Chapter 03
How She Laughs Under the Gloomy Rain
July 16. Poem submission.
I still have 5 more days to finish up the poem. Our teacher in literature is discussing, pero ayaw makinig ng mga tainga ko. I'm drowning, thinking what to write, where to start and how to overcome this blockness. I'm frustrated I must say.
Napatingin ako sa bintana, the sky is gloomy and seems heavy. Dim and dark. Windy and cold. Sad and lonely. I guess it's about to burst.
*Bell Rings*
Tumayo na kami as we heard the bell rang. We greeted goodbyes at lumabas sa room. I don't know what's up to me but the moment I step my feet out of the room, I gaze left and right, himala... wala ata siya.
I sighed. Ni hindi ko alam kung bakit hinahanap ko siya. Dahil ba umiingay mundo ko kapag nandiyan siya? Or the unpredicatble things she is doing?
I.... have no idea.
I began to walk, nagsimula nang kumulog and later on, I can hear the water kissing the earth heavily. Madaming estudyante ang mga naghahadali, some of them are running, some of them are walking calmly under their umbrellas, may nakikisilong, may mga nagpapasundo, may mga sumusugod sa ulan at ako, nandito sa waiting shed, hinihintay na lumipas ang ulan.
Minutes has passed, pakonti ng pakonti ang mga estudyante hanggang sa mabibilang mo nalang sa daliri ang mga dumadaan at naghihintay.
I stared at the sky, still heavy. The raindrops are still loud and rough. The wind is now absent, but the sadness within the sky is still there.
"Thinking deep? I may drown."
That voice once again. That soft and calm voice of a lady. A sound of an ideal yet fragile. Hindi ako lumingon sa kaniya yet I can feel her sitting beside me. Now she's here again. Again.
"Then drown." I replied habang nakatingin pa rin sa kawalan. "Hmmm." She uttered at maya-maya, she went in the middle of the rain.
Is she nuts?
She began dancing along the raindrops. She smiles. No. She laughs. She laughs as those drops touches her skin. She sways and sways and sways while giggling. I can hear her happy voice. Full of joy and excitement.
Maybe she is nuts.
I just stared at her. That soaking wet uniform of a senior high, wet and straight black hair, her smile and laughs. I begin to smile... and I don't even know why.
Maybe I am also nuts.
Tinitigan ko lang siya, like watching a movie waiting what will happen next. Like staring at a painting seeking what her true image is. Like reading a metaphoric poem, finding what her hidden message is.
She's difficult to read. Yet easy to watch and to stare.
I've stopped the moment our eyes met. She stared at me. Deeply. Like reading a book, seeking what the message is. Later on, she begins to smile. A genuine smile. A smile that makes her eyes vanished, makes her cheeks went up. A genuine smile.
"Anong inuupo-upo mo diyan?" She asked habang nakapamewang na naglalakad palapit sa'kin. And now, she's changing. What a bipolar lady.
"Hinihintay humupa ang ulan." I answered at huminto siya nang malapit na siya sa'kin. Matagal siyang nakatayo sa harapan ko. I don't know what will she do or what will she say. Nakatayo lang siya, scanning me that long.
Seconds or even minutes has passed when she decided to lay her hands infront of me na ikinakunot ng noo ko.
What is she up to?
"Let's dance under the rain." She offered. Again, nakatitig lang ako sa kamay niya at sa kaniya, processing in my mind what she have said. She's serious once again katulad kahapon. Her eyes are serious as well as her facial expression.
I was about to laugh, and to reject her lousy offer but again, hindi ko alam ang nakain ko. Is it because of the two pieces of tuna sandwich which I had as my breakfast? Or the milk that I drank? Or maybe the rice and chicken curry that I had as my lunch?
I took her hand.
It's soft eventhough it was filled with raindrops. Like touching a feather. Light and smooth. Mabilis na hinila niya ako papunta sa gitna. I just stood there, embracing the drops. There I have transcripted the hidden message of the rain.
It isn't rough, it's soft.
It isn't loud, it's calm.
And... it isn't sad, it's happy.
You are able to transcript, to seek and find the hidden message once you are in it. Like watching a movie, you feel it. Like reading a book, you feel it. Like listening to a music, you feel it with all your heart.
Pinaikutan niya ako habang tumatawa. She is excited... siguro dahil once again, pumayag ako. Siguro dahil nababasa ako. Siguro dahil sa itsura ko. Maybe I look like an idiot. Bakit ba kasi ako pumayag with her lousy and childish offer?
I don't know.
"So how's the poem?" She asked habang palakad-lakad sa harap ko. She's like a child, happily walking back and forth na parang nabigyan ng laruan.
"Blank." I replied. It is still blank. Ni hindi ko alam kung kailan iyon magkakalaman. Ni hindi ko alam kung magkakalaman pa ba.
"I see. How about the game poem we had yesterday? Have you finished it?" She asked again in an exciting tone and sparkling eyes. That poem. I...
"Not yet." I answered.
I actually did finished it.
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