August

Kabanata 1

I remember those day when we first meet. It was month of August. I was late to school for attendance since we have an event that time, Pasimula Day 2. If I choose not to attend I guess I will never ever meet him, however for clearance purposes, I meet you. 

Alice:

Ophelia nasa school ka na ba? Did you bring your passport? 

Alice chatted me that while checking my phone for any messages if the event will be cancel since I don't have element to attend to. I'm sure that will be boring again. Lasallian passport is a way to track our attendances every event that we have.

Ako:

Nasa kama pa ako kakagising ko lang. Bakit nasa school ka na ba?

I replied habang tinutupi ang kumot ko. 

Ako:

It's still 6 pa. What time kasi log in?

I added while checking if my Lasallian passport still in my bag. I decided to videocall her since tinatamad na akong mag type.

"Hey! log in start at 7. Come on girl!" she shouted at me when she accept my videocall. I saw her background in the street, I assume naghahanap na yan ng masasakyan. Maaga nga yan kaso lilibutin pa niya yan ang buong mundo.

"Yeah I know. Can you tell nalang sa logcom na malilate ako I didn't know 7 pala ang log in." I replied while I starting getting my bath towel. 

"Kaya nga I chatted you para you will tell the logcom na malilate ako, look walang tricycle dito. Looks like I'm in a ghost town!"

"Yeah whatever Alice I'm tired of your rants bout that. I will be quick. I will tell nalang Shane that you will be late, see you nalang sa Art Center, or I will wait you nalang sa deportivo?"

"Sa deportivo nalang. Bye na I forgot ata may passport. Bye"

I take a bath and do my skincare. I wear our culinary congress white shirt and dirty white trouser with light brown chunky shoes, I didn't eat my breakfast when I saw it was already 7 AM. Maglalakad pa ako papuntang highway para makahanap ng tricycle. I will late na talaga for sure. 

Good thing Shane our logcom na she will wait us na makapag log in lahat. I really like that unlike our old logcom before. I'm glad that she wanted us to get the points the end of the school year. 

After 3 minutes waiting for tricycle nakasakay na rin ako papuntang school. Alice chatted me na hindi pa daw siya nakasakay. I reacted "haha" and she ranted all the tricycle driver, na nagmamadali nga daw yung tao nilibot pa daw buong barangay tapos nagpa gas pa daw. 

Hindi rin naman nagtagal nakarating naman din ako sa school. I went to deportivo to log in. 

I saw 4 departments here at deportivo for log in. My department just near at the entrance of deportivo while CCJE near us, while on the other side CON and CAS beside them.

Shane greeted me and my friends when they saw me. I saw Khalil practicing flair near to us and I wave and say my hi to him he wave back too. I hear noises from other table if I was not mistaken it was CCJE Department from the haircut they wear. 

I handed my passport to Shane for log in. Napalingon ako bigla ng may tumawag sa akin, when I saw it was Clyde from CCJE Department I wave to him and say hi. He was my friend from high school though I'm a 1 year older than him. Napapalibutan siya ng mga kaibigan niya na kapwa criminology, If I was mistaken Clyde is a 2nd year college. 

Napalingon na rin ang iba niyang kasama sa akin, naiilang ako sa mga tingin nila but I still remain compose and I smiled to them at too. Their table just really near us, kaya hindi na rin mahirap na magkausap kami ni Clyde while Shane started to stamp my passport.

"Kumusta?" I asked to him. 

"Okay lang." he answered. I nodded then nilingon ang passport ko na kakatapos lang na stamp. I say thank you to Shane. 

"Wait lang Clyde ah?"

"By the way malilate si Alice, pwede ba daw e-extend? What time ba end ng log in?" I ask to her. 

Nilingon ko ulit sina Clyde ng may naramdaman akong may nakatingin sa akin. I smiled to their direction.

"8:30 pa naman." she replied. Napabaling ako kay Shane. 

"Sige I will tell her nalang. Thank you so much Shane." 

I chatted Alice 'bout the log in. I saw Clyde's group of friends na nakatingin sa akin.

"By the way nag stop talaga si Marielle sa pag-aaral?" Clyde started the conversation after I sent my message to Alice. Nilingon ko siya at tumango.

"Ah oo eh."

"Bakit daw?" 

"Hindi na kaya ni tita. Tatlo na silang College kaya ayun. She's working din naman para magkapag ipon, baka next school year papasok na siya." I replied. 

I notice someone tease their friend and they laugh I feel uncomfortable with them kaya nagpaalam nalang ako kay Clyde. Napabaling ako kina Khalil na nag practice ng flair kaya na enganyo ako na sumubok. I replied Alice na din na I'm still at depo pa din. 

Khalil let me try some basics tricks, I accept din naman since it's a big advantage to us since we have that in our major this semester. It's my first time though, kaya unang subok nahulog sa mga crack stones since hindi naman ito glass na bote hindi na rin siya na basag. 

Habang nag perform ako sa mga basic tricks I hear someone calling my name malapit sa CCJE Department table, binalewala ko lang yon baka si Clyde lang yong ng trip sa ako or may ka parehas lang akong name. 

So I continue my routine when I hear again calling my name malakas na iyon tsaka rinig kong sa akin talaga dapat iyon. Napalingon ako banda nila, I didn't clearly see their faces since I have slight bad vision, binaliwala ko nalang din iyon wala din namang kwenta kasi malabo sila sa paningin ko. I continued again my basic routine, nang nakaramdam ng pagod ay tsaka na ako umupo sa libring puting upuan malapit lang din sa table ng department namin tsaka sa CCJE. 

I few minutes of sitting I hear my name again, this time I was annoyed. Instead na balingan sila I busy myself replying Alice non stop rants.