Chapter 01
#SLFIPW01
3 days before my first year final exams and kakatapos kolang basahin yung coverage for my fifth subject. I am grateful that ever since I start my college degree, I am always on top of things.
Sabi nila kapag nasa medical field ka, expect to have lack of sleep but it’s not the case for me. I always sleep at 11pm and wake up at 6am and do alot of things before school starts at 8.
My classmates always asked me how I manage to do it and get a good grades at the same time, my teachers always compliment me for that, even I was surprised that I can do that, or maybe I’m just used to do that because back in our province, we woke up early and sleep early as well.
“Nakakatamad naman” I look at my room mate, kanina pa siya nasa kama and scrolling tiktok.
“Try mo kayang basahin yung mga libro na nasa tabi mo no” I said. Tumayo lang kasi siya para kumuha ng libro pero hindi niya naman binabasa.
“Hindi mo ba ako narinig kanina Anallise? Nakaka t-a-m-a-d” She said, habang iniispelling pa yung word sa ere.
Napailing ako.
“Ito notes ko, may lecture na diyan and books” Sabi ko habang hinagis sakanya yung notebook ko sa isa naming major, and yung coverage ng exam nun eh cover to cover.
“Wow perks ng may matalinong roommate thanks girl!” Sabi niya, pero pinatong niya lang yung notebook ko sa mga nakapile niyang libro.
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako, hindi ko na talaga alam gagawin dito kay Hazel.
Binuksan ko ulit yung libro ko at dinouble check baka may nakaligtaan akong basahin ng biglang may sunod sunod na katok sa pinto ng dorm namin.
Nagkatinginan kami ni Hazel.
“Hoy teh, nasa dorm lang ako kahapon diba?” Pagpapaliwanag ni Hazel. One time kasi may sunod sunod din na kumatok sa dorm namin, yun pala yung nakainuman niya sa bar gustong manligaw, kasi nalove at first sight daw siya kay Hazel.
I mean who wouldn’t? She got the looks and the body, she’s fun to be with and friendly.
“Mga bakla dali!”
Nang marinig namin yun agad agad na naming binuksan ang pinto.
“Tagal niyong mga bakla kayo, paano kapag napagalitan ako ni aling Trinidad diyan?!” Hingal na hingal na sabi ni Matt.
“Bakla ka! Girls dorm kasi to tapos lagi kang andito” Sabi ni Hazel, at finally nakatayo nadin siya after many hours.
Sinarado kona agad yung pinto, baka makita pa si Matt mapenalty pa kami. Si bakla panaman mapanlinlang, may times na hindi niya inaamin na bakla siya.
“In another life I’m a girl okay?” Mataray na sabi niya at natawa nalang ako.
Kinuha ni Hazel yung mga snacks na dala ni Matt samantalang ako bumalik sa pagaaral, ilang beses na din namang nakakatakas si Matt kaya no big deal.
“Andito ako kasi tinatamad nanaman ako at ayaw kong bumagsak so magpapainspire ako kay Anallise” Proud na sabi ni Matt.
“Andoon notes ko sa kama ni Hazel” Sabi ko, at naglagay na ng earphones kasi for sure magchichikahan muna sila bago pilitin ni Matt na magaral si Hazel, basically magririot muna sila bago magaral.
Sabi na eh may medical term akong hindi nasearch, medtech is fun, sometimes not kasi madami talagang words na never kopang naencounter noong highschool. But ito yung pros ng pagdodouble check ng notes. While searching, naririnig ko sila na naghahampasan. Sometimes, I’m wondering bakit friend ko ba tong dalawang to but, hindi ko din naman alam gagawin ko if it wasn’t for them.
Napatingin ako sa phone ko ng tumunog ito.
Papa: Nak, may bigay na ba yung scholarship mo? Nawalan na gamot nanay mo eh.
Napabuntong hininga ako.
I replied.
'Bukas po papadala ko pa.'
Papa: Salamat nak, magaral kang mabuti.
Tears wants to come out on my eyes but I chose not to.
It’s their choice to make me study on a presitgious school, although inofferan ako ng scholarship ng mayor namin for me to go to this school, pero alam kona to eh, alam ko na while I’m away walang magaalaga kay mama, mas mahihirapan kami sa gastusin.
May gastusin na dito, may gastusin pa doon. But they want me to fulfill my dream to become a doctor that is why, I’m going to do this for them. I need to finish on time para makatulong na ako sakanila.
As much as I want to work, sobrang fixed ng schedule namin sa school ko na to and yung source of income ko is yung mga sidelines ko sa school.
Napatanggal ako ng earphones ng maramdaman ko yung hampas ni Matt saakin.
“Hoy bakla ka, pinapatanong saakin nung taga kabilang section number mo bigay koba?” He said.
Suddenly I heared my heart beating, but I just shake off the thought.
“Pogi ba?” Hazel
“Sobra teh, madaming may bet diyan pero nabetan niya tong friend natin o panis” Matt.
“Sus asa naman papaligaw yan si Anallise” Hazel said.
She’s right, the truth is, I’ve dream about happily ever after or any romantic things, but the choice is only for those people who have money. And I don’t have that right now.
***
I thought I would be super stress on our exam week, but time flew by so fast and who would have thought, today is the last day of our final exam. One performance task to go and we are all done with our freshman year.
“Teh hindi ko talaga keri yung mga dates dito, not my style” Hazel. Nahihirapan kasi talaga si Hazel magkabisado ng dates kaya naman pinahiram na namin lahat ng materials na alam namin para makabisado niya pero wala pa rin.
“Bakla ka, paano ka makakapagkabisado if puro reklamo ka diyan? Try mong magaral muna tapos magreklamo no?” Halata sa mukha ni Matt na naiistress na siya magaral dadagdag pa si Hazel.
Major kasi yung last day namin, and compared to other subjects mas mataas yung passing dito, so you have to really study.
Sa totoo lang nasanay na kami kay Hazel, before parang binebaby pa namin siya, pero every quiz nalang and exam nagrereklamo siya, coping mechanism niya daw yun, kaya hinahayaan nalang namin siya.
Hindi na ako makapaghintay matapos tong week na to, nadelay kasi yung pagpapadala ko kila tatay dahil nadelay din yung pera ko sa scholarship, my only hope is Matt, pero hindi ko naman siya maistorbo kasi sobrang stress nga kaming lahat.
5 minutes before the time umakyat na kami sa classroom, we say goodluck to each other bago kami umupo sa kanya kanya naming upuan.
Eventhough I put a lot of extra work past 2 weeks, medyo nahirapan padin ako dahil naoverwhelm ata utak ko sa cover to cover, some are familiar, yung iba sure ako so I’m still nervous, but hopefully magreflect yung paghihirap ko ng past 2 weeks.
After exam dumiretso na ako agad sa mall para magpadala kila tatay, Matt is so generous to always lend me money, everytime may emergency ako he’s always there to lend me money. I’m always grateful for him.
Pagkapasok ko ng mall agad kong hinanap yung pwedeng pag padalhan ng pera. I was about to go in ng may naramdaman akong umakbay saakin.
Naestatwa ako sa kinatatayuan, oh no, wala akong pera please lang.
“Hey don’t move okay?” Hingal na sabi ng katabi ko.
Dahan dahan akong lumingon and there I saw a clean looking guy, naka white tshirt siya and jeans.
Not going to lie pero kapag tinignan mo siya, parang amoy baby powder. But he has a strong smell, amoy mamahalin.
“Hoy kuya wala akong pera huwag ako please” Pabulong na pagmamakaawa ko, aware naman ako na parang may tinataguan siya.
“Don’t worry I will not do anything” He said, tapos may kinuha sa bulsa niya.
It’s his ID.
He is from Lasalle Manila, a legal management student.
“Do you trust me now?” He whisper.