Resting in Blowing Gale (Element #1)

xxiv

tw: death

"Congratulations, Ev!" sambit ni Win at inabutan ako ng bulaklak.

"Oh gosh, thank you, Win. Congratulations too."

"You're the best president I had." he winked at me, "Smile!"

Ngumiti ako ng itapat niya sa 'min ang camera ng phone niya. Sila Sivan at Maria naman ay nag aasaran sa gilid. It feels good that the four of us graduated. Plus I'm proud of my classmates too.

Cheers for us, we manage to survive our course.

"Congratulations sa ating summa cum laude!" pumapalakpak na bati sa 'kin ni Landon at Sin.

I smiled and greeted them. "And congratulations to our cum laudes?" both of them are cum laude of their department.

Sin chuckled, si Landon naman ay tinitingnan ang paligid. Most of my schoolmates are looking at us though. "'Oy, Ange. Quiet lang 'oy, baka mamaya sabihin nagyayabang kami."

"Ulol mo Landon, patingin tingin ka pa 'dyan, nagpapacute ka lang." alaska ni Toffer. He then looked and smiled at me. Bahagya pang pinisil ang aking pisngi. "Congrats summa... puta anong secret?"

"Brain?" patanong kong sagot na kinatawa nila.

"Oh oh oh, mga matatalino, look at the camera." sambit ni Sivan. Pinagitnaan ako ng tatlong lalaki, si Toffer ay nakaakbay sa 'kin.

"Sivan, isa pa." ani Sin.

"Oh sige na, kagatin niyo ng apat ang mga medalya niyo, suportahan ang pagiging humble ni Sin." ani Maria. Paglingon ko kay Sin, kagat nga niya ang gilid ng medalya niya.

Sivan counted 123. Nakangiti lang ako sa camera, ang kamay ko ay bahagyang nakataas. It looks like I'm shrugging for the three of them.

"Oh, umalis na kayong dalawa, gusto ko ng solo picture with the summa." sabi ni Landon at literal na tinulak ang dalawa palayo.

"Oh my gosh. No need to be harsh, Lands." Ngumiti lang siya sa 'kin bago tinuro ang camera.

Pagkatapos nila, sila Apple naman ang sumunod.

"Op op op, kami ang next." nakangiting entrada ni Rai. May hawak na malaking bouquet sa kamay, I even saw Yvo holding another one.

"Oh my gosh. This is too much." Rai kissed the top of my head and smiled.

"Nope! Our summa cum laude deserves this."

"Congratulations, Era. I'm so proud of you." Yvo said and kissed my forehead.

"Congratulations, love!" Spr greeted and kissed me too.

"Where's Ija?" tanong ko. Ang tatlo ay nanahimik at tumingin sa paligid. I look around too. Pero mukhang namalikmata lang ako. I think I saw my ex? Or not? Dahil pag kurap ko nawala na rin.

"I'm here!" hinihingal na sagot ni Ija.

May mga nag papicture sa 'kin bago kami nakalabas ng campus mabuti na lang at hindi nag uungot ngayon si Jade at Spr sa gutom.

"Let's party first bago ka umalis, Era." request ni Tana habang nakain kami sa isang private restaurant.

"Okay."

"Pagkatapos mag inuman aalis ka na?" tanong ni Ija.

"Probably."

"Ingat, baby ko. Baka masuntok ko ng isa si A kapag may nangyari sayo."

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi ni Rai. "Oh gosh. Rai stop being so brutal nga." he just grinned.

Daddy, lola and A texted me congratulations. That's all from those two. And maybe they're just busy as freaks, that's why they can't come to the graduation ceremony, but it's okay I think... Rai, Yvo, Spr and Jade were with me throughout the ceremony, and I am grateful enough.