Serendipitous Convergence

Chapter 16

"Ayaw mo bang lumipat ng pwesto?" tanong ng kaklase kong babae kay Noah.

Hindi ako tumingin sa kanila, I just let them be. Kahit na awayin ako ngayon sa tingin ko ay wala akong gagawin, I am not on the mood to do so.

"Bakit naman?" tanong naman pabalik ni Noah.

"May girlfriend ka na e. Kayo lang dalawa ni Kalia diyan, hindi ba nagseselos si Lara? Dapat siguro lumipat ka na-" bago pa niya matapos ang sinasabi niya ay ako na mismo ang tumayo.

"Where's the vacant seat?" walang emosyon na tanong ko.

She didn't say anything, tinuro niya lang ang bakanteng upuan sa gitna.

Kinuha ko ang bag ko. I glance at Noah for the last time who is also looking at me. Hindi ko maintindihan ang mga mata niya, hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito siya kung makatingin kaya umiwas na lang ako ng tingin bago pumunta sa upuan na itinuro sa akin.

Maybe it's true that everything comes to an end, that is why we are here. The moment he had someone that owned him, naputol na ang koneksyon na meron kami. We can't be the same nor we can be friends, especially when Lara and I aren't even close. Tanggap ko na rin naman, it's just sad that we have to end and why does it have to be this early?

Huminga ako ng malalim, I might be taking it seriously but who can be friends with someone they fell in love with especially when that person is already in a relationship? Definitely not me.

Malapit na lang naman matapos ang school year na ito, I just have to endure a few months then I'll make sure to not be on the same 4 walls with him.

Kakalabas lang namin sa school when I saw Noah with Lara, naglalakad lang sila habang ako ay nasa sasakyan, pinapanood sila. I am here on an air-conditioned car while they are outside with the sun burning their skin pero ang lungkot lungkot ko. Is this really how it feels to have feelings for someone you cannot have? Parang lahat ng sitwasyon ko hindi pabor sa akin kung si Noah ay kasama naman ng iba.

May motor na mabilis na dumaan sa gilid nila dahilan para matalsikan sila ng putik pero halos kay Noah lahat tumalsik ito. I saw how Noah look at his uniform. I don't know what he is thinking pero sa tingin ko ay iniisip na niya agad kung paano niya lalabhan ang iniform niya knowing that he only has two, panigurado na mahirap tanggalin ang dumi na yon.

I remember thinking about giving him a gift, something I haven't done yet...

So Saturday morning I went to the school, with the help of Levi I was able to buy uniform with Noah's size pero pinalaki ko ng konti. Sa school kasi bumibili ng uniform at meron din silang size ng estudyante.

I bought 3 pairs that he could use this school year kahit patapos na ang klase and another 5 na wala pang badge para siya namang gamitin niya next school year.

Hapon din ay nakipag kita ako kay Lara para sakanya ko na ibigay ang mga uniform.

"Give it to him but don't tell him it's from me. Take the credit or give it to the one taking care of you, just don't tell him it's from me," Nang abutin niya ito ay aalis na sana ako ngunit natigilan ako sa kanyang naging tanong.

"Gusto mo siya no?" Tinignan ko siya. Nanininbang ang uri ng pagtitig niya.

If i tell her I do, may nangyari ba? What I feel doesn't matter anymore because it won't bloom. Hindi niya kailangan malaman, wala na ring saysay na malaman ni Noah.

"I told him that I would give him a gift, tinutupad ko lang ang sinabi ko. Wala namang mali don diba? I am capable. Ayaw ko lang na malaman niya na galing sa akin dahil kagaya mo, ayaw kong mag isip siya ng iba. That is just a gift, it means nothing but i understand if you think it's for something, poor aren't being treated right most of the time so little kindness means a lot to people like you while it's nothing for us,"