Serenity

15th

Prepared

"No way, Einj.." I muttered while staring on the bulletin board. "Hindi na tayo magkaklase!"

Buong bakasyon pa man din kaming hindi nagkita! I spent my summer at Emma's while Einj went overseas with her family. Kaya nga excited akong magpasukan para makita na siya ulit. Akala ko ay mas madalas na kaming magkakasama dahil mas maluwag daw ang schedule ngayong Grade 12 na kami.

"Huh? Bakit? Anong section mo?" she rushed over the lists too. "1204 ako.."

I sighed. "1205,"

Einj groaned. Aniya'y siya lang daw ang nahiwalay.

"Classmates kayo ni Cal," aniya habang nililibot pa rin ng tingin sa announcement. "1205 din siya.."

As if that's a good thing. Lalo nga lang napasama. Parang mas ayaw ko na tuloy.  Cal seems like a bad news. He's not even around yet. Malamang ay late na naman ito. Napailing-iling ako. Unang-unang araw pa man din ng klase!

Habang papunta na sa classrooms ay naharang pa kami nung management student na nanliligaw kay Einj. Binasted niya na ito dati ngunit patuloy pa rin at handa raw umanong maghintay. Gusto kong masuka. Clearly, he doesn't know Einj that well.

I grinned as she struggled with all the imported gifts on her arms.

"Prayer reveal naman dyan," tudyo ko nang wala na sa harap namin ang lalaki. "Or ano ba, ritwal? Ritwal reveal naman, Einj."

"Gaga, bakit may paggagamitan ka ba?" she chuckled aloud. "Si Elcid?"

"Tss. Ewan, baka miski gayuma hindi gumana ron." irap ko. "Patay na patay sayo,"

"Huh? Bakit ba, yung sa dress rehearsal pa rin? I told you, Sey.. We just really had an emergency that time. Pinatawag siya ni Sir Pascual! It's not what you think. Bahala ka dyan, ayaw mong maniwala!" she exclaimed.

Ilang beses niya nang idinetalye sakin iyan dati pa. Last school year pa lang matapos kong ilantad sa kanya ang nakita kinabukasan noon. I just make a face whenever she tries to rebuild my hope.

"Hindi lang naman kasi yon. Basta. This a hopeless case, Einj.. Nothing can beat what he has for you,"

Her lips parted. Bumuntong-hininga siya. She told me it may seem that way but that's not how it really is. Aniya pa'y may rason daw kung bakit malalim ang closeness sa kanya ni Elcid.

"You see, he actually used to have a speech problem when we were kids. At the age of five, hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita ng kahit ano. Akala ko nung una ayaw niya lang akong kausap. And it frustrates me. Among everyone in the neighborhood, he's the only one who doesn't talk to me at all. His parents tried everything. Consultations, speech therapy, name it. Yet none of it actually worked. Until one day, I was able to make him speak."

I was torn between wanting to know more and keeping myself away from the bittersweet information. Gustuhin ko mang malaman ang detalye kung paano nangyari ang buong kwento ay pinili ko na lang ilihis ang usapan.

"Hoy, classmates tayo Seya?" malakas agad ang boses ni Cal pagpasok pa lang sa classroom. Hindi nya pa man naibababa ang bag ay umakbay na ito sakin habang nakaupo ako sa desk.

"Tanga, wag tayong magtabi!" nang ilapag niya ang bag sa katabing upuan ay sinaway ko na agad. "Mahirap na! Dun ka sa malayo umupo!"

Kahit anong taboy ko kay Cal ay hindi na ito lumipat ng upuan. I really have a bad feeling about this. Mukhang magiging masalimuot pa yata ang huling taon ko sa high school.