Corridors are crowded, which I hate. But then, I don't have a choice. I stopped for a moment to let the waves of students going out of the university pass through me. Right there, I saw Kairon with someone. In front of them is a bulletin board, for university announcements I guess.
They were talking, and laughing. They seemed to be very happy. Wish I could be like them, laughing like there's nothing wrong. Mukhang nakita ata ako ni Kairon pagkat ngumiti at kumaway sya sa akin. Lumingon naman yung kasama nya and there I saw, a wide smile forming into his face.
I don't know what I'm doing pero kusa akong naglakad patungo sa kanila. "Hey, you're the transferee, right?" He said, I nodded as my reply. "Great, are you looking for a club? I'm Nico by the way." Tinitigan ko lamang sya.
"Nako, mauubusan ka na ng laway kakasalita di mo pa rin mapapasagot yan." Natatawang saad ni Kairon. Tinitigan naman ako ng lalaki na nagpakilalang Nico daw.
"Is there something wrong with my face?" I said, in a cold monotone voice.
"Nothing." He smiled. Tinignan ko kung anong meron sa bulletin board, there I saw set of announcements.
'Students of Aster University, you may now sign up for membership in any clubs you wanted to join.'
I actually don't have any plans in joining one, why am I even here? But there's a club that caught my attention. The Asterians.
Naglakad na ko palabas ng paaralan, not minding the eyes that were glued on me and the voices of those students who are talking about me. Geez.
Pagka-uwi ay dire-diretso akong pumasok sa kwarto ngunit bago ko pa man mabuksan ang pinto nito ay may nagsalita sa likod ko. It was my brother, Xielle.
"I heard late ka. Why are you late kanina?" Bungad sa akin.
"None of your business." I replied. Heard him sighed.
"Mom wants you to call her. You're not answering her calls daw." Sabi nya ngunit di ko na lamang pinansin. Agad akong nagtungo sa kwarto at nahiga.
"Don't be like this, Nox." Heard him saying.
"Get out of my room. I wanna rest." I replied.
"Stop acting like a kid!" He shouted. I just look at him, no emotions.
"You know nothing. Get out, let me rest." I responded. Napabuntong hininga na lang sya, few moments had passed, I heard the sound of my door. Finally he left.
I took my phone out of my pocket just to check my social media accounts. I was scrolling in my newsfeed when a familiar poster were flashed on my screen. It was posted in our university page.
Are you a writer? A poet? Someone who wants to share his story? Someone who has a message to tell. Whatever that is, come and join us this Saturday, 1:00pm onwards.
Come and be part of The Asterians.
"We are Asterians, the home of Brave Scribblers."
That was written on the post. Well yeah, I'm kinda interested but I don't have any plans in making myself more stressed.
6:00am, Friday. I woke up again because of a loud noise from my alarm. Same routine happen. An hour had passed, nasa tapat na ako ng paaralan.
Here I am, witnessing those happy smiles that is plastered among their faces, some are stressed yet you can see the glowing happiness that says 'I love what I'm doing and it's worth it' while me, I don't even know how to breathe because I'm slowly drowning.
"Nox!" Heard someone calling my name, nagpalinga-linga ako. I saw Kairon with Nico.
"Hi Nox." Nico greeted ngunit tinignan ko lang sila.
"Aish, bakit ba ang sungit mo?" Natatawang saad ni Kairon, ngunit tulad kanina ay tinignan ko lamang sila. Because of that, Nico laughed.
"What?" I asked.
"Anyway, I just want to invite you sa club." Kairon said.
"I'm not interested, thank you." Sabi ko. I wore my earphone at umalis na.
"H-hey! Saglit!" Sigaw naman nung dalawa. How annoying. Humabol ang dalawa at sinabayan akong maglakad. I was about to enter the room when someone throw a rag, and worst sa mukha ako tinamaan nito. Nakarinig ako ng mga bulung-bulungan, ang ilan pa ay gulat na napasigaw.
"O-oh my God! S-sorry, Nox!" Sabi nito. "Hindi ko alam na may papasok pala, s-sorry ulit." Dagdag pa nito.
"Ano bang trip mo at nagbabatuhan kayo Athenna?" Tanong ni Nico na nasa gilid ko pa rin pala. Bet he's my classmate.
"S-si Sam kasi!" Nakayukong sabi nito.
"Hoy bakit ako?" Kontra naman ng isa.
I just sighed, pinunasan ko ang mukha ko gamit ang panyo na nasa bulsa ko. Walang nagsalita kahit isa habang papasok ako ng kwarto, lahat ay nakatitig lang sa akin hanggang sa maka upo ako sa pwesto ko.
"Ang tahimik talaga ni Nox." Bulong ni Nico ngunit rinig naman.
"Yeah, ilang beses ko palang narinig yan na nagsalita eh." Segunda naman ni Kairon.
"Kung magbubulungan kayo make sure na hindi dinig." Sabi ko ng hindi man lang sila tinatapunan ng tingin. I bet they're shock with what I've said kasi I still hear them whispering.
"H-he's scary." Ani ng isa.
"Let's just leave him alone." tugon naman ni Kairon habang nagkakamot ng batok.
Yumuko na lamang ako, trying to not mind the noise made by my classmates.
"Good Morning, Class." Bati ng aming guro, it was Ms. Ara. As expected, they greeted back.
"Submit your assignments please." Ani 'to.
Samu't-saring reaksyon naman ang natanggap ng guro, ang ilan ay di naka gawa ang ilan naman ay nakapag pasa.
Isa isang tinignan ng propesor ang mga papel, she looked at me and said "Where's your assignment, Nox?"
"I didn't do it." I replied. My classmates were shocked because of what I've said and with the way I responded.
"Why?"
"Because I have nothing to write." Tinignan lang ako nito ng matagal na para bang pinagaaralan ang tumatakbo sa utak ko. I remained silent, napahuntong hininga naman ito at bumalik sa pag titingin-tingin sa mga papel.
"Almost half of your section didn't submit their assignments. Maiwan mamaya ang mga di nagpasa." Napayuko naman ang mga di naka pag pasa maliban sakin. I closed my eyes, ano bang isusulat ko don? Maski ako ay di alam kung sino ako.
BINABASA MO ANG
That One Real Smile
DiversosA story about friendship, bravery, courage, dreams, hope and life. Desperate for his father's attention and support, Nox blamed his father for what happened to him. Until he met a girl named Athenna who taught him how to forgive and how to love. He...
