Meet me on Tuesday

Bus # 1501

I applied to 15 schools around Luzon. I got accepted to eight but I didn't got in to UP Los Baños. Anyway, I'm here today waiting for the bus to arrive because I have a Tuesday class in PUP Sta. Mesa. Minsan naiisip ko 'yong mga what ifs ko. There are times, like at night, I stare at my ceiling wondering what my life could be if I chose this path or this path.

I got accepted in UST on my first choice which is Civil Engineering but because I didn't passed the scholarship and I'm just an average human being, I missed the chance of being a thomasian. Another what if is Mapuá, I also got a slot sa first choice ko but sadly I didn't passed the scholarship. Tapos ang pinaka-what if ko is that, what if I had the courage to confess to my highschool crush?.

May new girlfriend na siya and I guess, he moved on from his previous jowa. Siguro nga we really have things na kahit kaya natin gawin ay hindi dapat dahil hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay ipipilit natin ang mga gusto natin. Atsaka haler! ayaw ko makasira ng relasyon at lalo na maging kabit.

It's already 6 a.m. and going to Manila is a 3-hour drive. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakain ko at nag-settle ako sa ganitong buhay pero keber lang kasi hindi rin naman ako mayaman. I need to work hard 'cause the pressure is on me as a Panganay.

I roam around and found a sit on the second row of the bus. Hindi masyadong crowded today kasi last week standing ovation talaga malala sa bus kaya mangatog ngatog na lang talaga paa ko kakapigil na huwag matumba.

Umupo na ako and I put my earphones on. Mukhang wala pa namang balak maningil 'yong konduktor so I'll just sleep this off. However, as I was about to Nap I saw a feet standing near me and I looked at the person staring at me and he chuckled a little because he was saying something to me but I can't understand him kasi nga naka-earphones ako. Tinaggal ko both my earphones to hear him clearly.

"Saan po kayo?" Tanong niya ulit. He's all smiles. He got that mischievous smirk. I looked at him like I even scratch my eyes kasi sobrang bangag ako at antok, sobrang blurry lang niya. When my eyes adjusted, I then saw him clearly.

He's like my age. He's on his white short sleeved button-down shirt almost like the usual white uniform in schools kaso nga lang there was no trace of logos or school name but that trademark 'Alagang JAC' na naka-borda sa right side ng polo niya. To pair the white shirt, He got a black slacks and black shoes. He got that old casio silver watch. Then, I saw his ID lace, he's from UP based on the classic maroon and green lanyard that had a 'University of the Philippines' on it, but he got two ID's, one from school and one from the bus company. I didn't have the time na to check on it as I realize na shiz, kanina pa pala siya nagtatanong kung saan ako.

"Cubao po sa terminal mismo, estudyante" I politely said. Pinanood ko lang siyang bumutas sa fare receipt. He's tanned skin and not muscular but his hands really are manly as F, like you can see all the veins as he punched those holes on the fare receipt. I can't with myself, do I have a crush on him? Like this early in the morning talaga?.

"May ID po kayo? Pwede patingin?" Inabot ko sa kaniya 'yong ID ko, almost the same design as their UP classic Lanyard, kaibahan lang ay sumobra ng P sa akin. Also, maroon and golden yellow kami.

He wrote something on the receipt, probably noting na may estudyanteng nabigyan nanaman ng 20% discount, nakakalugi . Binalik niya rin 'yong ID sa akin and told me to wait. He walked on the farthest seat. Ako naman ay nag-ready na ng pambayad ko. Sobrang mahal talaga ng pamasahe like 150 pesos and that's already discounted fare, kung hindi lang 'to PUP, hindi ako papasok sa Manila. Mukhang tapos na siyang maningil sa likod.

"Ito po 'yong bayad ko" Inabot ko 'yong 200 pesos sa kaniya. He then gave me my sukli. 

"Pwedeng maki-upo saglit?" He asked me kasi bakante 'yong upuan sa tabi ko. In my head, ito na ba 'yon lord but also I reminded myself, "huwag muna lumandi, gaga ka!".