Under the Meteor Shower

It's just

"A dream?" Nick burst out a huge laugh. "Just what on Earth did you ate last night? You're weird." He said with nonstop laughing.

What is happening to me?

I'm sure it's just a dream but why do I feel like it's real.

"You know what? Don't come ever again in my school. Annoying brat, tss" singhal ko. Wala talagang matinong magawa sa buhay itong hayop na'to. Bakit ba kasi naging kapatid ko pa ito?

Nick is my younger brother, di nagkakalayo ang mga edad namin. I'm 25 and he's 23. Malaki ang pagkakahawig namin, kaya madalas pinagkakamalan kaming kambal.

Me and my brother Nick, lived together for over past 6 years after our parents died because of car accident. Diko malilimutan ang mga oras na yon. They are with me, the moment they die.

After that incident, flashes of unknown events are always bothering me every night.

Including that dream I had last night.

"Mikhael, so, what about that dream? Is it that girl again?" Mapang insulting tanong nito. Tiningnan ko lang siya ng masama habang nilalaro ang pagkain ko.

"Jusko, dika na mabiro."

"Wala kang allowance for this day" asar kong tugon. Natahimik na lang ito. Tahimik na tumatawa. Tss, napailing na lang ako sabay inom ng tubig. Wala akong gana kumain.

I looked at the wall clock.

8:00 am. My fisrt class is 9:00, I'm still early for the day.

I shook my head before heading out of our house. I hope this will go normal as it is everyday.

-----

I'm a college instructor in Education Department. I teach General Science major students.

Meron pa akong 30 minutes to make up my early morning preparation.

Iwinaksi ko muna ang mga bagay na gumugulo sa isip ko. Di pwedeng balisa ako habang nagtuturo.

"Anjan na sir!"

"Gwapo talaga ni sir Mike"

"Shet, ang bango"

Diko na pinansin ang mga bulungan ng mga nakakasalubong ko. They are aways like that, I'm just walking, but everyone is watching.

Sanay na ako, wala na rin naman kasing bago.

Tuluyan na akong pumasok sa classroom ng Block A. Hindi ko talaga ito hawak, my senior professor ask me if can handle her class for 1 week since she's on a vacation.

Sana all.

"Good morning class. For the time being, I will be your instructor sa loob ng isang linggo. Mrs. Lopez is on a vacation. Are you good with that?" Panimula ko. Lahat naman sila ay masiglang tumugon.

They are second years but some of them looked pretty immature. But they say, this block is the section of wits. Let's find out if that's true.

"Our topic for today is celestial bodies. We will going to identify different constillations, stars they have and how they affect Earth as it evolves around the sun." Nabalot naman ng bulungan ang classroom. As expected, marami talaga ang interested sa topic na ito.

"Stars, so what is stars? Anyone---" dipa ako tapos sa pagsasalita nang biglang may magtaas ng kamay.

"Yes, Miss?" Tanong ko sa babaeng nakatayo. She has this weird vibe. Itim ang mahaba niyang buhok, maputla ang balat niya at matalim itong nakatingin sa akin.

Di kumibo ang babae. Nakatayo lang siya at parang may hinahanap sa leeg ko. Or I just thought na sa leeg ko talaga siya nakatingin.

"What's your name miss?" I snapped out. Parang bumalik naman sa reyalidad ang babae.

"M-my name is Alexandra Valdez." Tugon nito na parang kinakabahan. Oo, halatang kinahabahan nga ito. I know, there something wrong.

"Yes, can you tell the class what is your definition of a star and ---" di pa natatapos ang mga tanong ko nang magsalita ito.

"Star is a celestial body made out of burning gases and shines brightly against the night sky. Sun is a star" sagot nito. Sumagot lang siya ng simpleng tanong, but why the whole room is starting to heave dull atmosphere?

"Okay, very good. You may now take your seat" tugon ko. Pero nanatiling nakatayo ang babae. Bahagyang naningkit ang mga mata, bagay na hilig kong gawin kapag kumikilatis ng isang tao.

Lahat ng atensyon ay sa kanya nakabaling. Tahimik lang ang iba, habang ang babaeng nakatayo ay nanatiling nakatitig sa akin. Di ko na lang siya pinansin.

Nagsulat ako sa whiteboard ng ipagawa ko.

"Copy this or you may take pictures. Answer each questions, go to the library for your references" agad na nagsitayuan ang mga studyante ko at lumabas ng classroom para pumunta sa library.

Maliban kay miss Valdez na nakatayo pa din, may isa pang naiwan dito sa loob ng classroom.

A girl is sleeping on her desk. Tsk. Humarap ako kay miss Valdez na masamang nakatingin muli sa akin.

"Is there something you wanna tell to me, miss Valdez?" I asked. This is totally weird. The atmosphere is getting dull each time.

Ngayon ko lang siya nakita. Pero bakit nakakarandam ako ng something like connection. Who is she?

For a time lapse, I looked back at her sharp stares.

I saw something.

Flashes of pictures came inside my head. Pumikit ako ng bahagya upang pigilin ang pagsakit ng ulo ko.

I came back to my senses as I heard a loud thud. Sinipa ni miss Valdez ang isa sa mga upuan.

Just what the hell is up on her?

Sinandal ko ang mga kamay ko sa mesa bago muling tumingin kay miss Valdez.

I saw anger in her eyes.

But why?

"Always remember what you did to Claire" madiing wika nito sa akin.

Halos gumapang ang malamig na sensasyon sa buo kong katawan. I felt my knees wobbled.

Pigil hininga akong nakatingin sa kanya dahil sa labis na kaba. How did she know her, Claire, the girl in my dream.

"How do you know her? It's just a dream" I said in weak voice.

Instead of answering my question, she turned her gaze at the corner of the classroom.

Pigil hininga akong napakapit sa lamesa ko. I can't stand, my feet were glued, my knees are trembling and tears are starting to fall out of my eyes.

It's the girl sleeping earlier. She's now awake but seems like her mind is flying somewhere else.

She's wearing a simple green dress. Her long brown hair is falling freely over her shoulder.

I can't believe what my eyes is seeing right now. No. It's not her. They looked a like but how could a girl in my dream be possibly exist in real life

Impossible.

But if she's that girl. If she's the same girl in my dream. The same girl I promised to love forever.

She's also that same girl,

I killed a long time ago.