Serendipity • Alden & Maine

(S:OS #28) Ligaw (Alternate Universe)

"Maine."

"Maine..."
"MAINE."

The girl who was summoned by one of her officers, and who was on the cabecera of the conference room table, came back to her senses and looked at the source who called her. "Sorry, Janeeva. What was it again?"

Everyone on the room looked at their superior; there she was, the Nicomaine Mendoza--the University Student Council Chairwoman, running for Magna Cum Laude in BS Agricultural Biotechnology, currently writing her thesis about a new GMO that she is trying to make, handling two organizations and one varsity team as an executive, and one of the competing members of the debate society for an upcoming international competition--has finally broke down after long years of enduring her academics and extracurricular activities, in the middle of the general assembly for the councils. She phased out while the College of Arts and Sciences Council Chairwoman was presenting their accomplishments for the month. Surprisingly, everyone did not thought of Maine as offensive; they have always seen her as an industrious soul. She's dedicated to everything that she does and she indeed has a principle that she follows. She's a serious person but she never wants her constituents, and the whole student body, be abused by the unfair system. She wants everything smooth, perfect, and all laid well. She's OC, but not the type that is annoying. She has the heart, the brain, and the body to serve the people. She's perfect for everything. She's versatile; she can be on the arts or the sciences. She's the strongest person for anyone who knows her. She's every parents' and guy's (and girl's) dream.

And now, she's tired. Upos na upos, they say.

"Ate Maine, do you want to cancel this meeting first?" One of her councilors Elle told her. "You take a rest muna, tapos bukas na lang--"

"Nope. Continue." She shook her head and massaged her temples. She can't show defeat. Not in front of her people. "Sorry, ngayon lang ako nawala sa topic." She looked at her orgmate and friend Jan, who was presenting earlier. "Tuloy mo, Jan."

"Sure ka---"

"Sure." She looked at the others. "Sorry guys ha. Pasensya na talaga. Naidlip lang internally. Pero let's still work, shall we?"

After the long meeting, she gave the final orders to each officer before having the meeting adjourned. Everyone greeted her and only her a "Happy weekend," their subtle reminder to her about a thing called rest.

While walking to her dorm with arms hugging her laptop and research papers, she thought of how tired she was. A fully intellectual life is indeed blissful for her; she hated ignorance and not having anything to do. She's always aligaga and she always has to do something. She's not the type to just stare on the wall, muse about her life and wonder about the future. She didn't want to think about it; she just does the things she thinks she has to do now and cross the real life bridge when she gets there.

But now, all she wants to do is lie down on her bed, stare at nowhere and be task-free for the whole night. It was the first time that she felt scared about the life that's about to come after she graduates from college. It was her first time to be paranoid. She kept on planning for the moment or for her organizations' events that she forgot that she have a life of her own. She didn't think about even having a boyfriend, ever! Am I a robot? She started asking herself as she slowly approaches the door of her dorm. Shit, robot nga ata ako.