Prologue.
Lean on me,
Knowing ourselves is a lifetime process. Pwedeng sabihin mo ngayon na kilala mo na ang sarili mo pero magugulat ka na lang na may hindi ka pa pala alam tungkol sayo.
"Okay. For today's activity, you will write an essay about yourself and how you discover so many things about you. What are the factors? or who are the people helped you to know more about your identity," sambit ng aming professor sa isa naming minor subject.
It is my second week as college student at ang hirap ng wala kang kakilala kahit isa sa mga kaklase mo. Nahiwalay pa naman din ako sa mga kaibigan ko noong senior high.
Agaran akong kumuha ng yellow pad paper at sumulat ng essay ayon sa kagustuhan ng aming prof.
Sa kalagitaan ng aking pagsusulat, naalala ko ang mga kaibigan kong ngayon ay paniguradong naghihitay na sa akin. Sila Laine, Lei, Teffy, Jyke, Jed, Seph, Jules, Ed at Kulas. May usapan kasi kaming magkikita sa isang Cafe di kalayuan sa paaralang pang collegio na pinapasukan ko.
Kaya naman mabilis kong ginawa ang essay na inatas sa amin.
"Pipili ako ng mga magagandang gawa at next meeting ay babasahin n'yo rito sa harapan. Clear?"
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Since hindi n'yo naman na matatapos yan dahil anong oras na, pass it to me tomorrow sa faculty, you may all go. Thank you for today and God bless."
Pagkasabi pa lang ni Ma'am na pwede na raw umuwi ay nagligpit agad ako ng gamit at isinabit ang bag sa aking balikat. Sakto paglabas ko ng classroom ay biglang nagring ang phone ko.
"Elle?! Ano saan ka na?" Si Laine ang nasa kabilang linya.
"Kakatapos lang ng klase ko. Pero eto na pababa na ako ng building namin."
"Okay, ingat ka! Nandito na sila kambal kaya magtricycle ka na lang para di ka na mahirapan tumawid."
"Okay sige, papunta na ko. Bye!"
Binaba ko agad ang tawag at nagmadali sa pagbaba sa building ng allied science college department. Tinahak ko ang malawak na field ng aming school at kahit mainit ay hindi ko na naisip magbukas pa ng payong.
Nandoon na raw ang kambal na sila Seph at Jules baka siguro maaga natapos ang klase nila. Kaming tatlo lang ang nagpatuloy ng college dito sa aming dating paaralan habang ang iba naman naming kaibigan ay mga lumipat.
Dito kami graduate lahat ng Senior High School sa Collegio de Sta Isabel. Pero mas pinili ng iba sa amin na umalis at lumipat para sa kani-kanilang kurso.
I am taking Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology while the others are taking Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management and another course connected to our strand we take in SHS.
Same lang naman dapat kukunin ko na course, kaya lang because of my parents, I am taking allied science course. They wanted me to pursue the same field like my two siblings who are both graduated and licensed Nurse.
Pagdating ko sa labasan ng Collegio nagtungo agad ako sa hilera ng toda ng mga tricycle. Sumakay ako sa isang tricycle na nakapila roon.
"Kuya sa Primark lang po."
"Tara!" sabi ni Manong na agad sumakay sa tricycle at pinaandar ito.
Ilang minuto lang tinagal ng byahe at narating na agad namin ang Primark. Sa isang cafe kasi rito ang madalas namin tambayan, katulad na lamang ngayon.
"Salamat!" sabi ni Manong matapos kong inabot ang bayad.
Sa tabi lang ng Primark ang Maki's Cafe kung saan kami madalas magkwentuhan. Noon pa mang senior high at hanggang ngayon dito pa rin kami nagkikita kita kapag free ang lahat.
Naglakad agad ako patungo sa Cafe at isang tingin pa lang sa pwesto kung saan kami madalas ay natanaw ko agad ang mga kaibigan kong nagtatawanan na.
"Walang pinagbago, late pa rin s'ya syempre," bungad ka agad sa'kin ni Jed nang makalapit ako sa lamesa nila.
"Syempre si Boss ko 'yan," sabi naman ni Jyke sabay tawa. Nag-apir pa nga kami.
"Elle dito ka." Itinuro ni Laine ang upuan sa tabi niya at agad akong dumiretso roon.
"Hanep ah, chikang chika agad. Ang ingay n'yo," bungad ko na medyo hinihingal pa.
"Gaga, hinga muna Elle bago daldal." Si Lei na tawang tawa.
Nakisali rin si Jed at Kulas sa pagtawa ni Lei.
They are my friends way back in senior high school. They make my senior year unforgettable. We've made a lot of memories whether in happy moments or in the saddest part of our lives.
Nagkamustahan kami saglit bago naisipan na magsi-order na ng pagkain. As usual, they ordered fries and coffee. Nagdagdag lang si Laine ng tuna sandwich at Burger dahil hindi pa raw sila nagla-lunch nila Jed.
Kami ng kambal na sila Seph at Jules ang naiwan sa Collegio de Sta Isabel habang sila Laine, Jed at Lei ay sa isang Unibersidad dito sa Bulacan nagpatuloy. Sila Teppy, Jyke ay Kulas naman ay sa iba pang paaralan dito sa Bulacan.
"Kamusta naman ang buhay kolehiyo?" tanong ni Laine.
Lalaine Centeno or Laine. She is our top one, ang pinaka seryoso at ang ate namin sa grupo. She can handle our nonsense talk and shouts whenever we're together. She can tame each one of us if we are about to burst in anger. She scolded us if needed or I can say most of the time. Our great adviser. Kapag may problema ang lahat sa kanya kami madalas lumapit at umiyak.
"Sana all nag-eenjoy magkolehiyo," sabi naman ni Jyke.
Jay Zyke Saavedra or Jyke, He can always make us laugh through his jokes and witty ideas. Our mood maker but he is the one who suffered a lot. Sporty, he can play volleyball and actually he is part of the varsity along with Jules and Teffy back in Senior high School. You can always see him laugh but inside of him are bunch of problems he can handle most of the time.
"Keri lang," sagot ni Teffy sa tanong ni Laine.
Si Cristeffa Locsin or Teffy and habulin at ligawin. She is stunningly beautiful despite of her disability. She is living normal and like what I've said, Teffy is part of the varsity too. But according to her, she got injured at the young age making her legs uneven. That's why when she walks, iika-ika s'ya. But it doesn't make her less, she is more than what other think of about her.
"Kung siguro magkaklase tayong tatlo nila Lei baka okay pa ang college life ko." Si Jed naman.
The cutest among all of them. Jed Erickson Maniego or Jed is our scientist, mahilig magbusisi at kung ano ano pa. His height is the reason why sometimes we call him bunso even though he isn't the youngest. But do not underestimate him, he is small but terrible. He is a good artist, photographer, and video director. I'm close to him because we both like history and some sort of rational arguments about politics and other issues of the country. We get vibes easily because we both love studying astronomy and our curiosity killing us most of the time.
"Kaya nga, ang hirap kasi ibang iba mga ugali nila," sambit naman ni Lei.
Our model and beauty queen, Soleinna Madrid or Lei. Her beauty is dominating. She is a model of some small businesses before and because of her, some of the brands she endorse is successful winning right now in the market. Madaldal siya at makatwiran kaya nga lagi siyang best in question in answer every time she join a pageant. But her beauty is not enough for her to find true love, boys keep on wasting our friend's love and effort to someone else. Lei always giving all of her to someone undeserving.
"Kami okay naman, kasama pa rin namin iba nating kaklase noong senior high kaya parang walang nagabago." Si Jules.
"Oo kaya lang may ibang nadagdag, pero ayos lang naman." Si Seph naman ngayon.
Our twins. Jules and Joseph Guzman is identical twins. At first it was really hard to recognize who is Jules or Seph but, as time goes by, you'll notice their differences. Jules is more on volleyball, slim and with a doe eyes. He is more childish and immature compare to Seph who acts like an older brother to everyone. Seph is more on table tennis, may laman laman siya kaysa kay Jules. He is the sweetest among all of them. Ang pinagkatulad lang nila ay pareho silang magaling sa pagsayaw at crush ng bayan.
"Gago! Nag-aaral kayo?" si Ed.
Edrick Celedonio or Ed is our late enrollee friend always. Noong senior high din, halos mag two weeks na ang nakalipas nang pumasok siya sa klase. He is a rebel son, he won't follow any order of his parents. The truth is, he doesn't want to continue his study not until our barkadahan is made. Palamura s'ya pero mabait at minsan tahimik. He is too secretive also and that always gave us a hard time, may times na nalulungkot na siya hindi pa namin alam.
"Ako may crush na." sagot naman ni Kulas.
"Potacca!" mura ni Ed at sabay sabay tumawa ng lahat.
Kulas or Nicholas Tucio. Ang pinaka tamad sa aming lahat at puro jowa lang ang inaatupag pero kapag naman naimpluwensyahan na ng iba ay kumikilos naman. He is quiet most of the time but when he talk, every thing is just all about his girls, his different relationships and the likes.
"Sana all masaya sa course nila," sabi ko sabay subo ng fries sa bibig.
Ako naman si Carmela Gutierrez or kilala sa tawag na Elle. The youngest among all of them. The girl who can't say no sa kahit saan at ano mang kondisyones. Kaya kapag nagchallenge nga ng can't say no baka ako ang manalo. According to Laine, I'm selfless. They told me not to be so kind to everyone because other people taking my kindness for granted. Well, I don't mind, as long as I help them even if in that case.
"Bakit hindi mo kasi sabihin na ayaw mo sa course mo?" tanong ni Jed.
"Sa tingin mo ba makakapag-aral pa ko kung hindi ito ang kukunin ko," sagot ko sabay kain ulit ng fries.
"Gago, buti nga kayo nag-aaral pa e." Singit naman ni Ed sabay tawa sa kanyang sinabi pero kaming lahat ay mariing tumitig lang sa kanya.
"Eh hayuff ka kasi. Enrolled ka naman a! ano at hindi ka pumapasok?" galit na utas ni Teffy.
"Woah... calm down. Wala tinatamad lang ako," walang ganang sabi ni Ed.
"Ako sipag na sipag tol!" halakhak ni Kulas.
"Maghahasik ka na naman ng lagim, Kulas. Please lang ikalma mo yang bayawak mo, putek ka." Natawa kaming lahat sa sabi ni Jyke.
I miss having this kind of conversation with them. The comfort it gives me whenever I'm with them is priceless. I hope it won't end, I just want to be with them and enjoy the moment.
Habang nagkwe-kwentuhan kami, isinandal ko ang aking ulo sa balikat ni Laine at dinama ang ingay ng mga kaibigan.
"Just lean on me, Elle," she said.