Seeking Serendipity

Kabanata 14

Kabanata 14

Hands

"We already have the by pair activity! Gosh!" rinig kong giit ni Aimee.

"Huh? Wala namang sinabi si Mr. Gomez ah?" takang tanong ni Yves.

Naguguluhan din akong nakikinig sa kanila. Katatapos lang namin sa individual activity kahapon. Though, after that activity, Mr. Gomez discuss some simple techniques when we're going to paint. Isinulat ko naman yun sa isang maliit na notebook.

"Oo nga, walang sinabi. Grabe mas nakakapagod pala tung Arts Booth kesa sa Music nuh?" Adi said.

"Woah, sumali rin kayo sa Music booth? Anong year?" I asked with amazement.

Torce smiled. "Yes. Last year we joined this camp pero sa music booth nga lang kami sumali."

Mangha ko silang tiningnan. I don't know that they can do music too. I stared them for a while. Their friendship were solid, same vibes and same goals. It's so rare to find a friends like them nowadays.

"Kailan sinabi ni Mr. Gomez na may by pair activity na?" pagtatanong bigla ni Laurence.

"Uh about that. Wala, sinabihan lang ako ni Leo---I mean Mr. Gomez. Nagkausap kami kahapon at nabanggit niya yun. He will announce that later." she answered with a hesitant look.

Nanunuksong nakatingin si Hannah sa kaniya. Natahimik naman kami.

"May nagtatago ba ng sikreto sa barkadang ito?" sabat ni Adi.

Hannah mentally rolled her eyes. "Tch,"

Napailing nalang ako at tumayo na mula sa bench na inuupuan namin. Sumunod naman si Laurence sa akin. I just stared at him. Kanina napakaseryoso ang mukha niya pero ngayon nakangiti na. He's very unpredictable.

"Saan ka pupunta, Aleng?" he asked with a grin from ear-to-ear.

"Magpapahangin lang," I answered casually.

Tumango naman siya at tahimik na sumunod ulit sa akin. May nakita naman akong tent market malapit sa Cultural kaya doon ako napadpad sa paglalakad. Pumunta kami sa tent market. Madami ang mga stalls na nagtitinda ng gamit kagaya ng mga damit, sapatos, bags, at kitchen utensils. Pero karamihan ay mga pagkain. Sa tinagal-tagal kong tumira sa Beez ay hindi ko man lang alam na may tent market palang itinayo dito.

Nakarating kami sa isang stall sa dulo ng tent market na nagtitinda ng shanghai. Amoy na amoy ko ang aroma ng pagkain dito sa paligid.

"Kumain muna tayo Aleng," Laurence suggested.

Tumango naman ako dahil bahagya akong nagutom. Umupo naman kami sa isang monoblock na upuan. Si Laurence na rin ang nag-order ng pagkain namin. I waited for a while.

Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay pumunta na ang tindero sa table namin at inabot ang pagkain na nakalagay sa plastic plates. Agad naman kaming nagpasalamat. Nagsimula na rin kaming kumain ni Laurence.

"You know what, I kinda love the people here," saad niya.

Tiningnan ko siya ng mabuti at nakikita ko ang saya sa mga mata niya habang tinitingnan ang mga tao.

"I love seeing people who are drunk with their passion. Kahit sa simpleng pagluluto ay nagawa pa rin nilang maging masaya dahil ito ang gusto nila."

Agad naman akong napangiti sa sinabi niya. Inalis niya ang kaniyang braso sa mesa at sumandal sa upuan. It was a crefree gestures.

"Patay!" biglang sabi niya. I saw how his eyes widened in a mock surprise.

I raised my brow, "What?"

"Aimee texted me, pumasok na daw si Mr. Gomez," he said in fear.

"WHAT?" I exclaimed, widening my eyes at him. "Let's go!" I hurriedly said.

I grabbed the last of my things and ran to the shop assistant to pay our food.

"Aleng babayaran nalang kita mamaya," he whispered.

I ignored his words and then, ran down the street. But I had to say, running wasn't really my thing. I stopped running to catch my breath.

Laurence looked over his shoulder. When he saw me stop, he turned around and walked towards me. My hands were on my knees and I can barely speak.

"Hope that he will never kick us out," he sighed.

"Better to pray," I said, panting.

He raised his eyebrows. "If you say so." he said and then laughed. Just then, he grabbed my hand to pull me and we ran again.

I panicked. I didn't know what to do. He was holding my hand, for Pete's sake. My heart is now frantically throbbing to it's cage. Naiilang akong tumatakbo pero bahala na, sobrang late na kami.

We made it up into the room in time. Nakatalikod si Mr. Gomez kaya hindi niya kami napansin. We we're out of breath when we sat at our usual seats.

I glanced at Laurence who is now breathing heavily. Bumaba naman ang tingin ko sa kamay niya na nakahawak parin sa kamay ko. My heartbeat accelerated again and I cannot concentrate for what our mentor discussing to us. It was suddenly hard to breath. Kailangang may gawin ako!

There's an idea that popped in my mind. I dropped my pen, at agad kong inalis ang kamay kong nakahawak sa kaniya para kunwaring kinuha ko ang ballpen galing sa pagkakahulog. He looked at me firmly with a furrowed brows. I awkwardly smile and tried to focused our discussion.

"So for tomorrow's activity, we're going to have a  by pair activity." by that the people in the room, frowned, except to the seven of us. "Bibigyan ko kayo ng tatlong araw para matapos ang gawa niyo. Pwede kayong magtravel o pupunta sa magagandang lugar in this region. Bahala kayo sa kung saan ang gusto niyong puntahan basta in three days, dapat naka-submit na kayo. It's still the part of the View from my day challenge and just copy the criteria here in the board."

"Nakakunot ulit yang noo mo, Aleng."

My frown deepened. He's being his usual remarks again. I thought he will shut his mouth now. Mas inalapit niya ang mukha niya sa mukha ko at inabot ang noo kong nakakunot. Napakurap ako at napatitig sa kaniya.

"You're not happy for this activity?" he asked.

Masyado siyang malapit. I can almost smell his perfume and the dampness of his hair. And again, this weird feeling we're kept on hammering ny chest and my pulse is now slammering deliriously. Naninibago ako sa sarili ko. Hindi ako nakaramdam ng ganito kahit kanino, ngayon lang.

Sa kaniya lang.