Kiss of Sunset

Kabanata 1

Kabanata 1: Sunset

"Ilan nakuha niyo?" Tanong ni Shaina. "Ako kasi itlog na naman." Dagdag pa niya bago tumawa.

Sinapok naman siya ng notebook ni Cassie. "Ayan! Puro kasi lalaki 'yang nasa utak mo kaya pati ang score mo itlog na rin." Asik ni Cassie sa kaniya. "Pero dos lang ang nakuha ko." Pahabol pa niya at nagtawanan silang dalawa.

Napailing na lang ako sa kanila at pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa kong kwento. After Richter died, I'm already focusing on writing a story— our story. I'm a silent writer. Even my friends don't know about it.

Dito ko na lang binabaling ang atensyon ko kaysa umiyak nang umiyak dahil sa pagkawala ni Richter. Sa tutuusin, Richter wanted to be a writer. Nakita ko ang ilang drafts niya sa kaniyang journal and I was impressed on how he described things and scenes.

"Ky!" Napapitlag na lang ako nang biglang sumigaw si Shaina at bahagyang hinampas ang lamesa. "Kanina ka pa namin tinatanong kung ilan ang nakuha mo sa exam. Ano ba kasi 'yang ginagawa mo at focus na focus ka?"

Mabilis kong sinarado ang laptop ko nang akmang titignan ni Shaina kung ano ang ginagawa ko. Napalabi na lang ito at napailing na lang ako.

"23," maikling sagot ko sa kanila. The exam was up to 30.

"You're not kidding, aren't you?" 'Di makapaniwalang tanong ni Cassie sa akin. "Oh! I forgot that our best friend is a dean's lister, always on top, but..."

"But, what?" Asked Shaina.

"Arcadian," sagot ni Cassie. "Sa ilang taon nating magkakaibigan, hindi ko pa narinig na magsalita ng more than 20 words si Kyrie. Like, girl, do you have a phobia of speaking?"

"If I have, then I shouldn't answer your question earlier." I replied. "I don't like talking that much." I added.

"Sayang!" Bulalas ni Shaina kaya napatingin kaming dalawa ni Cassie sa kaniya. "Akala ko pa naman aabot ng 20 words ang sasabihin ni Kyrie pero hanggang 16 words lang."

I squinted my eyes on her. She just put a peace sign on her hand. And, Cassie, as always, she laughed again. Mga baliw.

The three of us met on our first day of college life. I don't like being sociable because of some reasons. Pero, makukulit ang dalawa. They even copied my schedule just to be with me. Naalala ko rin ang sinabi nila sa akin noon na 'whether you like it or not, we're already your friends'.

See? I don't have a choice.

"Hindi ba't 100 days ni Richter kahapon?" Muli akong napalingon kay Shaina. "Based on you, Kyrie, you don't want to let go of your memories with him and move on."

"Shai, Kyrie is still on the process of moving on. It's between her and herself. If she wants to let go, let her be. And, if she still wants to hold on, wala tayong magagawa do'n. It's her choice, not ours." Sagot sa kaniya ni Cassie dahilan para mapangiti ako ng payak sa kaniya.

"Do you, perhaps, believe on time traveling?" I asked them. Kunot-noo naman silang napatingin sa akin. "Just asking," dugtong ko pa.

"It's hard to believe that time traveling is possible. Kung posible ang time traveling, e 'di sana may pinakilala na ang mga scientists na nakagawa no'n. And, Stephen Hawkings once quoted, 'If time travel is possible, where are the tourist from the future?'. So?" Matinong sagot ni Cassie sa akin.

Tumango na lang ako sa kaniya at baka ma-open ko ang topic about sa nangyari kahapon sa may sementeryo.

I don't really believe in time travel, as well as, the magical powers along with it. But, because of my eagerness to be with Richter and again, I am ready to put aside my present and go back to past. I want to stop him from cutting his own life. I want him to see the beauty of life. I want him to see that everyone loved him the way I do.