The End of Your Song

Chapter 18 - Reunion

"Ashley...hi, kumusta ka na?", Lance was the first to recover, his fingers left the holy water vessel. Parang kahapon lang nang huli kaming nag-paalam sa isa't isa. He looks great, more mature, he has an open smile. The glint in his eyes is far from the intense look that I remember he usually have. He looks like a jollier version of himself. "I'm good, ikaw kumusta na?", I'm happy to see him, despite the painful memories he brought back to me. After all, he is one familiar face from my past, here in my old alma mater.

"I'm okay, kaka-uwi ko lang", he replied, gone is that shy guy, replaced by a more confident man. "Kelan ka pa dumating?, tanong niya. "Four days ago", I replied back. I noticed people are starting to fill up the chapel, malapit na atang mag-start ang anticipated mass.

"Papunta ka na ba sa field?", tanong muli niya. I nodded, he looked around, probably napansin din niya ang napansin ko. "Okay lang ba if sabay na tayo?, baka maligaw na ako. It's been a while, ang dami ng changes dito?", that impish smile, typical of his kin. I laughed a little, "tatawid ka lang". He also laughed and looked at me pleadingly.

"Okay, tapos ka na bang mag-dasal?", tanong ko sa kanya. "Not yet, I just arrived, but this won't take long", he looks happier. "Okay, I'll wait", I answered, I face the altar again. Mas maliwanag na ngayon, the lights were all turned on now. True to his words, di nga siya nagtagal sa pagdasal, whatever he said in his prayers, either he rushed it or he didn't say much. Together, we walked towards the field, pumunta kami malapit sa registration area, few people are milling around. Maya-maya pa siguro ang pagdating ng iba, maaga pa naman.

I saw my friends near the registration for Commerce, Mandie was the one to see me first. Whatever she is saying to Belle, she stopped in mid-sentence. Na-curious ata si Belle sa pagtigil ni Mandie sa pagsasalita, she looked at the same direction. "AJ!, ehhh!", masayang tili ni Lei, hindi nakatiis, sumalubong siya sa akin. Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit, then she let go.

Tinitigan niya si Lance, kinikilala ata. "Kumusta na Lei?", tanong ni Lance, his hands on his pants pockets, but the smile he gave her is a confident one. "Lance, kumusta ka na?, ang tagal mo ding nawala. Di ata nabanggit ni Pat na uuwi ka", she smiled back at him.

Lumapit na din sina Mandie, Belle at Lindsay. Nagyakapan kaming magba-barkada, daig pa ang mga teenagers na matagal na di nagkita. Then pinag-tuunan nila ng pansin si Lance, who just stood there watching us five. "Kumusta ka na Lance?, how's UK?, saan ka nga doon? Halos hindi ka na bumalik dito sa 'Pinas after you went there, kailan ka bang huling nakauwi?", tanong ni Mandie.

"I'm okay, sa Birmingham ako based. Medyo matagal na nga din akong di nakabakasyon, naging busy sa trabaho", sagot ni Lance. "Nasan si Pat?, bakit di mo kasabay?", tanong naman ni Belle. "Padating na din yun, naglambing yung panganay niya, hindi siya maka-alis agad. Which reminds me, kaya ako nauna kasi imi-meet ko din yung mga barkada ko". Nag-paalam na siya sa amin to meet his friends in the area designated for Engineering. Nang malayo na siya, sabay-sabay akong hinarap ng mga kaibigan ko.

"Anong nangyari, bakit kasama mo si Lance, kayo na ba?", malisyosang tanong ni Belle. "Whattt?, bakit naman magiging kami?", na-eskandalo naman ako sa accusation ni Belle. "Ang tagal ninyong nawala pareho, tapos sabay kayong sumulpot, malay ba namin kung naging in touch kayo sa FB at nagka-develop-an na naman", aniya muli.

"Oo nga AJ, nakaka-gulat naman kayo, syempre pagka-kita namin sa inyo, parang bumalik kami sa past", dagdag naman ni Lindsay. Kelan pa siya nag-agree kay Belle at kelan pa siya natutong mag-jump into conclusion?, may pagka-nostalgic pa siya, nagbago na nga ang lahat.

"Oh my God, AJ, parang sinadya, sabay kayong bumalik, baka kung saan na ito mapunta. Remember, you have a past together", kinikilig si Lei, I guess, some things never change. "Wait lang, first wala kaming past, maybe your recall of the past is jumbled", depensa ko. "Second, nagkita lang kami sa chapel kaya magkasabay kaming pumunta dito. Hindi kami sabay dumating dito sa campus".