Dear Lover

skyrues

Special Chapter 01
The First Meet

"Lim, samahan mo ako sa main lib."

Nakakunot ang noo nitong nilagay ang dalawang kamay sa gilid ng kaniyang baywang, "Anak ng— ang layo! Katamad, ang init pati."

"Okay, I'll go ahead," I shrugged and tapped the back of his shoulder as my sign of dismissal.

Walking under the blueberry-filled hues of a sunchild's birth rays, the trailblazing autumn-like season compressed the university into a pile of castleton greenery leaves falling from copses as the wind danced with them to the ground. How fancy.

Nang makarating na ako sa loob, hindi na ako nagulat pa nang makitang maraming estusyante ang nag-aaral, kadalasan kasi sa mga libro na kailangan ng mga estudyante ay naririto.

I looked around to see myself a seat. Luckily, I saw an available table in the corner of the third section after I searched some books for the geography of modern art works of literature.

I was in the middle of sketching a few drafts for my class later when someone ran onto my table and accidentally tugged the edge of my platform desk, I pursed my lips in annoyance and gave a side glance to the boy whose backpack was placed wrongly on his shoulders.

"Riri!" He called.

I sighed an impatient breath, the tip of my pencil broke and the sketch of an old building was ruined. Napadiin ang pagsadsad nito sa papel kung kaya't ang gitnang parte nito ay bahagya nang napunit.

Feeling a bit angry, I scanned the whole area for his possible shadows, and there, at just a table away from mine, I saw him taking over a sit in front of an epitome.

My lips parted. Napakurap ako sa nakita.

I stared at the woman, longer enough to have my heart skipped a bit after seeing a glimpse of myself doing every romantic clichès with her. If I were to weave each thread only to knot us a connection, I'd rather do it. For a moment, I see myself looking and still looking back at their direction, her direction.

Mukhang mataray dahil madalas lamang nakapoker face pero nang ngumiti at tumawa ay parang naglaho ang lahat ng kung anong isipin tungkol sa kaniya. Ang maamong mukha ay isa sa nagpadepina ng maliliit na mga mata na mas lalong sumisingkit dahil sa ginagawa nitong pagngiti.

Okay lang, bagay naman sa kan'ya. Ang ganda niya tuloy tingnan lalo kapag nakangiti.

Imbes na ituloy ang inis na nararamdaman mula sa nasirang iginuhit, I flipped a new page from my sketch pad.

I stared at her. . . the found muse of my musings— to paint her in pieces of the great masters.

I looked over my watch and see if I still have some time left from my vacant. Nang makitang may 40 minutos ay sinimulan ko ang pagguhit kasabay ng mabibilis kong sulyap sa babae.

Riri ba talaga ang pangalan niya? Kung iyon nga, it suits her so well.

Cute and daring and. . . pretty.

Inorasan ko ang sarili sa kagustuhang matapos ito kaagad bago matapos ang mga segundong tumatakbo sa orasan. I want to finish my sketch for her, even if a simple infatuation could last a day or so, I'd still like to paint this moment.

Hindi ko na namalayan ang mga minutong lumipas sa sobrang tutok ko sa pagguhit, bumalik lang ako sa wisyo nang tumunog ang alarm ko na nagpagimbala sa lahat. I looked in her direction and I immediately regretted doing so.

Nakakahiya.

Nakatingin siya!

"What the hell. . . does being stupid doesn't exempt me in times like this, too?" I murmured to myself and started cleaning my things due to embarrassment.