Kalayaan '82

Fate

Leni's usual self would thank Kit immediately after reading his message but somehow she reacted differently. For the first time, she got confused why she got nervous and why her heart fluttered with Kit's message when in fact he had already given her countless messages before. She questioned herself and tried not to entertain the possibility that she will fall in love again. In her thoughts, perhaps it was just because they haven't seen each other for a month or she really just felt thankful to him for not leaving her side as a friend and an ally. She felt odd because for the first time after 40 long years he was seeing Kit as a man who she fell in love with in the year 1982 . It never came to her even once because she was so focused on her job for the past years and all she cared was how to keep the legacy of her late husband alive but now that she got plenty of time without warning Kit in his quiet ways has made way to her heart again. She settled herself on her bed but she found it hard to fall asleep because she kept on remembering her memories with Kit in Kalay which she thought were long forgotten. She can't help but smile as she remembered how they first got to know each other.

Flashback

It was raining hard that afternoon of their first day in UP when their last period in Economics class ended. Leni patiently waited at the lobby of the building of UP School of Economics hoping for the pouring rain to stop. She checked her bag to see if she had bought her umbrella but only got disappointed realizing she left it in her room. The rain was still pouring hard when she heard a guy who was inches away from her said "Bahala na" and she saw him put his bag on his head then ran in fast pace not minding the rain. She could vividly see him run under the rain a few meters away from the lobby but she was caught off guard seeing him slip and fall on the ground.

It was never an option for her to be soaked in the rain that is why she waited patiently for the rain to stop but circumstance demands her to do the opposite. Without hesitation and reason she hurriedly ran towards him.

The guy was still in his sitting position obstructing the way and unable to get up after his fall when Leni came to rescue him.

"Okay ka lang? Ano...Kaya mo bang tumayo?

He looked at Leni while she helped him get up but he quickly shifted his eyes trying to hide his shyness.

"Are you okay? Kaya mo bang maglakad?"

Leni was still holding his arm for support when he finally replied to her.

"Wala to...Ms....nadulas lang..okay lang..Kaya ko maglakad"

Leni let go of him but she could hear him groaning in pain while he walked away.

"Wait, tulungan na kita."

She grabs his arm then rests it on her shoulders and they walk together while getting soaked under the rain.

"Okay lang talaga..Ms, di mo kailangan..."

"Shhhh..okay lang, Saan ka ba pupunta?"

"Sa Kalay dorm"

"Talaga? Pareho tayo. First year ka din pala?"

He nodded to answer Leni's question.

"Ang taas mo kasi..di obvious na first year."

"Bakit ka pala tumakbo kahit na malakas pa ang ulan"

"Wala..naiinip na kasi ako..ang tagal naman humina.."

"Tingnan mo baka mag kasakit pa tayo neto..sure ka na okay ka lang?"

"Medyo masakit nga ang isang paa ko..yaan mo na, punta na lang ako ng clinic bukas."

"Econ major ko, Ano ba sayo?"

"Econ din"

"Oh same pala tayo..that means classmate kita?"

"Oo nakita na nga kita sa room natin..kaya lang na late na ako pumasok kaya di na ako nakapag introduce ng sarili"

They both laughed with his confession.

"Grabe naman, first day pa lang."

After a few minutes of walking in the rain with their soaked bodies they arrived at Kalayaan dorm. The dorm is divided into Girls wing and Boys wing.

"Andito na pala tayo...kaya mo na siguro pumunta don sa room nyo?"

"Oo pero gusto kong mag sorry..sorry kasi di ako na kapag thank you kanina. Naunahan kasi ng hiya. Thank you talaga."

"Okay lang yon. Punta nadin ako sa amin."

As they were about to part ways he suddenly called her.

"Ms.."

Leni turned her back to face him.

"Pwede bang malaman pangalan mo?"

Leni was surprised to hear him ask for her name .

"Ako?? Ano..."

"Leni... "Leni Gerona"

Ikaw?

"Kit na lang.....Kit Belmonte"

It was an enchanting moment- two people who got drenched in the rain were smiling while facing each other, both lost in their own world. From then on Kit never left her mind and their friendship blossomed into love. She asked herself why she ran when she saw him fall but everything seemed unclear to her. It was as if there was some force that pushed her to do so even without a reason. It was as if it was fate's doing that she can't defy.