Hook, Line & Sinker

Prologue

Prologue: Some people cross your path and change your whole direction.

Saan nga ba nag-simula ang lahat? Kailan nga ba ako nahulog sa kanya? Kailan nga ba eksaktong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko ng dahil sa'yo? Kailan nga ba natuto ang puso ko na ikaw lang kilalanin?

Was it when you gave a welcoming slash motivational speech in front of the freshmen students, including me? I could remember how you amazingly got my whole attention and how I admired your intelligence that day. It had never happened to me before. 

I don't usually pay attention to any long oral messages given publicly by one person. It's just not my thing. It usually bores me to death and makes me sleepy. But with you, I couldn't remember yawning even once. I was just in awe of you and how you delivered your inspiring speech. 

But no, you weren't able to make my heart beat fast, no matter how perfect your speech was. And it wasn't definitely your good looks that made me crazy over you. 

It was that one rainy afternoon that change my whole life...

I groaned as I looked at my notes. Ano ba itong mga isinulat ko? Did my teacher even discuss this in the class? Bakit parang hindi naman yata? I was trying to trying to understand my notes when someone suddenly flicked my forehead. 

"Aray!" Nakangiwing hinawakan ko ang noo. When I realized it was Aya, I glared at her. "Masakit yon!"

She rolled her eyes. "Na-discuss yan kanina ni sir kalbo."

I didn't realize I had voiced out my thoughts. Hindi ba talaga ko nakinig kay sir kalbo kanina? Our professor was sort of bald. Kaya iyon ang tawag namin sa kanya. Hinimas-himas ko ang noo at binalikan ang notes ko.

"Bakit ganon? Kahit anong tingin at pag-intindi sa notes ko, wala akong maintindihan? Hindi kaya alien language itong ginamit ni sir?"

Aya sighed and shook his head. "Don't worry, hindi ka nag-iisa. Hindi ko rin maintindihan ito. Ikaw ba, Cherry?" baling niya sa isa pa naming kaibigan na parang timang na nakangiti habang nakatitig sa isang direksiyon. "Huy, Cherry!"

Cherry blinked several times then turned to us. "Ha? Ano yon?"

Aya rolled his eyes. "Isa pa itong lutang. Paano na tayo niyan? Zero na naman tayo sa homework natin?"

Ngumuso lang ako. Sanay naman akong hindi nakakakuha ng matataas na grades. Hindi ako bobo pero sadyang wala sa pag-aaral ang atensiyon ko. Isa pa, hindi rin naman ako pine-pressure ni pops. Okay lang daw kahit puro pasang awa ang mga grado ko basta pasado pa rin at masaya ako.

That's how much my pop loves me. He's always been very supportive when it comes to my happiness. Kung kaya rin lang niya ibigay ay ibinibigay niya sa akin. Lagi rin niya akong binibigya ng oras kahit gaano pa siya ka-busy sa trabaho. Isa siyang chef sa isang five star hotel. For me, he's a super dad. I grew up without a mother because she died giving birth to me. Pero kahit ganon pa man ay hindi kahit kailan ipinaramdam ni pops na kulang ako. Naging moms at pops siya sa akin.

I was snapped out of my reverie when Cherry and Aya suddenly screamed in unison. "Bakit? Anong nangyari sa inyo?" I asked.

"Iih! Napatingin sa gawi natin si Ian Kenshin!" paimpit na tili ni Cherry.