Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)

Kapitulo 30

Arbitrary shits still happen in my life. There was no escape from those. I learned that. I was curious why they happened. But, maybe, the beauty of life is that—you don't know what's going to happen in the next moment. You weren't sure if you would survive today nor would you truly know if you would get that dream you've always wanted to achieve.

Some things that suddenly happened in my life caused my misery. I wished those never happened. I wished Daddy hadn't left just as Mommy got into an accident. I wished Mommy didn't get into an accident.

Those were my thoughts for a long, long time. I couldn't really move forward with life without feeling so heavy because of those.

But to combat those painful memories, an arbitrary thing happened again. I met Kalon Mangundapat. He came so swiftly and quietly, like a bird walking on land after flying. Ilang beses akong nag-overthink dahil sa kaniya. Ilang beses akong nagkaroon ng internal monologues dahil sa kaniya. Heck, I even made the first move! He felt so new, so sudden.

Until now, I couldn't understand how one person could make my pain easier to carry.

I glanced at my phone's lock screen to check the time, the face of Kalon showed. It was 4:39 PM. Holding the pizza on my left hand, I held my phone tightly on my right. I was at the bottom of the stairs of the Vito Cruz LRT station, waiting for my boyfriend.

Ang bawat bumababa na pasahero ay nakakatitigan ko ng isang segundo dahil atat na atat na akong makita si Kalon, kaya lahat ay inaakala kong siya. Today was his first duty in PGH. He was looking forward to this since last sem, kaya naman gusto kong malaman ang nangyari sa araw niya. Nag-send pa nga siya ng picture kanina sa akin bago siya pumasok, e. He was wearing his white uniform and glasses.

It had been almost four months since I accidentally said yes to being his girlfriend. No regrets naman sa part ko. Although I planned on saying yes talaga on his birthday, hindi ko rin naman na talaga binawi no'ng tawagin ko siyang baby. Nawala kasi sa isip ko na ginawa ko 'yong rule na 'yon. I even forgot when I said that, Kalon just made me remember. Parang ang ulyanin ko pakinggan, pero hindi ko rin talaga inakalang malilimutan ko.

I grinned when Kalon walked to me and took the pizza from my hand.

"Condo?" he asked, pertaining whether we could stay at his place or not.

"Yes, that's where we stay and eat this. Favorite mo 'yan, love," sabi ko.

Ngumiti siya at kinuha na ang kamay ko. "Thank you."

"Tara," we walked to cross the streets.

After ten minutes, nakarating kami sa lobby ng condo niya. I left an ID with the desk personnel before Kalon and I rode the elevator.

"Kanina ka pa naghintay? Dapat dumiretso ka na lang sa condo," Kalon asked as the elevator moved upward.

"No naman, binili ko pa 'yan, so halos kararating ko lang sa LRT no'ng bumaba ka. 'Tsaka, you know I don't like going in your condo without you."

"Puwede ka naman do'n," tinitigan ko siya. His face surrendered.

I've told him before na I never want to go in his place without him. Bukod sa wala akong gagawin naman mag-isa ro'n, feeling ko, disrespectful if mauna ako sa may-ari no'ng condo. Besides, I also didn't want his parents to think I was so comfortable with their family na pati sa condo ni Kalon ay naroon ako kahit wala ang anak nila. Magbabago siguro ako kung sariling condo na ni Kalon ang pinag-uusapan.

"How did your quiz go?" tanong niya habang hinihila niya ako papalapit.

"It was okay, but I couldn't answer one question that I knew for sure I studied. Parang na-mental block ako for that question, sayang."