Right Where We Left

Epilogue

DESIREE

Sabi nga sa isang TV series... Kapag mahal ka, babalikan ka.

But in my perspective... Mahal ko, kaya binalikan ko. At paulit-ulit kong binalikan hanggang dumating yung panahon na hindi ko na kailangang umalis.

I didn't expect anything big for my feature. I just wanted it to be appreciated particularly by the people of La Union. Pero higit pa doon ang nangyari. Inaccept ni Ms. Joy lahat ng drafts na ginawa ko. At dahil marami yun, my feature entitled 'When in Elyu' was divided into four episodes, one shown for every Sunday of June:  What to Do, What to Eat, Where to Stay, and my favorite, Who is Kib Montalbo.

It was well received by the mass and it broke the history of Simple Joys' highest TV rating. Because of that, I got promoted to my desired position and was given the privilege to have a flexible schedule.

Tuesday to Friday lang ang pasok ko kaya naman every weekend umuuwi ako ng La Union to spend time with Kib. Para ko na ring foster parents sina Uncle Jimmy at Auntie Gina dahil sa kanila pa rin ako nakikitira.

And finally, after overtaking probably a thousand trucks and tricycles in all of my round trips, I decided to leave Manila and settle in the province for good.

Sa two years ko sa field ng cinematography, I was able to start a film camp in San Juan. It's a one week-event that I spearheaded last summer. Ang taas ng response rate from the mentors to the campers kaya naman balak kong ituloy-tuloy na yun every year.

Now, I'm a professor in the College of Mass Comm in University of Saint Aloysius, the only university in La Union. Dalawang taon din akong nagpabalik-balik, pero ngayon wala na akong balak umalis.

Dapat nga magpapatayo na ako ng sariling bahay eh kahit maliit lang. Pero ayaw naman ni Kib kasi wala din daw titira doon kapag nagpakasal na kami. Nako siguruhin lang niyang pakakasalan niya ako kundi sasakalin ko siya. Joke!

Pero seriously, with Kib, I feel brave. Hindi ako natatakot umasa kasi he never gave promises he didn't intend to keep. Take note, politician siya ah. Kaya naman di ko rin masisisi ang sarili ko na nagbago yung perspective ko sa kanila. Meron at merong exception. And for me, he will always be that one reason I learned to love beyond my limit.

KIB

I caught sight of the students smile inside the classroom when they saw me. I placed my index finger in front of my lips to signal them to keep quiet.

Di pa tapos magturo si Ms. Cheng. Baka pati ako mapagalitan.

I leaned on the wall and waited for the class to finish. Maagang natapos yung klase nung katabing classroom at nagkagulo na sa hallway noong nakita nila ako.

"OMG, Gov!", shouted one girl.

A lot of them asked to take a selfie with me and I gladly obliged.

Biglang tumahimik at parang natigil yung gulo. They were all looking behind me. Shoot, nasa likod ba namin yung dean? Lagot ako for causing chaos.

I curiously turned around.

To my surprise, Des was looking at me with eyebrows raised. Hindi ko tuloy sure kung hihinga na ba dapat ako nang maluwag o lalo akong kakabahan.

"Montalbo, diba sabi ko sayo wag kang pupunta dito?", she asked.

"I know, I know.", I answered nervously. "Can you blame me? Miss na kita eh."