SGANF #1: Right Love At The Wrong Time

Chapter Eight

"Excited much?" tanong ni Cassey.

Tumango ako. One week na lang at graduation na namin. I already designed my plans, after graduation I will leave the country, I already applied going to Singapore, naghihintay na lang ako ng approval. I haven't told my bestfriends yet, alam ko namang maiintindihan nila.

The sad part of this graduation is, we will be facing the reality of the world. Magka-kanyang buhay na kami, magkakahiwalay, magkakaron ng sariling mga buhay na malayo sa isa't-isa. Nakalulungkot but that is reality. But one thing for sure, we will keep in touch, we will stay best of friends forever, no matter where, no matter what, even in our grayish time of our life, and will hope that in our next life, we'll meet and be best of friends again and time again.

Jianne came to us having a big smile on her face. I guessed it's good news then. "So, tuloy na ang ate mo sa pag-uwi next week?" tanong ni Cassey. Masaya siyang tumango.

Jianne's sister is coming back from Canada to attend her graduation, her sister is the only family she has, they were orphaned but that didn't stop them to become better in their life. As far as I know, darating din ang foster family that took care of them when they were younger.

"So, darating ba sila?" I asked casually. Napatitig siya sa akin na para bang I said something bad. Her face turned sour pero agad ding napalitan ng ngiti.

"Oo, darating sina Tita Joan." Maikli niyang sabi. I caught her biting her lip and stomping her foot on the ground and I smelled something fishy. Napansin ko ring nakatingin si Cassey sa kanya, nagkatinginan kami, tinaasan ako nito ng kilay. Ganon? Maybe I should trust what she said about her being able to read minds. Na-excite tuloy akong tanungin siya kung ano ang nasa isip ni Jianne at this moment.

"Darating din ba iyong antipatikong Nathan Daniel Rojas na kinaaasaran mo?" panimula ko.

"S-sino?" bigla siyang namula. In just one second, her face was already flushing red na para bang nakakain siya ng sili.

"Trasparent talaga." Bulong ni Cassey.

"The guy you used to tell us about making fun of you back in your hometown?" paalala ko. It's been three years since she stopped talking about him, but when she did first say it, halos lumukot ang mukha nito sa sobrang inis habang nagkukuwento tungkol sa guy na iyon.

"I pray not! And besides hindi niya kailangang dumalo at huwag naman sana siyang dumalo. At bakit siya dadalo? Sinong dadaluan niya? Kapag dumalo siya, kapag siya dumalo..." she paused na para bang may biglang sumingit sa kanyang isip.

"Anoh na!" sabay pa kami ni Cassey na nagtanong dahil antagal niyang magtuloy sa sasabihin. Para siyang nagising ng marinig ang aming sigaw.

"Ah, basta, hindi ko siya kilala!" nagdabog pa siya bago tumalikod.

We were astounded, Jianne usually is the type who thinks first before actions but this is the first time we saw her getting panicky. Something is really going on and we can't wait to meet this Nathan Daniel Rojas who makes Jianne Marie Sandoval lost into different dimension. This will be fun watching.

I was still smiling thinking about Jianne and stopped when I saw Cassey's expression changed. Nawala ang mga ngiti nito at napalitan ng excitement at seriousness at the same time. I followed her eyes and saw where she was looking.

Hindi ko mawari kasi may ilang mga nakatayo sa stage, lahat teachers naman. Si Dean Celeste of course, yung female instructor namin sa management, and then the old bald ethics instructor, yung isa is- I paused, wait- that's the new instructor na kahalili saglit ng instructor namin sa finance na naka-maternity leave during this second sem, ano na kasi pangalan niya? Tanong ko sa sarili.