Lipad-Alapaap (Girlhood Series #3)

18

I was slowly accepting the fact that we were coming to an end.

It was a hard pill to swallow, but just like any other medicine, it has to be taken in order for us to feel better.

Joining organizations was never something I had ever thought of participating in. Yet, in the midst of being sad about my relationship, I found myself joining two of them. It was a suggestion from Jennie that I gladly took, since I wouldn't want to let myself swim in the sea of sorrow.

"Ganito lang 'yan, Gianna e. Magiging malungkot ka na walang nangyayari sa buhay mo, o magiging malungkot ka na productive ka? Your call." those were Jennie's words—a sentence of encouragement that made me sign up for extra-curriculars.

Either way, I was still sad. I might as well be sad and make something out of it. I joined organizations focused on creative writing and content creation. My strand was HUMSS, hence why I joined organizations related to my field.  Gusto ko pa sanang sumali sa broadcasting team, kaso nga lang ay baka ma-compromise na 'yung oras ko sa pag-aaral.

"Okay, class. I am going to give back your quizzes last meeting. But before anything else, I would just like to announce our highest scorer," anunsyo ng prof namin sa UCSP habang hawak ang mga papel namin. "Bukod tanging siya lang ang naka-perfect sa quiz sa lahat ng section na hawak ko. Ms. Gianna Michi Rossi, where are you? Let us give her a big big round of applause!"

Hindi ako makapaniwalang tumingin sa lahat ng mga kaklase ko habang sila ay masayang pinapalakpakan ako. How on earth would I have the intelligence to perfect a quiz I did not even prepare for?

"Ako, naka-perfect?" pasigaw na bulong ko sa katabi kong si Jennie na masayang nakatingin sa'kin.

Mas maniniwala pa ako kung si Jennie iyon, dahil napakatalino ng kaibigan kong iyon. Kaso ako... na isang mediocre student... makaka-perfect sa quiz?

"Beauty and brains." nakangiting pamumuri sa akin ng professor namin.

"Nako, ma'am hindi ah! Maganda lang ako!" natatawang tanggi ko sa paratang sa'kin.

Nonetheless, it was satisfying on my end. At last, I finally received an achievement such as this. Sa sobrang tuwa ko, nawala na sa isip ko na nasa bingit na ang relasyon namin ni Esteban at inanunsyo pa rin iyon sa kaniya.

Esteban:
   good for you gianna
   keep it up

Hindi na ako masyadong nalulungkot sa pagiging malamig niya sa'kin dahil nasanay na rin ako. Isang buwan na rin kaming ganito. Ang ipagtataka ko siguro ay kung ipaparamdam niya uli sa'kin na mahal niya ako, at masayang-masaya siyang makikinig sa mga kwento ko sa buhay.

Being the highest scorer in a quiz boosted my confidence when it came to my studies. I gained the will to become serious about it, something I have never done in my entire life as a student. With this new habit I have adapted, I could finally consider myself as one of the top students in our class.

Dati kasi, nag-rerecite lang ako, pero ngayon, matataas na rin ang mga nakukuha kong grado sa mga pagsusulit. Halos nasasabayan ko na ang mga grado ni Jennie, paminsan-minsan pa ay mas mataas ako sa kaniya.

"Anong atake mo ngayon, bading? Bakit top scorer ka na palagi?" natatawang tanong ni Allison nang mag-lunch kami.

Tuluyan na rin namin naging kaibigan si Tina dahil kami lang din naman ang willing samahan siya. Still, I couldn't understand why she was the most hated classmate in our room when she was actually a sweetheart.

"Sinabihan ko kasi 'yan si Gianna. Kung malulungkot siya, she might as well be sad with achievements," kuwento ni Jennie sa dalawang kasama namin. "Kaya kayo, makikinig kayo sa mga sinasabi ko sa inyo kasi alam na alam ko kung anong makakapagpabuti sa inyo."