Cupid Gone Wrong

Chapter 1 - Leonidas University

CHAPTER ONE

LEONIDAS UNIVERSITY

I clapped my hand as Lolo Edel and Lola Zon entered the church. They were wearing some elegant yet simple clothes.

Fifty years. Fifty years na silang kasal sa araw na ito, today is only a renewal.

Nakakabilib. May mga tao pa palang umaabot ng ganito katagal?

Lolo Edel is my Lola Lina’s brother. Si Lola Lina ay nanay ni Mama. I’m not into attending wedding, but I was asked for this one kasi importanteng kasal ito.

Lolo Edel’s story was inspiring. He only graduated high school, but because of his hard work, he became rich. Nagawa niyang magpaaral ng ilang anak, at maging si Mama ay napaaral niya.

He’s nice, even though he was against my parent’s love story before. Hinding hindi ko malilimutan iyong kwento ni Papa kung paano siya tinutulan nina Lolo Edel dahil lang mahirap sila Papa.

E, mahirap din naman sina Mama noon, a?

I was sitting on the fifth row on the left side. Hindi gaanong malaki ang simbahan ngunit maganda. Dahil renewal of vows lang ito ay hindi ganoon karami ang tao sa simbahan.

Sa una hanggang ikatlong row ay ang mga principal sponsors at abay. Konti lang naman sila. Puro kapatid, anak, at apo ng ikinakasal lang ang nandoon.

Sa harapan ko naman ay isang babae at batang lalaki. Sa fifth row naman ay ako, si Papa, at isang lalaking hindi ko kilala.

My mother was somewhere along our relatives.

Sa paglalakad sa aisle, may ilang mga pares na nagpasaya ng misa. May mga kumembot, may mga sumayaw. This isn’t that formal, huh?

Nang matapos ang kasal ay nag-stay kami pansamantala sa simbahan dahil nag-picture taking pa ang pamilya, including Mama. We could’ve joined, but I’m not really fond of pictures.

According to my father’s waze, seven kilometer ang layo ng simbahan sa reception. But our travel felt like it only lasted for a minute. Parang napakabilis gayong mabagal lang naman ang takbo ng sasakyan.

Nang marating ang open-area na reception ay agad akong kinabahan. Paano kung umulan? Ayaw kong maligo, ‘no!

“Picture tayo,” Papa said as he gave me his phone, ako kasi iyong nasa gilid. I took two pictures of us.

Hindi nagtagal ay umuwi rin kami. Hindi kami mayaman pero medyo afford naman naming bumili ng sasakyan.

“Hy,” Papa called me.

Nasa kusina ako at nasa sala siya. Nang marinig ko ang boses niya ay dali-dali akong tumakbo.

“Yes?”

“Tinatanong ni Ate kung kailan ka mag-eenroll” Papa said.

Hala. Agad-agad? Dapat na ba mag-decide?

“Kahit saan,” I answered. It means na wala pa akong napili.

“Pili ka agad para makapag-ready. Mag-entrance exam ka pa,” Papa said.

Tumango ako. January pa lang kasi, hindi ko naman alam na kailangang mamili agad.

I immediately opened my phone’s messenger and chatted my cousin, Maggie. Closest cousin to be exact.

“Gusto ko sa TU,” was her answer when I asked kung saan siya mag-aaral ng college.

I have three choices. Leonidas University, Arrichion University, Theagenes University; the three famous schools of our land. Dito sa amin, maraming kilalang escuelahan ngunit nangunguna ang tatlong iyon.