Crying Demoiselle

Chapter 1 | Curiosity

I rest the tip of my pen in my lower lip. Thinking the memories we have with Annacelle before she say goodbye to us. It's been a year since that enigmatic thing happened. I glare at the blank page of my diary. What should I write for today?

***

There was an 18 year old freshy named Abbiegail Buenaventura Ramos. The 'kolehiyalang tisay'. A girl who will enter a mystery unexpectedly. And that's me.

***
August 6, 2018

"This is it. It's my new beginning as a college student." As I said to myself while taking my first step into the entrance gate of Gregorio College of  Laguna. Today, it's our first day as college students. To be honest, I feel a bit excited and scared at the same time, and I don't know why.

Una kong tinungo sa campus ang GCL Café na matatagpuan sa tabi ng clinic dahil dito ang napagusapang tagpuan ng aking bestfriend, si Cristina Sallao. She's wearing light make up sa oval-shaped face niya. Same age lang kaming dalawa and mas matangkad at mas mapayat si Tina kaysa sa akin. We became close friends since Junior High School at parehas kami ng course na kinuha. BS in Accountancy. Hey, don't expect na brainy kami sa math. Sakto lang.

Nang nakita ko na si Tina na nakaupo sa isang sulok sa loob ng Café. Agad ko siyang inaya na hanapin ang aming assigned room since magkaklase na kami. Aming tinignan ang certificate of registration kung ano at saan ang assigned room ng first subject namin.

"Sa CL1, Abbie." Sabi ni Tina habang nakaturo ang kanyang daliri sa COR.

7:30 ang first subject namin, but it's already 7:20 na kaya mabilis namin hinanap at tinungo ang nasabing room. Hindi ganon katagal ang aming paghahanap dahil malapit lang sa café ang CL1.

As we enter through an old wooden door of CL1. Napansin ko na may labing dalawang armchairs lang sa room. May tatlong row na may apat na armchairs each. Umupo kaming dalawa sa first row dahil wala ng bakante sa second at third row. Hindi nagtagal, may umupo na din na isang lalaki at babae sa row na kinauupuan namin.

***

"Good morning everyone, I'm Ms. Martinez, your professor in partnership and corporation accounting. So what I've notice, labing dalawa lang ang malalakas ang loob na kumuha ng madugong course na'to. I hope marami na kayong alam dahil sa natutunan ninyong basic accounting during your senior high school days. So, ayoko nang magpaligoy ligoy pa. Before we start the discussion, may I request to introduce yourself in front of the class. Starting from you." Pangbungad ni Ms. Martinez sa amin, nasa middle age na siya. Her eyes are pointing me to start the introduction of ourselves. So I confidently stand and introduce.

"I am Abbiegail Buenaventura Ramos, 18 years old. Hoping to be your friends guys." Then I smile to them.

Next na tumayo ang aking katabi, si Tina. "Hello guys, Cristina Sallao nga pala. You can call me Tina. Happy to meet you all." She ended her introduction with a big smile. Well, I know her a lot. I know that big smile. A smile that covers her pain because of what happen to our bestfriend one year ago.

After Tina introduced herself, yung lalaking katabi naman niya ang tumayo. As what I observed on his appearance, he had white  skin tone just like me, diamond-faced shape and he's wearing eye glasses which fits in his aura. He is just like a model. "R-Rex Hubert Caprio, ako po a-ay..." He trails off dahil siguro sa kaba. We are waiting him to continue introducing, hanggang sa napatawa kaming lahat sa huling nasabi niya. "M-makatao, thank you". Sabay umupo ng mabilis. Despite of his looks, hindi halatang mahiyain siya.

"That's enough!" Sigaw ni Ms. Martinez sanhi upang kami ay muling tumahimik. "Continue please."

Isang bilugan na ulo na babae ang tumayo. She is the last student in our row na magpapakilala. According to her introduction, her name is Leila Santos from General Nakar Quezon province. Medyo kalayuan sa campus kaya nagdodorm siya sa tapat ng GCL. She proudly said that she's a badminton player. At nakalaban na siya sa regional level.

I know marami pa akong kaklase na hindi pa nagpapakilala. So, here are the names and short descriptions based on their introductions:

Noah Joy - She's a nerd, but a great leader. Agree ang ilang dahil napatunayan niya yan during High school days. Tigyawatin ang pisngi, may eyeglasses.
Conrad Allan - Ang henyo sa accounting. Sayang, gwapo pa naman, kaso mukhang hindi Eva ang hanap kundi isang lalaki din. Kapansin pansin ang mga sulyap nito kay Rex.
Cris and Gia - The identical twin of the class. Twin goals sa pagkuha ng course. Ang palatandaan kung sino ba si Cris ay ang braces at mahaba ang buhok. Samantalang ang kay Gia naman ay may bangs.
Angel - Ang hopeless sa pagibig. I have no idea why she introduces herself as hopeless sa pagibig.
Johana - She's a gifted in terms of drawing. Chubby si Johana pero ang kulot na buhok at dimples ang mas nagpa-cute sa kanya.
Ron Leonardo - The varsity player. And I don't know how he will handle the accounting class and his basketball training at the same time. Like duh, he's an accountancy student kaya hindi pwedeng balewalain ang class niya. In the other hand, as a varsity, it's not good to miss his training in basketball.
Anna - Our optimistic classmate. She's the girlfriend of Ron. Palaban 'to sa pagandahan, halata sa inosente at maganda niyang mukha.
Russel - Ron's bestfriend. He's not a basketball player, but he's a total gamer. A gamer of what? Well, who knows. Mapayat ang pangangatawan niya at may hugis pinya na ulo.
Rose - The geek reader of non fiction, especially Harry Potter. At sabi sabi sa paligid, she's the ex of Ron. Meet up ata 'to ng ex at present. Rose and Anna.

"Okay. Thank you for sharing guys. I hope all of you will turn as one dahil sa course niyo kahit labing dalawa lang kayo sa klase. Even there are stories na naging issue..." Ms. Martinez trails off na para bang may muntikan na siyang masabi na hindi dapat. "End of palabukan, let us start our class".

***

Natapos ang klase ng 9:00. Tina and I went in the Café. I bought chocolate ice cream while vitamilk sa kaniya. Mga ilang sandali, may boses kaming narinig sa likod namin. Malaking boses ng lalaki.

"Can I join?" Si Rex na may hawak ng energy drink. Napansin din namin na kasama niya si Leila. So we both nodded. Open naman kami sa kahit sinong lumapit samin, the more the merrier 'di ba? Kaya umupo sila sa mga tabi namin.

We stary chatting. We share infos and stories to each other. Nalaman ko  na si Rex, laman ng kabilaan na pageant pero labag sa kalooban niya. Hindi talaga siya mahiyain, naunahan lang ng kaba kaya nagaralgal kanina sa introduction. While Leila shares her experiences in Regional Badminton. Although talo siya, it was a great experience naman. Naputol ang kwentuhan namin lahat ng biglang nagtanong si Leila.

"Alam nyo yun dating issue ng GCL? The issue that no one dares to talk about? Isyung hindi matapos tapos. Isyung kinabibilangan ng isang estudyante na bali balita ay accountancy student din. That's why I'd chose this campus because I want to be part of this mystery. I want to know that person. Kaya ang payo ko, lets be careful in trusting our classmates." As Leila told us in a cold way. That makes me scared. Mahina ako sa ganito. But do I have a choice? And, does Leila and Rex are both trustworthy? I mean, kung may isa kaming kaklase na involve sa isyung hindi pa namin alam. And it is possible na ang taong 'yon ay isa sa dalawang nasa harap namin. Well, I'll just getting myself ready dahil sa mga napansin ko na kahina hinala ang kilos ng bawat isa sa loob ng klase including Ms. Martinez. Tila may tinatagong lansa ang mga isda. That's why, I want to catch them. I'm too curious to know what it is. Yeah, curiosity kills.

***

After three years, nakapagsulat ulit. Alam kong hindi pa ako ganon kagaling pero sana magustuhan nyo. Salamat.