Strings of Memory

Extra 3

Pagdating ko roon, tama nga ang hinala ko. May isang buong section na nagwa-warm up sa track. Lumapit ako, pero nagdalawang-isip bigla.

Napakamot ako sa ulo ko nang mapagtanto ko ang isang malaking problema.

Hindi ko alam kung ano itsura ni Luna Vega.

"Vega!"

Napalingon ako agad nang marinig ko ang apelyido niya. That's when I saw her.

Short, curly brown hair. Pink, kissable lips. Round brown eyes. Small nose.

She's... really pretty.

Para bang may kung anong kakaiba sa kanya, at bigla akong natulala. I was... mesmerized.

Then, as if to add to what I was feeling, I saw her run. Napahanga ako. She's really fast. Mukhang hindi lang dahil sa sikat ang nanay niya kaya siya gustong i-recruit ni Coach.

Pagkatapos ng PE nila, agad ko siyang nilapitan.

"Hi." Medyo awkward ang bati ko, pero pinilit kong ituloy. "Pwede ba kitang makausap?"

Napansin kong may ilang kaklase siyang napatigil at napatingin sa amin. May ilan pang nagbulungan pero hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin.

"Una ka na, Rive." Sabi niya sa isang lalaking may pagka-feminine ang itsura.

Tumango naman ang tinawag niyang Rive at iniwan kami.

This time, Luna turned her full attention to me. Napalunok ako nang bahagya.

"Anong kailangan mo?" Tanong niya.

Even her voice is beautiful.

Napakurap ako. What the hell am I thinking? Focus, Elliot!

Tumikhim ako. "I-I'd like to recruit you for the track and field team."

She stilled for a second. May dumaan na emosyon sa mga mata niya, pero sobrang bilis-hindi ko man lang na-identify kung ano 'yon. But one thing's for sure.

Hindi 'yon kasiyahan.

Tinitigan niya ako. Mabigat ang titig niya, enough to make my heartbeat go crazy.

I inhaled sharply, waiting for her answer.

"Sorry. I would have to decline."

Then, just like that, she left.

Nagpakawala ako ng hininga nang mawala siya sa harapan ko.

What did she just say? She declined?

Dapat wala lang sa akin 'yon. It was her choice, after all. Pero hindi ko maiwasang mairita. I knew I was being judgmental, but I couldn't help it.

She's wasting such a good opportunity. She's wasting her talent. Naiinggit ako-because she's already good at something I'm desperately working for, yet she's choosing to throw it away.

Samantalang ako? Kailangan kong magsumikap para makuha ang kahit anong oportunidad.

That's a privilege I don't have. A privilege she's wasting.

Since then, sinimulan ko siyang panoorin. Not because I admired her. But because I was jealous of her potential-of what she could become if she just accepted the offer.

Sigurado akong magkakaroon agad siya ng scholarship offers if she joined. At hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong ma-bitter na kaya niyang makuha 'yon gamit lang ang pangalan niya. Unlike me, who has to work my ass off just to get noticed.

I would always see her joking around with her classmates, minsan kasama si Rive. She was always smiling and laughing-like she didn't have a care in the world. At first, naiinis ako.