Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 13

NAGKAAYOS din kami ni Arsen noong araw na iyon. He said sorry and I said sorry, as well. As much as I thought that I shouldn't say sorry because I really didn't do anything wrong, I still apologized para hindi na humaba pa. Hindi rin naman ako ma-pride na tao.

'Tsaka inintindi ko na lang 'yong nararamdaman niya dahil sanay kasi yata siya na siya palagi ang nag-eexcel sa lahat ng bagay. Maybe it was petty for me, but for him, it mattered a lot. He was just really used on achieving things. I couldn't blame him, though. He was really studious, grade conscious, and a ridiculously overachiever type of a person.

Our studies went on and on until I almost didn't notice that we're already on our 2nd year level of college. Time really flies so fast. Parang noon lang, kaming dalawa pa lang ni Arsen ang nag-e-enroll at naghahanap ng rooms ng mga subject namin. Ngayon, we had friends already and it was a good thing that they would remain to be our blockmates until 4th year.

Iyon nga lang, pahirap nang pahirap at padami nang padami naman ang mga gawain ngayong 2nd year. Medyo mas chill pa kami last year e.

"Itong dalawang ito, palaging excited sa paggawa ng plates," puna ni Ciello sabay turo kina Enrico at Arsen.

We're here at the library since it was our 30-minute break. Ciello and I were just doing some chit chats using our low voices. Iñigo was busy texting. Quillon was reading a novel. The two nerds, Arsen and Enrico were already starting with their plates even if it was still so early for that.

"Kaya nga. Since last year, ganiyan na kayo. Hanggang ngayong second year ba naman?" natatawang saad ni Iñigo.

"Baka hanggang fourth year, 'no. Well, what do we expect from overachiever people who always excel in everything?" I chuckled.

Inilingan lamang kami ng dalawa at nagpatuloy na sila sa ginagawa.

*****

"Ga, are you ready?" Arsen asked when he entered my apartment.

He brought back his duplicate key inside his pocket and watched me do my thing on the strap of my heels.

"Just a second."

Nang matapos ikabit ang strap ng heels ko ay agad na akong tumayo. Naabutan ko siyang katitingin lamang sa wrist watch niya. I slightly pouted. What? Pagagalitan niya na naman ba ako na ang bagal kong kumilos? Ready naman na ako, e. I just needed to fix the strap of my heels. Maaga na nga akong kumilos kasi alam ko na ang ugali niya.

He was always on time. Kung ano ang sinabi niyang oras, iyon ang mangyayari. Hindi dapat lalagpas doon. He was that perfectionist. Or may iba pa bang tawag sa gano'n? Ang hirap i-explain, e. Basta he always liked things to be organized and well planned. He was also a neat freak! I remembered one time when I was in his apartment, I forgot to put the empty bottle of my softdrink on the trash bin. He almost got mad at me. Hindi naman daw mahirap itapon sa basurahan, bakit hindi ko magawa. Well, I forgot kasi nalibang ako sa panonood. Itatapon ko rin naman 'yon. I didn't really know with him. It was like he always liked things to be on its right places. Maybe it was part of him, being an overachiever.

"I'm done," I said and smiled.

He smiled back and reached for my hand. "Let's go. I don't wanna be late."

"We would be on time, Ga. Saktong-sakto ang alis natin, o. Five PM."

He sighed and shook his head. "It's five-two. Lagpas na tayo ng two minutes."

Oh, good Lord.

We would be attending his mom's and his mom's husband's 10th wedding anniversary. This would also be the very first time that I would meet his mom. Simula noong mapunta kami rito sa Manila for college, there were only three times when Arsen visited his mom. When I asked him kung bakit hindi siya madalas bumisita, ang sabi lang niya ay tinatamad siya at mukhang hindi rin naman siya gustong makita ng Mama niya. Ni hindi nga raw siya nito madalas bisitahin sa Isla Contejo, e.