The Things That Make Me Unhappy

LAST Tuesday: The Kapwa Club volunteers welcomed the students of Margaret Academy to their school and showed them the gym where the prom would be held. Some of the guest students helped in making the Cosmic Fiesta decorations.

1. People who say hurtful things

2. People who act like they know it all

3. People who force me to eat veggies 4. People who tease 5. People who are bossy 6. Popping balloons 7. Cramming 8. Losing my prized possessions 9. Sudden change 10. Crushes who don’t show up RAMON did not have a happy morning. He woke up already grumpy and remembered his most recent conversation with Evan on the phone about the prom.

“Why are you still going? Didn’t I say it was lame?” Evan said.

“That’s not a nice thing to say.” “But it’s a true thing to say.” “Well, I have a true thing to say, too,” Ramon said. “You’re just scared you’ll be uncomfortable.”

“Listen to yourself, you sound just like Tess. Maybe you’re her parrot.”

“At least I try to understand.”

“I bet that without Tess you wouldn’t know how to act around them,” Evan said. “You don’t even know how to act around the normal ones.”

Ramon hung up and was shocked by the abrupt silence. He hadn’t realized how angry he was. Evan had signed up, and then backed out, and had said bad things about the prom, not just to him but to everyone in school who cared to listen.

It was a good thing Daniel and the other volunteers didn’t care what Evan thought. Still, Evan had been his best friend.

Then, at the breakfast table, Papa kept saying things like: “Look who remembered to comb his hair!” and “So Ramon, have you got a date to the prom?”

While Papa was saying this, Mama kept putting carrots and

sayote on top of his fried rice, and Ate Paula put down her cell phone long enough to say: “Hay, Papa, you know who Ramon likes? She’s not even pretty. And she’s short. But she’s a good artist like brother here.”

1. Who eats carrots and ‘sayote’ for breakfast?

2. Why can’t everyone leave me alone? 3. What if Evan is right? 4. How can you say she’s not pretty?

5. What do I do now?

Ramon comforted himself with the thought that today was Saturday and he would soon see Tess and the rest of the decorating team. She would know what to say, about Evan at least.

He must have been early because, when he got there, only VJ and Teacher Grace were around. Daniel and another girl arrived 10 or 20 minutes later.

As Ramon attached more stars to the fiesta buntings, Ate Paula came over and said: “Ramon, the decor makes it look more cosmic than fiesta. Can you do something about it?”

And Ramon said, “But when the food stalls are here with the food—”

“Just do something about it,” Ate Paula said, and went to two boys who were trying to figure out the sound system.

By snack time, Ramon finally asked, “Ate Po, where’s Tess?”

“Oh she can’t come,” Ate Paula held up her phone. “She texted this morning to say she was in the hospital.” “What? Why?” Ramon said. “She’s sick. So there.” “But—but—is she coming to the prom?”

“How should I know? I guess not if she’s in the hospital. Will you hurry up with the decor? The prom’s in two days.”

Ramon took his sandwich and juice, and sank heavily into the seat beside VJ. He took a bite of his sandwich and couldn’t bring himself to swallow it. He looked around the room for Evan, then realized his best friend wasn’t there. And Daniel was at the top of a ladder trying to tie the balloons to the buntings.

“You should have tied them first before putting up the buntings,” Ate Paula called from the bottom of the ladder. “Please, plan it out, will you?”

The balloons began popping.

“What’s all this hullabaloo?” VJ said, standing up and letting his sandwich fall to the floor.

Another balloon popped. Ramon thought his heart was next.

VJ stamped his foot and scrunched his face. “Stop that, please!” he said, then put his hands to his ears and screamed.

Ramon jumped up and looked around. Teacher Grace was busy giving out sandwiches. Ramon tried to get VJ to look at him, but VJ pushed him away.

“VJ, let’s go outside, it’s quieter there.”

Ramon wasn’t sure VJ heard him, but VJ had hurried to the door. He opened the door for VJ.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do,” Ramon babbled. “I’m just trying to be your friend.”

VJ kept his hands clamped to his ears, looking out at the schoolyard.

“And I’m worried Tess is in the hospital. I hope she’s OK.” VJ looked down at his shoes. “She might not go to the prom, and maybe she’s my crush,” Ramon said.

VJ slowly put a hand down, and then the other. “It’s not very good to crush things,” he said.

“Crush also means I’d give anything to see her again,” Ramon said.

VJ went back to the gym. Ramon could not bear going back inside without Tess. But then Ate Paula appeared.

“Ramon, this isn’t the time for daydreaming. Stop thinking about your broken heart and help us!”

Ramon gritted his teeth and trudged after his older sister. He badly wanted to kick something, so he went to his backpack and kicked at the pink fluffy thing attached to the zipper.

It was then he found out that his sketchbook was missing.

Next Tuesday:

The The Impossible Things I Pray For