Scarlet Strings of Love

Chapter 14: Γραμμή εκκίνησης

"I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over all over again."— F. Scott Fitzgerald

Naglalakad si Regina papunta sa club niya nang makasalubong niya si Joaquin. Agad na lumayo si Joaquin sa kaniya dahil baka paluin na naman siya nito ng folder niya. Nagtaka naman si Regina sa asta ni Joaquin sa kaniya. Agad din naman siyang naglakad palayo dahil kailangan niya nang pumunta sa club niya. Wala siyang panahon para makipaglaro kay Joaquin.

Nakahinga nang maluwag si Joaquin nang hindi siya pinalo ni Regina, pero may kung anong bumabagabag sa kaniya dahil sa tingin sa kaniya ni Regina.

"Did she forget about the folder incident?" tanong ni Joaquin sa sarili. Makakalimutin pa naman si Regina.

"G'day, mate."

Napatingin si Joaquin sa likod at nakita niya si Red na may hawak na pagkain habang ngumunguya. Joaquin smiled at the woman.

"Good morning, what are you doing here?"

"Nothing much. Just walking around the campus. Today's the Freshmen welcome party, after all."

"Oh, I see. Sige, mauna na ako," sabi ni Joaquin.

"Okay, see you around, Joaquin."

Well, that was awkward. Umiling si Joaquin para maalis sa isip niya ang awkwardness ng conversation nila kanina. Or baka naman siya lang nagiisip na awkward 'yon? Umiling ulit si Joaquin.

It is already the month of September, saglit na panahon nalang at matatapos na ang first semester nila. He wonders what Luxus and the others are doing. Back then, palagi silang magkasama at nagpaplano na agad ng mga gala nila bago pa mag-christmas break. It's been a year and they still haven't spoke to each other.

When he visited Anne's grave a few weeks ago, he found bouquets. Seven bouquets to be exact. He was relieved that they still care about Anne, that they still miss her despite everything, but at the same time, he was sad. They were still prisoners of the past. Hindi alam ni Joaquin kung hanggang kailan sila mananatiling nakatingin sa nakaraan, pero naniniwala siya na dadating ang panahon na magagawa na nilang mag-move on.

They just need a starting line.

He could say the same with his relationship with Regina.

He sighed, how could he be so stupid? Up until now, he's still blaming himself and his defense mechanism. Joaquin was never good with confessions. He never had anyone confess to him, and he'd never confessed to anyone. Love was out of his league. He couldn't understand it. He'd watched all the films and series related to the topic yet he still couldn't grasp even the gist of it.

When he met Regina, he was annoyed. She was a very bossy student council president, and much to his luck, she was also his classmate and the class president. She was busy, she was bossy, and she was just plain annoying. He should've studied in America, but since his cousin was in the Philippines he had no other choice.

He could still remember their bickering, and how Anne would always tell them how close they are, and how they'd deny it by shouting at her. Anne had said that they're like Yin and Yang. Joaquin was the kind who didn't care about the rules and just did everything how he wanted it to be, and Regina was the one who would always scold him for not paying attention to the rules.

"Paano kami naging Yin-Yang? Ang layo naman ng explanation mo, Anne."

"Then what do you think about your relationship?" Anne had asked him.

Joaquin thought long and hard, "I guess we're like cats and dogs. You know, because we don't get along. She is the cat, while I'm the dog."

Anne chuckled, "You're not the dog in the analogy, Joaquin."