Captured Through The Lenses

Wakas

Wakas (Finally Captured)

"Isaac!" akbay sa akin ni Benjamin habang nagpapaikot ng kanyang bench bath na panyo."Look at this. Ang astig diba?

"Tss! You think that's cool?"pambabara ko kay Benjamin.

"Pre! Wag mo sabihing ngayong grade seven na tayo, ganyan ka pa rin? Enjoy your high school days dude!" he nudged my shoulder. "High school ang pinakamasayang phase ng buhay. Paano ka makakahanap ng mga kaibigan kung ganyan ka ka-uptight?"

"I can enjoy high school in other ways than making a bench bath twirl around my finger," sagot ko. Tumuro ako sa nakapaskil sa school bulletin board. "I will join the journalism team."

"That's boring," ani Dominique sa aking gilid na kararating lang. Ngumisi siya. "But that's how you are, you're really boring. Not interesting."

"Back off! Kung ayaw mo ng black eye sa unang araw ng klase," babala ni Mason. "Pasalamat ka, journalism team ang sasalihan ni Isaac. Balita ko sasali ka ng varsity basketball. Baka gusto mo don ka na lang sumali pre?" baling sa akin ni Mason na halatang nang aasar sa aking pinsan.

Dominique's shot back at me darkly, a wedge of anger glittering in his eyes.

My mouth twitched. "Not a bad idea, Mason. Maybe I should go to try-outs one of these days."

"You'll surely attract a ot of girls," komento ni Benjamin.

I snorted. "Nah. Girls are not on the list."

But all of my plans came out of the window. When Lilly Catherine Austria, in her school uniform, black long hair with side bangs, and a hairpin on the left side, entered the school premises. I saw her swallow when her eyes landed on me. She kept staring back when she thinks I'm not looking, at iiwas naman kapag tumingin ako sa kung nasaan siya.

So I acted oblivious. Bahala nang hindi ko siya matignan ng matagal. Basta't alam ko nasa akin lamang ang mga mata niya.

I don't know why this girl has this pull on me. Years ago, if you were to ask me what my ideal girl would look like. The first on the list would be someone with fair skin, sexy body, poreless face and tall. I want her to be feminine. Yung makikita mong alagang alaga niya ang sarili.

But with her, none of that matters anymore. She's the most beautiful girl I will ever lay my eyes on. And I'm sure that it's not going to change in this lifetime.

Who cares if she has pimples or if she's morena and a bit smaller than standard? That's part of growing up! It's natural.

I was smiling like a fool when I read her name on the list of student's name outside our classroom. We're in the same section. Fate's on my side. I know that Redwoods University has block sections. I'll get to be with her for the whole four years. That would be enough time for me to get closer to her.

"Wala munang uuwi. I will check your bags dahil may kaklase tayong nawalan ng pera," anunsyo ko.

"Ano ba yan? May nakawan nanaman! Sino ba kase yang makakating kamay diyan?" iritadong reklamo ni Kenneth.

When I got to Lilly Catherine's line, I saw her stiffen in her seat. She looked down on the floor and acted as if she wasn't just talking out loud with her friend, Brooklyn.

Binuksan ko ang bag ng lalaking katabi niya. If our adviser didn't just instruct me to put girls and boys on alternate, I wouldn't even place her anywhere near our boy classmates.

"He got in photojourn," mababang sambit ni Brooklyn ngunit narinig ko naman.

"Sino?" Lilly asked in a hushed voice.