Our College Takeaway

Episode 8 - Down Deep Inside My Pocket

Today is a Sunday, still in August. It’s been days after that incident in the hallway, yet I still couldn’t believe that Arjim would stand up for me like that. I stare at the city while I’m on my balcony as I wear my casual attire—khaki pants, rubber shoes, a black tee shirt topped with an oversized green jacket.

I have my phone with me, capturing a picture of the beautiful city of San Clemente. I just got my weekly one thousand peso allowance from my Mom through GCash, I’m going to withdraw this later at the sari-sari store below and buy some supplies.

Just then, I received a text from Tita Eve. She said that she’d send some food supplies via Grab. I just told her that it wasn’t necessary but here she is, spoiling me again. I feel like Tita Eve has become more of a parent for me than my real Mom and Dad. She just checked on me yesterday, and she’s so proud of me that I’m doing well in college.

Getting good scores is the least I could do to return the favor to my aunt. I do have the shame, and I’ll be ashamed of myself if I don’t get well enough. I want to repay Tita Eve’s kindness by working hard in school. I want to repay it by making sure that I’ll become a dean’s lister at the end of the semester.

I set myself up, and I grabbed my sling purse that I’m using when I’m going out of the house on weekends. Now that I have the money, I wanted to buy the book written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, which is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I’ve seen some people selling reprints on an online selling platform, but I’m not a fish to bite the bait—I wanted an original hardbound.

I went outside my dorm with the sling bag on my shoulder, I locked it with my keys and I went off. Since it’s a Sunday, I’m also paying a visit to Saint Clement’s Basilica today to attend the Sunday Mass. I’d be late for the second mass for the morning, so I went there as fast as I could.

I was thinking of inviting Karma, but I then remembered that she’s the city mayor’s daughter and that I shouldn’t be meddling with her personal life. Thanks to the incident, I knew that Karma is the daughter of a well-known political figure in San Clemente, who is the city mayor, Destino Lim.

When I got to the basilica, I was amazed at how beautiful it was. There are statues of saints displayed outside, each one was placed on top of pillars which cover the fence. There’s also an image of the Risen Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary right at the top of the basilica’s facade.

I also noticed that the staff are repainting the walls of the facade as of the moment. It results in me smelling the liniment scent of paint combined with the smell of gas—the color of the paint is a combination of peach and white, white for the pillars and peach for the walls.

Paintings of the lives of the apostles and saints were the ones I saw on the ceiling when I entered the basilica. My eyes are probably twinkling after seeing the beautiful chandelier placed just next to the giant fan attached to the ceiling. I have sat in the front row since I was one of the few people who arrived first.

As I was waiting for the mass to start, I saw a girl with a guy as they laughed while going to the right side of the basilica where I believe the Sacristy is located. I assumed that they were dating because they were holding each other’s hands. I also noticed that the girl is a member of the choir and the boy is an altar server based on the printed text on their white tee shirts.

Oh, to be in a relationship is something I could definitely ask for. Even so, it’s hard to achieve for someone like me. I’m still healing from that horrible rejection I experienced last year, yet I’m going through the same phase with the same person once again.

It’s developing even though I deny it.

No, that can’t be good. I think I’m liking the person who rejected me and will continue to reject me. Arjim got his priorities and I got mine. It’s just pure coincidence that he said those words the other day and that he fought that senior who almost laid his fist on my face. Everytime I see Arjim, it was like the first time I laid eyes on him in high school. I feel the same emotions.