A one fleeting encounter

Track 2 - Ambon

Tuesday, 2:40 am

Dear no one,

The smile of that unknown guy lingers on my mind long after I have finished my first class of the day. While walking through the hallway, I realized, ang unusual maka-meet ng mga taong kagaya niya para sakin...or is it just really normal for people to talk with a stranger whom they have felt a little connection with by means of shared interests no matter how uncomfortable it gets to the other party? Ewan. Siguro nga normal para sakaniya o sa iba. Humans are complex beings, that's for sure. I need to shrug him off, masyado na siyang nananatili sa utak ko.

"Hey, Celise! Great, buti nahanap kita! I'm so, so exhausted from walking down the main building up to here just to find you." I heard the familiar voice of ally, the only person where I could personally feel the realest vibe of being in a so-called friendship.

"Ah, bakit? May practice ka for theatre?" Nilingon ko siya bago makapasok sa entrance ng main library. Alam ko na kung anong kailangan niya at that time, but I still asked her anyway.

"Yes, ah so..ganito alam mo naman diba na mahalaga saakin na maging official member ng theater club, and it's my last chance to audition. it's my only way of proving that I can do so much more in pursuing this career of mine to my parents, so please, please, can you do my essay? Pasahan na kasi mamaya and I haven't yet finish mine. Well, idea palang pero, I wouldn't be able to pass it on time if I were to wrote it." She speaks so aggressively and with the way she talks, one can really insinuate how much it means for her. No. I want to turn down her request but my last bit of a conscience urged me that the least thing I can do for her is to give my support. Even though we all know how much hardships she will undergo to the hands of those cretins that comprises the club. If only she holds greater weight for her self-worth rather than trying to earn the validation of her parents.

"Sige, good luck. Sana makapasok ka." I want to say more comforting words to her or even uplift her spirit, but in the end, that's the only thing that I managed to utter. How I wish I could show how much I feel for her; how much I hate the ones that make her feel so....lacking.

"Salamat talaga! Hindi ko talaga alam gagawin ko pag wala ka." She almost jumped on me out of excitement and topple her belongings from her grip when I approved her favor.

"Wala yun...you should go to the auditorium," I check my wrist watch to signal her that she's running out of time. Not a good impression if she really wants to be accepted. "baka ma-late ka, ikaw rin, hindi maganda na magkaroon sila ng reason to cancel you out."

"Oh, yes. Sige, I'll just call you if anong time ko pwedeng makuha. Thank you talaga, I'll treat you after." with so much exuberance, she bid me goodbye and I parted with her with a last hopeful smile. I sincerely wish na makukuha niya yung rightful role para sa kaniya. She got the undeniable talent, no one can argue with that.

When I walked inside, the library has this inviting stillness during that break time. Students don't usually find it interesting to spend so much of their vacant times here, so it's really comforting to take all the solitude of this place in proper utilization to do these paperworks.

"To love oneself in the world that perpetuates inauthenticity just to be accepted is a dreadful, excruciating process. Sometimes, we wonder, how much it takes for the people to realize that we are all just as minuscule beings compared to the grandeur of the world, and that limiting the worth of a person to its physical attributes is the greatest futility. The world would not budge to its greatness even without us, and by knowing that, we should aim for something with greater significance. Looking out for each other; feeling for one another; empathy; compassion. That is the true beauty of a purposeful life."