Endings Beginnings

Encounter

"NASA labas na yung service natin, wala ka na bang nakalimutan?"

Umiling ako kay mama at tinulak na ang aming mga bagahe. Hindi ko pa rin mapagtanto na aalis na kami, parang kalian lang ay pinaguusapan namin na matagal pa bago kami umalis, pero, here we are.

Lumikha ng ingay ang mga maleta habang hinihila ko ito palabas ng bahay, I looked back at our house that I'll probably never see again in so many years. I don't feel sentimental leaving the house. It's the people here that I'll miss. My family, my friends.

Him? I...I don't know.

Tinulungan ako ni kuya Miguel, driver ng sasakyan na lagi naming inaarkila, na ipasok ang aming maleta 'saka pumasok na ako sa sasakyan. I don't feel like my usual self, everything feels so slow but fast at the same time. Does that make sense?

"Ok ka lang, Bi?" I snapped out of my thoughts ng marinig ko ang boses ni mama. Her caramel eyes bored into me, mausisa talaga. I have a deep set of brown eyes, almost black, hmm sayang 'di ko ito namana.

"I'm fine, ma, pagod lang." I gave her reassuring smile at sumandal na sa upuan. Hindi na nagtanong pa si mama kahit na alam ko may gusto pa siyang sabihin. I breathe deeply as the car starts to move.

I try to get comfortable at my seat as I stare at the window. The trees are swaying as the wind blows its leaves, the people outside starts the blur as I close my eyes. Parang dahon na tinatangay ng hangin ang mga alaala ko rito sa Pinas. In my head, I mindlessly chased them until I caught one, I opened my palm then I saw his face.

I quickly opened my eyes as my breath starts to hitch.

Tangina.

Pinagpawisan ako kahit na malamig sa loob ng sasakyan, stupid Beth Anne.

Hanggang ngayon ba naman? I asked myself that question so many times na para bang 'di ko pa rin alam kung anong sagot nito.

Oo, hanggang ngayon...hanggang ngayon na lang. This will be last hurrah for this memory lane.

I calmed myself as I slowly remember everything. Kailan nga ba nagsimula? Was it when I was on my third year of high school? No, no, it was my first year. Ngumiti ako sa isip isip ko, I was such a fool back then, pero sino nga bang hindi?

We're young, naive. And so eager to fall in love.

First year of high school

"Huy, ano ba kasi meaning ng murit?" Kinalabit ko si Dennis, kaibigan ko, pero tawa lang siya ng tawa. Sumimangot lalo ako dahil feeling ko pinagkakaisahan nila ko.

"You're so pure!" Sabay tawa ng malakas ni Cherry habang pinapat ang ulo ko. Mas lalo akong naiinis at inalis ang kamay ni Cherry sa ulo ko.

"Bobo, ayan. You should really know the bad words vocabulary, Beth Anne!" I cringed when I heard my full name. Ngumisi pa si Dennis sa akin. Ah, so that's what it meant, narinig ko kasing sinabi ng kaklase namin and I'm not that familiar in curses and stuff that's why tinatong ko 'tung dalawang kaibigan ko.

Ever since I met them my profanity seems to widen. I don't think that they're bad influence, the world is harsh and more than sometimes, ignorance isn't bliss.

"Tanga, tangina, pu-"Malutong na binigkas ni Dennis ang mga ito, pero agad din siyang pinigilan ni Cherry.

"Ok girl, language. Nasa hallway tayo!" Sabi ni Cherry sabay tawa. Dennis and I are at the same age while Cherry's a year younger, but they're quite mature for their age. Maybe because of how they're brought up? I've been with them only for a couple of months but I can sense that this friendship will last.