Project Z

Chapter 6: Graduation

Months passed. Things went great between Jill and I. Siyempre may mga away pa rin. Hindi naman na yata mawawala samin yun. We fight, we make up, we fight again, then we kiss as if nothing happened. It’s our thing.

We became busier when classes resumed after the holidays but Jill and I managed to keep our connection deep and intact. She talks a lot about how she sees herself after college. Tuwing magkekwento siya, di ko mapigilang titigan siya. I can feel her eagerness na tuparin yung mga pangarap nila ng parents niya para sakanya at kay Louie. And that’s just one of too many things that I love about this girl.

Jill graduated with honors. Magkaiba kami ng schedule ng graduation since we belong in different departments. Nauna yung graudation ko. Jill came and she sat beside my parents. Looking at the three of them – Mom, Dad and Jill – hindi ko alam kung may hihigit pa sa moment na ‘to.

During Jill’s graduation which happened the next day after mine, sinama ko sina Rocky, Caloy at Paolo. We surprised her with a huge congratulatory banner and the four of us came na nakajacket. Nung tatawagin na si Jill we took off our jackets, held the banner and showed her our shirt na may nakaprint na “TEAM JILLIAN”. Mitch was there too at tawa lang siya ng tawa sa mga pinaggagagawa namin dahil hindi daw niya alam kung magcheer ba ang intensyon namin o magskandalo. Para siyang may sariling batalyon ng cheerleaders dahil nag-ingay talaga kami pati ang pamilya niya nung tinawag na yung pangalan niya. Para akong stage boyfriend na di magkandamayaw sa paglapit sa stage so I could take a gazillion photos of her.

This is it. The time of our lives. Ito na yung so far pinakamasaya. Ito na rin yung alam kong hindi na mauulit dahil araw, linggo at buwan pagkatapos nito, may kanya kanya na kaming bagong mundong bubuuhin.

A week after our graduation, nagyaya si Caloy na magcelebrate sa resort nila sa Batangas. Masayang roadtrip nanaman at walang katapusang kwentuhan.

6am sa dorm nila Jill…

Sinundo ko si Jill at Mitch. Last week na daw nila sa dorm kaya kahit wala ng pasok, they both decided to still stay para daw sulitin at enjoyin yung natitirang araw nila doon. Hay. These girls are so sentimental.

We passed by a gasoline station at dun na kami nagkita kita nila Rocky. Paolo brought his car. Caloy joined him. Si Mitch naman lumipat na sa kotse ni Rocky. Nag-convoy kami papunta sa resort nila Caloy. The entire trip para kaming bata ni Jill. First hour we kept on singing inside the car. Halos magsisigaw na kami sa loob. When we eventually got tired, I kept driving habang natutulog siya. Nagpapalitan yung tingin ko sa daan at sa mukha ni Jill while she was sleeping. I held her hand and kissed it twice. Hindi ko alam kung naramdaman niya.

Pagdating namin sa resort, I kissed her nose to wake her up. Pagkagising niya lumabas na ko ng kotse para icheck kung dumating na sila Rocky. Halos sabay sabay lang kami dumating. After a while I got out of the car. Pinuntahan niya si Mitch habang kami naman nila Rocky naglabas ng mga gamit namin sa kotse. Dumiretso kami sa reception area ng resort nila Caloy. Kinausap ni Caloy yung manager at kinuha yung susi ng mga kwarto na pinareserve niya para samin.

Caloy: (may dalang 3 susi) So… Jill and Mitch, Paolo and Zander, kami nalang ni Rocky magkasama sa room. Tabi tabi yung mga kwarto kaya kayong clingy na magjojowa, don’t worry. (inabot yung susi kay Jill at Paolo)