Ace, I repeated inside my head and started to write the name on the wall with my fingers.
"Working student siya sa library. Just so all of you know, I’m not fond of libraries nor books. Kaya hindi ako madalas napapadpad sa gawing iyon ng school not unless my barkada decides to stay there. May one time nga lang, pumunta ako nang library para maghintay sa mga kaibigan kong lumbas pa ng campus. I was there to copy assignment kaya dahil wala pa yong pagkokopyahan ko I decided to sleep. Then I don’t know how many minutes went by, I felt someone tap my shoulder. Akala ko friend ko, 'yong working student pala. I can still remember our first interaction as if it just happened yesterday. I even mumbled as I raised my head to look at him.”
" 'Bawal matulog dito.' " It was the other DJ - Leo - who portrayed the guy.
"His strict tone awoke me.
‘Hindi naman puno ang lib eh.’
‘Bawal nga matulog dito.’
‘Mister, ganito kasi ‘yan. Hinihintay ko kasi ‘yong pagkokopyahan ko ng assignment kaso natagalan pa kaya matutulog muna ako habang naghihintay.’
‘Edi magbasa ka.’
‘Pati ba naman sa free time ko kailangan kong magbasa ng academic books, pwede ba give me some time off?’
Naalala ko rin ang mga titig niyang pakiramdam ko ay lulusot sa kaluluwa ko. But he did not stay long. Umalis siya ng ganoon na lang. Akala ko I was able to convince him, so I slept in again. Ilang minuto lang ay may mabigat nang bumagsak sa table ko. I looked up and saw a tower of medium sized books in front of me. Gusto kong magsalita ng masama no'n kasi nga sinabi ko na ngang ayaw ko ng libro.
‘Fiction ‘yan.’ inunahan niya ako bago pa ako makapagsalita.
‘Well, I don’t like fiction either.' I remember answering him that in most maldita tone. 'My reality is way better than those novels.'
Yes, I intended to sound boastful as I said that but I regretted it later. He was as impassive as before and uttered the words that hit me for some reason, ‘Good for you,’ and then he went back to arranging the books in the shelves.
It was just three words. Good for you. Ngunit hanggang ngayon, alalang alala ko pa rin ang kanyang tsura nang sabihin yon, pati na ang baritonong boses niya.
I was left there fully awake, watching his back as he fulfilled his duties. Kalauna'y tiningnan ko na rin ang librong iniwan niya.
Nancy Drew.
And everything started there."
As DJ RC paused, I loosen up my necktie a little bit. Para kasi ako nitong sinasakal.
"You may have guessed it already, I started to like books kaya madalas na rin ako sa library. Pag hindi kami nag-aaral for our lessons, fiction madalas kong binabasa at madalas kay Ace ako nanghihingi ng recommendation. We became close at naging parte na siya ng barkada. Siya ang go to namin lalo na pag nahihirqpan kami sa aming lessons. We're on the same year lang kasi and he's very smart kaya sa kanya kami tumtakbo upang magpatulong.
Marahil nahulaan niyo na rin ang susunod kong sasabihin. I liked him. 2 years in highschool ko siya naging crush. Dalawang taon kong pinaghahampas ang mga kaibigan ko na huwag masyadong pahalata kapag nandyan siya until 3rd year came, and he admitted that he liked me too. Pero siyempre nilagawan niya ako. We enrolled in the same college, just took different course. 1st year ako nung sinagot ko siya. Isa kami sa sweetest couple our University ever had. How can I say kami ang sweetest? Well, we won that title during our first year. It was one of the best days we had. But ut did not last long. Nalaman ng parents ko.
Unfortunately, hindi sila pumayag. Aside from not being from a wealthy clan, his family had a 'bad' reputation. Pero kaya nga siya nagpupursigi mag-aral to prove that it’s not true. I, myself, saw how a great guy he was. Sinubukan ko siyang ipagtanggol sa kanila pero wala, eh. They still believed otherwise."
Her Side Of The Story
Start from the beginning
