DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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“What's your name again?” Tanong niya habang may kinukuha sa drawer ng table niya.
“Uhm, Ashlyn, Ashlyn Dela riva.”
Sambit ko habang nakatingin sa ginagawa niya.
“Ashley?” Tanong niya habang nakatingin sa akin.
“Ashlyn po.” Sambit ko naman.
“Oh sorry.” Muli naman niyang hinanap ang pangalan ko sa mga envelop na hawak niya.
Here we go again. New place, new house, new school, new friends and more new in my life.
It's always like this, hindi ko na mabilang kung nakakailang lipat na ako ng school mula noon.
They say it's always nice to make new friends. pero in my case, I can't even have one at all since paiba iba ako ng school.
“So Ashlyn, I've heard palipat lipat ka ng school, curious ako, matataas naman ang grades mo and wala ka namang bad records, may I ask why?” She asked.
“Engineer po kasi ang dad ko, kung po yung work niya dun din po kami.” Sambit ko, tumango lang naman sya.
“Okay, so eto, andyan na lahat ng kailangan mong malaman sa schedule mo, good luck and welcome to your new school.” Nakangiting iniabot niya ang envelop sa akin.
“Thank you ma'am.” sambit ko at saka nag lakad palabas ng office niya.
Gaya ng sabi ko, Engineer ang dad ko, every time na may new project sya bitbit niya kami kaya palipat lipat kami ng bahay at school.
And my mom? Kasama sya sa bitbit ni dad, she's a very caring and lovable husband and mom to us.
Hindi kasi kaya ni dad na mawalay sa amin ng matagal kaya palagi kaming kasama sa kahit saan mang project niya.
We've been to Pangasinan, Cebu, Cagayan, and even Mindanao.
At ngayon naman ay dito kami sa Manila.
Five years ang contract ni dad para sa project niya dito pero madalas wala pang 5 years natatapos na kaya pag may bagong project, lipat bahay and school ulit.
Habang hinahanap ko ang room ko ay di ko mapigilang tumingin sa paligid ng school, napakalawak kasi at sa dami ng nalipatan kong school, ngayon palang ako nakapasok sa ganito kalaking school.
Binuksan ko ang envelop na ibinigay sakin at saka ko inilabas ang card na nakalagay doon.
“Building C…room--” hindi ko natapos ang pagbabasa ko dahil sa nakabangga sa balikat ko, dahilan para mahulog ang card at envelop na hawak ko.
Napahawak rin ako sa balikat ko dahil medyo malakas din ang pagkakabanga sa akin nung lalakeng hindi ko alam kung bakit nagmamadali.
And when I look at him, that's when I realize na gitara pala niya ang bumanga sa balikat ko.
Kinuha niya ang card at envelop na naihulog ko, at saka niya ito ibinigay sa akin.
“Sorry, may hinahabol kasi ako, okay ka lang ba?” Sambit nito habang nakatingin sa akin.
And for whatever reason, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako makapagsalita, parang gusto ko lang syang tingnan, parang bumagal yung oras the moment our eyes met…
“Uhm… okay lang” sabay hablot sa card at envelop na ibinibigay niya.
He smiled at me and say the sweetest sorry I’ve ever heard… huh? I mean, he said sorry!
Nagpatuloy naman ako sa paglalakad habang nakatingin sa kanya na tumatakbo palayo sa akin, maybe he's late.
Okay, so ano bang hinahanap ko? Ah room.
...
After a while, nahanap ko na rin yung room ko, at mukhang late na ako. Pumasok ako sa room at lumapit sa prof. Then I gave her my card.
“Oh, new student?” I nodded.
“By the way, Ms. Dela riva.” Tumingin sya sa relo niya at muli namang tumingin sa akin.
“…You are 2 minutes late for my class, but I understand since you are new, and I guess, hinanap mo pa ang room na ito. So you are not going to sing or dance today like Mr. Cruz. Buti na lang prepared si Mr. Cruz, may dalang gitara.” Sambit ni ma'am at saka naman nagtawanan ang buong class.
“Next time be prepared din ha, or better yet don’t be late na.” She added.
After that naghanap na ako ng mauupuan, napansin ko naman yung girl na nag taas ng kamay niya na parang tinatawag ako, kaya naman nagpunta ako sa kanya since may vacant seat sa tabi niya.
“Hi” bati niya sa akin.
“Hi, I’m Ashlyn.” pakilala ko habang iniaayos ang bag ko sa upuan at saka rin naman ako umupo.
“Ashley?” Ulit nito.
“Ah hindi, Ashlyn.” Palagi na lang namimis-heard ang pangalan ko.
“Whatever, from now on, Ash na lang name mo.” she said sabay ngiti sa akin.
“…I’m Xena.” She said while pointing at her ID.
“It's spells like this, pero it's actually Zeenah, or you can just call me Zee.”
Patango tango na lang ako sa explanation niya.
It's not that I don’t like to talk to her, pero nagsasalita rin kasi yung prof namin and ayoko namang first day of class pa lang ay masabihan na akong madaldal o kung anuman.
“Oh my god. He's looking at me, hindi ko kaya.” Mahinang sambit ni Xena sabay tago ng bahagya sa balikat ko at parang kinikilig pa.
Napatingin naman ako sa sinasabi niyang nakatingin sa kanya, and there I saw him. Again, parang tumigil na naman ang paligid ko. Just why?
“Isa sya sa mga crush ko, well hindi naman ako maharot, marami lang talaga akong crush please don’t judge me.” Paliwanag ni Xena.
At dahil nacurious ako, hindi ko na naisip kung anumang sinasabi ng prof namin.
“Sino ba sya?” I asked while slightly looking at him.
“He's Nicholas Kyle Cruz, some call him Nick, some call him Kyle, but I prefer to call him Nico. He's my… not ultimate, pero crush ko talaga sya.” She said.
“Okay”
“He's a guitarist and vocalist ng Campus Band, every time na may event palaging siya yung inaabangan, everyone likes him, sino ba namang hindi diba? I think you're going to like him too.” Kinikilig niyang sambit.
“Huh? Uhm… hindi siguro.” I said.
Yes, I feel like tumigil yung oras ko twice the moment I saw him pero I dont think it's because of that. Hindi ko lang siguro nailabas yung galit ko nang binangga niya ako kanina. Yes hindi niya sinadya pero what I have felt doesn’t mean I like him, it's not going to happen.
“Really? Di nga? I have many friends, and they all like him.” Di makapaniwalang sambit ni Xena
“Wala kasi akong time para sa mga ganyang bagay.” I said. She paused for a while and said something, na kinabigla ko.
“You know what I think, bagay kayo.”
“Huh?” Gulat na saad ko.
“Kidding, mas bagay kami. Look, nakatingin na naman sya sakin, oh my god nginitian niya ako.” Sambit nito habang patago tago pa sa likuran ko.
And that's how I met a new friend. And how I met the man who promised me his everything.
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