Hold You Accountable (Published) | ✓

Kabanata 39

I gasped and immediately got something out of my pocket.

Kaagad kong nilabas 'yung ginawa kong poster. I made this during our free time.

ABM pero nag-jowa ng STEM
I LOVE YOU, SARATHIEL

Nakarinig ako ng hiyawan galing sa ibang mga nakasilip sa akin. I heard them because the door was slightly opened. Namula naman ako pero pilit na nilagay ang atensyon sa harapan ko.

I clicked my tongue and winked as I hold the sign I made.

This picture just like the other pictures taken and displayed in our house - will be a lifetime memory for me.

『••✎••』

"Pasahan na lang ng mga ibang requirements, wala na talagang klase." Ngumuso si Melay.

I nodded as I roamed around my eyes in the building.

Hindi ko inakalang nakaka-miss din pala 'yung pagtuturo ng mga Professors ko. Hindi ko inakalang mamimiss ko mag-review para sa mga subjects nila. Hindi ko inakalang ang ikli lang pala ng panahon na nagsama kami.

Two years.

Who would have thought two years can change an entire person? Sobrang ikli lang ng panahon na ito kung ikukumpara sa buong buhay ng isang tao.

The nostalgia is hitting me while I was cleaning my school stuff. I will miss this. I will truly miss everything about Senior High.

Tiningnan ko ang mga papel na nagkalat sa bag ko. Ang mga yellow pad paper na hinati sa iba't ibang sizes, ang mga papel na may mga marka na minsan ay iniyakan ko, mga notebooks na hindi ko na matandaan ang lahat ng mga sinulat ko. I looked at it with a bright smile on my face.

I want to keep them.

"Pwede ko na i-delete lahat ng pictures ng papel at powerpoint sa phone ko." Hagikgik ni Melay habang pinapakita sa akin ang cellphone niya na halos may 1,456 photos to delete.

Tumawa naman ako dahil kahit ako ay kinain na rin ng mga school works ang storage ng phone ko. We decided to exchange pictures with each other. Pabiro pa ngang nag-tour kami kunyari sa school dahil ang alam ko ay hindi sa UJD mag-aaral si Bea sa kolehiyo. We were making the most out of it.

"I'll miss you," niyakap ko siya habang nagpapaalam kami sa isa't isa.

"Huwag ka magpapaloko sa mga lalaki sa lugar na 'yon ha. Alagaan mo ang sarili mo," mangiyak-ngiyak na paalala ni Melay habang nakayakap sa likod ni Bea.

"Pupunta ako roon para mag-aral, ikaw talaga..." pabirong kinurot ni Bea si Melay.

I can't help but feel sad. We're about to enter college and as much as we want to stay with each other — we need to accept that sometimes growing means growing apart. Growth doesn't always mean staying with the right people because it's inevitable not to be apart from them.

I sighed as these thoughts circulate in my mind.

It made me feel like I took Senior High for granted. Siguro, ang malas namin dahil naabutan pa kami ng K-12 pero para saakin? Ang swerte namin. We had two more years of creating memories with strangers who turned out to be great figures in our lives.

I will always be grateful to my senior highschool phase. It made me grow and made me who I am today.

It also made me meet the person who made me feel whole. Sarathiel Zyler Aracosa.

"Farewell party daw para kay Sir Castro," our President announced while Sir Castro is not around.

"Kailan pa namatay si Sir Castro?" tanong ni Gio.