To the Moon and Back

KABANATA 7

Maaga pa lamang ay puno na agad ng mga proud na proud na magulang ang school complex. Sa kanilang tabi'y hindi rin mapantayan ang saya ng kanilang mga anak na nakasuot na puting-puting toga, handa na sa kanilang pagtatapos sa high school.
Mayamaya ay mag-uumpisa na ang graduation ceremony. Nakasalansan ang mga upuan na okupado na ng mga estudyante't magulang.
Sa unang hanay ng mga upuan, nakaupo ang mga mag-aaral na may mga karangalan, pangatlo doon si Luna.
Nakangiti ito at nakatingin sa kanyang ina na nasa kabilang hanay.
She was exceptionally gorgeous. Her hair was dressed in big curls. Her cheeks were pink, her eyelids weee glittering blue. Special 'tong araw na 'to.
"Let us all stand up for the doxology!" isang mahinahong tinig ang nagsalita mula sa speaker ilang saglit lamang ang nakalipas. Nagsitayo silang lahat.
Ang mga guro ay nakalinya sa harap, pinapantayan ang saya ng mga magulang, masaya silang naging bahagi sila sa paghuhubog sa mga magtatapos ngayon.
Luna stood up, smiling obliviously. She was thankful for the blessings she has received.
Ngayon, aakyat siya sa stage at tatanggapin ang ilang karangalan, at alam niyang dahil iyon kay Aries. She knew it very well. She knew that she's never gonna be like this if it weren't for Aries's help. For coming back to her life. For inspiring her in all the ways. For helping her all the times. For staying up late just to help her with her projects. For being the mentor she always holds on to. For correcting her wrongs, and for polishing her rights. For all his advices. For all the times he has spent with her. For all the words he's said. For all the times he had cheered her up when she was giving up. For all the smile he caused her. For being at her side. For never leaving her in the times she needed company. For everything.
Ngayon, ang mga karangalang iyon ang isusukli niya dito. Aries was always ready to help her, just like a brother does for her little sister.
Gayunpaman, sa dalawang taong pagiging halos matalik na magkaibigan, hindi pa rin nalaman ni Luna na kapatid lang ang turing nito sa kanya. She was blinded again. Aries's only mistake eas he never said how he see Luna, he trusted his thoughts. That she was just enjoying a brother just as much as he does.
"Good morning graduates..." nag-umpisa nang magsalita ang guest speaker, ngunit wala roon ang isip ni Luna. She was floating. Her head was swimming in a sea of daydreams.
Hindi siya makapaghintay na ipakita kay Aries ang mga medal na matatanggap niya. Ang bunga ng kanilang paghihirap. Ang bunga ng mga sakripisyo na ginawa nila. Produktong pinagtulungan nila.
She started picturing him. When she gives him the medals, the awards. She pictured him smiling, congratulating her, hugging her out of his joy. Or even kissing her. Hindi niya mapigilang mapangiti sa mga iniisip niya.
"And now, our hardships has finally been paid off..." kanina pa nag-umpisa ang Valedictorian sa kanyang speech, pero wala ring naintindihan si Luna mula sa mga sinabi nito.
I've listened to evwry single word all my two years, break muna ngayon.
Simula noong araw na nagkita muli sila ni Aries, in the most unlikely place, with pines and grasses and twigs and leaves, nagkaroon ng direksyona ang pag-aaral ni Luna. She eventually excelled. Isang bagay na kaya niya namang gawin, masyado lang siyang nalunod sa kalungkutan noon kaya hindi niya masyadong naiaentro ang sarili sa pag-aaral. But after that meeting, she suddenly felt the sense of direction. She held on to a promise. I'll wait for you. Kahit mababaw, ginamit ni Luna ang mga katagang iyon bilang gabay. A promise she used as a beacon of light so when she lose her way, she can easily go back. A goal she strived to achieve. A star she strived to reach. A moon she strived to step foot on.
Sino ba namang hindi mai-inspire kung sa bawat lesson, assignment, project at review, isang text o tawag lang, ay nasa tabi na niya si Aries, handang ipahiram ang kanyang oras, handang ibahagi anv kanyang kaalaman, handang tumulong, kagaya ng isang kuya sa maliit niyang kapatid.
From the day she met him again, she was sure. Gusto kong maging astronaut, just like Sir. Because he showed me how to reach a star, how to make my own planet, how to be on top of moon. I revolved around him, and without him, I am useless. I am nobody. I am nothing. I want him to see that my love can trancsend from here to heaven. Across the sea and space. To infinity and beyond. I love him to the moon and back.
Biglang bumalik sa lupa ang naglalakbay na diwa ni Luna nang marinig ang tinig sa speaker. Hudyat na oras ba para tanggapin ang mga karangalang pinaghirapan nila.
"8th Honorable Mentioned..."
Higit pa sa walong oras na pag-upo sa archair, pakikinig sa nga guro, pag-intindi sa mga nakasulat sa armchair. Ngayon mababayaran na ang lahat ng paghihirap.
"7th Honorable Mentioned..."
Pitong araw sa isang linggo. Walang araw na hindi pinapalampas, may pasokman o wala, para lang mapagbuti ang sarili. Mga formula na iintindihin, solution na gagawin, mga numerong iso-solve. Graphing paper, teta, x at y axis, variables, cartesian coordinate plane.
"6th Honorable Mentioned..."
6:00 am. Bawal ma-late para walang makaligtaang lesson. Para maumpisahan ang bawat lecture sa subject at perdicate. Sa verb, noun, adjective. Sa subject-verb agreement. Sa subordinate clause, sa singular at sa plural.
"5th Honorable Mentioned..."
Limang araw sa paaralan. Limang araw kada linggong nakapako ang mata sa pisara. Nage-experiment, nag-oobserve. Solid, liquid, gas. Sa hydrogen, oxygen at carbon dioxide. Sa food chain, sa atmosphere at sa inner core. Kay Charles Darwin at Thomas Alba Edison.
"4th Honorable Mentioned..."
Apat na grading period sa isang school year. Apat na grading para pag-aralan abg History. Julius Ceasar at Napoleon. Spartans at Romans. Hanggang Economics. Demand, Supply. Equilibrium at Income Tax Return.
"3rd Honorable Mentioned..."
Tatlong oras na tulog. Magdamag gising. Para makapag-review para sa periodical tests. Sa unit tests at mga quizzes. Tuwing may training para sa regional competitions at quiz bees. Tuwing punong-puni ang schedule ng acasemic at extra-curricular activities.
"2nd Honorable Mentioned..."
Dalawang taong paghihintay. At ngayon, narito na. Tapos na lahat ng paghihirap, lahat ng sakripisyo. Lahat ng mga punagtulungan, pinagpuyatan, pinaghirapan, pinagtalunan at pinaggugulan. Everything has been paid off. Tapos na ang dalawang taong pahihintay.
"1st Honorable Mentioned... Luna Fernandez."
Isang inspirasyon. Isang taong hindi umalis sa kanyang tabi. Isang taong nagibigay ng kulay sa black and white niyang buhay. Isang taong nagbigay ng ilaw sa madilim niyang kwarto. Isang taong nagpapaniwala sa kanya sa maraming bagay. Isang taong nagpangiti ulit sa kanya. Ang nag-iisang taong minahal niya... si Aries.
Masayang tumayo si Luna. Sa kanyang tabi, nakaangkla ang kamay ng mama niya sa kanya. Nakangiti. Masaya.
Pagtuntong nito sa stage, inabot sa kanya ang certificate, ang medal naman ay iniabot sa kanyang ina at isnuot nito iyon sa kanya. Humarap siya at kinuhanan ng siya litrato. Naglakad siya't kinamayan ang nakahanay na mga tao roon. Bumaba sila sa stage, hindi nawawala sa mga labi ang ngiti ng tagumpay. Finally! Ilang hakbang na lang, makakasama ko na talaga si Aries!
"Science Excellence Award, is awarded to... Luna Fernandez for her exemplary skills in Science and for her active participation in Science-related activities."
Isa rin ito sa mga isusukli niya kay Aries. Alam niyang magihing masaya ito para sa kanya.
"Astronomer of the Year is... Luna Fernandez, for her helpful contribution to the school breakthrough research entitled: Inside The Moon, an extensive research about the Moon and its hidden features."
She owes Aries a lot. If he hadn't been by her side all the time s wouldn't have received any of these. How I wish he was here with me, to see me, to be proud of me.
"Inventor of Space is awarded to Luna Fernandez, a title in recognition for her investigative project, an elementary space transmitter that had been a part of Annual Kyoto Robotics Convention."
Bawat patak ng pawis, pawat hininga tuwing hinihingal, bawat kalyo sa daliri, bawat sakit ng ulo, lahat. Tapos na. Thank you Sir!
"Best in Science... Luna Fernandez for her outstanding performance in Science."
With a smile on her face, a chunk of pride in her heart, a 'thank you' mouthed by her lips and a hint confidence on her walk, she received her every award. Keeping in mind that she wouldn't have had any of these without Aries. Without his voice. Without his hands. Without his presence. Without him. At ngayon pa lang, natatanaw na niya ang ngiti nito.