Bawat Daan

Chapter Seven

Nagmamadali na kaming kumain ng almusal ni Marcky dahil pareho kaming late na. Halos magmadali na nga rin siya magdrive. Marami kasi akong ginawang plates. Gabi na rin nakauwi si Marcky galing sa training.

Mabuti na lang pagpasok ko ng room ay wala pa ang prof namin. Nakita ko agad si Calleb, ngumiti siya sa akin at ngumiti rin naman ako agad pabalik pero mabilis din akong umiwas ng tingin.

“Let's discuss your project today,” Naghiyawan ang mga kaklase ko nang iyon ang ibungad ng prof namin.

Napalingon ako agad kila Jhon at Calleb, wala naman din silang naging reaksyon. “Mayroong iikot na papel, isulat niyo doon ang names ng magkagroup.”

Pagdating naman nung papel sa akin ay nakasulat na ang pangalan namin ni Calleb kaya binigay ko na agad 'yun kay Jamaica para sya na ang magbigay sa row na kasunod namin.

“Have you ever thought of how others define home?” Natahimik lahat nang marinig ang tanong ng prof namin.

“A house is our home, people shouldn't make defining something become complicated.” Ayun ang naging sagot ng isang kaklase namin.

Well at some point I would like to agree. Pero alam ko rin na posibleng magkaroon pa ng ibang depinisyon ang tahanan.

“Maybe for you but how about for others?” Nang lumingon ang prof namin sa gawi namin, mabilis akong umiwas ng tingin. Baka matanong pa ako.

“A person or even something can be a home for anyone. I acknowledge that because I personally believe that someone can feel like home.” Napaisip naman ako agad.

A home for me is the feeling of being safe and being heard. It is a feeling.

“However, for your project I would like you guys to think of a place to define as your home. Make blueprint and replica of it. Well, you can use any materials but for the blueprint you can only use illustration board.”

Napuno na agad ng bulungan ang paligid. “Also you are going to present it in my class, and obviously this is an exam plate.”

“Conceptualize ideas with your groupmates and I will ask for a progress report every meeting.” Lumabas na ang prof namin kaya umingay na ulit ang klase.

Nakipagpalit na ng upuan si Jhon para makatabi niya na si Jamaica at ako naman ay makaupo sa tabi ni Calleb. Everyone seem so invested with the project. While me I am thinking a lot about it. It made me remember things. I now even question how I perceive things.

“What are you thinking?” Napaangat agad ako ng tingin kay Calleb. Magkaharap na ang mga upuan namin gaya ng iba.

Umiling ako at ngumiti. “Do you have any ideas for the project?”

“Well, why don't we talk about how we define home first?” Pagtatanong niya.

Bago pa ako makasagot ay nagsalita na siya. “It is a place where you can be yourself, where you can be happy, vocal, quiet, or not so happy. A place where you don't have to try and worry about anything, you just have to be you.”

While he was talking, I just thought of one place. The place where I work, bar.

Nakatingin siya sa akin na para bang naghihintay na ng maisasagot ko sa sinabi niya. “I think it is a feeling,”

Ngumiti lang siya at hinayaan akong magsalita. “It is a feeling of being safe and being heard.”

“How can you define that feeling of being safe?” Napaisip naman ako agad. “It is when I felt understood,”