The death of Aina Claire Lamante has been long forgotten, but when her first death anniversary was imminent, the grade ten students received a light blue envelope that jogged their memories of the past.
When the truth is being fabricated, how can yo...
I was walking in the dark, deserted hallway when I heard a scream. I ran fast outside to see what was happening, but the moment I set my feet in the courtyard, an old professor stopped me, asking me where I had been and where I was going.
"What is happening sir? What is the chaos all about?" I curiously asked.
"Students are not allowed here! Now go, join your fellow students!" he furiously answered. What a rude man. I just want to know what is happening here.
Like what he ordered, I joined my fellow students. All of them were wearing fancy clothes, such as designer tuxedos and high-end brand cocktail dresses. Their golden accessories shone under the bright moonlight.
Isang pamilyar na lalaki ang tumabi sa 'kin, like the rest of the male students, he was also wearing a neat black tuxedo. Though his suit looked plain compared to the others, you can not deny the fact that he surely stood out from the bunch. Plus, the fact that he seemed to be on edge.
"What happened?" Iasked with curiosity laced in my voice.
He looked at me dead in the eye, and repeatedly said, "She killed her. She killed Aina! She killed her! She killed herself! She killed Aina! She kil-"
Marahas na napadilat ang aking mga mata ng biglaang huminto ang van na sinasakyan namin, may aksidente palang nangyari sa gilid ng kalsada at nakuha pang maki-usisa ng driver namin. Gano'n pa man, tahimik akong nag pasalamat dahil hindi natuloy ang panaginip na matagal ng bumabagabag sa akin.
It's been exactly four years since that incident occurred. Though I know it's already in the past, I still can't forget the hopelessness in her eyes. And it still haunts me till this day.
"How long does it take to get there? It's been like, what? three hours?" Ciara irritably asked.
Tatlong taon na ang lumipas mula ng huli naming pagkikita ngunit ni isa ay walang nagbago sa kanya. Well, hindi ko naman siya masisisi. It's been forever since we started to take the long ride. Alas syete pa lang ng umaga ay umalis na kami sa Manila nang maka-iwas daw sa traffic, ngunit pasado alas dyis na ng tanghali ay wala pa rin kami sa destinasyon namin.
"Patience Ciara, malapit-lapit na tayo," saad ni Tati, marahan niyang binuksan ang bintana sa gawi niya at pinatong dito ang kanyang siko. "Ahh, fresh air!"
Dali-dali ko ring binuksan ang bintana sa gawi ko at dumungaw sa labas, tama si Tati presko nga ang hangin dito bagamat tirik ang araw sa labas ay hindi pa rin mapagkakaila na malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Nilibot ng aking paningin ang dinadaanan namin, nakalagpas na kami sa matatayog at matataas na building sa siyudad, nakalagpas na rin kami sa mahabang traffic, wala na ang polusyon.
Tanging mga puno't halaman ang makikita mo sa paligid, sa di kalayuan ay tanaw ko ang bukirin, may mga magsasaka kaming nadaanan na nag bibilad ng palay sa gilid ng kalsada. Napaka ganda ng paligid, hindi ko maiwasang hindi humanga sa ganda ng kalikasan.
Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas ng makarating na kami sa destinasyon namin. Payapa ang paligid, may mangilan-ngilan din na tao na paniguradong nandito upang bisitahin ang mga mahal nila sa buhay. Sunod-sunod kaming bumaba sa sinasakyan namin na puting van at tahimik na tinahak ang kinalalagyan niya.
Napayakap ako sa aking sarili ng umihip ang malamig na hangin, maraming puno sa paligid at may mangilan-ngilan din na bulaklak. Nababagay ang lugar na ito sakanya, dahil labis ang pagmamahal niya sa Inang kalikasan.
Sa lugar kung saan nakahimlay ang kanyang labi, each of us offered her different kinds of flowers. Tati offered her a rosemary flower. It signifies love and remembrance. Ciara, on the other hand, offered a yellow hyacinth. It means jealousy. Dang, she'll never change, does she?
The offer goes on and on, until it is my turn now. For the remembrance of our friendship, I offered her a bouquet of yellow roses and the myosotis flower, also known as the forget-me-not flower. After me was Vaughn, who offered a bouquet of mature blooming red roses, which symbolizes love and gratitude.
After offering our messages and flowers, we started to reminisce about the pain, the sorrow, the unimaginable things that we had, and the incidents that made us who we are now.
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