TIMELESS

Timeless

"Oo teka, pauwi na." She said annoyingly as she hurried and hopped inside their dusty, silver car. After 9 months of head-banging headaches because of the stress and pressure of law school in Manila, she finally has the chance to relax and breathe the fresh air of her hometown—Baler—once again.

"Na-miss mo naman akong masiyado...Sus kunwari ka pa. Oo na uuwi na ang Disney princess niyo. Pakilatag na ang red carpet please." The call ended alongside the starting of the car engine. Through the window, she looked up the building in front of her. She knows for sure that no matter how much she hates the polluted air in that city, she will surely miss the environment that witnessed her cries whenever she broke down because of school.

But

There is no other greater place that she misses than Baler.

There, where the plants' color is not limited to green.

There, where the mountain range and the heavens can hold each other's hands.

There, where it's cheap.

There, where everything seems so easy

There, where life is peaceful.

For nine months, she craved to experience this life once again. Kahit sa dalawang buwan niya lang na bakasyon, maranasan niya ulit maging probinsiyana. Sawa na kasi siya sa siyudad. Kaya kahit anim hanggang walong oras na paalog-alog na byahe, kaya niyang tiisin, maka-uwi lamang sa kanila. Naroon kasi ang mga pinakamahahalagang tao sa buhay niya: Kaibigan, pamilya, at siya. And as her journey begins, she closed her eyes, only imagining and hoping for the things that can happen when she lay her foot on the rough road of Baler.

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"Birdie, san ka na?" She had no choice but to roll her eyes as she heard what her friend just called her. They are still using her old nickname from high school.

"Bahay na, ma. Tulog muna ako, sobrang hilo ko sa byahe feel ko deadball na ako right now. "Tired as she speak, Maya threw away her phone on her bed as she plopped down, with her stomach touching her soft mattress. Itinagilid niya ang ulo niya at pinagmasdan ang kulay puting pader na nasa kaniyang harapan. Siguro ay nangalay ang kaniyang mga mata kaya napadako ang tingin nito sa baba.

"Shet." Tila nawala ang pagod sa kaniyang katawan nang makita niya ang maalikabok na kahon sa ilalim ng kaniyang lamesa. And with the speed of light, she went under her desk just to reach the box that's been left there for a very long time ago—sampung taon lang naman.

"Andito pa pala ito, akala ko kasama na sa sinunog ni mommy."

Nakasalampak siya ngayon sa tiles ng kaniyang kwarto, habang mabusising binubuklat ang mga papel na nasa loob ng lumang pulang kahon ng bond paper niyang ginamit sa Practical Research nila noong senior high. Minsan pa nga'y napapa-bahing siya sa lumilipad na alikabok galing sa mga ito.

"It's been ten years, huh?"

Sa tuwing makikita niya ang mga marka sa mga yellow pad na pinagmamasdan niya isa-isa, wala siyang magawa kun'di maglabas ng mahinang tawa. Paano ba naman kasi, hanggang ngayon, ganoon pa rin ang mga marka niya sa mga pinapasagutan sa kaniya ng mga propesor niya.

"Sampung taon na rin pala ang nakalipas noong naging grade 11 ako, bilis ng panahon talaga."

Each paper revealed wholesome memories that she always cherished from her 11th-grade self. As she reached the bottom of the box, surprise was written on her face as she saw her old phone being the last item inside it.