Afternoons in Dapitan

fourteen

Noong bakasyon ay inatupag ko lang ang sarili ko sa pagtulong kay Tatay sa probinsya pagkatapos ng OJT ko. And just like that, I'm in my senior year.

Naglalakad ako dito sa Dapitan nang may nabunggo ako. "Uy Stacy!"

"Hala! Namiss kita Laura!" She hugged me tightly. "Kamusta na kayo ni Nico ba 'yun?"

"Okay naman kami! Anniversary na namin next month." I smiled. Ang tagal na pala namin ni Nico. Parang kailan lang tinuturuan niya lang ako sa Statistics. "Kayo ni Royce, kamusta?" I smiled teasingly. "Uy! Crush mo si Royce no?"

"Baliw! H-hindi."

"You stuttered!"

"Porket nautal crush agad?" Humalukipkip siya at ngumiti. "Well, sige na nga. Aaminin ko naman pogi siya but ayoko! Sungit eh!"

"Sus. Enemies to lovers pa nga." I laughed. "Mag titinda ka pa rin ba ng Milo?"

"Hindi na muna. Focus ako sa acads since fourth year na."

"Same. Lalo na may Thesis ulit."

Siguro sapat naman na ipon ko para mabawasan ang gastusin ni Tatay sa pag-aaral ko. Kaya hihinto muna ako sa pagbebenta ng fishball, kailangan kong maka-graduate on time.

Abala akong mag-plantsa ng uniform nang may kumatok sa pinto. "Sino yan? Saglit lang." Laking gulat ko nang makita si Nico. "Why are you here?"

"I just want to escape." He said. He looks sad and angry at the same time.

"Nico? What happened? Is there a problem? You can talk to me, love." I gently hugged him.

"It's just that mom is too much. I somehow can't take it anymore."

"Hmm? Can I ask what happened?"

"She wanted to see my grades and for me I did good naman. Lahat naman mataas. Wala akong bagsak. Pero it wasn't good enough for my mom. She said that I'm such a disgrace to our family and that I should never have been born." He cried on my shoulder.

"Shhh. You did so good my love. And I am really proud of it."

"Can I sleep here? Just for the night?" He asked. I nodded. "I have my things in my car."

"Don't you have class?"

"I have. Bukas pa naman." He smiled. "Ikaw? You have class?"

"Yes. Kaya ako nagpaplantsa kanina."

"What time?"

"2:00PM pa."

Habang hindi pa ako pumapasok, we just watched a movie and ate our lunch together. Hindi ko inakala na ganito lang kasimple si Nico. He's rich and all that but he's really simple and down to earth. And I can't find any other guy like him. Gusto ko siya lang. Siya lang hanggang dulo.

"It's 1:30 na love. Hatid kita?"

"Sure! Baka isipin mo may jowa rin ako sa loob eh." I laughed.

"No. I trust you naman. Let's go? Baka maiwan mo yung tumbler mo." Inabot niya sa akin yun. "Chat me if you're done with your class. I'll pick you up."

"OA mo! Parang diyan lang eh!" I laughed.

"What if madapa ka? Or matisod?" We both laughed again. "But I'm serious. Chat me if you're done, okay?"

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang tumango. Nang makapasok ako ng room ay hinampas agad ako ni Pipa. "Teh naman! May pahatid hatid ha!"

"Bakit siya andiyan?" Si Noreen na may mapang-inis na ngiti.

"Dalaw? Ewan?"

"Ah okay. Dalaw daw Noreen ha. Wala ba'ng momol?" Pipa teased.

"Sira! Walang ganon! We're both busy sa acads and graduating students, so no time for that." I smiled.

"Di mo sure." Noreen laughed.

"Tara na nga!" We went to the room and the discussion went on and on. First day pa lang pero ang dami ng pinapagawa. Sabagay, fourth year na.

"Laura!" Pipa called me. "Jowa mo na sa labas!" Pipa teased.

"Saan?"

"Andiyan mismo sa tapat ng building. Bilisan mo daw!"

Nagmadali akong mag-ayos ng gamit at lumabas na. True enough, Nico was there. He was wearing a plain black top and khaki shorts. "Hey."

"Hi." I smiled. "Kanina ka pa dito?" Umiling siya. "Uhm uwi na tayo."

"Don't you want merienda?" He asked. "Potato Corner? Jollibee? What do you want?"

"Wala. Magtipid tayo." I laughed. Nang makarating sa dorm ay pinagluto ko na lang si Nico ng fishball. "Siguro namiss mo 'to?"

"Yes! I missed that, Laura." Agad na naubos ang fishball na nailuto ko. "What will you do now?"

"Requirements. Kaya wag mo kong guluhin."

He laughed. "Okay. Goodluck."

Abala ako sa paggawa ng assignment nang biglang may kumatok. "Sino yan?" Nang buksan ko ang pinto laking gulat ko na ang mama ni Nico yon!

"Mom, why are you here?" Nico asked.

"Let's go home, 'nak! Bakit ka ba dito pumunta? Of all the girls you've dated dito pa? Ano papakainin niyan sayo? Baka sa basurahan lang niya kinukuha pagka-"

"Mawalang galang na po, Ma'am. Hindi po galing sa basurahan ang pinapakain ko sa anak niyo. Pinaghirapan ko po lahat ng iyon para mabili ko." I smiled.

"Mom, stop that. I will not go home. I will stay here." Nico said.

"Ginayuma ka ba niyan?" His mom laughed. "Baka nilagyan mo ng gayuma ang fishball ng anak ko?" Her laugh sounded so evil.

"Mom, please. You're causing a commotion here. Just please leave. Nakakahiya sa mga ibang nakakarinig."

"Well fine. Goodluck to the both of you. Especially you, hija." She smiled sarcastically.