Lost and Found

Chapter 12

It's already 8am in the morning and our trip is 9am, agad nako nagmadali para makaligo, hindi ko rin kasi naayos ang mga gamit ko kagabi dahil narin sa sobrang pagod kaya nagmamadali na ako

Naligo naman ako kagabi kaya mag ha-half bath nalang ako

After I put all my things sa travelling bag ko ay nagmadali nako para makapag half bath narin

After taking my half bat agad nako nagpalit simple lang naman ang ootd ng inday, hindi ko gaano binonggahan baka masapawan ko kasi sila

As I checked my watch it's already 8:50 damn it malalate nako sa trip

7 minutes ang tinagal ng pag dradrive ko at agad nako pumunta sa bus kung saan kami sasakay pero shet puno na, nakita ko si Kai at katabi niya si Ms Shine

Saan ako uupo pesti

"Sr wala na po bang extra na upuuan?" Tanong ko kay kuyang driver

"Nako Ms ganda wala na eh, kung gusto mo hintayin mo nalang yung isa niyong propesor kasi naka van naman ata yon" nanlaki naman ang mata ko sa sinabi ni kuyang driver, what the funge, tanga tanga mo kasi self bakit late ka na nagising

Bumaba nalang ako sa bus at saktong pag baba ko yun naman ang pagdating ng van, siguro si Ms Ria na to. Hindi kalaunan ay biglang bumukas ang pinto ng van dahilan para bumungad sakin ang isang napakagandang angel

Tinitigan muna ako nito ng masama bago mag salita

"What are you still doing here" malamig na saad niya, napalunok naman ako ng bahagya bago magsalita

"Ahm.. ehh... puno na po kasi sa loob ng bus Ms" nahihiyang saad ko habang nanginginig ang kamay ko

"Come in" malamig na saad niya at agad nako pumasok sa loob ng van, nilibot ko muna ang aking tingin sa loob ng van, actually maganda talaga may cover sa driver erea para may privacy ang kung sino mang sasakay dito. So may privacy kami ni Ms?

As I sat huddled on the worn seat, my fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of my sweater. I could feel the weight of Professor Ria’s gaze towards me, a piercing intensity that made me pause for a moment

Malamig naman sa loob pero pinagpapawisan ako shuta

Inside the cramped and stuffy van, the atmosphere was tense as the cold-hearted and terror professor Ria sat in silence. Her icy demeanor sent ripples of fear through the other students. But I want to see her soft side during the entire trip

Mahigit 4 hours din kasi ang byahe namin that's why I decide to break the silence, magsasalita palang sana ako ng bigla siyang magsalita

“Celes,” she said suddenly, her voice low and almost velvety, cutting through the hum of the engine. My heart raced at the sound of my name. “What do you think you’re doing here?”

"P-poo? I said with a full of confusion, eh sinabi ko naman sa kanya na puno na yung bus

"Stupid. I don't want to repeat myself" saad niya sabay irap sakin

"Ano po kais ahhm...the bus is full, and I really can’t miss this trip,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Why do you want to go on this trip so badly?” Ms Ria suddenly asked. Her voice was low, but it held a curiosity that caught me off guard.

"Ah diba ano po kasi required naman po na lahat dapat pumunta" nahihiyang saad ko, luh si Ms parang ano ren eh "And also Ms I want to experience something outside of the classroom. To learn in a different way. And… to prove to myself that I can face my fears."

Ms Ria glanced at me, the corner of her mouth twitching upward again. “Interesting. Most students don’t think beyond grades and assignments.”

I felt a spark of hope. “I guess I’m not like most students.”