More Than You'll Ever Know

2- Photo Album

Jachin

     "Anak, my friend Rachel told me you go to the same school with Reveka. Why didn't you mention it to me?" I put down my bag and faced my mom. Running from the gate was tiresome and asking me this stupid question doesn't make any difference. 

     "Mom, I don't hang out with her plus I'm busy with the possible orgs that I might join" I told her while I was walking towards my room.

     Reveka was this princess from my childhood and she is still. I don't want to treat her like that, its not like I am even close to her. As I scroll my newsfeed, pictures of her and her friends were uploaded. I never thought she would be this friendly. 

     Before, inaasar lang ako ng mga kapatid ko. Hindi ako pinapansin ni Reveka, like I would do anything mean to her.

     I was about to put my phone away to do my assignments, a notification got my attention. My seatmate, Roy, asked me to hang out with them. I ignored the message and started doing my homework. 

     Distractions like this are inevitable but I would do anything to not give attention to it. As I grow older, I realize that I do love the company of myself and I'm starting to choose friends that would actually last a lifetime.

     Reading the instructions of my homework surprised me, it says that we should find a picture from our childhood. I took my photo album and started looking for one. 

     A picture caught onto my attention, picture naming ni Reveka. Hindi ko alam bakit but it annoys me. I put it back and nagsimula ulit humanap ng ibang picture.

     "Class, I will choose two students to explain what happened on the photo and tell us the reason why they chose their pictures. Let's start with Jachin for the boys." I sighed when my name was called. 

     Bakit sa daming lalaki dito sa classroom, ako pa ang napili? I took my picture at pumunta sa harapan. Tumayo ako ng maayos at humarap sa mga kaklase ko.

     "This photo was taken on my birthday. This was specifically when everyone was giving me their presents. I choose this photo because it was the memorable part of my seventh birthday." Pagkatapos ay bumalik na ako sa upuan ko. Pag minamalas nga naman, kinuha pa ni Miss ang picture at tinignan. 

     I was really nervous when she noticed something and that gave out an excited face.

     "Oh well, that was concise but I like it. Thank you. We will have Reveka for the girls." Namula ako sa hiya, I knew that something was up. 

     "Jachin are you okay?" Roy whispered, I gave him a thumbs up and proceeded to doodle just so I can avoid everyone's eyes.

     "This was taken when I was six years old on our pool area. I gave my friend a present because I failed to attend his party. I chose this photo because I remember crying about it, I was just forced to give him a present." My classmates clapped but all I could hear was her reason, she was forced? All along, tama pala sina kuya at ate?

     As soon as the class ended, I walked towards Reveka's seat. "Wait, dinala mo ang whole photo album mo para makapili ka? That's genius of you." Amara started talking and I stepped backwards. 

     So, she intentionally teased me huh? I was about to go back to my seat when she started talking, "Yes, but it was all true." 

     She turned around and we made eye contact before turning back to Amara. "I was really forced to give him a gift."

Ano raw?