"Do you know him?"
"Hey, who's he?"
"He's so good looking."
"Who is he?"
Inayos ko ang mga librong nakapatong sa lamesa and leaned back in my chair. Ilang oras din akong nandito sa library at gutom na gutom na talaga ako. Buti nalang at malapit ko ng matapos ang Principles of Neural Science by Eric Kandel and etc.., I mean half of it. I can actually read the whole book for one day but I have a class to attend to.
I really love neuroscience because it is a multidisciplinary branch and it studies the nervous system. Although, I want to become a neurologist than a neuroscientist. My grandmother had a parkinson's disease and it took me almost a year to get over her death. Sila mama at papa naman, they're both mature to accept what happened. Masyado kasi akong na attach kay lola and she was the best grandmother for me. She's very outgoing and stubborn. She's the reason why I wanted to become a neurologist.
I can't just study the mechanics of the nervous system. I also want to diagnose and treat patients.
Bumuntong hininga ako at tumayo na bitbit ang mga libro. I've also read about The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. Medyo nalilito pa ako because I did not read the whole book but it talks about neuroplasticity, how the brain re-wires itself. Hindi ko lang talaga natapos because I'm more into reading the other books.
So nagugutom na talaga ako at kailangan ko ng pumunta sa cafeteria. I only have about thirty minutes before the class starts.
Naglalakad ako sa hallway. Malapit lapit nadin ako hanggang sa may nakita akong mga nagkukumpulan sa labas ng cafeteria. It looks like they're looking at someone or something?
I shrugged and continued walking. Kailangan ko na talagang kumain.
"Makikiraan po" I politely said.
"Who are they?"
"Ba't ang gwagwapo nila?"
"It looks like mag-aaway sila."
Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad nang hindi tumitingin sa paligid. What can I say? Basta gutom ako wala na talaga akong paki sa kung anong nangyayari sa paligid. My life doesn't revolve in them anyway. May sarili silang buhay at ako rin.
"Who told you to enter this place?"
Humarap ako kay ate at sa mga pagkain. What should I pick? Should I pick chicken and yakult? Sige iyon nalang.
"Ate, one piece chicken nga po at isang yakult. One cup of rice lang po tapos pwede po ba ramihan ng gravy?" tanong ko.
She seemed startled and shocked by what I did. Bakit ganiyan ang reaksyon ni ate? Ayaw ba niyang dagdagan ng gravy ang pagkain ko? Pwede naman sigurong tumanggi nalang siya kesa bigyan niya ako ng ganiyang reaksyon.
"Ate, sige huwag mo nalang ramihan ng gravy." I directly said.
Kinuha ko ang wallet ko dahil hindi parin siya kumikilos, baka iyong bayad ang hinihintay niya. Pero hindi naman sila ganito noon ah? Did something happen to them? Siguro para mas secure? Para hindi nila makalimutan? Well, I commend them naman.
"Ito po bayad, ate oh." babayaran ko na sana siya pero may biglang kumuha ng wallet ko at itinapon iyon.
I was shocked when my wallet was thrown. Gulat kong tinignan ang lalaking kumuha at nagtapon sa wallet ko.
"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear what I just said?" he gritted his teeth.
I took a step back dahil masyado siyang malapit and his glares were like a welcome to hell!
"Uhh I-I'm not deaf..." mahina kong sabi.
Mas lalo pa siyang lumapit sakin. He suddenly pushed me kaya natumba ako. Napaawang ang bibig ko dahil sa ginawa niya. Is this right? Pwede ba itong ginagawa niya? I mean of course hindi, sino ba siya para itulak ako? Does he have the right to push me? Ni hindi nga ako itinulak ng mga magulang ko tapos siya? Siya na hindi ko kilala?
"Ba't mo ako itinulak?" after I gained just a tiny little bit of courage to ask him ay tumayo ako.
His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. It looks like he became more furious about what I just said. He scowled and pushed me once again but fortunately I didn't end up on the floor.
I think hindi ko talaga siya kayang sagutin. His face is so scary. Bakit ba ang laki ng galit niya? Hindi ko naman siya kilala at hindi ko naman siya inaano. But I know I can't win against him.
"Okay, sorry sa nagawa ko. Pero pwedeng excuse me muna? I have to eat dahil malapit na magstart ang klase ko." sabi ko at nagmamakaawang tumingin kay ate pero hindi parin siya kumikilos.
Until I heard someone laugh kaya napabaling ako sa direksyon niya. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita kong ang dami palang estudyante na nakatingin sa amin.
Okay, what did I just do? Ito ba ang dahilan kung bakit nagkukumpulan sila sa labas? Did I just went inside an arena where they were supposed to battle?
"Let's settle this next time, Evan." sabi nung lalaking tumawa.
He was about to walk but he looked at me.
"What's your name?" the guy asked.
Nagdadalawang isip pa ako kung sasagot ba ako o hindi. If I'll answer him, I'll be ashamed. What should I do?
"Uhh pwede exit nalang ako? Peace..." I lowered my head at nagpeace sign.
I slowly walked away from them bahala na kung hindi ako makakain basta makaalis lang ako sa lugar na ito. Masyadong mapanganib para sakin.
"Where do you think you're going?" sigaw niya.
Napahinto ako sa paglalakad. I don't know but nanghihina ang tuhod ko. Bigla nalang din akong nanlamig at kinabahan.
I just can't believe that he shouted. No one ever shouted at me. Not even my family. Bakit ba ang init ng ulo niya? I got that I meddled with their conflict thing but can't he just spare me? Nagugutom lang naman ako at gusto kong kumain. Kasalanan bang magutom ka sa kalagitnaan ng away nila?
"Hey, Evan. Let's just go." tawag ng kaibigan niya ata.
"Shut up Cauffer! Do you want to be in her place instead?!" sigaw niya.
Nakita kong kumunot ang noo nung lalaking tumawag sa kaniya.
"Wait—are you going to punch her?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi niya.
Napalunok ako nang marinig ko iyon. I began to tremble in fear of being punched. Parang seryoso pa naman ata siya. Hindi ba siya natatakot ma expel?! Is he really going to punch me?!
Ikinuyom niya ang kamao niya.
"Do you want me to punch you then?" he coldly said.
Hindi nagsalita iyong lalaki kaya bumaling ako sa lalaking nasa harap ko ngayon.
"Cut it out, Evan. Don't worry, we'll resume it later. Let the girl go." sabi nung lalaking tumawa kanina.
I saw him smirked.
Dahan dahan akong umatras habang nakatingin siya sa lalaki. I have to escape. Hindi pwedeng manatili lang ako dito at maghintay na suntukin niya.
Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip pa na tumakbo. I ran away without looking back. Kahit kinakabahan at nanghihina ang tuhod ko ay nagawa ko paring tumakbo ng napakabilis. Siguro naman makakalimutan na nila ang nangyari ngayon diba?
I stopped nang malayo layo na ang narating ko. I feel like I'm gonna die. Parang any minute or second ay mamamatay ako. Paano ba naman, kung hindi lang talaga ako pinansin nung highblood na lalaki na iyon ay wala sanang mangyayaring ganun. Makakain sana ako at makakapag-away sana sila.
See? It's not entirely my fault! Kaya ayaw kong magkapaki minsan sa paligid ko dahil dito eh. Ayaw ko ng gulo. It looks like he's just really hot-headed.
Napailing na lamang ako at tinignan ang relo ko.
"Dang!" I recklessly rubbed my hair.
My class is about to start so I ran again until I bumped into someone.
