Nerd Noona

1

Jennas's POV

10 Years Ago

I hum to myself while swinging in the park. Kasama ko ngayon si nanay Lorry habang hinihintay ko ang kaibigan kong si Gia. We've known each other since we were five years old at we decided to celebrate our 3rd Year Friendsary sa park where we first met.

*beep*

Nanny Lorry checked the text on her phone then turned to look at me.

"Jenna, pinapasabi ni Yaya Nana na hindi daw makakarating si Gia dahil nadapuan ito ng sakit at humihingi daw ng pasensya si Gia."
Nalungkot ako sa sinabi ni Nanny Lorry pero naintindihan ko naman ang sitwasyon.

"Nanny, paki reply na okay lang tsaka pakisabi kay Gia na magpahinga siya and get well soon."
Nanny Lorry smiled at me and ruffled my hair and I smiled back at her.

Just then, nakita ko ang nagkukumpulang bata sa isang banda ng park.

"Nanny Lorry, can I go there? I won't take long. Titingnan ko lang ang nangyayari."
I asked Nanny Lorry.

"Okay. Bumalik ka kaagad dahil padating na ang sundo natin."

"Okay po."

I then hurriedly ran and took a peek at what's happening.

There was a small crying boy on the ground surrounded by four intimidating boys.

Tiningnan ko ang pangyayari and listened to their conversation.

"Give it to us if you don't want to get hurt."
A boy said.

"N-no. My mom gave this to me."
The crying boy answered.

"Just give it to us."

"No!"

"If you won't give it to us, we'll break it."

The boy just cried harder cradling the toy trying to protect it from the mean children.

I had no intentions na pumakealam sa sitwasyon but I couldn't bare holding myself and my emotions so I stepped forward.

"You, you, you and you" Tinuro ko silang apat. "You can't just take other people's things if they don't want you to. What would you feel if you were in his position? You won't like it either right? Think what others might feel before you do things. You might just end up hurting them."
Pagkatapos ng suway ko sa kanila, they glared at me ngunit hindi na sumabat.

I looked at the crying boy and he was still crying so I sat next to him and comforted him.

"Uy bata, huwag ka nang umiyak. I shooed them away na. They can't hurt you because I'll protect you from them."
After I said those, he smiled at me revealing a hole between his shiny set of teeth.

"Thanks noona."

I grinned.
It was probably the start of our friendship. We started seeing each other everyday for the whole 2 weeks. I enjoyed his company. I was happy and he was too. But then again, everything must come to an end diba?

I still remember our last together. He told me to meet him in the park.

"Kookieeeeeeeeeeee~"

"Noona, tulungan mo ako sa sand castle ko."

"Huwait lang."
I hurriedly ran to him and settled myself next him.

I scooped the sand at binuhos yon sa ibabaw ng castle at hinulma.

"Kookie, ilang taon ka na ba?"
Tanong ko sa kanya habang naglalaro.

"9 na ako. Eh ikaw noona?"

"9? Eh 8 palang ako eh. Mas matanda ka pa pala sakin ng isang taon Kookie eh. Dapat ako yung tatawag ng Oppa sayo."

"Oppa? Ayoko nun. Mas gusto kitang tawaging noona."

"Ha? Bakit naman? Tsaka mas matanda ka sakin eh. Ako dapat ang tatawag ng Oppa."

"Gusto kitang tawaging noona dahil lagi mo akong pinoprotektahan mula sa ibang bata na umaaway sa akin at ikaw ang palaging nag-aalaga sa akin kaya para kitang noona."

"Pero mas bata pa rin ako sayo eh. Dapat tawagin kitang oppa."

"Oppa? Ayoko nun. Mas gusto kong tawagin mo akong Kookie."

"Mmmm... Okay. Simula ngayon, ikaw si Kookie at ako si Noona."

We laughed together and continued on with our sand castle.

~~~

"Ayan tapos na!"

"Oo nga. Ang ganda. Pero diba dapat may titirang king atsaka queen sa isang castle?"

"Oo nga noh? Alam ko na Noona."
He looked for something on the ground and found a stick then drew something on the sand.

"Ayan Noona. May titira na sa castle."

"King Kookie at Queen Noona? Hahahaha."

"Oo. Tayong dalawa ang titira sa castle natin."

We smiled and held hands.

"Noona, may ibibigay ako sayo."
He reached for his pocket at kinuha ang isang kuwintas.

"Ayan noona. Half heart sayo at half heart din sakin kaya hindi ako buo kung wala ka."

"Ahahaha. Ano ba yan Kookie. Saan mo ba yan naririnig?"

"Narinig ko yang sinabi ni Papa kay Mama eh."
Sabi niya habang kinakamot ang batok.

"Kookie."

"Ano yon Noona?"

"Huwag mo akong iwan ha? Dito ka lang sa tabi ko palagi."

"S-syempre Noona. H-hindi kita p-pababayaan."
He said not meeting my gaze.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

After that day, I waited for him but he never came.

I waited and waited longing for him.

Longing for his presence.

Trusting the promise that we made to never let each other go.

But as any other person,

I got tired.

Tired of waiting.

And I let him go.

And I swore to myself that I will never trust a person again as much as I trusted him.

~~~

I got a little bit emotional while writing this. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 감사합니다~ ♥♥♥