War in Katipunan

Wakas

WAKAS.

The Place He Should Be.

“WOMEN ARE like diamonds. They are effortlessly beautiful. They make you wonder what’s so unique in them. They make your eyes glitter in affection once you find the right diamond for you. They are expensive and fragile. They might be strong outside, but look within them and you’ll find the most precious gift.”

My mother always told me that women are the most expensive gift a man could ever have. Since I was a kid, my mother always told me to respect and treasure women. I believe her but I didn’t really listen well. Yes, I respect other women just like how I respect my mother and sister. Pero hindi ko malaman kung ano ang ibig sabihin ni mommy sa sinabi niyang kumikinang raw ang mga mata kapag nakita mo na ang babaeng para sa’yo.

I didn’t believe that before until I met someone named Spica Padilla. Her name isn’t appealing at first. Her name doesn’t make my heart beat fast before. Her name doesn’t make me go crazy before. She was just a plain girl. Not until I entered med school.

“Dude, I swear, you have to relax your ass! You look like shit!” hindi ko pinansin si Alonzo na nag-iingay sa tabi ko. He trespassed my condo and has been convincing me to go out to hang out with the dudes. But I can’t. Marami akong libro na kailangang basahin. Med school is hell! But this hell is my dream so I have to work hard!

“I’m busy. Just go without me.” I heard Alonzo’s grunt followed by his childish blabbering. Padabog kong isinara ang libro ko at inalis ang salamin sa mata ko. Tinignan ko siya ng masama. Wala na akong ibang pagpipilian kung hindi ay ang sumama dahil hindi siya titigil kakadabog na parang grade schooler kung hindi ako sasama.

Nang makarating kami sa isang bahay kung saan nagaganap ang isang party ay agad kaming sinalubong ng mga kakilala namin. I’m still wearing my specs and I don’t have the plans to remove it. I want them to think that I’m not interested to talk to anyone. Hindi ko na pwedeng gawin ang mga bagay na ginawa ko noong college.

I just can’t party whenever I want. I want to commit myself on med school. No alcohols, no parties and no girls. I want to fucking focus. When my friends started to socialize, I was left alone in the corner. Hindi naman ako ganito noon. Partying has been my stressed reliever when I was on college but not now. Siguro nga ay nag-mature na rin talaga ako.

I was bored as hell when a girl caught my attention. Unlike the other girls on this party, this girl is a little… conservative? She’s wearing a black shirt, with a logo of a band printed in front of it, tucked on a black jean and a high cut converse. Napaangat rin ang sulok ng labi ko nang makita siyang may hawak na libro. If I’m not mistaken it’s an engineering book. So she’s an engineering student huh?

What is she doing on this party when all she did was to read a book? Napailing ako. I was about to walk near her when a group of girls came to her. Must be her friends. I recocgnized one the the girls. It’s Rafaela Revamonte, the famous young socialite from a rich family. So they are friends?

I was hoping to see her again for the rest of the party but I didn’t get the chance to see her again. Agad akong nawalan ng gana. Ang kaunting excitement na naramdaman ko nang makita ko ang babaeng ‘yon ay biglang nawala. Napailing nalang ako.

Lumipas rin ang dalawang taon at maayos naman ang standing ko sa med school. Pero kahit dalawang taon na ang nakalipas ay hindi mawala-wala sa isip ko ang mukha ng babaeng ‘yon.

I was on my last year in med school when I was once again, disturbed by Alonzo’s invitation. It’s a party again, on a club this time. Naiwasan ko ang mga pag-iimbita nila noong mga nakaraang taon dahil busy rin sila sa studies nila. Pero ngayon, kung kailan pare-pareho kaning graduating ay saka nanaman sila nag-aya.