Stuck in the Middle

I. Tabula Rasa

Chapter one! I hope that you enjoy this! Comment below if you have anything to say and vote if you like it :)

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                Huminga ako ng malalim.

Kaya mo ‘yan, Mish. Hindi ka naman namatay nung kinuha mo yung entrance test, eh. Pa’no pa kaya ang pagpasok lang sa college?

Yes, finally, I’m a college student. A new life, a blank slate. For once, nahiwalay ako sa mga batch mates ko at masaya ako dun. Sino nga ba ang hindi matutuwa? Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but fourteen years within a compoundis too long. It’s nice na bago ang paligid mo.

Natatakot nga lang ako kung tutuusin. Sabi ng iba, sobra raw ang culture shock ang mararanasan ko pagkalabas ng high school. Paano nga ba, eh for fourteen years I studied in an all-girls school up in the mountains. Taga-bundok ako, at hindi ko gamay ang buhay sa Maynila. Sure, I commute, so I have an idea, but to be exposed for years sa mga lalaki? Good luck.

I chose to study in a college with a small population. Actually, it’s more of a literal na maliit na college. Isang palapag lang sa isang commercial building yung buong school, but my course focuses on media, so okay lang na maliit. I need all the advice I can get. There are about only seventy-five students studying there, give or take. It’s fine though, the less drama, the better.

Pumasok na ako ng building at sumakay sa elevator hanggang fourth floor. Pagkabukas ng pinto, I hopped off and proceeded to the classroom. Wala pang tao. I’m thirty minutes early. Enough na siguro yung oras na yun para makapagrelax ng nerves. I placed my pink shoulder bag on top of the table of the armchair in the middle of the second row. Dinukot ko ang aking iPod and earphones, sabay suksok sa tainga. Kinuha ko rin ang aking pitaka at cellphone bago ako pumunta sa small canteen ng school just across my classroom. I ordered a ham sandwich and coffee for breakfast. Yun nga lang, parang pilit pa ang pagbili ng kape. Wala kasing espresso-based. Meron naman, pero bababa pa ako at pipila sa mamahaling Starbucks. No thanks. I’ll survive with this.

I sat at the table at the very corner of the room. I liked drinking coffee sa sulok. Nakikita ko ang lahat ng hindi ako nakikita ng karamihan. On one wall, there were portraits of all the staff and the students underneath. I spotted mine, nasa pinakababa ng Freiser’s School of the Arts since I was a freshman, pero sa kanilang lahat, isa lang ang nakakuha ng atensyon ko. From what I can see, he’s a protégé of music kasi ang imposible na ang isang sophomore (alam ko kasi pula ang gilid ng kanyang picture frame) ay directly under the board of directors.

Only one thought came to mind.

Eh di siya na!