A/N: It's my first time uploading a story. I've written before but deleted it. This story may contain grammatical errors. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it. Have a wonderful day! ❤️
—
"Bro, Craige," tawag ni Oliver sa pangalan ko. First day of college life namin. We have not seen each other for two months, busy kasi kami pareho sa paghahanda. Finally, college na kami. Kaunting push na lang, mararating na namin ang mga pangarap namin. Though, I knew na this will be a tough battle for us, but we'll get there.
"Grabe, tumaas ka ah," sabay gulo niya sa buhok ko. Agad ko naman itong inayos.
"First day of school, ang ingay mo!" reklamo ko. Napawi ang ngiti niya, napalitan ng inis.
Oliver has been my friend since elementary. Kaya kahit college, we decided to go to the same school. Magkakapitbahay kami noon sa Manila bago sila lumipat.
"First day of school, ang bad trip mo!" sigaw niya pa.
Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Kita na lang tayo mamaya. Punta lang ako sa room ko." Tumalikod ako at tinakip siya sa braso.
Ang ganda pala talaga ng Ateneo. Parang sa mga teleserye. Ateneo de Manila University is famous, it's one of the world's most exciting communities of leaders and scholars. Nagsimula ito bilang Escuela Municipal de Manila noong 1859, at ngayon, it offers primary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate education across disciplines. Humanities, business, medicine, law, you name it.
Kilala ang Ateneo sa kanyang Jesuit liberal arts tradition, and yes, admission is highly selective. That's why many people dream of being here. It's a university of leaders.
Kasalukuyan akong nasa room ko. Minamasdan ang mga pumapasok, iba't ibang lahi ang nandito, some are Americans, Indians, Spanish, French, Italian. But still, they show respect for the Philippines.
Lahat kami dito ay future surgeons. Iba't-ibang aspeto nga lang.
"Good morning, future surgeons! Look at those faces!" sigaw ng proctor namin.
"Before I start, let me introduce myself. I'm Doctor Lirzkie Dabiyo. Professional doctor, naka-assign ako dito sa Ateneo. I teach Monday to Friday, and I work at the hospital every weekend. I'm 46 years old and isa akong dalagang Pilipina, no husband since birth."
Napatawa kami lahat.
"Let's start!" ani niya ulit. Tumango kaming lahat sa kanya, hindi halata sa kanya ang pagiging 46 years old, her presence carried both wisdom and energy, hindi siya overbearing hindi rin soft, but steady and sure. Her curly, shoulder-length hair framed her face in loose.
She's wearing her white coat with pride but the way I see her is that she carried herself with the light humor of someone who knew that titles didn't make a person, actions did.
"I don't prefer oral. I want written work. I want to see how good you are." Lakad siya ng lakad.
"Since it's our first day, write down why you chose to be a surgeon. There are easier courses out there, so why this?"
Tumango kaming lahat. Kumuha ng yellow pad. Tahimik akong nakatingin sa papel ko. Bakit nga ba?
Minutes passed pero pangalan ko lang ang naisulat ko. Yung iba, tapos na. Ako, wala pa rin.
Napatingin ako sa mga kaklase kong nagsilabasan. Konti na lang kami sa loob. So, I decided to write one word na alam ko na 'yun ang biggest reason ko why.
"To save lives"
Saktong tumunog ang bell kaya't nagsilabasan na lahat, tumayo narin ako, nakakalawang hakbang palang ako nang bigla akong natumba dahil sa paa na nakaharang. My face almost hit the floor but I guided my body immediately to support my body. Sobrang lakas nga lang ng impact sa dibdib ko.
"Are you okay?" tanong ni Dr. Dabiyo habang inaalalayan ako. Napatawa ang ilang lumalabas na estudyante.
Tinignan ko kung sino ang may-ari ng paa. A woman. A straight blonde woman. Thick eyebrow, Tall nose, and long eye lashes.
"Excuse me, miss, don't you have anything to say?" tanong ni Doc. Tumingala ang babae then our eyes met. Her eyes was somehow familiar, like I've known her a long time ago. But, it's impossible. I don't have a friend like her. Anna was kind and almost genuine.
"Sorry," mahina niyang saad, sabay abot ng papel. Napatingin ako sa papel niya, she managed to fill the yellow pad. Gaano ba kahaba ang dahilan niya para maging surgeon?
"You two can go now," aniyani Doc.
Inis akong naglakad palabas. Kasunod ko siya. Nang makalayo kami, bigla akong huminto and because of that, she bumped into my back.
"Bakit mo 'yun ginawa?" tanong ko. She stayed silent. Her eyes didn't have any emotions. It felt dark and empty.
"I didn't do it on purpose," sagot niya. My brows furrowed.
"Bakit hindi ka agad nag-sorry?" tanong ko, she stared into my eyes kaya't nilabanan ko rin ang titig niya pero her stares was making me feel weird. Something, I haven't felt before.
"'Cause I didn't do it on purpose." Akmang aalis na siya, pero hinarang ko. I wasn't used to it. 'Yung Hindi agad nag so-sorry. Hindi ko alam pero parang ang big deal kapag Hindi agad nag sorry ang Isang tao.
"I'm still talking to you, miss." Tumingala ulit siya.
"I already said sorry," sabay taas ng kilay. Her voice sounded sarcastic, mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.
"Miss, kung may nagawa ka sa tao, sinadya man o hindi, learn to say sorry," naiinis kong saad.
"I'm sorry, sir. But for me, sorry is only for the things we do on purpose," sagot niya.
'What? Purpose?'
"And what makes you say that?" tanong ko.
Napabuntong-hininga siya. "There are sorry that aren't sincere. There are people who say sorry, then do it again. Sir, sorry is not enough to change what already happened. If sorry fixes everything, why do we have police? Why do people get jailed? Why are there lawyers? Why are there still fights?" Tumigil siya sandali.
"And lastly, sir... not all sorry remove the pain. Natumba ka diba? You got hurt and it pissed you off, and when I said sorry, hindi siya nawala. Sometimes, sorry is a threat. A weakness." Hindi na ako nakasagot. Tumingin ako sa kanya. Her eyes held so much pain. Nang mapansin niyang nakatitig ako, agad siyang umiwas at naglakad palayo.
Sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa makababa siya ng hagdan.
Then, her words flashback.
"Hindi lahat ng sorry nakakatanggal ng sama ng loob. Sometimes, sir, sorry is a threat. And a weakness."
She's Right.
: >
YOU ARE READING
Heartbeat
Romance"When past meets the present, 11 Years in the Making." What happens when two people, separated by 11 years, reconnect by chance??? Craige, a 19 year old who seems to have it all is about to discover the one thing he's been missing: true connection...
