Reaching the Sky | ✓

3

Tahimik akong nagmamasid sa loob ng campus, pangatlong araw pa lang pero iyong pagod ko pang isang linggo na. Dinala akong muli ng mga paa ko sa fountain, naghagis ako ng barya at muling humiling. Hindi ko alam pero mukhang makakagawian ko ang ganitong bagay.

“You believe in superstitions?” It was Zia. I shook my head before smiling.

Hindi naman iyon totoo. “Why?” She asked.

“I have been asking for things but I received nothing. I have been patiently waiting, but seems like I have been left behind. I don’t know. Maybe for some reason things like that are not for agnostic like me.” I smiled. She offered me a warm smile.

“I am not agnostic but I also lose my faith that day when the universe played me, like I was a dumb pawn in a chess board where only the bishop has the right to be someone powerful. Might be a king or a queen.” I listened to her soft yet powerful voice as I stared at the student I have crossed paths several times yesterday.

“Ang daya ’no? Kapag tadhana na ang naglaro, kahit gaano tayo katapang tayo lagi ang talo.” Mapait na saad ko.

“Ewan ko, for some reason I thought na baka ginawa tayo to be just like this and nothing more than this. Like pawns in chess boards or like dartboards for the arrows.” Malalim pero kahit ganoon ramdam ko ang hinahakit sa boses niya.

“Tara na. Malapit nang mag-bell.” Yaya niya sa akin. Sumunod lang ako sa kaniya at tahimik na pinakikinggan ang mga papuri sa kaniya ng mga kamag-aral. 

“Wes!” Wesley stride towards us smiling like he always does.

“Good morning.” He greeted us, I nodded my head and I saw him peaking at my neck, I raised my brow and gave him a full smile. 

“Pakopya ako assignment sa GenMath.” Natawa ang lalaki sa sinabi ng kabanda. “Seryoso, ako hoy. Bakit niyo ba kasi ako hinila hila rito.” 

“Later,” nakasunod lang ako sa kanila at nang makarating sa classroom ay tinungo ko ang bangko ni Kira. 

“Pakopya Engineer.” Bulong ko sa kaniya. Naiiling niyang iniabot sa akin ang notebook kaya naman mabilis ko itong kinuhaan ng larawan. “Ikaw talaga ang paborito kong kaibigan.” Ngiti ko.

“Huwag mo akong utuin, copy these, it’s almost time.” 

“Yes po, thank you Master.”

Matiwasay akong nagsusulat ng mga sagot nang may tumayo sa harap ko. Lintek sa dinami rami ng school dito pa talaga siya.

“Hi Belle,” hindi ko siya pinansin bagkus ay tumukod sa desk ni Wesley para tignan ang mga sagot niya. 

“Number 4 why is it a relation but not a function?” I looked up at him, may masabi lang dahil nababanas ako sa lalaki sa harap ko. He looked from his notebook to my face.

“All functions are relation but not all relation are function since only one input can connect to only one output for function but there is no such condition in relation. Look at the given, this. . .” 

Napasubo ako sa instant tutoring pero mas mabuti na rin iyon dahil nakatakas ako kay Lai na matagal nang nampepeste sa ’kin. Binasted ko na iyon noon dahil ayaw ko pa naman talaga sa mga relationship na iyan, at siya kasi iyong tipo ng lalaki na mukhang walang gagawing matino; pero hindi yata makaunawa ng English si Kuya.

“So in question number 10, when we throw a dice the possible outcome is 36. Give the possible ordered pairs. Do you have an answer?” I showed him Kira’s answers that I copied on my notebook. He nodded after scanning my paper.