Acute Nostalgia

CHAPTER 6

CLOSER YOU AND I

PARALLEL UNIVERSE

  We live in a
Parallel Universe

We are splendid words of poems
   stuck in free verse

You are the sunrise,
I am the sunset

You just are
I just am

In a poem the universe
  forbids to rhyme

"Ang galing mo pa lang gumawa ng tula at English pa." I immediately hide my notebook inside my bag when Mark spoke behind my back.

Sh*t! He read my poem.

"A-anong ginagawa mo dito?" I raised my eyebrow.

I was sitting in my usual spot at Nightangle. It was a mini park inside the premises of the university. I still have an hour of vacant that's why I decided to be here and write a poem. The tranquility of the vicinity inspired me to construct a free verse. However, I was astound when Mark saw my poem and read it.

Mark just sat beside me– I was currently sitting in a bench– and a gigantic grin spread across his face.

"Pabasa naman ako ng iba mo pang tula." He pouted.

"Ayoko nga," I bawled.

"Ouch! Bakit naman? Gusto ko lang naman mabasa ang mga gawa mo. Ang ganda kasi tulad ng gumawa," nakangiti nitong saad sa'kin. I found it jeje and cliche, but my cheeks heated. I looked away.

"Ayoko. Nahihiya ako."

"Bakit mo ikakahiya ang napakaganda mong akda? That is worth to read. I'm not a writer nor an avid reader of literary piece but the time that I read your masterpiece, I persuade to become one," seryosong turan ni Mark. "Ang galing mong gumawa ng tula, ba't Political Science kinuha mo at hindi Creative Writing?"

"Marunong lang akong magsulat, Mark pero hindi ako magaling. Tyaka, hilig ko lang talaga ang pagsusulat, hobby ko lang pero ayoko ko 'tong pagkakitaan. I just want to write just to express myself and leave at least once in fantasy world," I stated while looking at the blue enticing sky.

I faced him and asked, "Ano nga palang ginagawa mo dito? 'Di ba may klase ka pa?"

He scratched the back of his head and smile at me shyly. "I just excuse myself to go to the restroom, I was about to go back to the classroom but I saw you. Kaya napagdesisyunan kong lapitan ka muna."

Imismiran ko ito at tinulak palayo. "Bumalik ka na sa klase mo. Baka sabihin pa ng professor niyo na kinain ka na ng bowl kasi ang tagal mong bumalik."

"I don't care. Gusto pa kitang makasama." Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya ngunit agad rin akong nakabawi at muling tinulak ito upang bumalik sa kanilang klase.

"Balik na sabi." Tumayo na ako't inakay s'ya patayo. Hinawakan ko s'ya sa kamay at hinihila patayo ngunit nagpapabigat ito. "Dali na, tayo na," pagpupumilit ko dito.

He held my hand back and uttered, "Sige, tayo na nga." Iba ang pagkakabigkas niya ng tayo. Ang tayo na tinutukoy niya ay 'yong panghalip na sa english ay 'we', hindi pandiwa.

I halted. My heart beat irrationally and I felt like it's all a delusion. Ngunit nang makabawi ako, binitawan ko ang kamay niya na s'yang dahilan kung bakit ito natumba.