You're Kinda Acute (Tagalog)

PANIMULA

The school bus slows down, preparing for the humps ahead.

As it passes the humps, we slightly bounce up along with the bus.

I hold my bag close to me; careful for my things not to fall.

Heto na, Layla — naka alis ka na ng bahay. Magsisimula ka na ng Grade 12.

A few minutes pass by, and the bus stops at a quite big, white house.

Huh, this is new. 'Di naman kami dumadaan dito last year.

I look out the window, and see a guy about my age go out the house.

Ah... so siya yung bago kong ka-service.

He enters the bus, and takes a seat at the space right in front of me.

I look down at the ground, and purse my lips.

I raise my head again, and turn my head to the side, observing him with the corner of my eye.

Oh! Well, he's cute.

I observe what he's wearing, and to my disappointment, he's wearing a uniform different from mine.

Sayang, 'di ko siya schoolmate.

I dip my head, and fix my eyes on the ground again.

At least siya, 2nd year college na. Ako, grade 12 pa rin kahit 19 na ako.

The ride to school is silent, since almost all my bus-mates have drifted to sleep.

I look in front of me, and to my surprise, the guy had been looking at me all this time.

I look at him like a deer caught in headlights, then proceed to give him an awkward, sheepish smile.

He smirks at me, then leans his head at the window at his back, closing his eyes.

"Hay nako," I hear the driver mutter under his breath.

I look at where he's looking, and see a bunch of street-children playing around the street, whilst blocking our way.

The driver beeps, and the kids immediately run to the sidewalk, laughing and pushing each other in the process.

"Tsk, tsk," he shakes his head.

He continues driving, and shortly, we stop by another house, which is located near an empty, open space.

"Yan, o — plaza," the driver says, referring to the open space. "Ba't 'di nalang sina diyan maglaro? Safe na safe."

"Oo nga 'no?" my bus mate beside the driver comments. "May playground pa."

I look at the plaza again, and see no one in the open space. The plaza also has a little playground, which no one plays in.

"Kahit anong gawin nila diyan, o, pwede," he continues. "Kahit buong araw sila diyan magtakbuhan."

"Bakit kaya 'di nila ginagamit yung plaza?" the student asks curiously.

"Eh, kasi naman, gusto ng mga bata, may adventure; may thrill," he explains. "Ayaw nila yung plaza, masyado raw boring. Gusto nila, may thrill na masagasaan."

At dun ko rin na-realise na ako, para ding yung mga bata — ayaw ko ng mga bagay na mabilis makuha.

Gusto kong may thrill, at maghirap upang makuha ang aking mga gusto.