He left to pursue his dream. She tried to stop him but ended up letting him go. The raw familiar feeling she felt when she heard his voice over the phone. That's when inflamed feelings started to rise again.
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Pilit akong ngumiti. "W-Wow! C-Congrats, Ral..."
"Ang saya ko!"
"You deserve it," I sincerely said.
Naglakad na kami at sumakay sa multicab. The whole ride, Ral was telling about what happened in Cagayan and how a supervisor from UST offered him a scholarship. Pagdating namin sa school hinatid niya ako sa aking silid. My friends congratulated him.
"Naks! Congrats, Ral!"
"Libre naman dyan!"
Tumawa si Ral at tumango. "Sige ba!"
Tumawa rin ako at umiling. "Baka malate ka pa sa klase mo, umalis ka na!"
Ral nodded and waved at us before turning his back. Siniko ako ni Ria.
"Anong nangyari sayo?"
"Huh?"
"Ang tamlay mo kasi," ani Sanella.
Ngumiti ako. "I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be?"
Bumuntunghininga sila bago tumango. Pumasok na kami sa loob at maya-maya dumating na ang aming teacher.
Wala ako sa aking sarili buong araw. I kept on thinking about Ral and his scholarship. Of course, I want him to take it. It's a one-time thing. Malaking opurtinidad yun pero may parte sa 'kin na ayaw. I don't want to lose him...
Nang dismissal na agad akong nagpaalam kina Narumi.
"Huh? Aalis ka na? Wala pa naman si Ral ah," aniya.
"May gagawin kasi ako. Kapag pumunta dito si Ral pakisabi na umalis na ako."
I sprinted out of the room. That continued happening for weeks. I avoided Ral, again. At first, Ral called and texted me what's happening but after a few weeks he gave up. Parang bumalik kami noon. Back to being strangers...
Nandito kami ngayon sa bahay ni Narumi. Wala na kaming ginagawa ngayon dahil tapos na kami sa lahat ng requirements at next week na ang moving up ceremony.
"Irene, may tanong kami..." si Sanella.
"Ano?" hindi nila ako sumagot kaya tumawa ako. "Kinakabahan naman ako sa inyo eh!"
Sanella cleared her throat before proceeding to her question. "Anong... nangyari? Bakit mo nilalayuan si Ral?"
"Nag-away ba kayo?" si Ria.
They all looked hesitant. I know they've been wanting to ask me this for the past months. But they also know that I don't want to talk about it.
Umiling ako at bumuntunghininga bago sinabi sakanila ang bumabagabag sa aking isip. The three hugged me tight.
"Ba't ngayon mo lang sinabi 'to sa 'min?!" si Narumi.
"Gaga ka! Next time, don't keep it all to yourself!" ani Sanella.
