toledo. No reason to care now. As she stepped into the courtyard of the school, she would see the large guy getting picked on again, this time sa pamamagitan ng the same two guys from yesterday, one of them putting him into a headlock and holding him in place. Sammy looked around for any teachers, but there wasn’t a single one in sight. No staff or anything. None of the students seemed to care as they just passed sa pamamagitan ng without a segundo thought. Sammy watched on from a distance, feeling herself take a step closer to say something. But as she did, the boys would throw the large student to the floor and hurry inside as a teacher came round the corner, looking at the student sitting there, adjusting his neck
“What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be heading to class.”
“I was just-” The student tried to defend himself
“Sitting around. Don’t you know the kampanilya rang already. Go on, get up and get moving. This isn’t the place to laze around. Come on.”
The teacher picked the student up off the floor, handing him his backpack and pulling him along, without hearing him out for even a second. Sammy felt a sort of lump in her throat as she saw the whole thing. She asked herself what a large guy like that was doing, letting himself get walked all over. She shook it out of her head and kept walking. “If he’s that big and he just lets himself get picked on, that’s his own fault” She told herself. “It’s not my responsibility to worry about him. It’s no one’s responsibility. If he’s gonna let himself get treated like that with his size, then he probably deserves it.”
Thoughts like these raced through Sammy’s subconscious. And they disgusted her.
As lunch came around, Sammy had gotten herself something healthy to keep up her thin appearance. It wasn’t much. In fact, she was almost certain she was undereating. But she was reminded of her chubby self back in elementary school and how that made her feel uncomfortable. So instead, she focused entirely on working on that in middle school, even if that meant becoming belemic for a while. Her lunch consisted of a small salad, a single apple, and a bottle water. As she walked through the lunch room, hoping to find her usual spot to sit where she could be left alone, she would find a surprise, the large man sitting where her spot was. He sat there sa pamamagitan ng himself as well, and Sammy was prepared to walk away from it, justlet him have it and find somewhere else. But what took her sa pamamagitan ng surprise was the pagkain he was eating. Nothing but oyster crackers, a simple seasoning for sopas that they give out for free. She was sure he was poor but surely he couldn’t have been that poor. She watched as he snacked on them like they were potato chips, just enough to get through the day. Sammy let out a sigh, and she slowly, almost regrettably approached him. Setting her tray down, the large student practically jolted up in shock, like a startled animal, when she did so.
“Hey” Sammy said
“Oh, sorry” He spoke quickly, already wiping the crackers off the mesa into his hands and standing up to leave. “I didn’t know it was your table”
“No wait” She spoke, her hand raised. “I… I’d like for you to stay, uh… if you don’t mind”
The large student looked at her with some surprise, not sure what to make of her comment, but he sat back down, placing his crackers back onto the mesa on tuktok of the napkin.. “You uh… You sure?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t” Sammy answered. As she looked over her lunch, she asked, “What’s your name?”
“Uh… Mason” he spoke with a bit of shyness
“Samantha” Sammy sinabi as she pointed the plastic fork at herself.
Mason gave a quick nod, continuing to eat his crackers. The two looked over the mesa awkwardly before Sammy broke the silence with another question. “So uh, why do those guys pick on you so much?”
“Huh? No one picks on me” Ironically, the tanong was answered faster than giving his name. He looked back down before Sammy resplied. “Mason, I saw them picking on you. The bathroom, the headlock this morning. They’re bullying you.”
Mason looked around, making sure no one was close sa pamamagitan ng to hear, making sure that they weren’t nearby. He looked to Sammy with a sigh and spoke, “They… they just like to pick on the biggest guy in the school. That’s me. So they just do it cause… they can”
“That’s…” Sammy felt some inability to really understand it all. “That’s not fair.”
“It doesn’t have to be fair” Mason sinabi “It just is and that’s it. People don’t stick with me for long. They… They eventually come for them.”
“Well… I’d like to see them try” Sammy proclaimed
“Yeah, everyone says that” Mason replied cynically. “They all leave eventually.”
“Writing? Seriously?” Sammy said. She and Mason had been speaking in secrecy for some time now, at least a month. The two would meet after school on some days when they were out of town or during the weekend to hang. They were back at school again as Sammy and Mason sat at the lunch mesa again. They had made extra sure that none of his regular harassers were nearby. So far they seemed to have been able to keep it a secret. It was a fortunate thing for the two, and that made it easier for them. The two have kept meeting to discuss their interests and their passions. And finally, Sammy got Mason to admit his
“Yes, writing, but… it’s not very good” Mason admitted
“Not… Mason, you gotta let me see it”
“No, I can’t”
“Yeah you can. Just hand me some of it and let me check it out”
“Sammy, please, it’s really embarrassing stuff. It’s all about the bible and crap.”
“Oh, a catholic boy huh?”
“No, not catholic. I just… There’s something about the imagery that gives it this beyond human style. Like Evangelion, you know”
“Uh… never watched it” Sammy lied through her teeth
“Well it’s just something like that. No need to read it”
“Mason… Don’t make me beg, cause I’ll beg”
“Please don’t beg” Mason said
“I’ll do it. I’ll flippin do it” Sammy said, watching her mouth
“Okay, fine. If you want to read it so bad…” Mason paused, “You gotta at least listen to The siksikan like you promised”
“Those guys? You know my parents don’t like that stuff. Isn’t that like punk rock?”
“Eh, yes and no” Mason answered. “New wave punk. Same mindset, but not as aggressive as say Dead Kennedys or Sex Pistols. I suggest listening to the album The Gift. Has some great classics on there. Beat Surrender, Town Called Malice, Ghost. pag-ibig that stuff.”
“Mmmm… If I listen to it, you better let me read some of those books”
“Deal” Mason said, cracking a smile “I promise you’ll pag-ibig them”
“I doubt it”
Another buwan of the school taon would pass, the summer leaves would finally turn to yellow, red and kahel as the fall season slowly crept in in early October. Sammy was walking down the halls, wearing red sunglasses that she had bought for herself, changing up her image a little after getting into the different bands Mason had recommended to her. She was humming the tune to In the City sa pamamagitan ng The Jam, carrying in her left hand the book she had gotten from Mason. She was ready to give him the full thought of her mind when they would meet at the front of the school. And as she sat there, leaning against the pillar to the school’s entry way, wearing her regular dress pants and sando but with a black dyaket over, she noticed that Mason was no where around. He would usually get here early, or at the least the same time she arrived, but he was running late this time. She looked around and there was no sign of him. It worried her a little. She got up and headed on inside, hoping to find him in his usual spots, the mens bathroom. She was hoping she would get lucky and find Mason inside when she followed the sound of laughing students. She pushed the door open, but what was inside nearly pushed her to the edge of anger and frustration. Inside, Mason was accosted sa pamamagitan ng the same two bullies as before. One of them had jumped onto Mason’s back and thrown a plastic bag around his head, and was holding onto him for dear life, pulling the bag against his face. Mason’s hands were held to his sides sa pamamagitan ng the other bully to prevent him from pulling the back off, and he struggled to get off of them to no avail. It was only when Sammy walked in did they loosen their grip a little, allowing Mason to break free. But even he didn’t predict what Sammy would do next. She walked up to the two bullies and sucker punched the one with the bag in the face, sending him crashing to the floor. Before the other one could react, Sammy turned and kicked him in the gut, sending him crashing to the floor.
“You think it’s funny picking on someone who can’t fight back?!” Sammy shouted. “But you can’t even hit a girl. You guys are fucking pathetic!”
The two got up, scattering a little in fear as they hurried out of the bathroom. Sammy followed after them and shouted once again, “Get the fuck out of here. If I see you near him again, I’ll kill you!”
Sammy turned her attention back to Mason, who was coughing and gasping for air as he laid on the floor. Sammy hurried over to help him up, only for him to pull away from her and stand up. “What the hell are you doing?!” Mason shouted. “Now they’re gonna come and deal with you.”
“Please, they’re pussies” Sammy spoke “If they come back, I’ll just beat them again and I’m sure it would hurt their pride to get beat sa pamamagitan ng a girl”
“That’s not… That’s not the point. They may not take it sitting down.”
“Please” Sammy shrugged casually “I know these bully types. They only pick on people who can’t fight back”
“Are you… Are you saying I can’t fight back” Mason spoke
“No, it’s not… they just wanna get to people who they think are weaker than them. When they get a beating, it may knock some sense into them”
Mason let off an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head at what he was hearing. How could anyone be so casual about it. But then again, Sammy wasn’t like other people. He was well aware of that. She made it even clearer as she handed him his notebook
“By the by, I read your story” Sammy said, a smile coming to her lips. “I really like the part where the guy looks up to the mga kerubin and then gets impaled like seven times. That was sick”
“Okay, now what do you really think” Mason asked
“Mason, I’m serious” Sammy repeated “It’s good stuff. Like damn good. Like extremely good”
“Stop kidding, Sammy” Mason said. But as he noticed the stone face expression on Sammys face, he spoke up, “Wait, you’re serious”
“No shit?” Sammy replied. “It’s good. I’m serious”
“Oh… well… any problems you could find”
“Yeah, it’s too good. Maybe the bullies were agents from hollywood or something came to kill you cause you’ll ruin the industry with your good ideas”
“Okay, now you’re fucking with me” Mason remarked
And the two just sat there, and laughed in the presence of each other
“Wait, so he works for a computer company?”
“Eh, technically” Sammy said. “He’s pretty much on the board. They call him The Negotiator”
“What’s that?”
“Well, he goes to other companies to strike partnerships or buy out deals with them, and tries to get them to settle for less. He usually succeeds, and as a result he’s a huge asset to the company”
“Damn, so your dad’s like stupid rich right?”
“Yeah, don’t expect any handouts if that’s what you want” Sammy joked casually
“Please, I don’t need that. My dad’s got a construction company”
“Really?” Sammy asked
“Yeah, one that does it all. Plumbing, electric, woodwork, painting, everything. Had to get a lot of people together. Gonna work on it with a friend of his.”
“Damn, is it gonna take off soon?”
“Yeah, I think” Mason said, his eyes looking everywhere but at Sammy “Just gotta give it some time, that’s all”
“Well then, maybe when you can buy a real damn good house, we can be neighbors”
“Yeah… I’d like that”
Two months, Sammy was sitting outside the school, snow starting to fall from the sky on the cold December araw before winter break. She was hoping that Mason wasn’t getting picked on again sa pamamagitan ng the same group of bullies. But when she would see him walking down the lane with a beanie over his head, she waved to him with a smile. Mason gave a similar wave and a smile, though one that was a little half hearted
“Hey Mason.” Sammy called, hurrying to his side. “What are you gonna do for winter break?”
“Oh, nothing. Probably gonna hit the arcade downtime or something.” Mason answered
“Hey, how about I check your place out.” Sammy asked as she put her hands behind her back
“Uh, no” Mason answered with a dry tone in his voice
“Aww, you scared of bringing a girl home?” Sammy asked
“It’s not like that” Mason spoke “It’s just… You can’t”
“Why not?” Sammy sinabi “Hiding something”
As Mason was thinking of something to say, Sammy playfully yoinked the beanie off Masons head, grining as she held it behind her back. But when she did, her smile would fade when she noticed the large cut across Mason’s forehead. She looked over it, Mason trying to turn away from her so that she wouldn’t see, but Sammy already got a good look
“Did those fucking guys come back?” Sammy asked, already feeling frustration boiling over
“No.” Mason answered, taking the beanie from her
“Then what? What is it?”
Mason looked around, checking the clock on the walls to see when they would need to get to class. Turning to Sammy, he waved her off to the side where no one would hear. Confused, Sammy followed him over, looking back to make sure they wouldn’t be late. Once they turned the corner, Mason rubbed at his head and spoke, “Do you remember when I mentioned my dads company”
“Yeah, like a buwan nakaraan dude. Why?”
“Well… I wasn’t… entirely truthful”
“What do you mean?
“Well… he was going to start up a company, but… Well his friend took all their ideas, and the money to buy up the company, and he just… He left. My dad was left to pay off the debts and as a result we ended up where we were. My dad was completely demotivated after that. He barely goes to work to help people, and any money he does get he spends on lottery tickets or booze. After a bit, he started getting angry. And then… well… this was what happened after another night with him”
“No shit?” Sammy asked, feeling a dryness in her throat
“Yeah, no shit” Mason spoke
Sammy crossed her arms as she listened, inhaling through her nose in frustration and a bit of pity before she spoke up, “Yeah… I get that feeling”
“What your dad hits you too?”
“No… Not really” Sammy replied “The opposite actually, He just ignores me. After he was caught cheating on my mom, they just completely ignore each other. It’s like their marriage is just another business arrangement for my dad and I’m the end result, nothing more. There was probably some happiness there before but after that, it was just really awkward between all of us. That’s why we moved here, to get away from that, but it’s just… the same. They only care when I’m doing something out of line, and they just keep an eye on me until I am back to being the proper daughter they need me to be and then it’s back to business as fucking usual”
Mason shifted a little in his place as he listened, scratching at the back of his head as he spoke once again “I uh… guess even rich people have their issues”
“Yeah” Sammy replied with a pained laugh, shaking her head “Guess we’re madami alike than we thought huh”
Mason let out a sigh before he held his hand out to her, “Hey, look, our tahanan lives may such and we may not be all that popular or liked here, but we’ll always have each other. How about that, okay? Let’s agree to stick with each other no matter what may happen. To the very end, Sammy”
Sammy looked at Mason’s hand, looking back up at him to see the large man smiling to her. Despite his own position, he was still able to give her the best smile he could. And Sammy felt compelled to return that smile. With a smile and a nod, she took Mason’s hand into her and replied
“Deal”
Sammy looked out the window of the car, staring outside at the school that was in front of her, the many different kids that were piling inside the halls. Sammy looked down at her black dress pants with her white dress shirt, her hair tied up into a bun that her mother did for her before she was sent off. Her father putting the car into park as he spoke, “Alright, we’re here. Out you go.”
Sammy looked out at the school, feeling a bit nervous at the sight of it, turning to her father to ask, “Dad, are you sure-”
“Yes, I’m sure” He interrupted her, his finger drumming against the steering wheel. He didn’t turn to her, he did not hug her, he just kept his eyes to the road in front of him before as he continued. “Now have a nice day, Samantha.”
“But dad-” Sammy attempted again in vein to get a response
“Samantha, I have to get to work” her father sinabi “Now if you would please get inside. Whatever it is, it can wait until you’re home. Remember, your bus number is 24. You wait for it every araw down the block. Don’t forget that. I can’t pick you up every day.”
Sammy struggled to find the right words, to find any words for that matter. She just stepped out of the car, her backpack around her shoulders and closed the door behind her, her father driving off immediately, without giving her another look. Sammy looked up at the school, Edgefield High. Having moved from northern Ohio down to the east, she wasn’t sure what to expect from this place. She wasn’t even sure if she would fit in. The area was a combination of kids from madami high end families, while others were from low income families. As a result, some of the students were separated from their social status, those from madami well off families looking down on the poorer kids and the poor ones regularly getting aggressive with the rich ones. Sammy took a deep breath and told herself she would just fly by, stick to herself, get through the four years of high school, go to a good college, and do her own thing in theater or arts. Maybe she'll be an actor for musicals, or even a director of one. She just had to tell herself to never step out of her lane. If she never gets involved, she’ll never have to worry about life. Life will just be easy for her.
Sammy made her way down the halls, the halls pader to pader crowded with students as she had to push her way through without pushing too hard. She kept a distance as she moved through the waves of people, moving through the bathroom as she would see it fly open. A group of three guys stepped out of the room, laughing to each other, pushing each other and making wise cracks. Shortly after, as sammy was just approaching, the door would pop open with another person stepping out. A large student, almost a full seven feet tall, his face covered in water and smelled of a toilet. He had this blank expression on his face, but it was clear what had happened. He looked over at Sammy for a moment, who had come to a stop with him being in the way. As she examined the look on his soaked face, he closed the door behind him and spoke, “Excuse me”.
He walked passed her without another word or a glance, moving passed the other students, all of who took glances at him and laughed. Sammy was almost tempted to say something back, to ask if he was good, to ask what had happened in there, but she didn’t. She turned from the student as he walked off and sighed.
“Keep to yourself, Samantha. Just keep to yourself” She spoke as she walked down the halls, the large student fading into the crowd behind her.
Sammy stepped onto the bus after school, all the other kids piling onto it excitedly as Sammy sat in the far back, looking out the window of the school, her eyes looking around at the cloudy day. As she looked outside, she would see the large student again from outside. He looked at all the buses, and as he looked over them, he moved passed them and made his way down the sidewalk, walking down the school’s walkway and passed the different houses. Where could he live. The school was further out in a large plain that would take a solid oras to get to the town, let alone the housing areas. But for some reason, he seemed madami dedicated to walk his way tahanan than take the bus. She wasn’t sure why. She was certainly not sure why she was so interested in the matter. It’s not like she had any reason to care. She wasn’t his mom. She wasn’t his friend. She was just the new rich girl. No reason to get involved with whatever he was up to in his life. But as she looked around, it was almost like she was the only one to notice, the only one who saw him stand out and not be some sort of background pagpaparangal to everyone’s lives. She didn’t know why, but he just stood out.
The susunod day, Sammy got off the bus to school. She had her backpack and her money for lunch prepared for her on the mesa while her parents were off to work without a single message for her to have a nice araw or anything. She didn’t let it bother her. She told herself it shouldn’t bother her. It was always this way back in Toledo. No reason to care now. As she stepped into the courtyard of the school, she would see the large guy getting picked on again, this time sa pamamagitan ng the same two guys from yesterday, one of them putting him into a headlock and holding him in place. Sammy looked around for any teachers, but there wasn’t a single one in sight. No staff or anything. None of the students seemed to care as they just passed sa pamamagitan ng without a segundo thought. Sammy watched on from a distance, feeling herself take a step closer to say something. But as she did, the boys would throw the large student to the floor and hurry inside as a teacher came round the corner, looking at the student sitting there, adjusting his neck
“What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be heading to class.”
“I was just-” The student tried to defend himself
“Sitting around. Don’t you know the kampanilya rang already. Go on, get up and get moving. This isn’t the place to laze around. Come on.”
The teacher picked the student up off the floor, handing him his backpack and pulling him along, without hearing him out for even a second. Sammy felt a sort of lump in her throat as she saw the whole thing. She asked herself what a large guy like that was doing, letting himself get walked all over. She shook it out of her head and kept walking. “If he’s that big and he just lets himself get picked on, that’s his own fault” She told herself. “It’s not my responsibility to worry about him. It’s no one’s responsibility. If he’s gonna let himself get treated like that with his size, then he probably deserves it.”
Thoughts like these raced through Sammy’s subconscious. And they disgusted her.
As lunch came around, Sammy had gotten herself something healthy to keep up her thin appearance. It wasn’t much. In fact, she was almost certain she was undereating. But she was reminded of her chubby self back in elementary school and how that made her feel uncomfortable. So instead, she focused entirely on working on that in middle school, even if that meant becoming belemic for a while. Her lunch consisted of a small salad, a single apple, and a bottle water. As she walked through the lunch room, hoping to find her usual spot to sit where she could be left alone, she would find a surprise, the large man sitting where her spot was. He sat there sa pamamagitan ng himself as well, and Sammy was prepared to walk away from it, justlet him have it and find somewhere else. But what took her sa pamamagitan ng surprise was the pagkain he was eating. Nothing but oyster crackers, a simple seasoning for sopas that they give out for free. She was sure he was poor but surely he couldn’t have been that poor. She watched as he snacked on them like they were potato chips, just enough to get through the day. Sammy let out a sigh, and she slowly, almost regrettably approached him. Setting her tray down, the large student practically jolted up in shock, like a startled animal, when she did so.
“Hey” Sammy said
“Oh, sorry” He spoke quickly, already wiping the crackers off the mesa into his hands and standing up to leave. “I didn’t know it was your table”
“No wait” She spoke, her hand raised. “I… I’d like for you to stay, uh… if you don’t mind”
The large student looked at her with some surprise, not sure what to make of her comment, but he sat back down, placing his crackers back onto the mesa on tuktok of the napkin.. “You uh… You sure?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t” Sammy answered. As she looked over her lunch, she asked, “What’s your name?”
“Uh… Mason” he spoke with a bit of shyness
“Samantha” Sammy sinabi as she pointed the plastic fork at herself.
Mason gave a quick nod, continuing to eat his crackers. The two looked over the mesa awkwardly before Sammy broke the silence with another question. “So uh, why do those guys pick on you so much?”
“Huh? No one picks on me” Ironically, the tanong was answered faster than giving his name. He looked back down before Sammy resplied. “Mason, I saw them picking on you. The bathroom, the headlock this morning. They’re bullying you.”
Mason looked around, making sure no one was close sa pamamagitan ng to hear, making sure that they weren’t nearby. He looked to Sammy with a sigh and spoke, “They… they just like to pick on the biggest guy in the school. That’s me. So they just do it cause… they can”
“That’s…” Sammy felt some inability to really understand it all. “That’s not fair.”
“It doesn’t have to be fair” Mason sinabi “It just is and that’s it. People don’t stick with me for long. They… They eventually come for them.”
“Well… I’d like to see them try” Sammy proclaimed
“Yeah, everyone says that” Mason replied cynically. “They all leave eventually.”
“Writing? Seriously?” Sammy said. She and Mason had been speaking in secrecy for some time now, at least a month. The two would meet after school on some days when they were out of town or during the weekend to hang. They were back at school again as Sammy and Mason sat at the lunch mesa again. They had made extra sure that none of his regular harassers were nearby. So far they seemed to have been able to keep it a secret. It was a fortunate thing for the two, and that made it easier for them. The two have kept meeting to discuss their interests and their passions. And finally, Sammy got Mason to admit his
“Yes, writing, but… it’s not very good” Mason admitted
“Not… Mason, you gotta let me see it”
“No, I can’t”
“Yeah you can. Just hand me some of it and let me check it out”
“Sammy, please, it’s really embarrassing stuff. It’s all about the bible and crap.”
“Oh, a catholic boy huh?”
“No, not catholic. I just… There’s something about the imagery that gives it this beyond human style. Like Evangelion, you know”
“Uh… never watched it” Sammy lied through her teeth
“Well it’s just something like that. No need to read it”
“Mason… Don’t make me beg, cause I’ll beg”
“Please don’t beg” Mason said
“I’ll do it. I’ll flippin do it” Sammy said, watching her mouth
“Okay, fine. If you want to read it so bad…” Mason paused, “You gotta at least listen to The siksikan like you promised”
“Those guys? You know my parents don’t like that stuff. Isn’t that like punk rock?”
“Eh, yes and no” Mason answered. “New wave punk. Same mindset, but not as aggressive as say Dead Kennedys or Sex Pistols. I suggest listening to the album The Gift. Has some great classics on there. Beat Surrender, Town Called Malice, Ghost. pag-ibig that stuff.”
“Mmmm… If I listen to it, you better let me read some of those books”
“Deal” Mason said, cracking a smile “I promise you’ll pag-ibig them”
“I doubt it”
Another buwan of the school taon would pass, the summer leaves would finally turn to yellow, red and kahel as the fall season slowly crept in in early October. Sammy was walking down the halls, wearing red sunglasses that she had bought for herself, changing up her image a little after getting into the different bands Mason had recommended to her. She was humming the tune to In the City sa pamamagitan ng The Jam, carrying in her left hand the book she had gotten from Mason. She was ready to give him the full thought of her mind when they would meet at the front of the school. And as she sat there, leaning against the pillar to the school’s entry way, wearing her regular dress pants and sando but with a black dyaket over, she noticed that Mason was no where around. He would usually get here early, or at the least the same time she arrived, but he was running late this time. She looked around and there was no sign of him. It worried her a little. She got up and headed on inside, hoping to find him in his usual spots, the mens bathroom. She was hoping she would get lucky and find Mason inside when she followed the sound of laughing students. She pushed the door open, but what was inside nearly pushed her to the edge of anger and frustration. Inside, Mason was accosted sa pamamagitan ng the same two bullies as before. One of them had jumped onto Mason’s back and thrown a plastic bag around his head, and was holding onto him for dear life, pulling the bag against his face. Mason’s hands were held to his sides sa pamamagitan ng the other bully to prevent him from pulling the back off, and he struggled to get off of them to no avail. It was only when Sammy walked in did they loosen their grip a little, allowing Mason to break free. But even he didn’t predict what Sammy would do next. She walked up to the two bullies and sucker punched the one with the bag in the face, sending him crashing to the floor. Before the other one could react, Sammy turned and kicked him in the gut, sending him crashing to the floor.
“You think it’s funny picking on someone who can’t fight back?!” Sammy shouted. “But you can’t even hit a girl. You guys are fucking pathetic!”
The two got up, scattering a little in fear as they hurried out of the bathroom. Sammy followed after them and shouted once again, “Get the fuck out of here. If I see you near him again, I’ll kill you!”
Sammy turned her attention back to Mason, who was coughing and gasping for air as he laid on the floor. Sammy hurried over to help him up, only for him to pull away from her and stand up. “What the hell are you doing?!” Mason shouted. “Now they’re gonna come and deal with you.”
“Please, they’re pussies” Sammy spoke “If they come back, I’ll just beat them again and I’m sure it would hurt their pride to get beat sa pamamagitan ng a girl”
“That’s not… That’s not the point. They may not take it sitting down.”
“Please” Sammy shrugged casually “I know these bully types. They only pick on people who can’t fight back”
“Are you… Are you saying I can’t fight back” Mason spoke
“No, it’s not… they just wanna get to people who they think are weaker than them. When they get a beating, it may knock some sense into them”
Mason let off an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head at what he was hearing. How could anyone be so casual about it. But then again, Sammy wasn’t like other people. He was well aware of that. She made it even clearer as she handed him his notebook
“By the by, I read your story” Sammy said, a smile coming to her lips. “I really like the part where the guy looks up to the mga kerubin and then gets impaled like seven times. That was sick”
“Okay, now what do you really think” Mason asked
“Mason, I’m serious” Sammy repeated “It’s good stuff. Like damn good. Like extremely good”
“Stop kidding, Sammy” Mason said. But as he noticed the stone face expression on Sammys face, he spoke up, “Wait, you’re serious”
“No shit?” Sammy replied. “It’s good. I’m serious”
“Oh… well… any problems you could find”
“Yeah, it’s too good. Maybe the bullies were agents from hollywood or something came to kill you cause you’ll ruin the industry with your good ideas”
“Okay, now you’re fucking with me” Mason remarked
And the two just sat there, and laughed in the presence of each other
“Wait, so he works for a computer company?”
“Eh, technically” Sammy said. “He’s pretty much on the board. They call him The Negotiator”
“What’s that?”
“Well, he goes to other companies to strike partnerships or buy out deals with them, and tries to get them to settle for less. He usually succeeds, and as a result he’s a huge asset to the company”
“Damn, so your dad’s like stupid rich right?”
“Yeah, don’t expect any handouts if that’s what you want” Sammy joked casually
“Please, I don’t need that. My dad’s got a construction company”
“Really?” Sammy asked
“Yeah, one that does it all. Plumbing, electric, woodwork, painting, everything. Had to get a lot of people together. Gonna work on it with a friend of his.”
“Damn, is it gonna take off soon?”
“Yeah, I think” Mason said, his eyes looking everywhere but at Sammy “Just gotta give it some time, that’s all”
“Well then, maybe when you can buy a real damn good house, we can be neighbors”
“Yeah… I’d like that”
Two months, Sammy was sitting outside the school, snow starting to fall from the sky on the cold December araw before winter break. She was hoping that Mason wasn’t getting picked on again sa pamamagitan ng the same group of bullies. But when she would see him walking down the lane with a beanie over his head, she waved to him with a smile. Mason gave a similar wave and a smile, though one that was a little half hearted
“Hey Mason.” Sammy called, hurrying to his side. “What are you gonna do for winter break?”
“Oh, nothing. Probably gonna hit the arcade downtime or something.” Mason answered
“Hey, how about I check your place out.” Sammy asked as she put her hands behind her back
“Uh, no” Mason answered with a dry tone in his voice
“Aww, you scared of bringing a girl home?” Sammy asked
“It’s not like that” Mason spoke “It’s just… You can’t”
“Why not?” Sammy sinabi “Hiding something”
As Mason was thinking of something to say, Sammy playfully yoinked the beanie off Masons head, grining as she held it behind her back. But when she did, her smile would fade when she noticed the large cut across Mason’s forehead. She looked over it, Mason trying to turn away from her so that she wouldn’t see, but Sammy already got a good look
“Did those fucking guys come back?” Sammy asked, already feeling frustration boiling over
“No.” Mason answered, taking the beanie from her
“Then what? What is it?”
Mason looked around, checking the clock on the walls to see when they would need to get to class. Turning to Sammy, he waved her off to the side where no one would hear. Confused, Sammy followed him over, looking back to make sure they wouldn’t be late. Once they turned the corner, Mason rubbed at his head and spoke, “Do you remember when I mentioned my dads company”
“Yeah, like a buwan nakaraan dude. Why?”
“Well… I wasn’t… entirely truthful”
“What do you mean?
“Well… he was going to start up a company, but… Well his friend took all their ideas, and the money to buy up the company, and he just… He left. My dad was left to pay off the debts and as a result we ended up where we were. My dad was completely demotivated after that. He barely goes to work to help people, and any money he does get he spends on lottery tickets or booze. After a bit, he started getting angry. And then… well… this was what happened after another night with him”
“No shit?” Sammy asked, feeling a dryness in her throat
“Yeah, no shit” Mason spoke
Sammy crossed her arms as she listened, inhaling through her nose in frustration and a bit of pity before she spoke up, “Yeah… I get that feeling”
“What your dad hits you too?”
“No… Not really” Sammy replied “The opposite actually, He just ignores me. After he was caught cheating on my mom, they just completely ignore each other. It’s like their marriage is just another business arrangement for my dad and I’m the end result, nothing more. There was probably some happiness there before but after that, it was just really awkward between all of us. That’s why we moved here, to get away from that, but it’s just… the same. They only care when I’m doing something out of line, and they just keep an eye on me until I am back to being the proper daughter they need me to be and then it’s back to business as fucking usual”
Mason shifted a little in his place as he listened, scratching at the back of his head as he spoke once again “I uh… guess even rich people have their issues”
“Yeah” Sammy replied with a pained laugh, shaking her head “Guess we’re madami alike than we thought huh”
Mason let out a sigh before he held his hand out to her, “Hey, look, our tahanan lives may such and we may not be all that popular or liked here, but we’ll always have each other. How about that, okay? Let’s agree to stick with each other no matter what may happen. To the very end, Sammy”
Sammy looked at Mason’s hand, looking back up at him to see the large man smiling to her. Despite his own position, he was still able to give her the best smile he could. And Sammy felt compelled to return that smile. With a smile and a nod, she took Mason’s hand into her and replied
“Deal”