A Chance on Serendipity

Chapter 22

I didn't know when exactly I started paying attention to her.

Three years ago, I would have described her as the loud senior high school girl who would always loiter outside the art club office. Oftentimes, she would play a mobile game with her guy friend, and they would sit on one of the benches, blurting out curses to the wind.

Sometimes, when her patience was wearing thin, she would peek at the door as if indicating that our meeting should end already. When her friends finally leave the office, her voice would reverberate in the hallway--clear, loud, and assertive.

"Ang tagal niyo naman matapos! Ano 'yan, prayer meeting?"

The moment I heard it, I was really offended. Hindi ba niya alam na pwede siyang marinig ng iba? And who is she to whine, anyway? Ang talas niyang magsalita, samantalang wala naman siya sa posisyon para magreklamo. Hindi naman niya alam ang mga nangyayari sa art club.

I was majoring in Economics back then, swinging between the responsibilities of a club president and the demands of a college program which I wasn't interested in. Because I frequently enter and exit the office, I would always see her waiting outside.

She had captivating eyes, plump lips, a fair complexion, and black hair that's full of volume. She may be short, but underneath that SHS uniform was a voluptuous girl. I can't blame my clubmates for batting their gaze towards her.

"Classmate mo ba 'yon?" I asked Guia when she handed me some files. My gaze darted on to the girl she's talking with earlier. Kausap na ngayon noong babae si Sean, tumatawa pa. It must be so amusing for someone to laugh like that. Akala mo wala ng bukas.

Guia turned at the direction where I was looking. "Ah, si Pat?" she clarified. "No, Kuya. Kaklase ni Sean."

Pat, huh. So that was her name. Too plain for someone who has a flamboyant personality.

"Say, Kuya Dave, do you find her features pretty familiar? I mean, something about her face..."

I looked at Guia, then turned to the girl again, confused by the unusual question. My eyebrows clenched, unconsciously studying her face. She didn't look familiar at all. "What do you mean?"

"Well... don't you think na may kamukha siya?" Guia hinted. "She's the daughter of Ava Arceo."

Napalingon ako kay Guia. The daughter of who? "The journalist?"

"Yup! That's why I'm still amazed whenever I see Pat. She reminds me of Miss Ava."

My eyes traveled across the hallway to search for Pat's face again. Now that I think about it, she really resembles Ava, except that her eyes were way different. I don't like watching news forecasts, but who would not know Ava Arceo anyway? She was a renowned, accomplished journalist in the country.

"Crush mo, Kuya?" Halos mapaigtad ako sa sinabi ni Guia. "I didn't know you're into youngsters."

"What? No!" I groaned, but Guia just gave me a teasing smile. Why would she think of that? I was just curious because she would always wait for them outside the office!

"Okay." Mukhang hindi naman siya naniwala. "Anyway, alis na ako, Kuya Dave! Naghihintay na 'yung friends ko."

I wasn't lying. Pat was really not my type. I didn't like her attitude. Masyado lang talagang dominante ang presensya niya para hindi mapansin. Parang isang utos niya lang ay mapapasunod ka niya. Isang sabi niya lang ay mangyayari ang gusto niya.

They were eventually gone after that. As time fleeted, the art club became more active, and I would occassionally see Guia's friends in their usual spot outside the office. But when Clary decided to leave the club, and Sean got hospitalized, things had never been the same.