Shades of Kagan

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Avian Burn's Point of View

Pinunasan ko ang aking pawis na nagsiunahang pumatak mula sa aking noo baba sa aking pisngi. I took my morning run at the school sports field. May malaking field kung saan dito tumatakbo ang ibang mga athletes para mag exercise. I run for fifteen laps already and I can feel my muscles tightening. Limanh araw na ang nakalipas nang isugod si Klaude si hospital. Mabuti na lang at ayos na siya ngayon. I met Kagan at his studio fives days ago as we work on delivering the paintings to their new owners.

Three days after, I haven't heard anything from Kagan. The moment I woke up this morning, I felt the need to run. Trying to run my worries away. Yesterday, I received an email coming from Professors Collins telling me that I was one of the four students who didn't pass their draft of work. She also mentioned to her email that individual work won't be accepted. It must be work on pair. I started tapping my foot on the ground while drinking the water from my bottle. I don't know anyone in class nor the ability to leave a mark in this mortal world. Should I just drop the subject and take them again for the next semester? Napailing ako sa sarili ko. It was not a good decision. My mother will kill if I have a failing mark on my certificate of transcripts. That won't do. Tatakbo pa sana ako ulit para sa panibagong lap nang may tumawag sa pangalan ko. There are four possible individual who will call my name. It's either the twins, Nadia—my roommate, and her boyfriend Dan. But no, the voice is unfamiliar so I have to scan the field who called my name.

"Miss Avian Burn." I heard it again. May kumaway na babae sa hindi kalayuan. I tried looking at her from afar, trying to figure out who she is. But nothing comes to my mind. Patakabo itong lumapit sa akin at napahawak sa kanyang tuhod habang humihinga nang malalim.

"Wait, let me just catch my breath." She was huffing so hard, still holding on her both knees.

"My name," another huff coming from her.

"Is Pru Stanislaski." Stani what? I think I didn't follow when she said her surname.

"I saw your name as one of the recipients of the email from Professor Collins. Tiningnan ko ang profile mo sa school website, I hope you don't mind. I'm a sophomore and I'm taking Professor Collin's elective class. Do you already have a partner to work for our final paper? Because I'm looking for one." Tuloy-tuloy nitong sabi sa akin at umayos nang pagkatayo. I stared at her hard when I noticed that this girl must also one of the four person who received an email.

"No, actually, I hope you can take me in as your partner. You're in your last year in the University, right? What should I call you? Ate Avian?" The girl in front of me doesn't even let me speak. I noticed her small face and a pink lips. She stood up confidently and brightly in front of me. Her hair is tied into pig tails, the strands dangling on her shoulders. She seems fashionable, too.

"Just call me Avian. It doesn't matter if you're younger than me." If she's a freshman, then she must be nineteen or twenty.

"And yes, I still don't have someone to work with." Is this girl a sign not to drop the elective class? I hope so. Pru Stani— whatever her surname was, is an angel with no wings.

"Great! Tayo na lang ang magka partner. Pero wala pa ako nasisimulan sa isusulat ko. I mean it's so hard to start something." I agree. Writing is the most difficult to do because it can operate on even outside that the human mind can comprehend.

Nakita ko na lang ang sarili kong nakaupo sa bleachers habang ang katapat namin ay ang buong field. This field is different from the field where the oak tree is located. Sa tuwing dumadaan ako doon ay palagi kong naalala si Kagan.

"I'm also having a hard time starting what to work on. Do you have something on mind? Poetry perhaps?" Nakita ko ang pag iling niya sa suggestion ko.

"I'm not good at poetry. My vocabulary is limited. I suck at using metaphors, too." I nodded my head and leaned backwards. I used both of my hands to support my weight.