Yours Truly, Amari [Completed]

Twenty-Eight

TWENTY-EIGHT

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE. You will never know when will it push you down and when will it pull you up again. Lakas maka-frienemy ni Life 'di ba? However, life— is actually the best teacher when inflicting you with death-defying experiences; to change a life is to change an outlook.

Sabi nga ni Shakespeare, 'I think, therefore I am.'

"Okay, kids. Good day! See you tomorrow." I enthusiastically said at kumaway sa mga bata and they did the same before running out to their parents who are waiting outside.

When everyone is finally out and I was left alone in the room ay agad akong nag-ayos ng mga bagay na wala pa sa ayos. After that, I closed the windows before I took my backpack and laptop with me to the doorway. Pinagmasdan ko ng huling beses ang room before turning off the light and closing the door.

"Queen, uuwi ka na ba?" Garamond a warlock and a co-teacher of mine asked.

Nginitian ko naman siya. "Hindi pa, dadaan muna ako sa grocery." I answered before I took my phone out from my pocket and read a text from Pristine.

From Tin:
HOY! KAILAN KA UUWI?! NAWILI KA NAMAN D'YAN! MAGTATAMPO NA TALAGA AKO SA'YO. ☹️🤧

Natawa naman ako ng marahan before typing. "Ahm. Queen, sabay ka na sa'kin, if you want, may bibilhin din kasi ako." I halted when I heard Garamond kaya inangat ko ang ulo ko at tinignan siya.

I thought about his offer for a moment bago ako ngumiti. "Sige, sure, ng makatipid din ako." I laughed kaya natawa rin siya before I looked down to my phone again.

To Tin:
Sorry na, Tin. I'll try but I cannot promise. 'Wag na tampo, fren. 💋

"Tara na?" Garamond at agad naman akong tumango at lumapit sakan'ya. "If you want I can carry your laptop?" He asked politely pero agad namang akong umiling.

"Thanks pero I can manage naman." I answered at tumango naman siya.

It has been almost a year since I started teaching here in a small school in this small and secluded province where education was not much of a privilege to people kaya maliit lang ang eskwelahan nila rito.

We get to the small parking lot where we saw his tricycle. He opened the door of it kaya pumasok na ako. It was not the first time that I ride with Garamond's tricycle; s'ya rin kasi ang madalas na maghatid at sundo sa'kin dahil malapit lang ang inuupahan ko sa bahay nila kaya halos sabay din kami lagi.

The tricycle moved and we finally made it on the way. While we are on the way to the grocery store ay tumunog muli ang cellphone ko na hudyat na may nag-text and when I looked at it, an unregistered number flashed on the screen.

09*********:
I'm on my way, love. I'll be staking my claim back. See you! Sending my advance hugs and kisses.

My heart thumped erractically as I read the message. Hindi ako pinanganak kahapon para hindi malaman kung kanino galing 'yon. Huminga ako ng malalim nang may sumusupil na ngiti sa labi ko kasabay ng pagkabog ng puso ko. I put my phone over my chest at tuluyan ng ngumiti.

Finally.

NGINGITI-NGITI ako habang kumukuha ng mga stocks ko sa apartment habang kasama si Garamond.

"Saya natin, Queen ah." He teased kaya natawa naman ako before shrugging.

NATAPOS kaming mag-grocery at nakasakay na ako ngayon sa loob ng tricycle niya while I still wait for him dahil may bibilhin lang daw siya saglit.