When someone breaks you, there would surely come a person who would try to fix you --- at the right time and at the right place. It's up to you if you would let that person enter your world.
Chapter 32
(4 days later...)
Mico's POV
"Hello po, good morning," pagbati ko sa Dean ng Department of Architecture nang pumasok ako sa office nito. In-inform kasi ako ng professor ko na gusto daw akong kausapin nito. For what reason? I don't know pero kinakabahan ako.
"Good morning, and please sit down, Mr. Padua," aniya. Naupo ako sa upuan sa tapat ng table ni Dean.
"Gusto niyo daw po akong makausap?" tanong ko.
"Ah, yes. Meron akong good news sa'yo," nakangiting sabi niya. Naglaho lahat 'yung kaba ko dahil sa sinabi niya.
"Ano po 'yun?" usisa ko.
"The council has chosen your work to be the model of the new Dept of Architecture building which will be constructed first month of next year," paliwanag niya.
Maliwanag kong nadinig ang lahat at nagpaulit-ulit pa ito sa aking isipan, and it took almost half a minute before mag-sink in sa'kin 'yung mga sinabi niya. And when it finally did, hindi ko napigilang ngumiti nang sobrang laki.
"Talaga po?! OMG," gulat na gulat kong bulalas. Surprised, joyous, astonished, I don't know which adjective best describes how I feel right now. With takip-bibig effect pa 'ko using both hands.
"Yes, Mr. Padua. Congratulations!" bati niya. Tinanggap ko using both my hands 'yung offer na handshake ni Dean.
"Thank you so much po talaga, Dean," naiiyak kong pasalamat.
"Your design is incomparable, Mr. Padua. You deserve it," puri niya.
Unti-unting nag-blurred 'yung paningin ko dahil sa namumuong luha na dulot ng labis na kagalakan.
Can you see me right now, Mama? I know you do. Para po ito sa inyo.
"And..." pabitin niyang sabi. May kinuha siya sa drawer sa ilalim ng table niya at inilapag ito sa ibabaw. "The university wants to give you this as a token of recognition as well as appreciation of your great talent."
Isa itong tseke na nagkakahalagang P100,000.
"P-Po? Ah... eh... s-sure po ba kayo?" utal kong tanong. Kasi kung oo ay hindi ko talaga ito tatanggihan.
"This is nothing compared to what you will earn once you've become a licensed architect, so please accept this," nakangiting pilit niya. Inabot nito sa'kin 'yung tseke at talaga namang nanginginig pa 'yung kamay ko nung akin itong tinanggap.
"S-Salamat po. Maraming salamat po," nanginginig kong tugon.
"I've heard about your mother, and I am pretty certain she's smiling proudly in heaven for she has a very talented and intelligent son," malambing na sabi ng Dean.
"Salamat po," sagot ko. Teary-eyed na naman ako. Ewan ko ba. Basta nababanggit si mama, nagiging emosyonal agad ako. Hindi pa kasi ako sanay na wala na siya. And I don't think I will get used to it.
"You're welcome," sagot niya. Naglapag naman siya ng panibagong paper sa ibabaw ng lamesa.
"Hala, ano po 'yan? Tseke ulit? Naku hindi ko na po iyan matatanggap, Sir. Tama na po ito," agad-agad kong sambit na ikinatawa nito.
"No, no, Mr. Padua. Don't you think this is too broad of a paper for a cheque? This is a waiver," natatawang paliwanag niya.
"Ay, sorry po," ngiting napahiya naman ako. "Waiver po ng ano?"
BINABASA MO ANG
Locker 246
HumorMico Padua has spent years harboring a quiet, desperate crush on Tyrone Rivera. Tyrone is everything Mico isn't: tall, dark, handsome, and frustratingly obnoxious. But while Mico's orientation is an open book to everyone at their university, Tyrone'...
