Timeless Souls [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1: New Start

Xerafine's POV

Napahinga na lang ako nang malalim habang nakapikit ang mga mata tila ninanamnam ang simoy ng hangin. I felt the strands of my hair brushing against the wind. It's really relaxing.

I don't know if I'm just being paranoid or what pero nakakaramdam kasi ako na parang may nakatitig saakin. Tuwing nililibot ko naman ang tingin ko ay wala akong napapansing kakaiba.

"Xerafin tara na, baka ma-late ka sa klase" agad akong napalingon nang marinig ko ang isang pamilyar na boses.

"Joshua" nakangiti kong bati at agad akong tumayo at lumapit sakanya. His name is Joshua Madrigal. Halos magkasing edad lang kami, he's a bit older.

"Are you thinking about what happened again?" He asked softly, di ko mapigilang ngumiti nang malungkot as I nodded. He's talking about what happened to me in the past.

Di ko mapigilang makaramdam ng guilt dahil ako lang ang nabuhay sa aming magkakaibigan, at ang mas malala ay buhay pa si James Valderama. The least I could do for my friends to serve them justice is to kill that monster. Para sakin kasi, hindi sapat na makulong lang siya. Sa lahat ng katarantaduhan na ginawa niya? I don't think being behind bars would be enough.

Yes, I did faked my own death. Kahit magulang ko ay hindi alam na buhay pa ako. No one knows. I guess I'm practically hiding from reality.

Ever since napunta ako dito sa Batanes si Joshua and pinakaunang naging matalik na kaibigan ko dito. He helped me a lot. Tinulungan niya ako magkaroon ng bahay at trabaho dito sa Batanes once he heard my story. Sobrang laki ng utang na loob ko sakanya. Nandito ako sa Batanes for years. Matagal na.

Hindi ko napigilang ikwento sakanya lahat-lahat ng nangyari saakin sa EA. He knows every detail and every name involved. He's like my new best friend. Siya lang nakakaalam ng madilim kong nakaraan. He accepted me and my horrible story. Something very rare.

"Hey stop dwelling in the past, it won't make things any better." saad niya tila pinapagaan ang loob ko. Napangiti na lang ako at tinanguan ko ito. He's right. I need to focus on the good things. I'm not suppose to surround myself with negativity. Kailangan ko na talagang pakawalan yung mga ganitong bagay na nagdudulot ng sakit sa akin.

"Are you not feeling well? Gusto mo bang um-absent ngayon?" nag-aalalang tanong saakin ni Joshua. Agad akong umiling. No, I want to make myself busy. Ayokong magmukmok lang. Hindi ako ganon kahina. Okay lang magmukmok pero huwag mong sanayin ang sarili mo.

You need to help yourself to surpass depression. Do things that will make you genuinely happy. Don't pity yourself cause you're making the situation more complicated than it already is. Explore. Try new things. 

"Tara, gusto ko na makita students ko" nakangiti kong sambit. I became a teacher here in Batanes. Hindi ko na tinapos ang pag-aaral ko. I don't need to. Sayang naman yung knowledge na meron ako, baka nakakalimutan niyong top notcher ako at nag-aadvance kami dati. So I became a teacher.

Nothing serious though. Wala kasing masyadong paaralan dito sa Batanes at nag-isip ako na gumawa ng isang maliit na learning center where I teach kids the basic knowledge that every person should know. Syempre may mga papeles din yan pero kay Joshua nakapangalan lahat, syempre mahirap na kapag pangalan ko. I'm supposed to be dead right?

Yung mga less fortunate na tao na hindi maka-afford ng school ay sa akin pumupunta and I would gladly accept them kahit hindi sila makabayad. I don't need the money desperately. Mabubuhay naman kami. Sa learning center na ginawa ko, sinigurado kong mag-eenjoy pumasok ang mga kabataan.

Panahon kasi ngayon, toxic na ang school. It's not even a place to learn anymore. Parang lugar na lang ito kung saan maii-stress at mapapagod ka. Bullies. Projects. Grades. Pressure. Exams. Drama. Lahat na.