Wreaking Havoc

tres

'I'll see you when we're done with our finals. Good luck with your last exams. I love you.'

I smiled upon reading Eli's message. It hasn't even been five minutes since he dropped me off at my condo and he's making me miss him already.

I was tired for the day so I plopped down my bed immediately after kong magbihis at mag-shower saglit. I wanted to reply but I realized he's still driving kaya itinabi ko na lang 'yung phone pagkatapos kong mag-timer ng 15 minutes para matulog saglit dahil kailangan ko pang mag-aral. Last examinations na namin bukas but I was pretty confident already dahil naaral ko naman na nang maayos, kaya konting skimming na lang ang gagawin ko mamaya.

When the 15-minute nap was over and my phone finally rang, I didn't have a choice but to walk away from my bed because I might just end up sleeping instead... although that option looked enticing, to be honest. My study room was in a different room para hindi ako maengganyong mag-aral sa kama tapos makatulog na lang bigla kaya lumabas na'ko ng kwarto para kumuha ng kape.

If it was even medically and scientifically possible, siguro kape na ang dumadaloy sa ugat ko simula med school.

Pagkalabas ko ng kwarto, dimlights na lang ang nakabukas at mukhang tulog na rin si manang kaya tahimik na lang akong dumiretso sa kusina at kumuha ng bottled coffee at 'yung isang tub ng trail mix sa ibabaw ng ref bago naglakad papunta sa study room. Habang inaayos ko naman 'yung mga libro at gamit ko biglang nag-ring 'yung phone ko.

"Are you studying?" Astrid, my best friend since college, asked the moment I answered the call. Natawa naman ako at ibinaba sa table ko 'yung bottled coffee at trail mix.

"About to start in a few," I answered as I was checking the time. It was almost ten and I only have 'til 12 am para makapagaral dahil ayaw na ayaw ko na walang tulog. Buti na lang alas nueve pa 'yung last exams namin bukas kaya pwede kong bawiin 'yung 8 hours na tulog. Malapit lang naman 'yung university sa condo. "Why?"

"Do you want to study together or something? I need your reviewers in Microbio..."

I chuckled, "You're literally next to my condo, Astrid. I'll just have it scanned and I'll give it to you."

"Okay!" Nagulat ako nang marinig ko 'yung boses ni Astrid dahilan para mapaharap ako sa pinto, and there she was in her pyjamas and carrying a bunch of books and her small backpack which was probably filled with post-its and highlighters. "Hello, pa-gate crash lang."

Napairap ako, "You know you're giving me ideas to just ask Elias live in the unit next door. Mas nakikita ko na 'yung mukha mo kaysa sa kaniya."

Astrid snarked, "Magkakapalit na kayo ng mukha gaga," sambit niya at ipinatong 'yung mga libro niya sa may kabilang study table. "Thanks pala sa spare card."

I rolled my eyes, "That doesn't mean you can just scare me like that!"

Natawa naman si Astrid at naupo sa may bean bag, "Para namang others 'to. Hoy, pasalamat ka natatagalan ko 'yang kasungitan mo."

"Thanks, I guess?" I uttered, earning me an eye roll from Astrid.

After I scanned and printed my reviewers for Microbio, pareho naman na kaming tumahimik at nag-review na lang. I was in the middle of studying for Microbio when my phone suddenly rang showing Eli's name on the screen.

Napangiti na lang ako bago sinagot 'yung videocall, "Hi love. Are you back safe?"

Eli nodded habang nagpupunas ng buhok, "Nag-shower lang saglit. Are you still studying?"

I picked up my reviewer and showed it to him, "Skim lang," I answered. "Are you going to sleep na?"

"Need ko pang mag-digest," natatawa niyang sabi. "I just missed you so I called."