In The Middle Of The Crowd

Chapter o2

Riley Tabitha

I don't have that beauty that any woman have. I am a completely loner, a psychology-student who is also suffering in depression. I want to give up. I want to rest like forever pero... I have no choice. I need to keep going or else, I'll put myself into trouble. Paulit-ulit ang nangyayari sa buhay ko. Bahay, school, then bahay ulit. I only got few friends in my entire life.

" Watch where you going,"

Nagulat na lamang ako nang may biglang humila sa akin. Hawak niya pa rin ang braso ko. Sa sobrang kalutangan ko, muntik na akong masagasaan ng kapwa kong estudyanteng nagmamaneho ng motor. Napalunok ako ng magtagpo ang aming mga mata.

Why does he look familiar? Saan ko ba siya nakita. " Ohh, nagkita ulit tayo ahh?"

So, magkakakilala kami? Pero bakit hindi ko siya matandaan? Hindi ko matandaan ang pangalan niya, hindi ko rin matandaan kung saan ko siya nakita or nakilala. I remain silent, and I think he figured out that I don't clearly remember him.

Ngumiti siya sa akin at tinuro ang sarili Niya. " It's me, the guy in the line, iyong nasa mall? Iyong nasabihan mo ng I love you,"

Napanganga ako sa sinabi niya.

" Ohh," turo ko sa kaniya.

Ahh, naalala ko na siya.

But.... As far as I can remember I didn't get his name.

" By the way, what's your name again?"

" Riley,"

" Oww, Riley, my name is Radiant,"

" R-radiant?" Takang tanong ko. " Like iyong sun radiation?"

He laughed a little bit. He find my words funny. Napangiti na lamang ako habang napapangiwi ng kaunti, never did I encounter someone who laughed at my statement. Huminto rin naman siya but he didn't stop smiling.

" Yeah, like sun radiation, but it means shine," yeah I know. And I want to vanish now.

I am not good in holding a conversation kaya natahimik na lang ako. He sense that I am a little bit uncomfortable talking to him kasi ilang araw lang kami nagkita kaya nagsalita muli siya. " Uhm, so I see, we are studying at the same university,"

" Ahh, yeah," I really can't make a word to keep the conversation going. Arghhh, I hate my life.

" So what's your course?"

" Psychology, ikaw?"

" Uhm, technically engineering but I think I am planning to change course,"

C-change course? Mahirap magpapalit-palit ng kurso, to be honest. There is a subconscious thought that what if I am just wasting my parents effort to make money. I have been in that kind of situation. Being a psychology student, I came into thinking that what if I'll get mo job under my course. I want to change in nursing kasi pwede akong mag-abroad, but the thought of making my parents tired the whole day just to make money, leads me to the decision to stop considering changing course.

I need to finish, and get a job.

Make money, and make my mom proud of me. " Uhm, I need to go to my class, so bye?"

" Yeah, bye,"

" See you around, Riley,"

I smile and nod, telling him good bye.