Never Not Looking Back

Prologue

"Ngayon pa ba tayo aatras, Luna?" Luna asked herself as she stared blankly at the bag she was holding and she's been standing outside the Health Sciences Building for half an hour now. Obviously, the program haven't started yet but she's looking so damned already. Hindi naman siya ang mamartsa pero siya itong parang pagod na pagod na.

"Ibibigay ko ba?" She asked herself. Ofcourse, she lowered her voice. Takot lang niyang may makapansin sakanya doon. Graduation day ngayon ng Med Tech at Nursing sa school nila and here she is fulfilling her promise to her dearest university. Ang ibigay kay Solomon ang librong nasulat niya sa loob ng apat na taon.

She scratched her head as she walked her way infront of the library which was just a five-minute walk away from the Health Sciences building. Doon kasi ang simula ng pagmamartsa nila.

Halos matakpan na ng face mask na suot nito ang buong mukha niya. She doesn't care if she's looking so weird. All she cares about was to prevent Solomon from spotting her in the crowd! Dahil mas gugustuhin nitong siya mismo ang unang makakita sakanya.

Nagpasilip-silip muna ito sa paligid. Hinahanap ang mga kaibigan ni Solomon at doon na ito didiretso. No one knows her except Solomon and his friends but heck, she gotta be careful. May tainga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita.

Solomon is a big deal in the Health Sciences Dept. Sino ba namang kasing tangang magkakagusto sa isang katulad ni Solomon Ybañez? Malamang siya, isang hamak na Luna Imperial lang.

Not less than a minute mula pagkaraging nito ay nakita na niya si Solomon na nakatayo sa tapat ng puno kung saan sila madalas na tumambay kasama ng mga kaibigan. Ofcourse, she already knows where to find him. Halos apat na taon ba namang crush? Imposibleng hindi pa nito memoryado ang lahat tungkol sa kanya.

She slowly walked her way to him. Hindi pa man ito nakakalapit ay mukhang napansin na siya nito.

"Oh, shit" bulong niya sa sarili nang ngumiti si Solomon sakanya at tumakbo papalit dito. Nakatoga na ito.

"Hi!" Solomon greeted her. She smiled as she gripped the bag on her hand. Itinago niya ito sa likod niya nang tuluyan nang makalapit si Solomon sakanya.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Tanong nito sakanya.

"Congrats!" Masigla niyang bati but her smiles was taken away by his sudden gesture. He pulled her into a tight hug. So tight she could already feel his heart beat.

"Thank you" Even when they're back to back, she can see him smiling. Ganoon na nga siguro talaga ang tama nito sakanya. She became a part of him. Or he became a part of her.

"Sorry hindi ako nakapunta nung graduation niyo, sumakto sa huling shift namin sa ospital eh"

"Okay lang!"

"You received the flowers, right?" He asked. Ngumiti siyang muli. Naalala nanaman niya kung paano siya umasang may meaning iyon when in fact, lahat silang kaibigan niyang babae ay nakareceive pala ng bulaklak mula kay Solomon.

"Yeah, I did. Thank you pala ha" He winked at her. Again. It was a normal thing to him. Wink was equivalent to a nod for him. Pero eto siya, kinikilig. Just why does every actions he make, makes her heart flutter? Hindi pa ba siya nagsasawa?

"I, ah— I also brought you, ah, a gift?" Nagdadalawang-isip nitong sabi. The bag's still hidden on her back.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Solomon. Na hindi niya mapagtanto kung excited ba ito o nagtataka.

"Really?"

Unti-unti nitong nilabas ang paper bag na hawak mula pa kanina and slowly handed it to him. Nakarinig silang bigla ng panunukso mula sa mga kaibigan ni Solomon.