Wayback Home

Chapter 4

Airport

Usually, tulog lang lagi ako sa byahe. Kahit saan kami pumunta, most of the time natutulog lang ako sa sasakyan kasi madali akong mahilo. Sanay naman ako sa byahe pero sa di ko malamang dahilan, nahihilo talaga ako sa amoy ng sasakyan – masyadong kulob.

On usual days, I could've been sleeping. But yeah, this day is different kasi nandito na kami sa skyway and yet dilat na dilat pa ako. Siguro by 40-minutes, nasa airport na kami. Malapit-lapit na.

Tumingin ako sa labas nang masulyapan ko yung kalakhan ng Maynila. When I was in highschool, I thought that going to Manila was the only best option – na kapag sa Maynila ka mag-aaral ng kolehiyo, mas maraming opportunities ang makukuha mo kahit student ka palang. Partially true pero sobrang hirap pala mabuhay sa Maynila. Ang sikip. Ang init-init tapos bibihira ang malinis na tubig. Bukod pa ron, nakakatakot lalo na kapag naglalakad ka sa kalsada. It wasn't all sparkly and fun as I expected it to be but, it's worth the try.

I sighed as I reminisced how much I struggled during my first year here in Manila as a college student. Kung noon sa probinsya ay sobrang kumportable and kalmado ko, rito sa Maynila halos araw-araw akong naiiyak kasi ang hirap pala talaga. Sa pagkain pa lang hirap na hirap na ako nun kasi hinahanap-hanap ko yung luto nila Nanay. Most of the time, ang kinakain ko lang noon ay cup noodles o di kaya ay mga kung ano-ano lang na makikita ko sa labas ng school. It was tough for me, but worth it naman. It changed me holistically. WhichI'm grateful for.

Before, I thought that when I go to Manila, I can do everything that I want kasi walang limit. Which is somehow true. Kung noong highschool bihira lang ako makalabas sa bahay para makipag gala, e dito sa Maynila, halos araw-araw naman akong nasa galaan. Well, noong may boyfriend pa ako.

I cuffed when I remember those times. I noticed a familiar car beside us in my peripheral vision so I glanced at my front quickly to check it. Parang eto yung kotse non sa may coffee shop sa amin, ah?

I squinted my eyes as I shifted my gaze to its plate number. I am not sure since I didn't notice the numbers of the car in the coffee shop but anyways. Ano naman kasi kung 'yon nga? Hay nako. As if kilala ko may-ari?

I giggled with that realization.

"Sino kausap mo, Ate?"

"Bakit ka natatawa?"

Eli and Jastin, my cousins, ask in-front. I move my head sideways. "Nothing."

"May naalala lang ako." I explained further kasi nakatingin sila sa akin mabuti. I shrugged off their stares and just put my earphones on instead. Makikinig na lang ako sa music.

I'm filled with nostalgia as I hear this familiar melody.

When I passed the admission for college on my dream university, sobrang tuwang-tuwa ako hindi lang dahil makakapag-aral ako sa syudad kundi dahil din makakasama ko na si Sky ng madalas. Mas matanda kasi siya sa akin ng isang taon. I was in Grade 11 and he was in Grade 12 when our relationship became official. And he was in his first-year college when I was in my last years in high school. We've known each other since junior-high, but it was only in our senior years when we started dating exclusively.

The moment he knew that I was planning to study in Manila for college, he offered me to live with him in an apartment. Which was, practically, just okay for me. He wants me to be with him. Ako rin, kaya game na game ako sa idea. Saka it is a relief for me kasi kilala ko yung makakasama ko sa tutuluyan ko if ever. Nga lang, hindi ako sure nun if papayagan ako ng parents ko kaya hindi muna ako nagbigay ng clear answer. They're a bit conservative, and with the fact na boyfriend ko na itong si Sky, I know they won't allow me to. Kaya naman gulat na gulat ako nang tanungin nila ako isang araw if settled na ako to be with him in Manila, so long we know our limits.

My head hit the van's mirror as we found our spot in the parking. Ang lamig nang hangin. I look up in the sky and saw an airplane going up... later ako naman yung nakasakay jan. I sighed.

It's still 4 in the afternoon and mamayang pang 7:30 yung flight ko so kumain muna kami sa isang fast-food chain na andun habang naghihintay. Pagkatapos naming kumain, papasok na sana agad ako sa loob pero pinigilan ako nung dalawa kong pinsan, sina Eli at Jastin. Isang oras pa raw kami bond. Parang sira lang?

"Ate! Wait muna. Kating-kati ka na ba umalis?"

"Oo. Sawa na ako sa mukha mo." Eli laughed and Jastin rolled her eyes and pouted like an idiot.

"Saan ba tayo pupunta, Jas?" I asked. Ang init kaya. Nakatayo lang kami rine sa may harap ng wishing well. Nakatulala sa mga barya sa tubig. Di ko rin alam sa trip nung mga ito, balak yatang pulitin yung barya doon sa groto e.

"Di ko alam." Eli lazily uttered. Jastin shrugged. Adik ba 'to?

I look around, finding a place na mas malamig at may upuan when the chapel caught my eye. I looked at them and mouthed the place. Their eyebrows rose.

"Seriously?"

"Malamig don. Tara na!"

"Ate? Totoo ba 'yan?"

"Shut up. I pray kaya! Let's just wait there. I'd like to sit in for a while habang naghihintay ng oras."