I didn't get accepted at the NEDA internship. Apparently, Wren's aunt could only take one. 'Yong ibang employees din daw kasi ay may mga estudyanteng pinasok. Wren kept on apologizing to me. Hindi naman siya big deal sa akin. Ayos lang, 'tsaka naisip ko na kung mag-intership man ako, mas gusto ko pala na matatanggap ako dahil sa credentials ko—hindi dahil may kakilala ako sa loob.
I didn't want to be someone who got a job because of nepotism.
Although, I didn't care much about Wren's choice. Yes, I wasn't a fan of it, but I couldn't really stop her. If she didn't see anything wrong with it, then I couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't like I would too. We've learned about nepotism and cronyism in our history class before, it was impossible she didn't know she was participating in nepotism. Besides, I make wrong choices too. Pointing out Wren's would have been a hypocritical move.
Kailangan lang na ma-compensate ko 'yong mga pagkakamali ko at, hopefully, hindi ko maulit. Si Wren naman, maraming tinutulungang tao kahit na nakuha niya ang intership niya through nepotism.
The world wasn't black and white—it contained a lot of grey areas. No one was really fully bad or good.
"Two pesto pastas," a customer told me.
I was attending my org's booth right now. It was the beginning of the Univ Week right now, and maraming students ang umiikot sa grounds. May kasama ako sa pagbebenta, si Mallari. She was the one in-charge of computing the money and getting the food out of the container. Ako na ang nagpa-pack at nakikipag-usap sa bumibili.
"That will be 300," I told the price to the student.
Nag-abot siya ng 500, humingi ako ng panukli mula kay Mallari. Then, I gave the 200 Pesos to the buyer.
"One tuna pasta, three teriyaki with rice, and one pesto pasta," another customer said before taking out his wallet.
The customer seemed familiar. Lalaki siya na matangkad, baka varsity at nakikita ko sa social media minsan.
Habang nilalagay ko sa isang paper bag ang mga orders ng lalaki, inaabot na ni Mallari ang sukli ng lalaki. Isang blue bill kasi ang binigay ng lalaki, walang bariya.
"Apollo," biglang dumating ang isang babae at binati ang customer. "Hey, I got us food. Nasa'n sina Riv and Anjel?"
I gave the paper bag to the guy named Apollo and watched the two talk while walking away.
"Nasa amphi yata. Ano'ng binili mo, babe?" the girl said.
"The one you like, teriyaki, two, and..." ani Apollo, pahina nang pahina and boses.
Nahinto ako sa pakikinig nang may panibagong customer na kumuha ng atensiyon ko. It was Jace. My friend smiled at me and told me his order, nag-offer pa siyang ilibre ako. Pero sabi ko, hindi ako gutom.
Jace and Wren went on a date recently, after I introduced them to each other. Nag-message ang pareho kong kaibigan matapos ang date nila. Nakatutuwa raw na pinakilala ko sila dahil gusto nila ang isa't isa. Tama ang hinala ko. Good, because they're both people I want to be happy. Hopefully, they'd be happy together.
"Do you have a class with Wren today?" Jace asked.
"Yeah, but I'll be absent today since I'm in charge of the booth the whole day."
"Oh, really? Wala kang kapalit? Sayang naman absent ka sa mga classes mo."
"No, everyone's sacrificing naman, bukas din may a-absent for the booth."
"Oh, okay. Sure ka ayaw mo ng food?"
Tumango ako sa kaibigan. "I'm fine," I add.
"Sige, una na ako. See you around," kumaway ako bago siya lumayo.
BINABASA MO ANG
Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)
Narrativa generaleHaving to care for her mother since the end of grade school, Meadow Jil Carreal was no stranger to exhaustion. Being the bigger person physically, mentally, and emotionally was excruciating, but Meadow always was. When Meadow, a DLSU student, eats d...
