Samantalang kung ako ang nandun, kahit abutin
siguro ako nang limang araw, he wouldn’t even bother being
There were even times when I had to go to
school at 5:30am kahit PM shift ako. That was because
deadline na daw ng case study nina Diego. Added to my
Muntik na’kong abutan nun ng curfewtask was to have it printed and ring-binded. One time,
sa dorm. Ginabi na naman kasi ako, all sarado pa Rebihyu kaya napagastos ako sa tindahan ng
because I needed to maximize library hoursJhunior’s. Well, sabi nila ganun daw talaga ‘pag mahal mo.
those days. Lalo na third week ng rot., Eh, mahal ko naman ata siya eh (as in ‘di pa ko sure).
meaning deadline na naman ng mga case
studies. Yeah, I’m a geek, a GC (grade
The vendor in Jhunior’s was like a slow-poke so
conscious), a person who makes studying aI then decided to leave for a while to pacify my
hobby. Kailangan eh! I am bounded toprotesting stomach. I came in to TyoKing, ordered and
maintain a grade to keep my scholarship. Andwaited. I sat next to a sophisticated (at least, her looks
I’m vying for Summa Cum Laude. Isa pa, Isuggest) lady who seemed to be waiting for someone.
have two brains to feed then. Yun kasingKaya ayun, nakihintay-hintay rin ako para malaman kung
boss, este boyfriend ko, laging inaasa sa’kinbagay sila nung hinihintay niya.
ang mga requirements niya. The latest was
their individual case study. Tatanggi na sanaTo my surprise, I saw Diego who hurriedly kissed the
ako that time. But he was undeniablygirl on the lips. Sorry siya ng sorry dahil na-late daw
stubborn! So I had to do it for him… againsiya. I even heard him say, “Sorry, I’m five-minute late.”
and again… (sigh…)
Talaga namang nawindang ako sa sinabi niya! Marunong
palang humingi ng dispensa ang mokong na ‘yon.
sorry.
tongues
My nature called for an immediate revenge
(warning: ‘wag gayahin; mali po maghiganti) so I picked my
order number (na number 13 pa nga!) approached them, and
slapped Diego on his face. “I am disgusted with you, you
moron!” I saw his face turned pallor (kahit di mo talaga ma-
trace dahil buccal mucosa lang ata niya ang hypopigmented).
Spontaneously, hinarap ko naman ang flirt atsaka ako
nagbitiw ng isang bonggang-bonggang ISNAB! “I pity you,
you social climber!” (Sorry for the terms…) After my self-
claimed justice (which is definitely a no-no), I left them
while tears collected in my lacrimal sac flowed out by way of
my lacrima canaliculi (in normal, umiyak ako).
I hurried back to Jhunior’s at malayo pa lang ay
napasigaw na’ko kay kuya nagtitinda, “kuya, stop!” Syempre
gulat na gulat si kuya nun because I looked like a bitter
“basang sisiw”. Nevertheless, he stopped ring-binding.
(Makupad talaga siya dahil pala mano-mano niyang
binubutasan per page! )
 …a lad caught my attention. I removed my eye
That was really an event that threatened trustglasses to grossly examine his features. He was the guy I aking daraanan. It was him! The same guy I encountered
to remain. A semester past, I still tarry on the feelings.was looking forward to. ‘Di siya umupo beside me that’sback in a public vehicle in San Fernando-Guagua terminal.
Yet, I am still willing to find my significant other. why when further passengers came, they filled the gapsNa-stimulate ata ang sympathetic nervous system ko, and
between us. It was kinda frustrating. But I was a bitI could not decide kung fight or flight… (hahah… *wink)
It was weekend. I was about to leave for home. determined to have him sit next to me. Hahah. (KungNevertheless, I fixed my gait and resumed walking. His
Bago ako umalis, I whispered with a sigh, “Hay Lord,maririnig lang ako ng mga ka-group ko, I don’t think theystare might be a magnet kaya siguro na-attract ng
sana po may makatabi ako na cute sa jeep. Hahaha.” Itwould believe those sound waves were from my vocalmapupungay (naman!) niyang mata ang makakapal na lente
was a whimsical request that did not really demand afolds.*wink) Whenever the jeepney would halt, I keptng durungawan ng aking kaluluwa (trivial namang masyado,
response. But I know in my heart that I am looking wishing that the persons dividing us would be those thateyes na lang). Yikes! He was looking at me. I was suddenly
forward to something. will step off the vehicle. Past few kilometers, isa-isain panic kaya naman napayuko na lang ako while I advanced
bumababa yung mga nakapagitna samin. Surprisingly, hehastily. (ouch!)
I rode a jeepney from Angeles to San Fernandointended to move closer to me just when a new passenger
tapos bumaba ako sa intersection, pumasko sa McDough rode our jeep until he sat right next to me. (whoaaa… We bumped at each other. The next thing I saw
para mag-retouch (heheh… para kung may cute man,exciting!) was the chocolate stains on my purely white uniform and
atleast ready to fight ‘di ba? *wink wink…). Then his green-lined white jersey. The first thing I thought of
sumakay ako ng pang-Guagua. As I patiently waited for was make-up duty related to dirty uniform as evidenced
The travel ended just like that. Syempre, we
passengers, silently, isa-isa kong by chocolate stains covering my uniform cephalocaudally.
were complete strangers so anong ine-expect
Then I heard him say, “gaano ba kasi kalalim iniisip mo
n’yo? Hahah… But I couldn’t imagine God made
sinisiyasat ang fes ng bawat sasakay sa jeep. ‘Di miss?” Parang nagkaroon ng abnormal firing of impulses sa
my day as fun as that. (Whooh! I love You Lord!)
naman talaga ako namamag-asang may sasakay na deadly utak ko sa inis. But when I extended my flexed neck, I
cute human creature pero excited akong malaman kung was even more annoyed.
Monday. After an unwinding weekend, may klase
pagbibigyan ako ni Lord sa mabisyo kong request; until… na naman. Hay buhay. (thank you po sa buhay Lord! Eheh..)
I haven’t tied my hair in a bun so I headed to the women’s
CR near the registrar’s office. Habang binabagtas ko ang ……………to be continued…
hagdan patungo sa silid-hugasan (as in wash room) isang
binata (nga ba?) ang humagip sa tingin kong marapat
lamang na napako sa