Gwen's Point of View
It's the fifth day of school and maaga akong pumasok. I went to the gym first kasi I wanted to try playing basketball and siguro naman wala pang student athlete at this time. But I was surprised to see a guy playing basketball and even made a three-point shoot.
I stayed at the door, mukhang hindi nya ko napapansin since masyado pa din syang immersed sa paglalaro mag-isa at paulit ulit na pag-shoot. Well, in fairness, magaling sya. Baka varsity player sya. Pero he looks familiar.
Bigla naman syang humarap at medyo nagulat ako dahil ito pala yung kaklase ko sa History, naalala ko siya kasi dun siya umupo kahapon sa tabi ko.
Bigla syang napatingin sakin..
"Do you need anything miss?" He asked me, naglakad ako papalapit sa bleachers while he just stared at me. I smiled.
"Nothing. I just want to relax." Tipid na sagot ko, hindi ko nadin sinabing gusto kong i-try mag basketball. He might find it weird. I just love playing with my brother kaya somehow, I know how to play basketball.
"You look familiar, Ms. Nagkita na ba tayo? I'm Jarred, and you are?" He extended his arms para makipag-kamay. Naalala nya din naman pala ko kahit paano, Inabot ko naman ang kamay nya bago magsalita.
"I'm Gwen." I answered with a smile. Napatingin naman sya sa wrist watch nya at parang nagulat pa. Hindi ko na tuloy nai-dugtong na mag-kaklase kami sa History.
"Hey, Gwen. I need to go, I still have training in the field. It was nice meeting you." Nagmamadali nyang paalam nang may kasama pang ngiti habang kinukuha ang bag nya sa bleachers. I waved at him.
"It was nice meeting you, too, Jarred." He smiled again before running.
I stayed for like ten minutes more before I decided to go to our classroom since thirty minutes nalang naman and mags-start na ang klase namin. Hindi nadin ako naglaro, tinamad na'ko.
"San ka galing, girl?" Quian asked me.
"I went to the gym, maaga kasi akong pumasok and I wanted to try basketball."
"Okay. Were you with someone or you went alone?" Nikka asked, I shifted my gaze to her.
"I went alone pero when I got there, I saw Jarred playing basketball then we just introduce ourselves to each other." Pagkukwento ko. Napakunot sila ng noo, napatawa naman ako.
"He's my classmate in History, girls!" I explained, they nodded and napatingin na kaming lahat sa pintuan nang pumasok ang prof namin for this subject. Isang subject lang naman 'tong magkakasama kaming apat since we're all taking different courses.
It was already 5 pm when I finished my last class, yung tatlo naman, nakauwi na kasi mga maaga ang uwi nila. Tuesday kasi ngayon and ito yung araw na marami akong subjects and pinaka-late yung uwi ko. And para sa isang college student, swerte na'ko na 5 pm ang late na uwi ko. Others have 8 or 9 pm and I think that's really hard.
I went to the parking lot as I text our driver to fetch me. Hindi pa kasi ako pinapayagan mag-drive ulit pero I have my own car. Sadyang hindi palang ulit ngayon kasi naaksidente yung pinsan namin dahil sa pagd-drive nya, kaya ban muna sa buong magpipinsan namin ngayon ang pagd-drive ng kotse namin, our lola won't allow us. Maybe next month, I can drive my car again. And I'm not a reckless driver naman.
Five minutes after I texted our driver, I got a reply from him saying that he's with mom and dad pa, on the way to the aiport kasi daddy has an out of town convention and he always bring mommy with him. I replied immediately and went to the nearest cafe in our University. I also tried asking kuya if he can fetch me pero nasa office pa daw sya and madami pang kailangang tapusin na work. Mukhang magta-taxi nalang ako, I have no problem with that.
As I was queueing, I got a text from mom saying na she's sorry for not telling me beforehand that our driver cannot fetch me kasi he'll bring mom and dad to the airport. Biglaan din daw kasi yung alis nila ni dad. So I told her that it's fine and I can just ride a taxi to get home.
I immediately sat down to the seat near the window at pinanuod lang ang mga dumadaan while eating. Nabigla naman ako nang may tumikhim sa likuran ko. Napatingin ako doon and I saw Jarred holding his tray with frappe, a slice of cake and carbonara. He smiled at me.
"Do you mind if I join you?" He asked politely, napatawa naman ako. Bakit ang gaan ng loob ko sa kanya?
"No. Take a seat." I answered, he said thanks before sitting in front of me and placing his bag beside his seat. Napakunot ako ng noo, ang dami nya atang dala. Mukhang napansin nya 'yon ng magsalita sya.
"I just got out from the gym, I had training for basketball kaya ganyan kadami ang dala ko." He explained, napatango ako. That explains his wet hair and jersey shorts.
"You're training already kahit kaka-start lang ng classes?" I asked and took a sip from my coffee. Nilunok nya naman muna yung pagkain nya bago nagsalita.
"Yes, we will train for two weeks lang then rest and we'll go back to training after three months. Parang warm up namin sya." Napatango tango ako sa sinabi nya.
"That's good. Hindi mabibigla yung katawan nyo." Napatango din sya sa sinabi ko.
"Are you a transferee? Ngayon lang kita nakita sa tatlong taon ko sa University." He asked me, napailing ako.
"Nope, nagtataka nga din ako kung bakit hindi tayo nagkikita noon?" Napaisip ako. Simula first year kasi, dito na kaming tatlo nag-aaral. Napatingin ako sa kanya ulit at parang naliwanagan sya.
"Ah! Alam ko na. Diba kasi for the past three years, hindi naglilipat ng class room ang mga college students? Like, we're just inside our own class rooms tapos pare parehas lang yung mga kaklase natin sa tatlong taon na'yon and ngayong fourth year tayo pinag-iba iba ng class rooms." Napatango tango ako sa sinabi nya.
"Tama! Ngayon lang tayo pinalabas sa lungga natin." Natatawang sagot ko, napatawa din sya habang tumatango.
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Edited: June 21, 2019
