Woven on Time (Student Series #3)

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Huy, usog na!" My classmate behind me pushed my back to disturb my attention.

Palapit na ako nang palapit sa unahan ng pila. Moving Up Ceremony namin ngayon at wala pa si Mommy. She was supposed to be here thirty minutes earlier, but I saw not even a phantom of her.

Isn't it she who taught me about this? Punctuality is the greatest virtue, and time is a luxury that we must spend wisely.

It's either she attends early... or she will never come. Yumuko ako nang may napagtanto. It's not the virtue she breaks; it's her promise to me.

"Tala, ako na ang sasama sa 'yo sa pagmartsa," si Tito Nataniel nang napansing mukhang wala nang balak dumating ang magulang ko.

I forced myself to smile, to let him know that it was okay. Pinagpapasalamat ko na nariyan ang dalawang magulang ni Twyla kaya kahit kakarampot na atensyon galing sa kapamilya, tanggap ko nang buong-buo.

"Ate Tala! We made it! We made it!" Mahigpit akong niyakap ni Twyla nang natapos ang seremonya. "Senior high na po tayo sa susunod! I'm so excited! Sana po maging kaklase ulit kita!"

We chose HUMSS strand for our senior years at the same university. I was hoping the chance we would be classmates again was more than 50 percent.

Lumapit sina Tita at Tito sa amin, parehong nakangiti. "Congratulations, Twy. Congratulations, Tala! We are so proud of you."

"Thank you po!" Ngumiti ako nang malawak.

May lumapit sa aming kaklase namin, may hawak na cell phone.

"Uy, Tala! Twy! Picture picture muna tayo!"

We took pictures with some of our classmates and with Twy's parents. Maraming pictures na kaming dalawa ni Twy ang magkasama at may mga solo rin. Her parents were considerate enough not to make me feel alone and out of place, the reason why amongst my other relatives, they were my favorites.

"Oh? Bakit pala hindi ko nakita 'yong isa n'yong kaibigan? Hindi ba't kaklase n'yo rin siya?" usisa ni Tita Shaniah.

Lumingon-lingon si Twyla at halos magkanda-haba na ang leeg sa paghahanap kay Kuya El nang sumagot ako.

"Hindi raw po siya pupunta," sagot ko sa kanila. "Sabi niya po sa akin."

"Huh?" Tita was more confused. "Why not? Is there an emergency he has to attend?"

"I'm not sure po, e. Pero kasama naman po siya sa list of junior high completers."

My attention from her was taken away by my cousin upon noticing her freezing on the spot, her coral tinted lips separated and eyes circling. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang linya ng tinitingnan niya nang bigla siyang nagtago sa likuran ko, hawak ang dalawa kong braso.

May pamilyar na mukha akong nahagip pero binalewala ko iyon dahil halos hilahin ni Twyla ang braso ko.

"Mommy! Let's go home now, please! I feel like pooping!" she said. "Ow, ang sakit ng tiyan ko po!" She dramatically held her stomach.

Tita Shaniah invited me to their house, but I had to decline because I knew Manang was waiting for me. Pinaghanda nila ako at binigyan ng munting regalo. I couldn't express how grateful I was for their existence in my life.

I spent the next hours inside my room, waiting for my parents to go home and have a simple dinner for today's celebration. And then again, they never failed to fail me. Tinitigan ko ang screen ng phone na may text ni Mommy.

Mommy:

Eulalie, we will be home by Saturday. Sinabihan ko si Gibo na kung may gusto kang puntahan, samahan ka niya. Don't bring stray animals in our house, alright?