TRAIN

1

It started with a train ride.

Cyd, a struggling intern always take her train at exactly seven in the morning and it's been on her routine for months now. She will wake up early para maiwasan ang siksikan sa LRT and will always deliver a sigh of relief once na malaman niyang naabutan niya ang tren tulad ngayon.

Sa mga buwang iyon, her attention was always focus on the brooding person who loves sitting at the seat near the train's entrance.

She didn't know her name but she noticed her anyway.

At first Cyd noticed her because she always wear dark colored shirt, black skinny jeans and an old worn black chucks.

Hindi niya alam pero lagi niyang tinitignan ang taong yun at habang padami ng padami ang sakay niya sa train, padami din ng padami ang mga bagay na nakikita niya sa estranghera, Like, she always seat nearby at tatakaw ng tingin pag alam niyang nakaupo ang babae at abala sa binabasa nitong libro. The girl always had a book, anyway. She always stalked her person whenever she had a chance and noted her short, wild hair sticking in every possible direction every morning, siguro ay lagi etong nagmamadaling umalis, her olive tanned complexion maski ang eyebags nito o ang kaunting space sa front teeth. She always wear dark shirt. Once, she wears white but the occassion did not repeat itself twice. 
Her person always look so serious and maybe, that is why she felt that instant pull. It is intriguing her and she loves mystery. She had a feeling that there's more layers of story her person had in it's skin than everyone in the train ride combined.

Alam niyang dapat na siyang mahiya sa sarili sa sobrang pagtitig niya sa estranghera but she can't stop herself. Her person sometimes meet her gaze sa tuwing tinataas nito ang tingin sa librong binabasa and she will not look away with that unreadable expression on her face.

After a month  of silent gazes and quiet admiration nagkaroon sila ng tsansang makipag usap.

It was monday  at umuulan pa kaya di na kataka taka na siksikan sa tren dahil sa mga manggagawa at estudyanteng nagmamadaling pumasok but her eyes scans the crowd and her lips tug a small smile ng makita niya ang taong hinahanap. Her person is now wearing a dark blue shirt and for the first time, hindi nakabaon ang ulo nito sa librong binabasa dahil nga sa sobrang siksikan pero gaya ng inaasahan malapit lang eto sa entrance nakapwesto. The close proximity of everyone did not allow her to maneuver kaya ilang hakbang lang din siya sa pintuan ng train, she was situated in front of her person and maybe, imagination lang niya iyon but she can literally hear the stranger's heartbeat next to her.

Cyd was standing ther awkwardly ng huminto ang train sa next station when a rather large lady decided it was time to exit the train. The lady had a backpack on and when she spun towards the exit, Cyd stepped backwards para maiwasan ang bagpack ng matabang babae but well, pinagtitripan ata siya ng tadhana as she lose her footing and should have land face first on the train's floor kung hindi lang sa mga bisig na sumalo sa kanya.

Cyd turned and said, " I'm sorry, i didn't mean to.." pero nabitin sa hangin ang katagang sasabihin pa sana niya ng magtama ang mata niya sa mata ng taong lihim niyang tinitignan ng ilang mga buwan.

Cyd mumbled and continues,"anyway.. sorry."

Cyd tried to pull away from the strangers embrace pero mas dumami ang taong pumasok, the crowd had expanded at may pumalit sa pwestong kinatatayuan niya kanina. That means Cyd was force to stay in the personal space of the stranger who happened to make Cyd's thought incoherent.

Tila naman naramdaman ng estranghera ang predicament niya dahil ngumiti eto at napatingin din sa kanya, "so, lagi ka ba ditong pumupunta?"

Cyd blinks in confusion because of course, she comes here often. Halos araw araw silang nagkikita sa train. Then Cyd get it and her brain immediately flustered again.

"Pick up line ba yun?" Cyd blurts out.

Napangisi ang estranghera pero sinagot din siya kaagad,"It depends. Did it work?"

Cyd who was still flustered shook her head. She need something smart and witty to answer that one kaya napatayo siya ng tuwid at tinignan ang kaharap. "Oh, sweetheart. One pathetic little pick up line like that will never work on me."

"So then out of curiousity how many pick up lines would it take to work on you?"

"Di ko alam. But you could always try to find out." Nakangiting sagot ni Cyd.

The stranger's eyes seemed to drop on Cyd's lips before she says,"If that is a challenge, i will gladly accept it. Just so you know, Hindi.Ako.Natatalo."

"Well, there's a first time to everything."

"Kung ganoon, i gladly accept your challenge..."

"Cyd. Cyd Demicillo."

"Well then, I, Kim Fajardo, accept your challenge, Cyd Demicillo." Kim replied, grinning widely at Cyd.

Hindi din mapigilan ni Cyd ang pagngiti kay Kim pero natigil ang usapan nila ng may isang grupo na lumabas ulit sa train. Kim lead her to seats that just opened up.

Habang paupo sila, narinig ulit niya ang boses ni Kim . "Hey, Cyd."

"Hmm.."

"...the sun may light up the world but you light up my life." Kim said in a mock serious tone.

Ilang saglit na napatingin sa kanya si Cyd. Binalikan din naman ni Kim ng seryosong tingin ang katabi and then Cyd started to laugh, Kim joined in and soon they were laughing at the ridiculous line and their ridiculous situation.

Nang tumigil na sila sa kakatawa, nakangiting tumingin si Cyd sa katabi. "Sorry, Kim. Though mas maganda ang banat mo kesa sa nauna, di pa rin siya tumatalab."

Kim dramatically snapped her fingers and said,"Damn." Napatigil eto ng ilang saglit but continued. "Huwag kang mag alala, Cyd. I can be extremely perseverate when something involves a beautiful girl."

Hindi napigilan ni Cyd ang mapahalakhak sa banat na iyon ni Kim as she shakes her head in disbelief, "Sorry, Kim. Di rin gumana iyon."  Cyd then noticed that her stop was next and she continued saying ,"and you're gonna have to wait for another time to try another line dahil kailangan ko ng bumaba."

Nang tumayo si Cyd para umalis, tumayo din si Kim kasabay niya at kinuha ang kamay niya at masuyong hinalikan iyon. "Until next time, Cyd Demicillo, Light of my life."

Cyd rolled her eyes but doesn't stop herself from grinning in amusement and a little bit of embarassment. Napatawa na lang din si Kim ng makita niya ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Cyd. The last thing Cyd heard was Kim's quiet chuckled as she exited the train.