It was very sunny. The sun's heat felt soar, and the wind seemed gone to nowhere. But not actually, because if it did then I might be dead by now. Okay. RIP sa joke.
Yakap-yakap ko ang libro habang tinatahak ang daan patungo sa library. It will take time for me to be there because it is located at the back part of the campus. Another reason why students don't usually flock there, and so is the reason why it is one of my favorite places here in the campus.
I could feel sweat forming all over me, and I hate this kind of feeling. It stink!
Para hindi mas lalong pagpawisan ay dahan-dahan ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ko. I was looking down to my feet as I was taking each step slowly, like a kid who was so careful not to stumble. Suddenly, I bumped into something that was really hard. The impact made my head hurt and I almost fell onto the ground.
Napapikit ako habang hinihimas ang nasaktan kong noo. I was struggling inwardly with myself for the pain and the embarrassment when a single sorry from a baritone voice made my time stop. My eyes were bulging as it met a pair of shinny shoes and a well-ironed black slacks. My heart thumped so hard that it felt like it would leave my body anytime soon. I was out of breath for a moment, and I really don't know why. His voice is undeniably weird for affecting me this much.
I was about to raise my gaze at the man when he started walking away from me, unfortunately. I was not given the chance to just see him. Ang malapad niyang likod na lang ang naabutan ng magkabilang mata ko. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko na hanggang ngayon ay abnormal pa rin ang pagtibok. Pero nang mawala na sa paningin ko ang kahit man lang pigura ng misteryosong lalaki ay unti-unti na ring kumalma ito. Isang mahabang buntong-hininga na lang ang nagawa ko.
So can you tell me what just happened? I mean that was too futile to be counted as love at the first sight because I really haven't had a clear sight of him. Well, maybe it was just another fantasy for me where I think everything will turn out like what's in the book. Yeah, maybe it was just that!
Tumalikod na rin ako at nagsimula ng maglakad sa kung saan talaga ako patungo.
Just like what I said awhile ago, it was a long way and I felt sweaty. Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam nang yumakap sa akin ang lamig ng aircon na nagmumula sa loob ng library. Dumeresto ako sa kung saan ang senior high's library. Pagkarating ko ay tumigil ako saglit sa bukana at nagpalingon-lingon sa paligid. At gaya ng hinala ko, wala ngang tao roon maliban sa librarian na mukhang inaantok na.
"Good day Mrs. Santos!" I greeted cheerfully. Inayos muna niya ang salamin bago ako tapunan ng tingin. Sumilay ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi.
"Ikaw pala 'yan Ms. Mallari. Need another book?" nakangiting tanong nito.
"Uh, not really. Ibabalik ko lang po 'yung hiniram ko kaninang umaga." After that, Mrs. Santos looked at me with disbelieve.
"Natapos mo na?! How did you do that? I mean, I finished reading that for 1 week straight," nakangiti na sabi nito. I tried but I failed to combine words for my response so I just shrugged.
"Uh, sige po. Magbabasa-basa na lang muna po ako roon," magalang na pamamaalam ko na ikinatango lang ni Mrs. Santos habang naroon pa rin ang mga ngiti sa labi nito.
Maligaya akong nagtitingin-tingin sa mga bookshelves na para bang nasa mall lang at nag-sho-shopping. This is what I like about being alone, you can do whatever you want to do without worrying of what other will have to say. You can be who you are or what you want to be. No pretending, just being honest to yourself.
Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto na pagtingin-tingin sa mga shelves ay nauwi ako sa Statistics and Probability na libro. Wala na kasing bago sa novel section. Ayoko namang magbasa ng libro na related sa science dahil siguradong aantokin lang ako. Mas mabuti na rin sigurong mag-advance reading ako sa subject na 'to kung saan mahina ako. Umupo ako sa parating inuupuan ko rito. Nasa pinakagilid ito na katabi ng glass wall na natatanaw ang napakalawak na golf course ng campus. Ngumiti ako sa magandang tanawin bago balingan ang librong babasahin ko.
I tried to solve some problems. But I guess, just like science, math was no where in my interest. So after an half-hour of browsing the book, I closed it and heaved a sigh. Sinubsob ko ang mukha ko sa table at pumikit. It's afternoon already but it was still early to call it a day. Wala kasi kaming last period kaya napa-aga ang dismiss.
Habang nakapikit ay malayo na ang nararating ng isipan ko. If there's one thing I really excel at, it was imagining. Building my own little world inside my brain. This was what I love about silence, it let you wander wherever you want to go or let you do whatever you want to do.
Nang mapagod na akong maglakbay sa sarili kong mundo ay dumilat ako. Tumingin sa napakalawak na golf course. Pero hindi gaya ng library, marami ang tumatambay roon kahit na nasa pinakalikod na ito ng campus. Well, who wouldn't want to spent some extra time there where the sight is breathtaking? The campus is situated at a high place. So from here, you can look down at the noisy city on the east, and the longest and beautiful lake on the west. A perfect place to relax. Pero ngayong araw, siguro dahil na rin mainit ang sinag ng araw kaya walang katao-tao.
Habang nakatanaw pa rin sa labas, nahagip ng isang munting bagay na sa hula ko'y isang kuwaderno ang aking atensyon. And then, I felt this eagerness to get the thing. It was like it was calling me.
I stood up from my sit at nagligpit ng gamit. Magpapaalam pa sana ako kay Mrs. Santos bago lumabas pero wala na siya sa desk niya. Maybe she was at the second floor, having a chitchat with the librarians at the college library like what she always do.
Paglabas ay hindi na ganoon kainit ang araw. Tumingin ako sa relo ko na nagpaalam sa akin na alaskuwatro na ng hapon. Anytime soon, manong will arrive at the parking lot and that means I have to be there already. Kaya nagmadali akong nagtungo sa golf course. Hindi naman ako nahirapan dahil nasa likod lang ng university library.
I stopped from my pace when I saw the book near at my feet. Yumuko ako at kinuha ito. It was a book. The book cover was a girl who was trying to hug the wind, I think, in a flower field and the sun was just starting to rise.
"Morning Sun," was what written as the title. The book was not very old but it was used already. Halata sa mga gilid-gilid ng book cover na natutupi ng konte.
"After the long darkness,
You came like a sun in the early morning.
You lighted my castle and melt the ice around it with your warmth.
With those, I was tempted to reach you. But pain was what I got.
And just like the sun, you fade away like you were never here.
And again, darkness has prevailed in me. Where are you now, my morning sun?" mahinang basa ko sa nakasulat sa likod ng libro. Nakaramdam ako ng kirot sa loob ko sa mga salitang nabasa ko. And basing with my reaction, this book, maybe, is worth reading.
Aalis na sana ako ng mahagip ng mga mata ko ang isang pigura ng tao mula sa malayo. I was certain that the person was looking at my way. And surely, he was a man with those manly physical figure and with the white polo and black slacks he was wearing. Sinubukan kong kilalanin pero hindi ko talaga mamukhaan. Maglalakad na sana ako palapit sa kaniya pero tumalikod na ang lalaki at naglakad palayo.
Okay. Sino 'yun? Siya ba 'yung lalaki na nakabangga ko kanina? Oh come on Laurie! Snap out of it.
I shrugged and started walking away. But I couldn't help but to think of that guy. Who could it be?
YOU ARE READING
Mere Words
ДуховныеLaurisia Mallari is the only child of Dra. Gianna Mallari and Atty. Lawrence Mallari. Having busy persons as her parents, it was indeed tough for her. At a very young age, she had learned to be on her own. She grew up believing that she could conti...
