Sta. Barbara

Kabanata 7: Pagtingin

It's a busy afternoon para sa mga Senior High School students. Mga requirements, assignments, outputs and researches. Almost everyone is exhausted and stressed to keep up. But Ezikiel is unbothered, ba't naman nya i pe-pressure self nya? Education is not a race it's about learning. What a lucky day for him, early pa ang dismissal nila kaya may time pa siyang puntahan mga teammates nya. He was a volleyball player pero dahil Grade 12 na at dahil narin he is already 18 years old he is not allowed to play kasi over age na sya. He looked himself at the mirror bago lumabas ng room nila. He smiled at lumabas ng kwarto.

"Wait Ezikiel hintayin mo ko" tawag ni Jerecho, kaklase nya "Uuwi kana?" Dugtong nito

He has dark eyes, makapal na kilay, mataas na ilong, a little shorter than Ezikiel and got those intimidating stares that make other girls blush. Jerecho is one of the heartthrobs in SHS, he is also smart and a good friend of Ezikiel.

"Hindi pa ko uuwi. Pupuntahan ko pa mga teammates ko"

"Sige sabay nalang tayo bumaba"

Ang room nila ay matatagpuan sa Pagcor, isa sa tatlong building ng SHS at ito'y nasa second floor, room 204. Doon din sa floor na iyon nakahilera ang tatlong section ng STEM. He really found himself lucky dahil for 2 years he is in section A kahit di naman sya gaanong ka seryoso sa pag-aaral.

They were walking and kasabay din non ang pagbaba ng mga Hummanities and Social Science (HUMSS) students. Sa mga oras ding yaon.

Their eyes.

Their world.

Their soul collide.

Napa hinto si Ezikiel. She was holding a folder very tight to her chest. It's as if she was afraid na kapag mabitawan nya ay may maisisiwalat ito. Seconds is all he needs. Everything is different again. It's like na kinulong nya si Ezikiel sa kanyang mundo. It's as if he's on drugs and she's the remedy.

"Bakit bigla kang napahinto?" Tanong ni Jerecho

"Ah wala, Dami kasing bumababa. Iwas siksikan. By the way, do you know Athelstane?"

"Not really, all I know is that she transferred here nong Grade 11. It's been a year na nating schoolmate yan bakit ngayon kalang nag tanong?"

That's right bakit ngayon lang? He honestly doesn't know. Madami na syang nakilalang babae but when she got to notice Athelstane something inside him lit up. Is this admiration? Or maybe it's just curiosity.

"If type mo sya akong bahala sayo" pa ngiti-ngiting sabi ni Jerecho

"Oh come on. Not into that yet. Masyado pa tayong bata for that. If you wanna love somebody make sure it's gonna be your last"

"Pano mo naman masasabing sya na last mo? We can't decide at things naman diba?"

"We can't decide at things but it's our choice. If you choose her to be your last. She will be. Alam bumaba nalang tayo baka san pa mapunta tong usapan nating to"

Ezikiel found his teammates sa quadrangle. It's the main place for every activity and gatherings ng buong school. At the center is the stage where performances takes place, sa likod naman ng stage are rooms facing the front part of the school. Then on both sides of the stage are benches where students can rest and unwind. Sa harapan naman nito ay bleachers where in tinatambayan ng mga estudyante tuwing vacant at minsan naman ay pinag pa-practisan ng mga atleta. The center is the space where in tuwing umaga kapag flag ceremony gumagawa ng line ang mga estudyante. Tuwing hapon naman ay nandoon naman ang mga athletes, especially ang mga volleyball players, para mag training.

"Capt!" Sigaw ni Carlo isa sa mga close teammates niya.

"Dapat ako tumawag sayo niyan"

"Once a captain will always be a captain. Sasabay ka samin ngayon mag training?"

"Oo bihis lang ako"

Habang nag bibihis ay may nahagilap sya. It's Athel. Naka upo sa isa sa mga benches mistulang may hinihintay. He really wanted to talk to her. But it's not the right time for that. Someone called her and now she was gone. He looked at her while she walked away. Just as the way she walked away from him sa field. He won't let that happen next time na mag kita sila.

He will not let her walk away from him again.
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"Hindi. Hindi ako atleta" sagot nya sa binata

The young man just nodded

"Andito na tayo" sabi ng katabi nya

Ng bumaba sya, he felt a breeze hugging him. It's refreshing and a bit relaxing. He can see a lot of boats and a lot of people. A port. Matapos ang bus ay andito na naman sya sasakay ng barko. Bumuntong hininga sya. This is gonna be tiring he thought, he should've just take the plane.

Bigla nalang may sumuntok sa kanya. It's the annoying woman.

"What's wrong with you? Nakakainis kanang babae ka" Ezikiel said

"Nothing's wrong with me. Why don't you ask yourself that question?" Yvette asked

She's right. What the hell is wrong with him anyway? Guess he'll just have to figure that out along the way. But this woman is still annoying. Mistulang mapipikon na talaga sya sa babaeng ito. Nakita nya ang binata at nag wave ito sa kanya, he smiled. Lumapit ang binata sa pinaroroonan nila ni Yvette.

"Hello po ulit. Just want to ask lang po ng full name nyo? Baka kasi po may kilala akong relatives nyo"

"Ezikiel Quilarto, You?"

"Reyne po. Reyne Molinos"

"It's nice meeting you Reyne see you on the trip. By the way this is Yvette. I don't even know what's her last name. We just met at the airport" Ezikiel said.

"Medyo harsh mag pakilala a" sabi ni Yvette

And the look on Reyne's face is the same as the taxi driver. They're both confused while looking at Yvette. What's with her anyway? Mukhang normal naman sya sa paningin ni Ezikiel. May sasabihin pa sana si Reyne ng may tumawag sa kanya

Sige po sir Ezikiel. Mauna nalang po ako sa inyo"

At umalis na ang bintana papunta sa kasama nya.

"Come on! Let's buy tickets!" Sabay hila kay Ezikiel

She is adding confusion to Ezikiel's situation. First this Athelstane, with this flashbacks, and now this. When will this puzzle end?

Who are you Yvette?

Why are they looking at you like that?