For Years, I Love You

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Listen

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"Carrington, Taliyah Valeska!"

With crowd applauding, I walked onto the stage with toga on me. I smiled as I greeted the teachers on the stage before I faced the crowd. In front of me were the students of my batch at the school I served for two whole years. I smiled at them before reading my speech.

"Try and try until you die," I started with a quote. "I will try again and again until I die because even if I succeed, I don't know when it will last,"

Silence embraced the crowd as I started my speech. I started with a quote that I learned back in elementary. It was a quote I carried with me until now. I believed, it was the one that helped me go through my ups and downs.

Kasi kagaya ng sabi niya, hindi natin alam kung tatagal ba ang success na nakamit natin. We should always try and strive until we all die, so that once we did, we will die with satisfaction for trying everything.

"Learning is an everyday activity. Trying is a form of learning," I continued. "If you don't try anything, then what will you learn? If you don't learn, then what can you do?"

Sa araw-araw na paggising at pagbangon, palagi akong may natutunan. When I joined journalism, I learned how to write. I learned how to stand on my beliefs. Natuto akong ipaglaban ang mga salita ko. Natuto akong panindigan ang mga paniniwala ko.

Natuto akong ipaglaban ang sarili ko.

"There are a lot of things to learn in this world. There are a lot of things we can't understand, so we seek for answers. We always do. And there are people who help us seek for them," I roamed my eyes around the venue. "Teachers, admins, students, parents, and friends. They are all here for us to help us seek for what we want— for what we need,"

Maraming tao ang nandito para suportahan ang bawat isa. Hindi man ramdam; hindi man halata, naririto sila para sa ating lahat.

I ended my speech with a shaking voice and hands. Everyone clapped for me. I even saw some students wiping their tears. When I went back to my seat, Rika hugged me with tears in her eyes.

"Job well done, Tali. You've done enough. You've gone through enough," she whispered to my ears. "You survived another day. Congratulations!"

Tears started pouring out as I hugged my best friend. Ang arte lang kasi akala mo, hindi na kami magkikita pa. Parehas lang naman ng college, magkaiba lang ng course.

Rika and I took photos together after graduation. I took some photos with my SSG officers. After that, the journalism adviser called my name. I found the journalists looking at me, waiting.

"Halika na, Tali. Kahit umalis ka, kasali ka pa rin sa picture," Miss Nepumoceno told me.

I laughed because of that. Feeling happy, I joined them. While taking photos, I saw Gino sitting in front of me. Sa likuran niya pala ako napa-pwesto. I only looked at the camera and smiled happily.

After taking photos, I hugged my co-journalists. Lahat sila ay naluluha dahil aalis na kami sa eskuwelahan na napamahal na rin sa kanila. I only hugged them to comfort them. And while hugging them, I saw Gino. He was standing there, watching me.

I watched how Gino looked away. He still felt guilty. I bit my lower lip as I recalled Jia's words. Gino got mad at her. He got mad at Jericho. That didn't justify why he hid it from me, but I found myself approaching Gino. I saw how his eyes widened.