Our College Takeaway

Episode 3 - This City Screams Its Name

After I prayed my morning prayer, I commanded myself to get out of bed and face this day. I couldn’t help but be excited for today because I’m finally moving out of this household! Nothing compares to the happiness I felt right after I knew that my family was sending me to the city to live with my aunt!

I started to pack my things yesterday out of excitement; my parents did not even care, so I showed no emotion. I’m just glad that they even thought of sending me to my aunt for college and that she already pulled me out a slot to get to a prominent university in the city.

Why does my aunt care this much about me? I’m a total failure, and she’s investing in someone like me. I’d love to say no to her offer, but my guts made me take it—it’s a waste if I’ll throw it away. I would like to decline because of these ‘what ifs’ running through my head the time I got notified.

Even so, I still pursued the offer. Aside from the thought that I would be free from all the burdens I’m currently strangled into, I would also like to be independent on a daily basis. I would like to get a part-time job if it suits my schedule, even though my parents would still send me my weekly allowance.

Life is full of endless possibilities, as I believe they say. I would like to take the risk and be free, other than trapping myself inside this damp room. I would like to see a new scenery, away from all the experiences that led me to a variety of pain and trapped concealment.

I opened the curtains of my room, and from the door, I reached my balcony, where I rested my arms on the cold steel railings. I watched the morning sun rise in the east. The orange skies turning blue were a symbol of hope and new beginnings for someone who’s going to start a new life and has the chance to become someone else.

As I breathed the fresh scent of nature, I reminisced about the memories I made here—the happy ones. Since I was a child, I have dreamed of going beyond. I still do today. I aspire to become a teacher, yet I also want to look beyond and explore places.

I wanted to go away.

As I was packing my things and putting them inside my baggage, I noticed that someone had entered my room. I lifted my gaze to see it, and my eyes widened when I saw Pio. I gasped, and it just crossed my mind that I did not tell him that I’m going away; he must be in total shock.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, Pio, I forgot to tell you! ”I stood, but he just kept his silence; it made me nervous. He might be mad about it.

“Pio, I’m so sorry.” I apologized again.

“I understand; you’ve been on so many things these past few days, and I can’t blame you for that.” He smiled, but I could still notice something beneath his stare.

“I’m just sad that my one and only best friend is going away and I will be left alone. Even so, I can’t force you to stay. You need to go there, and I knew you wanted to.” Pio shed a tear, and he then wiped it using the palm of his right hand.

“You’ll never know how happy I am right now that you were going someplace for college. I envy you. I just wish that I could also go away and live in another place; I’m sick of this damn neighborhood.” He giggled, and so do I.

“We’re broke, and I now accept that this is the farthest I can go. I can’t always be with you, so take care of yourself out there,” Pio advised me. I just nodded and smiled.

“Hay, Pio... If you only knew how much I yearn to get out of this place, of this household, and of this neighborhood, you would probably understand how joyful it is to leave.” I looked at him with assurance.

“I’ll keep in touch; let’s just video call each other on Messenger from time to time. I will not forget you, Pio, and I hope that you will also not forget me.” I lifted my pinky finger to do a pinky swear, and Pio gradually responded to it.