#UMAASA

#Kabanata3

"Are you gonna take photos of us?" Tanong ni Edward, tatango na sana ako at mage-explain ng nagsalita si Marco, "She's a photojournalist, that's her job."

"Oh, you're a school paper staffer? Galing," didn't see that coming.

"Oh, baka sabihin mo kung ano ano na namang words ang tinuturo ko sa kanya," sabi ni Marco at umalis na rin. 100% Guilty.

"Looks like he's mad at you, you should probably apologize to him," Edward suggests.

"No, that's already normal for the both of us. We're like cats and dogs, we never united as one."

"Really? Looking at his eyes, it has deeper meaning for me, though." Ano namang ibig sabihin neto?

"What do you mean?"

"I think he wants to hear an apology from you, there's nothing wrong if you do it," so, anong uunahin ko? Apology o trabaho ko bilang photojournalist?

*Prrtt*

The whistle blows. Meaning the try-outs will begin. "Our try-outs will be like this......." Yun lang ang narinig ko, then proceeded to take pictures. Priority ko? Syempre, si Edward! Hihihi.

"KISSES, ILAG!" Sigaw ni Marco, then he catches the ball. "Easy lang kayo, nakita niyong may babae eh," sabi niya. "Photojournalist yan, mawawalhan tayo ng chance na makita sa school news paper pag nasira camera niyan, sige kayo," naudlot ang pagka-flatter ko. But still he saved me.

"Are you alright?" Tanong ni Edward. "Yes, I am." Sagot ko.

After almost half an hour, I had good shots already. Nang matapos ako, bumalik ako sa room and nakinig sa lessons.

"Ms. Delavin, stand up." Sabi ng teacher ko sa Math, Analytical Geometry ang topic namin for today. "Ngayong grading, we'll be talking about circles, give the parts of the circle," she added.

Phew, buti na lang hindi pa equations, "radius, diameter, circumference and center," sagot ko.

"Please describe too."

"The center is the point that lies on the middle of the circle. Then, the diameter is the length of the circle from one point to another point passing through the center while the radius is half of the diameter or the segment from the center to any point of the circle. Lastly, the circumference is the outline of the circle that measures 360," I answered confidently.

"Well said, Ms. Delavin," I took my seat and the door opened, "Yes, Mr. Gallo, what is the formula in getting the area of the circle?"

"Two pi r squared," sagot niya ng mabilis. "And Mr. Barber what is the formula if the given is not a radius but the diameter?" Tanong ulit ni Ma'am.

"You need to divide the diameter by two then proceed with the 'two pi r squared'," he answered.

"All of their answers are correct, palakpakan natin sila," and the class applauded.

Ma'am, posted some visual aids and asked us to write those in our notebooks. The room is quiet. Very quiet. Alam ko kapag ganito, dumadaldal si Marco eh. I took a glance, seryoso siya sa pagsusulat.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Rinig ko ang isang tawa, tumingin ako sa kabilang side, nakita ko na tumatawa si Heaven. Nakita naman niya akong nakatingin sa kanya, "Buti nga sa kanya! Baka nga umaasa pa siya dun eh! Halata namang friendzone," at pinandilatan pa ako ng mata. Obvious na obvious naman na ako ang pinariringgan neto. Tinanggal ko na lang ang tingin ko sa kanila.

"Hey, Kisses, I passed the try-outs," alam ko namang makakapasa ka dun eh. "Congratulations!" Sabi ko.

"Marco did a good job too, you should congratulate him too," sabi niya. Nagdadalawang isip ako kung gagawin ko ba o hindi.

"Congratulations," naibuga na ng bibig ko, lumingon si Marco at ngumiti ng pilit. Di ka pa nasanay, Kisses! Lagi naman kayo nagkakainitan ng ulo ng taong yan.

For the whole day, hindi kami nagpansinan ni Marco. Di ko alam pero parang ang awkward ata? Nag-aayos ako ng gamit, nag-aayos rin siya. Tapos na ako, siya hindi pa. I put my backpack on, at kinuhit siya, "Sorry for what I have said earlier," sabi ko. Hindi niya ako nilingon. Tuloy-tuloy lang siya sa pag-aayos ng gamit niya. "Anong assignment?" Tanong niya. "Wala ta----" sasagot sana ako pero hindi pala ako ang kausap niya.

"Walang assignment puro discussions lang naman nung wala kayo kanina," Heaven answered Marco's question.

"Are you coming home?" Edward asks.

"Yup, I'll be waiting for my service," I replied.

"Ingat ka," sabi niya. Dami na niyang alam na words na Tagalog ha?

"You too," sagot ko. Kilig me ng slight, hihi.

"Excuse me," sabi ni Marco at dumaan sa gitna naming dalawa ni Edward.

"Have you apologized?"

"I did but he ignored it."

"Really? I'll help you, I'll talk to him later," sabi ni Edward.

"No, you don't have too. It's me who made the problem."

Sabay na kaming lumabas ni Edward, I waved at him bago kami magkahiwalay ng daan.

Tagal ng service ko, umupo muna ako sa waiting shed at tiningnan ko ulit ang shots ko kanina sa try-outs. I didn't notice na maganda rin pala shots ko kay Marco.

Nagzoom-in ako, I saw a picture of Marco looking straight at the camera parang biglang bigla siya eh! HAHAHAHAHA! I saw good shots from Edward too, mas maayos nga lang kesa kay Marco. He looks as dedicated as Marco is. Nagnext pa ako ng photos, I saw the picture na papalapit si Marco para saluhin ang bolang tatama sana sa akin. Blurry siya, "Do you really miss me? Kaya pictures ko ang tinitingnan mo?" Sabi ng half-Italian na katabi ko.

*beep beep*

Sakto naman ng pagdating ng service ko, "Gwapo ka? Gwapo ka? Wag kang feeling uy! Photojournalist ako kelangan maganda shots ko!" There I am again with my reactions.

"K," that's what he said. Dagdag inis points ba yun? Kisses, why so t-a-n-g-a?

Sumakay na ako sa kotse, tiningnan ulit ang photos. Tinanong ko sa sarili ko, tinataboy ko ba si Marco?