Final Farewell

19

I was late for class. Nagmamadali na akong pumasok. I was hoping na late rin yung Professor namin. Terror pa naman yun.

As I was about to enter our Philosophy class, I sighed, a sigh of relief. Maingay pa at wala pa yung prof.

I took a sit at the back of the class. No one was occupying that space on the right side of the back corner. So I placed my things and sat quietly. I was looking down, disregarding the stares and murmurs I get from these people. I could barely care about what they thought about me. I had so many more issues I need to prioritize.

I was disturb by my sudden thought when I felt someone's presence near me. Umupo siya sa bakanteng upuan na nasa gilid ko. I tensed when he talked to me. Hanggang dito ba naman.

"Halo." He said coldly. I didn't need to stare at him to recognize his voice. I didn't answer him.

"Talk to me, Halo."

I just sighed and kept looking down my notebook. Begging that the professor would come already.

Mas lalong lumakas ang pagtsitsimis nila at dumami ang mga tumitingin sa akin. I shivered

"Please, Halo. Please talk to me." He pleaded and I finally had the urge to look at him. He was tired. He looked like a mess. His hair was ruffled and the bags under his eyes were evident.

"What makes you think that I want to talk to you. Ano nanaman ba ang kailangan mo sa akin, Dane? I'm useless. I'm not your toy anymore. After all that you've done, what makes you think that I could even trust you?" I looked at him horridly and with blank eyes.

But before he could even answer, dumating na yung prof. And I need to suffer my two diamond hours sulking at the back and be with this jerk.

*  *  *

He tried getting my attention.

Clever.

He was still clever. Hindi pa rin nawawala ang cleverness niya. He would throw pieces of paper towards my direction when our prof wasn't looking. He would rock my chair back and forth. He tried getting my pen and he tried grabbing my hand.

But no, it didn't work.

When those two fucking hours were over, I sprinted across the room. Quickly getting away before he grasps my arms once again. I ran towards the hallway and went straight to the cafeteria.

Hindi ako kumain kagabi, at hindi ako nakapag breakfast. So I grabbed a plate of cheesecake and a strawberry smoothie. After I paid for my food. Agad akong lumabas ng cafeteria and lumakad papuntang secret garden.

One of the pros about our school is this secret Zen Garden. This was the owner's very own garden. Her name was Zen. And she loved nature.

To see the garden, may isang maliit na pintuan sa school park made of grass. Hindi obvious na pintuan ito. Pero when you move it aside, makikita mo ang view ng Zen Garden.

It was magneficent and exquisite.

Extraordinary.

Kaunti lang ang may alam sa garden na 'to. The student council and those who bumped into this garden unexpectedly. Minsan may mga nakikita akong tumatambay dito pero mga 2 or 3 lang. The place is abandoned most of the time despite of its beauty.

Flowers are grown everywhere. Every corner. All around. Variaties of roses. Dandelions and Daisies. They were everywhere. It also had a fountain in the middle and a mini man made waterfall at the back. The vines were like curtains that covered the garden from harm. It shone brightly when the sun hits them from time to time.

It was so beautiful. The kind of beauty that you never get tired of. This symbolize beauty.

Umupo ako sa isang bench, under a cherry blossom tree. The grass was trimmed to perfection.

I ate my cheesecake in silence. There were birds sitting on the branches and butterflies flying and roaming around inhaling the scent of these flowers.

For the first time in a very long time...

I smiled.

This place stirred a lot of memories inside me. Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakakapunta rito. Its been a year since my last visit here and everything's still the same. Nothing has changed that much.

I came here everytime I feel like I need to escape, when I had the urge to break down. Most of the time I come running here. This was my paradise. My secret place. Where I poured all my emotions and cried evry tear I had left.

Danger.

Siya lang naman ang parating dahilan kung bakit ko 'to natagpuan. If it wasn't for him, I would never discover this amazing place.

He would never get out of my life.

He stayed.

And I don't like any part of it.