Simula
They say time flutters swiftly like a butterfly you can never catch. It would rest its wings to settle on your fingers, enticing and delicate, yet you wouldn't even notice the moment it would slip away.
Sometimes, as I stare blankly in the quiet hours of the day, I would revisit time as one would with an old friend.
Just like today.
My fingers slowly grazed over the camera recorder I found in my room. It was tucked beneath one of the cardboard boxes.
It was heavy in my grasp, as if all the stored memories in its records had a tangible weight.
Marahan kong inalis ang alikabok sa lens. Pinindot ko ang button sa itaas at bahagyang nagulat nang makitang umilaw ang screen nito.
Pictures from the past slowly appeared in the gallery. There were a lot of them — most from my high school years. It had been years since then; I barely even remember taking these photos.
Nanikip ang dibdib ko habang pinagmamasdan ang bawat litratong dumadaan sa screen. Tears were slowly brimming in my eyes, heart heavy from the weight of the longing agony. Para akong bumalik na rin sa dati kung saan magaan pa ang lahat.
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A photo of me laughing with my friends near the beach appeared. Somehow, I could still hear the splashing waves from the shore. Laughter. Squeals. A wave of nostalgia splattered on me.
Standing behind a setting sun, I smiled for the camera and laughed as the wind swayed with my golden brown hair. Kyeron was just behind the camera, filming me through the lens.
"Zaire! Halika rito!" biglang tawag ni Kye. Malakas ang boses niya dahil hawak niya ang camera.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Susukmatan ko sana siya pero nakalapit na si Zaire sa 'min.
"Tumabi ka kay Lei," dagdag niya pa.
Mariin ang ipinukol kong titig kay Kye.
Nababaliw na ba siya? Paano kung hindi na kakayanin ng tuhod ko sa kilig?
"Kukunan mo ba kami ng picture?" kuryosong tanong ni Zaire.
Tipid na tumango si Kye. "Pumwesto ka sa tabi ni Lei!"
Hinawakan niya ang camera na nakapatong sa tripod. He looked for a perfect angle before telling us to smile. Medyo napakunot ang noo ko dahil baka naka-video pala 'yung footage niya. Talagang babatukan ko siya mamaya!
"Okay . . . 3, 2, 1." He pressed a few buttons before saying, "Smile!"
Feeling ko namumula na ako na parang kamatis sa tabi ni Zaire. Sana naman hindi niya mapansing kanina pa ako parang uod na hindi mapakali.
I glanced at him. My eyes widened when he turned to face me, too.
It was all too sudden. My cheeks blushed pink as I tried to conceal the effect of his gaze on me.
Hindi ka marupok, Lei. Hindi ka marupok, Lei. Hindi ka marupok, Lei. Hindi ka marupok, Lei. Hindi ka marupok —
"Sali ako," putol ni Kyeron sa ritual na nangyayari sa utak ko.
Kye pressed another set of buttons in his camera and rushed towards us. Pumagitna siya sa 'min at inakbayan kami.
He raised his hand and did a peace sign. Nag-pogi sign naman si Zaire na nasa tabi niya at pinipigilan ang kanyang tawa. Ewan ko ba sa kanila. Napailing-iling ako habang tumatawa.
Pinahid ko ang luhang lumandas sa aking mga mata.
Memories from this channel were golden threads that pulled me back to the high school version of ourselves.
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أنت تقرأ
Through the Lens of Time (Memorya Series #1)
أدب المراهقينMEMORYA SERIES 1 While decluttering her room, Leilani Adeline Esquilla discovers a dusty camera recorder she used during her high school years. As she looks through the moments of her youth, she finds herself reminiscing about the same memories - ba...
