The End of Your Song

Chapter 1 - Matthew Luis Ocampo

"Excuse me, miss, pwedeng magtanong?", I looked up to see the owner of the voice. Sa kabila ng nararamdaman kong lungkot, hindi naman ako manhid sa ka-gwapuhan ng lalaking gustong magtanong sa akin. "Yes?", I hope blangko ang mukha ko at walang clue na makikita sa naiisip ko tungkol sa kanya. 

He seemed taller than average, I can't be sure, kasi nakaupo ako sa bench facing the field of our school. Maputi for a guy, straight dark brown hair, a bit wavy in front, neatly cut. He's wearing a light gray polo, black denim jeans and a dark colored loafers. He looks neat, mukhang mabango (and he actually smells good, from where he's standing, in front of me, I can't help but smell him).

I wish my friend Lei is here right now (but as usual, she's late sa usapan), she's the perfect person to be with kapag may ganitong ka-gwapo sa paligid. Kukurutin ka sa tagiliran mo to make sure na napapansin mo ang nakikita niya, as if you're blind at siya lang ang naka-kita ng magandang tanawin.

"May I know how to get to the Engineering building?". Ang bango talaga, I'm very conscious sa cologne niya, ano kayang brand iyon? I pointed forward in the general direction in front of me (I'm sitting on a bench where the field is on my right, so I'm facing the walkway on the side of the field), "diretso ka lang dun, you'll pass by the hospital, then next to the parking, the building at the back is the Engineering building". Nagpasalamat si Mr. Gwapo and turned towards the direction I pointed. I can't help but looked after him, ang ganda pa ng katawan, not buff up, but he seems to have strong shoulders. Looks manly enough, ganun ang mga type ko, simple lang (if you can call that particular specimen simple).

If my friends can see me now...Belle will drool (she's very appreciative of good looking men), Mandie will be disapproving (Mama Mandie ang tukso namin sa kanya minsan, because she's too cautious), Lindsay will look in silent admiration (because she's too controlled on almost any occasion) and Lei will probably just see him from afar (she's almost always late on any meetings, at halos one foot in, and the last minute before roll-call, pag pumasok sa klase).

He turned back abruptly, nahiya naman ako, nahuli ata akong nakatingin sa kanya (o naramdaman kaya niya ang titig ko?!). He walked back towards me, "I'm sorry...I lied". I gave him a puzzled look, "huh?". He smiled...ahhh!, nakakatunaw. Pambihira naman itong taong ito, at the moment I'm supposed to be depressed, naka-kalimutan ko tuloy.

He asked permission to sit, I can't help but raised an eyebrow, trademark ko daw yun, sabi ng mga friends ko. Hindi naman sa galit ako na uupo siya near me, malaki naman ang bench, can accommodate six (comfortably) to eight people (siksikan). Like all the other group of benches lining this walkway, all covered with roofs held by a big post in the middle (kaya favorite palipasan ng oras or meeting place ng mga estudyante), made of concrete na magka-kadugtong ang tatlong sides. It would have formed a square, minus one side, the open side is facing the field. So pwede naman siyang maki-upo if he likes, he doesn't even have to ask for permission, hindi ko naman ni-reserve ang bench na ito.

Umupo siya facing me, ni hindi hinintay kung papayag ako o hindi. Pero naman, medyo kumabog ang aking dibdib, not because I'm scared, di naman siya mukhang pervert. He gave a little laugh, pambihira, may dimples pa siya on both sides. May dimples din naman ako ah, pero yung sa kanya, mala-Aga Mulach sa lalim. "Sorry", he said, smiling at me. "Again?", I asked, medyo weird ata ito, sorry ng sorry...for what?

"Natawa ako sa pagtaas ng kilay mo, but it's cute". I gave him a blank look. "Actually...I lied to you...because alam ko naman yung Eng building (nickname ng mga students sa engineering building), I graduated Architecture here". "Okay?...but I'm not sure what's the lie all about?", medyo nainis ako sa kanya. So we both know the building, so what? I just don't get why he should lie, we don't even know each other.