Reverso

Chapter 25

The day went okay. I spent the day avoiding my office, Adrian, and attending classes like how normal students do. Bakit ba hindi ako pumunta sa office ko today? Simple lang, that's the first place Adrian would go to if hinahanap nya ako so iniwasan ko talaga pumunta dun kahit marami pa akong gagawin before the sembreak. 

"And for your assignment, make a 3-page essay about a certain advocacy you'll fend for and how you'll execute it. That's all for today, class dismissed." 

Agad-agaran ko nang inayos yung mga gamit ko dahil baka nagaantay na rin sa akin si Prima sa rooftop. Hindi naman ako excited makita siya, it's just that I have a lot of things I want to talk about.

"Coffee?" he gave me a bottled pre-made caffeine before inviting me to sit beside him. Too close? Too far? Should be just right.

"Thank you." 

"So, what's up? How can I be of your service today?"

Tumawa lang ako sa gesture nya.

"You know I am not that special, right? Besides the fact that I run events here and I please the dean, there is all there is." 

Paliwanag ko sa kanya, totoo naman eh. Special lang ako for something that I worked hard for to keep, pero hindi naman talaga ako special in any way besides that.

"No, you are. You are special." he opened his bottle of coffee. "I think, you being the president of the organization is a plus, but I think you're already special without that. How else would you be chosen for that position? You're extraordinary, Theresa."

He said that without hesitation that it made me question what's going on in his mind. He has always been so hard to read. Ang dami ko nang natutunan sa kurso ko, pero isa s'ya sa mga taong napapatanong ako sa sarili ko kung may naiambag ba yung mga lesson na yun sa buhay ko. Indeed, the human mind is a mystery. Walang definite, walang accuracy in every aspect. 

"I am just having a rough time. Parang ngayon, mas mabigat at mas maraming iintindihin. Hindi ko naman alam kung may dumagdag, pero yung bigat mas lumala. Sometimes, gusto ko na lang magpahinga. Pero, alam ko naman na I am not that type of a person. Gusto ko lagi akong may laban. Gusto ko lagi akong may pinapatunayan." 

Nagkibit-balikat lang siya. "It's because you don't rest." 

"What do you mean by that?"

"You confuse resting with giving up. Sa sobrang determined mo, feeling mo kapag nagpapahinga ka, or nagbibigay ka ng time para sa sarili mo, giving up na 'yon. It's not. Resting is essential, Theresa. And, you should stop looking for rest in places or people that only suck up your energy. You and I know very well that it is unhealthy."

Tama nga ako nang pinuntahan. What I like most about him is may substance sya kausap. Hindi rin naman nya ako majujudge quickly dahil wala pa kaming alam masyado sa isa't isa. But he knows well enough to get what I said. This makes it easier to talk to him. 

Hindi ko na napansin ang oras, at maga-alas singko na pala. Palubog na ang araw pero andito pa rin kami.

"You remember what I said that the afterglow of a person when they succeeded is more beautiful than the afterglow of their downfall?" he asked me.

"Yes, what about it?"

"I meant it. But, it doesn't mean that afterglows after a downfall are ugly. I admire people who can still glow after getting hurt. As for you, you're both the sun and the moon. You never fail to glow amongst all even if it's the brightest or the darkest of the times."

I can't help but to become flustered at what he said. Surely, he has a way with words. Bakit nga ba s'ya magiging head ng Literature club kung hindi sya marunong sa mga salita niya? 

"We should probably be going... It's getting dark."

"Yeah, probably. Do you want to grab a bite?"

I bit my lip as I think of an answer. Siguro, enough na muna yung kinausap ko s'ya dito at pag-iwas ko kay Adrian. Besides, pag may nakakita sa amin, gagawan pa ng issue.

"Baka next time na lang." I said, hindi na ako nagmake-up ng excuse. He'll figure it out any way. 

"Sure, pero let me at least give you a ride home." 

Tumango na lang ako. Kahit yun na lang. 

He wrapped his jacket around me and led me to his car and then he took me home.