I've been keepin' busy all the time
Just to try to keep you off my mind
--Jet Lag by Simple Plan feat. Natasha Bedingfield
--
Cyrus and Lena became okay again after Cadence intervened. They talk regularly from that day on. He has so many stories to tell. Pakiramdam ni Lena ay wala siyang maiambag sa usapan dahil wala siyang ginagawa maghapon kundi manuod ng TV at matulog.
So one day, she decided to do something that she swore she would never do: ask her dad to allow her to go back to school. It's been four years since she stopped schooling and it was sort of iffy to go back. Baka ma-culture shock siya. She might not be able to cope up with the stress.
But, it's one thing to keep herself busy. If she's busy, then she won't miss him so much. Hindi na siya masyadong malulungkot.
Her father readily agreed. She'll be retaking her first semester for third year. May mga subjects siyang kailangang kunin sa bago niyang school na wala sa curriculum ng dati niyang eskwelahan.
Tuwang-tuwa si Cyrus nang ibalita niya iyon.
"At least you'll have something to do."
"Natatakot nga ako, e," pag-amin niya. "I feel so rusty. Baka hindi ako makasagot kapag recitation. Nakakahiya. Ang tanda ko na pa naman."
"You'll do just fine. You're smarter than you think you are," he assured her.
Nagpangalumbaba siya sa harap ng MacBook. "Did you know that I didn't have any friends back when I was studying? Baka maging loner ulit ako."
"Huwag ka kasing mahihiyang mag-approach ng ibang tao. And don't forget to smile. Wala ka talagang magiging kaibigan kapag palagi kang nakasimangot."
"What if no one liked me?"
"Someone will, for sure. You're an awesome person, Lena. You just need to let other people see that."
She smiled at his remark. "Thank you."
"Just don't smile at guys. They might get the wrong idea."
Natatawa siyang umiling. Even when he's not around, bantay-sarado pa rin siya.
--
Unfortunately for Cyrus, Lena's first friend turned out to be a guy. Unang araw kasi ng pasukan noon, hidni niya alam ang pasikot-sikot sa bago niyang school. She approached the first guy she saw who turned out to be an irregular student, just like her. Working student kasi ito kaya medyo napabayaan ang ilang subject last school year dahil palaging puyat at pagod sa trabaho. So he had to take the back subjects again along with a few new subjects.
"His name's Alex," she told Cyrus when they got to talk that night.
"Really? Of all the names?"
She gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"
"Remember Alexa? Now, there's Alex. I don't know if the universe is toying with us."
"I don't follow."
Cyrus sighed. "Just forget it," he said dismissively. "Anyway, how's your first day?"
"Okay naman. Nagpakilala lang kami sa klase. I was out of place because they already know one another."
"Ayos lang 'yan. You're only new on your first day. Classmate mo ba 'yong Alex na 'yon?"
"No. Second year lang sya."
"Ah. Good."
"Pero mabuti na rin na may kaibigan ako kahit isa. He said he'll tour me around the school tomorrow."
