Taste of Life

19

Dad and I didn't have the chance to talk last night so I told him that I'll talk to him later after my class. They both decided na they will drive me to NYU. Surprisingly, Dad's okay na I will be staying a little longer here. He even said na baka I want to finish my degree here na.

"Your mom and I will be having a date around so if matapos maaga yung class mo or something just text the driver." Dad said. I rolled my eyes. Maglalandian pala.

"Just text me if you need anything. And eat on time." Mom added. She smiled widely at me. Between my parents, mom is the one with lots of love and concern, my dad? He's a bully. But I'm pretty sure he's just not comfortable showing his love for everyone.

I walked myself to class nung binaba nila ko sa NYU. I'm a little nervous but also super excited. I sat in the middle chairs. There are two other students, and we are all sitting far from each other. I think our professor is late so I just keep on browsing my phone.

I texted Eli and Annie about what's about to go down today, but only Eli replied she said,

"Goodluck! Pwede ba kong magdagdag at bawas sa list ko?" Natawa ako causing the other students to look at me. I replied,

"Yeah you can just add at wag na mag bawas."

"De babawasan ko kasi si Tita magbabayad nito for sure."

"Excuse you? I have ipon."

"Yeah right."

I didn't reply na and left her on read. A few minutes later, a man on his 40s, I think, entered the room and start writing his name on the whiteboard. And then he started talking. I was just listening, letting myself be fascinated.

He used all of his time and then dismissed us. Sabi ni Ms. Cath, professors usually dismiss early kapag first day pero siguro depende sa prof, I still have next class, this one's a little short compared to the first one. Akala ko nga it'll be boring, cause it has philosophy on its course title but I was wrong, the professor had a huge crowd. Everyone's actually wearing a suit. Hindi ko naman alam na need pala.

Mas lalo tuloy akong nacurious, but at the end of class, I realized why. The professor is crazy handsome and crazy smart. I enjoyed his class kahit na he gave as an assignment.

When it finished, I decided to walk around the campus. My next class will start in an hour pa so I decided to eat something. I just followed all the signs kung saan ang cafeteria.

A few turns and I enetered the Dining hall. Napatulala ako when I saw na parang may buffet. What the hell?

Kahit gulong gulo ako, I fell in line. Chose a meal and then umupo sa isang solo table. Nagulat ako when someone went to me at inilapag ang isang can of soda.

"Geo told me to bring this to you. You forgot to get one." Napakunot ang noo ko, sino si Geo?

"Oh you are a freshman? Geo is the server. When you buy a meal, the soda's included. Enjoy your stay in NYU." then she smiled

"Thank you." I smiled back.

She waved and sat on another solo table. She opened a book at nagsimulang magbasa.

Ang bait naman pala ng mga tao rito. Wag naman ganyan, Lord. Baka hindi ako umalis dito.

After eating I glanced ulit don sa babae, and  nagulat ako noong bigla siyang tumingin. I just panicked a little pero ngumiti ng kaunti bago umalis.

Baka isipin niya gusto ko siya, nako po. Dami ko ng iniisip. Although gusto ko naman talaga siya maging kaibigan. Para naman hindi lang ako ghost student dito. Ah bahala na. Mukhang senior na siya eh. Kasi kilala na niya si Geo. Natawa nalang ako sa mga iniisip ko.

My last class finished a little early. Iniisip ko kung maglalakad lakad ba ko o tatawagan ko na yung driver. I was focusing on my phone that I failed to see the NYU at night. I was starstrucked noong binaba ko ang cellphone ko. There are a lot of lights. Every student has their own thing, in one bench a group is singing, in another, may nagkkwentuhan, some are eating, some are just enjoying the wind and the view.

I sat in an empty bench and just act like I'm one of them. But the thing is, I'm not. I'm just someone trying to do something my parents want before choosing what I want and they don't want for me.

To be really honest, I'm afraid to fail them. I want them to be proud pero hindi ako sigurado kung anong basis ng mga kagustuhan ko sa buhay ngayon. Kasi sa totoo lang, tama nga ata ang hula at huling email sakin ni Father Jeff when I told him about my plan.

"Hindi sagot sa kaduwagan ang pagpapari, Troye."