Dream Escape

Chapter 1: Why can't I remember what I forgot?

Tilt's life had settled into a predictable rhythm of repetition, na para bang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit sa iisang piyesa. 

Sa umaga, magigising sya to the same routine, ang makabasag pingan nyang alarm clock, ang pamilyar at mala-horror movie na creak of his bedroom door, the monotonous sequence ng pagbihis, pagsipilyo, at ang almusal nyang laging kanin, itlog at toyo. 

School was no different, where each day unfolded in an almost scripted manner—papasok sa klase, meet up sa mga kaibigan, sasakay ng jeep pabalik sa bahay, and then hit the replay button the next day. 

Paminsan-minsan, merong minor deviations na nangyayari, like waking up a bit later due to a restless night's sleep or inadvertently neglecting ang mini garden ko sa bintana, their leaves drooping in protest.

Sa gitna ng bustling backdrop of his school life, may bago nanaman topic ang madlang peps, bulungan ng isang librong nag-viral sa social media, its pages sparking animated conversations among his classmates. Words like "epic" and "life-changing" danced on their lips as they dissected its pages, but Tilt isang huwarang estudyante, ni isang beses hindi sya nagbukas ng libro. Kaya naman kontento na sya to let the discourse wash over him like a distant tide.

But amidst this recurring routine, may mga tao talagang makakasira ng araw mo. Maya, a girl with remarkable archery skills that could put Robin Hood to shame, ay eto nakikiusyosyo sa business ko. She appeared to share a close friendship with the very girl I like in secret, a dynamic that presented a formidable barrier to his long-buried confession. To make matters even more complicated, may lalaking parang bangaw kung makapaikot sa crush ko, a near-constant obstacle in my path to finally confess.

Undeterred by these daunting obstacles, Tilt summoned his courage on multiple occasions, each time with a renewed determination to pour out his feelings. Kahit na hindi mutual, ayos lang sakin, basta mapansin nya lang ang presence ko and ang unwavering devotion ko sakanya.

He had rehearsed his words a hundred times in front of the mirror and had even written a heartfelt letter. Today was the day he would lay it all on the line.

As he approached the school courtyard, where he knew she liked to read during breaks, Tilt's heart raced. He spotted her sitting alone under a tree, engrossed in a book. This was it. Taking a deep breath, he began to approach her.

Just as he was about to say those fateful words, one of his guys friends appeared out of nowhere, holding a basketball.

"Uy, Tilt! Tamang tama!" Jonathan exclaimed, oblivious to Tilt's intentions. "We need one more player for a quick game of basketball. Tara?"

Tilt's face turned beet red as his confession attempt was derailed. "Jonathan, not now! I... uh, I have something important to—"

But before he could finish his sentence, Jonathan had dragged him to the makeshift court, where a group of classmates had gathered for an impromptu game. Tilt watched in frustration as his crush looked up briefly, then returned to her book.

Later that day, Tilt tried again and again, but his confession was once again pushed to the back burner. Ilang linggo rin syang nag-try, and Tilt's failed attempts at confessing became something of a running joke among his classmates. They seemed to have an uncanny ability to show up at just the wrong moment, unknowingly thwarting his efforts each time. 

Or yun ang akala nya. Unbeknownst to Tilt, they had noticed his intentions and decided to intentionally sabotage his plans. Every endeavor was systematically thwarted by this two, who seemed to possess an uncanny ability to keenly perceive his unspoken intentions. Frustration reached its peak, propelling him to finally confront Maya, the orchestrator ng failed attempts nya sa pag-confess nya ngayong araw.

"Tinago ko eto ng mahabang panahon," Tilt confessed, the words tumbling from his lips with a heavy sigh. "I don't anticipate reciprocation, basta mapansin nya lang ako, okay na sakin."

Intrigued by his revelation, Maya, who had become an unexpected confidante, inquired further, her eyes probing for answers. "At kanino ka naman ma-confess?" Napailing naman sa inis si Tilt, seryoso ba sya parang hindi lang naman sila ni Reve ang dahilan kung bakit hindi sya makapagconfess ng ayos. 

He began to utter her name, a name that resonated within him like a cherished melody, pero napatigil sya bigla, his complexion paling with a sudden realization.

"The girl," he stammered, his voice shaky and uncertain.

His confession left her bewildered, her brows furrowing with confusion. "The girl? Which girl?"

"I don't know her name," he confessed, the weight of his admission hanging heavily in the air.

Her confusion deepened, and she leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean? You're confessing to someone, pero hindi mo alam ang pangalan? Ako ba niloloko mo?!"

"It's not like that," Tilt hurriedly clarified, his words tumbling over each other in his haste. "I've known her for years, but her name somehow escapes me. It slips my mind, like a forgotten dream."
To his astonishment, Maya, the unexpected ally in his romantic saga, echoed his predicament. "Wait lang, hah? I don't know her name either," she admitted, her voice tinged with a mixture of disbelief and wonder.
Perplexed, napatingin sila sa isa't isa, their eyes locking in a moment of shared bewilderment. 

Sa isang tagong staircase, an inexplicable puzzle loomed before them like a riddle yet to be unraveled. Four years sa iisang classroom, sharing countless memories and experiences, yet neither could recall the girl's name. Isa itong malaking question mark that left them both scratching their heads, wondering what other mysteries their shared school days might hold, their actions and expressions reflecting the puzzling nature of their newfound conundrum.