Arid Trials

Chapter 1

What

Monday morning and I was up 2 am to finish my plates as usual. I was sipping on my coffee carefully to avoid any stains on my plates.

"Yes, Kat. I got it. What time ba magkikita sa library so I can squeeze it on my sched? I have TOA at 2pm." I told Kat from my phone.

"1pm. Keri?" I can hear her breathing heavily in the background. For sure nag yoyoga nanaman to kahit alas dos na ng umaga. Just to keep herself awake, I guess.

"Sure. But I'll be late. I need to pass some plates on my way there." Nilapag ko ang cup ko sa malayong table just beside the sleeping cat. Dito ko na siya sa kwarto ko pinatulog. He's behaving well and that's a plus point for the real owner. He or she taught this cat a wholesome discipline.

"Sure, Rara. No prob."

We ended the call because we have our own plates to finish. We usually only get 1 or 2 hours of sleep everyday. Swerte mo na kung maka-apat ka. But since we're graduating, nasanay na rin kami sa buhay arkitekto. Ganito talaga since planning a structure is no joke and there's a lot of details to keep in mind to.

It's 7:30 am when I finally finished my plate for color rendering and nagligpit na rin ako ng gamit to prepare for school. My class starts at 9 and La Salle Institute is just straight road ahead from our condo. I just took a half bath and washed my face since bawal maligo kapag wala kang tulog. I did that one time and I ended up on my father's clinic.

"Holy shit, that's Eira!" A blond guy shouted from the main entrance so tumakbo na ako papasok ng elevator to escape. Those creeps again. Hindi ko talaga alam kung paano sila nakapasok sa paaralan na 'to with their attitude. And then naalala ko, lahat nga pala ng estudyante dito ma-attitude! Talaga naman.

My class in that morning went fine except from the frequent glances of my schoolmates. Still quite amazed with my eye color. Minsan naiisipan ko nang tapalan ito ng contact lenses pero wa- epek iyon dahil sa talas ng kulay. It will only brighten up the color more so I keep my eyes this way.

Dinaan ko sa prof namin ang ipapasang plates and nagulat pa ako nang maabutan siya doon sa building. He's usually out so I assume that I will have to wait for a few minutes but I guess makaka-abot pa ako sa meeting sa library. I glanced at my wrist watch and it is still 11:40. I still have 1 hour vacant. Mukhang mas mapapa-aga ako sa library.

"Thank you, sir!" I said before leaving the office.

"Okay. Tell your Dad to think about my offer." He said. Tumango ako at lumabas na. I entered the elevator and pressed the 11th floor for the library. The whole floor occupies the library and nothing more. Kaya sobrang lawak and maraming vacant seats but when I got there, sobrang daming estudyante.

"What the hell..." I whispered while slowly walking inside.

Most of the first wing is occupied so I went to the second one, to the third, until I reached the sixth but all of the tables there were crowded. Kahit yung mga pang-isahang lamesa ay okyupado. What's up? I've never seen this place crowded before. Most of the students here are wearing white coats or lab gowns so I assume that most of them are medical students. Baka may pamatay na PETA nanaman sila kaya sila nandito. Kalahati sa kanila ay tulog dahil siguro sa sobrang pagod. And I can't blame them for choosing this place to sleep. I used to do it too.

Luckily, may naispatan akong malaking lamesa sa tenth wing sa sulok. Isang lalaki lang ang naka-upo doon at nakayuko. Mukhang tulog din. He's wearing a white coat and he's holding a pen and a reviewer. Para bang naka-tulugan na niya ang pag re-review dahil sa sobrang pagod. The table is for six and he's sitting at the very corner. Leaving the two chairs in his right side available.