#Wattys2023 Winner: Best Characters Award
❝This was probably what people meant when they said they disappeared into a moment.❞
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College exes Laurine Antoinette "Laurie" Navarro and Simeon Lee Aguirre didn't really expect to meet again. But with...
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❝It was as if the world knew that she was about to break a pair of hearts – hers and his.❞
— ❁ —
LAURIE BALLED her hands into fists before inserting them into the pockets of the jacket she wore. It wasn't hers yet it felt disgustingly warm. Sinalungat niyon ang mahamog na hanging tumutusok sa balat niya. Nilingon niya ang kasama. Malawak itong ngumiti. Sinang-ayunan niyon ang liwanag ng mga nagbibigay-lilim na poste ng ilaw.
Napalabi si Laurie. Lalo niyang ikinuyom ang mga kamao. Ibinalik niya ang tingin sa nilalakaran.
"Uy, Lau," tawag sa kanya ni Lee. Binilisan nito ang lakad para makasabay sa kanya. Dumaplis ang kaliwa nitong siko sa kanan niya. Sinadya yata. Gumana naman. He caught her attention like he always has.
Lumunok si Laurie. Nang mapagtantong hindi iyon sapat para makumbinsi ang sarili na tama ang naging desisyon, idiniin niyang lalo ang pagkakuyom ng mga kamay. Her nails digging into her palms provided a bit of a distraction. It was too late when she realized Lee pulled her to the side.
He reached into the pocket of the jacket and gently held her hand. "Anong problema? May masakit ba sa 'yo?"
She couldn't meet his eyes but she knew. Alam niyang nakararamdam na ito. Muli siyang napalunok nang ilabas nito mula sa jacket ang kanang kamao niya. Bahagya siyang nanginig nang humangin. She didn't realize her palms were sweating coldly.
Lee, despite seeming clueless, unclenched her fist. "Laurie," he called her again.
Laurie refused to acknowledge how the palm of his hand felt like a flame against the coldness of hers. Rough but warm. Harsh but tender.
Everyone was puzzled when she chose him over the university's MVP.
Laurie was the popular girl. Girls in the university were either afraid or jealous of her. Takot ang karamihan dahil sa kablangkuhan ng mga mata niyang singkit. Inggit naman ang iba dahil sa kung ano-anong business ventures ng daddy niya.
Pati iyong miyembro ng varsity na binasted niya, ganoon din ang tanong: bakit si Lee na tagabigay lang ng baso ng tubig sa team?
To that night, Laurie didn't know. Or maybe she knew the correct answer. She just didn't want to solidify it. Lalo lang siyang mahihirapan kung aaminin niya sa sarili na tinamaan siya nang malala kay Simeon Lee Aguirre. She was about to end it anyway.
Imposibleng hindi niya pa alam.
Hindi ito sinipot ni Laurie noong umaga. Magkakape dapat sila doon sa tiglilimang pisong vending machine sa may Fine Arts building. They were supposed to meet for breakfast and lunch, too. Pag-uusapan nila dapat ang paparating na graduation ball. Noong nakaraang taon kasi, hindi sila pumunta sa annual party. It was a rave party. It wasn't their scene.
