Broken Vessels

Wakas

Wakas

God

"Amare, may nakilala lang naman si Obed kanina sa registrar!" Mashlee announced when they had just come back from school.

We weren't in the same school before, but now that we're in senior high, I decided to transfer. Our church is also near the school, so I needed to move. My mom didn't oppose Pastor Roger's suggestion either. Besides, she trusts the people I'm surrounded with.

I put down my book and turned my attention to them. My dear friend Obed was smiling from ear to ear. Mashlee, on the other hand, looked even more excited than him.

"Sino naman?" I asked.

Mashlee put his arm around my shoulder.

"My friend!" Then he laughed even harder. "Si Bethany, iyong lagi kong kausap dito pagkatapos ng service natin."

That name. There was a beat, a sudden pause in my heart when I heard it. It wasn't confirmed yet if she was the daughter of my father's mistress. But my heart beat for another reason, not because of any family connection, but because she was the girl I had liked for so long, ever since my old school.

"She's the daughter of Mr. Uy, the owner of Food Corp. And did you know, her mom is also rich, from Cebu," he shared with us.

I furrowed my brows. Ramil and Gerald started laughing, it seemed like they already knew about her.

"Betty Savier ang mommy niya," Ramil added. "Kilala ko siya dahil ang sikat niya sa kabilang school."

"Wait, Savier siya? 'Di ba sila iyong may-ari ng isang mall sa Cebu? Iyong lola niya, si Elizabeth Savier?" Obed asked.

Mashlee nodded. My friend looked amazed when he learned about it. My hands turned cold. I didn't know what to think at that moment.

I already knew her. I never thought we'd end up in the same school. I placed my hand over my chest as my heart pounded loudly. It beat the same way it always did before, every time I saw her.

We were already classmates back in first year high school. I would always watch her, every time she sat down on her chair, every time the boys in our class talked to her. I even knew when she and her friend would sneak out during math class.

My mom had already warned me to stay away from her. But my heart never listened, as if it had a mind of its own, making decisions for me.

But my admiration for her stopped when we left for Manila. Ngayon at senior high na ako, bumalik ulit nang marinig ko lang ang pangalan niya. I thought it stopped. Hindi ko inaasahan na dito ko siya makikita muli. And after years of not seeing each other, my heart beats like an old tree, stays even with how strong the storm is.

"May practice raw sa bahay nila Charlie," sabi ng mga kabanda ko habang nag-iinsayo kami dito sa church.

We're the ones assigned to serve in the next services this week. In our worship teams or band teams, we had two bands, and we sometimes split every week so everyone could serve and rest alternately. I am the lead guitarist. I actually like to play drums, pero hindi pa ako sanay at pag gigitara lang ang alam ko.

"Saan ba iyong sa kanila?" tanong ni Obed.

Nakikinig lamang ako habang pinupunasan ko ang aking gitara. Mashlee and Ramil keep nagging on their phones. Naglalaro yata. They are part of the multimedia team, habang si Gerald naman sa social media team, and Daniel in photography dahil mahilig siyang kumuha ng mga litrato. In our ministry, we are embracing our skills differently.

"Doon sa malaking subdivision... iyong may kasunod na park."

My ears rang a bell when I knew where that was. Subdivision nila Bethany iyon! Napatuwid ako ng upo habang binaba ko ang aking gitara. Nakita kong tumango si Obed. Palihim akong napangiti, seems very excited for that day. I could feel my heart beat again when I was thinking of her. I stopped grinning when I felt like a crazy guy liking a girl who doesn't even know me. I cleared my throat and acted like nothing.