Our Last Summer

01: Invitation

o u r
l a s t
s u m m e r

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Saint Claire Academy
8 years ago

"Good morning, freshmen! Let's take a closer look to what your college year would look like. I am Ophelia Kaye Santos, your beautiful student volunteer who will tour you around the university. You can be comfortable around me because I am not only just a student volunteer, but I am also your friend." Sabi ng babaeng nasa unahan namin. We are 33 students of the same department. Good thing they have this kind of thing. Sa sobrang laki kasi ng Unibersidad ay baka maligaw lamang kami. I guess, I only had a chance to step inside the university. At ang unang beses ko pa ay masyadong nakakahiya.

I heard the person beside me grunts. Tinitigan ko naman siya. Mahaba ang kulot nitong buhok at naka-make up ito. His blush on looked natural on him, and he's really pretty.

He probably noticed me that's why he looked back at me. Mukhang nagulat pa siya ngunit ngumiti siya sa akin. Mabait siya, infairness. Sana ganoon din ang ugali ko, hindi iyong nandededma.

"Let's start our session by introducing ourselves. Does that sound good to all of you?" Tanong niya. Malapad ang ngiti ng karamihan kay Ophelia. Maganda at masyadong magaan sa pakiramdam ang presensya niya. Pero itong katabi ko ay parang binudburan ng asin dahil hindi ito mapakali tuwing nililingon siya ni Ophelia. Nagsasalubong ang kilay niya at harap-harapan niya itong iniirapan.

As we all go through the tour, I've spoken a little to the people around me. They were asking simple questions so I was really not pressured to talk to them. I kept my answers short as possible, but they didn't seem to mind me at all.

"Hi! Nice to meet you. Ikaw 'yong nakatitig sa akin kanina, diba? I'm August pala." Medyo nahiya ako ng banggitin niya ang pagtitig ko sa kanya. I only stared at him awhile ago because I was bothered by the sounds he made while Ophelia was touring us awhile ago.

Now that I've taken a good look at him, he's very tall. He looks prettier now that I've seen him up close too. "Amare." I extended my hand for a handshake which he politely took.

"Bago ka lang ba dito?" Tanong niya. Tumango naman ako habang nakatingin lamang sa mga estudyante na dumadaan sa harapan namin.

"Oh, then allow me to tour you around, instead of that meanie." He looked to where Ophelia is standing. Kilala kaya nila ang isa't isa kung kaya't ganoon na lamang maka-react si August rito?

"Oh gosh, don't get me started. That woman clings to me like a tarsier! It's as if her life depended on me." Mukhang alam na niya ang tumatakbong tanong sa utak ko kaya siya na mismo ang sumagot nito. Close friends argue like real enemies sometimes, right? They can't really be that mad with each other.

"Do you know the reason why?" I asked. Na-curious na kasi ako nga beh. Hindi na napigilan ng pagiging chismosa ko.

Mukhang natigilan naman siya. His face started to turn red. "H-ha? W-well...because she has a huge crush on me?"

Tumango naman ako. "Do you hate her for that?" I asked.

"No? Medyo naiirita lang tuwing sumusulpot siya kung nasaan ako." I nodded, but when I saw Ophelia looking towards our direction, ngumiti ito ng malapad. Sa akin naman nakatingin si Ophelia, baka delulu lang talaga si August.