EAS 2: Certain Shades of Green (Completed)

Kabanata 20

Mula sa gate ng Campus usap-usapan na kaagad ang paparating na Intrams. Isang pinaka-masayang okasyon sa paaralan.

Kahit ako sa tuwing naririnig iyon natutuwa ako dahil may mga iba't-ibang school ang maglalabanan. Mga naglalabang varsity players. Pero syempre hindi mawawala ang Miss and Mr. Intrams.

I used to be excited, but now I don't feel it. I felt like I was walking dead on my way somewhere. Until I realized I was in front of our classroom.

Tahimik akong naupo sa upuan ko habang nag-uusap tungkol sa paparating na Intrams. But I remained silent, hunched over my desk table.

"Baka si Esther, ipanlaban natin," rinig kong usapan nila kaya mabilis akong nag-angat nang tingin at umiling sa kanila.

Siguro naman naintindihan nila dahil tumango lang sila. Ilang Professor ang pumasok sa amin pero naghabilin lang ng ibang gagawin at umalis na rin.

This is really how it is when Intrams comes, everyone is focused there. Until the afternoon passed, my body was lethargic walking alone while slightly smiling at the students I passed by.

Ngunit bigla akong dinala ng mga paa ko sa Gym kung saan may mga naglalaro ng basketball. Pero nang maalala si Drake na Varsity player ng basketball. Umalis nalang din ako. Pero naririnig kong usapan. Lalaban ang school namin sa school nila Drake.

Mabilis akong nagtungo sa palabas ng gate. Dahil maaga pa naman naglakad na lamang ako. I didn't know but after that conversation with Drake. I seem to have lost half of my life. Idagdag pang iniwan ulit ako ni mama.

Napahinto ako ng madaanan ang maliit na park. So I sat down first on the stone chair, while the wind was cold. I looked around and there weren't too many people here. So I let myself cry.

Muling nilipad ng hangin ang mahaba at natural blonde kong buhok kaya napaangat ako tingin. Hanggang sa hindi ko namalayang napapapikit na lamang ako habang dinadama ang masarap na ihip ng hangin, na wari'y humahaplos sa wasak kong puso.

"Ahh!" malakas akong napasigaw dahil sa paninikip ng dibdib.

"Ayoko na!" muli akong napahagulhol. "Nagpakabait naman ako. Bakit ang saklap parin sa'kin ng kapalaran?!" I cried harder. I am comfortable because no one can hear me.

"Hindi masaklap ang kapalaran. Sadyang napunta ka lang sa sitwasyong 'yan, upang subukin kung hanggang kailan ka magiging matapang." namilog ang mata ko dahil sa boses na narinig.

"God gave that challenges because he knew you could pass it." he sat down beside me.

"I maybe not really know you. But I know you've been through enough, kaya ka umiiyak." I looked at him with my swollen eyes, "Umiiyak ka hindi dahil suko kana, umiiyak ka dahil alam mong kakayanin mo pa. The more na umiiyak ka mas lalo kang tumatapang." he smiled genuinely.

"Kinno..."

"You know what? College year changed you a lot." naiiling na aniya.

"B-Bakit naman?" I asked while hiccuping.

"We were schoolmates last year. And you may not know me, but I know you secretly." he chuckled, "You're prim and proper back then, most especially when you're with your friends. But when it comes to boys, you were avoiding them." puna niya, "Kaya kahit sino nahihirapang kunin ang atensyon mo," he grinned. "Even me." he added, as he laughed softly.

I sighed as I listened to him. "But even so. You were a happy person. I always caught you smiling at anyone." he sighed deeply, "But you became a war freak when someone spread the news about your mother. And because of defending her, your good reputation at school was ruined but even so, I didn't see you cry, and you kept going. "

Mabilis akong napayuko dahil sa mga kwentong naririnig sa kaniya. Pero ano nga ba ang gusto niyang ipunto?

"And now when you were in college, you became a crying baby." he teased, he's laughing at the same time. "Your love changed you," he whispered so I looked at him. But he just averted his eyes.

"Kin, ano bang gusto mong ipunto?" takang tanong ko.

He laughed, "Nothing. I just want to remind you that you're brave when you were alone. Ngayon pa kaya?"

"You mean, kahit umiiyak ako matapang pa rin ako?"

He nodded. "Yes. Sobrang tapang. Dahil nakakaya mong lagpasan ang sakit sa bawat araw. Binago kaman ng pagmamahal mo, mas naging matapang ka naman upang harapan ang bukas," lintaya niya.

Napayuko ako habang pinaglalaruan ang mga daliri sa dalawang kamay.

"Pero bakit gano'n Kin. Kung mahal nila tayo, bakit pa nila tayo nagagawang saktan?" inosenteng tanong ko.

Ginulo niya naman ang buhok ko sa ulo kaya napaangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya at napairap.

"Kung sa boyfriend mo ito, nakikita ko namang sobrang mahal kaniya. But there's a part of me that I want to punch him for making you cry." I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just laughed." I don't know his reason. But there is something you can do if you find out." He advised.

"Paano?"

"Silly! You're his girlfriend. You have the right to ask him. Maybe you've had a misunderstanding with each other. But try to be open with each other. That will definitely help to strengthen your relationship." he said softly.

"Pero kasi, parang ang dami niyang sekreto sa akin."

"Kasi hindi ka nagtatanong." muli niyang ginulo ang buhok ko. "Try to ask him sometimes. Ang mga lalaki kasi hindi vocal, kinikimkim lang nila lahat. Lalo na kapag may problema. Para lang hindi mag-alala ang mahal nila." paliwanag niya.

"You mean kailangan ko siyang kausapin? At tanungin sa lahat ng gusto ko?" he nodded, "You should. You've right to do that."

Napatango na lamang ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Hanggang unti-unti na ring nagdilim ang langit.

Kaya nagpresinta na siyang ihatid ako. Hindi na ako nagprotesta pa dahil wala na rin naman akong masasakyan pauwi.