Closing the Books

Epilogue

I still remember the first time I saw her. Naghihintay ako sa shed ng sundo kasi pinilit ako nila Mama na magdinner kasama sila at susunduin daw nila ako kahit dala ko naman ang kotse ko.

I was holding my t-square and the canister strapped on my shoulder, I still have to finish my plates and I was already growing impatient waiting there. But then she suddenly spoke to me

"Hi! Naghihintay ka rin ng sundo?" I turned to look at her and I saw how she was smiling brightly at me

Kumunot ang noo ko at hindi na sana siya papansinin kasi hindi ko naman siya kilala at hindi ko nga alam at bakit bigla niya akong kinausap

"Leren nga pala" but she didn't stop and even offered me her hand

Leren? Why does that sound familiar?

I just looked at her hand while thinking on where I heard that name. Parang lagi atang nababanggit ng mga blockmates ko?

"Aiden" I didn't even know why I accepted her hand and shook it. Rude naman siguro kung hahayaan ko lang siyang nakaganun

"Saang faculty ka?" tanong niya pa

Is she really this friendly? Paano pala kung masama akong tao tapos kinausap niya ako, edi napahamak pa siya. Buti nalang at ako ang kasama niyang naghihintay dito.

"Architecture" she nodded after looking at what I'm holding, as if she understood why I carry those

"Ikaw?" I asked her back. Naboboring na rin kasi akong maghintay so might as well talk to her

"Faculty of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy" she said proudly which made me smile.

"Magaling ka siguro magdrawing?" napasimangot ako sa sunod niyang tanong pero hindi ko ipinahalata yun

Wag niyang sabihing magpapadrawing siya? Karamihan kasi sa mga nakikilala kong bago, kapag nalaman na arki ako ay padrawing agad ang sinasabi.

At ano namang ipapadrawing niya? Calculator?

Napangiti ako sa naisip ko "Sakto lang" sagot ko sa kanya

"Sus humble ka pa. Alam mo ba gusto ko rin sana dating maging architect kaso wala akong talent sa drawing, mas magaling ako pumindot sa calculator" natawa siya sa sarili niyang sinabi kaya hindi ko na rin napigilang tumawa kasi naisip kong baka calculator nga talaga ang ipadrawing niya kung sakali

But it turned out na wala naman pala siyang balak magpadrawing sa akin at gusto niya lang talagang may makausap.

"Someone look happy" my sister commented when she noticed me smiling at the back of the car. Kasama siya sa sumundo sa akin

"It's nothing" I told her and good thing she didn't ask any further

The next day. I was walking when someone called my name.

It's her again.

She talked to me like I'm already her friend and she even introduced me to her friend as one

Maybe she's just that friendly. Nabuksan ko tuloy yung facebook kong matagal ko nang di ginagamit dahil apparently ay in-add niya ako at i-accept ko raw ang request niya

I found out later on that the reason why I think her name's familiar is because she's part of that cluster in our university. Madalas nga silang pagkwentuhan ng mga blockmates ko lalo na ng mga babae at friendly pala talaga siya sa lahat kasi parang lahat sa kanila ay kaibigan niya yata.

She would always greets me and talk to me whenever we passed by each other while walking and then she would ask me to have snack with her. She laughs easily and got along really well with a lot of people in the university, even the professors.