Chapter: 7
Discover things with the brain full of curiosity, you will have ideas that will be your path to success.
Ryan and Jacob invited me to go on a field trip, I wouldn't have go but they forced me because they said, it would only happen once. Makakasama namin ang iba't ibang strand sa senior high. May sari-sarili rin kaming bus kung saan ang bawat strand ay nandoon.
I sighed and climbed into the bus. Ryan's smile reached to my ears because I was here with them. I had no emotion while looking out of the bus window, I chose to sit here because the air is fresh and you can see the sights.
This is my first time to join this activity, I have no idea what to do with it. Many were surprised by my presence, even though we were in the back of the seat they could not help but look at our sits. I don't know how many hours I've been listening to music coming from my headphones attached to my ears, I feel relax.
I don't know how many hours we've been travelling but the only one I know is it's long and tedious. I wanted to take my car but they unallowed it.
I slowly opened my eyes as I felt our bus stop, I looked around full of different trees and grew tall. Kanya-kanya na kaming dala ng mga bagahe, unti lang ang dinala ko dahil ilang araw lang naman kami dito sabi ni Mr Cruz, siya ang magbabantay sa amin kasama ng iba pang teacher.
He said we should make the most of this day because next year we will no longer be senior high, we should make the most of being senior high because our journey to college will be more serious and difficult.
One by one we got off the bus, others taking pictures and taking selfies. I can't help but be amazed at this place, I can see that they don't tamper with the forest, they value it like a treasure that can't be surpassed by money.
Nawala ang atensyon ko dito ng bigla akong kalabitin ni jacob, sinenyasan niya ako na magtungo kami sa space kung saan kami gagawa ng tent. Naghahanda na ang iba para gumawa ng sari-sarili nilang nga tent.
Malaki ang tent na kinuha ni Jacob para daw sa aming tatlo ito. Ilang minuto ang ginugol namin sa paggawa ng tent hanggang sa matapos na rin namin ito. They called us Mr Cruz for dinner. We were all just quietly eating and one of us didn't speak, we were with Mr Cruz and the other teacher so others chose to keep quiet.
Pinanood ko lang na gumawa ng bonfire si Ryan, pareho kaming nakaupo sa kahoy ni Jacob habang pinapanood si Ryan. Napilitan lang siya na gumawa ng bonfire dahil sa amin.
The three of us were already sitting in front of the fire dancing to the beat of the wind. Ryan hugged his right body while Jacob put his hand near the fire to keep warm.
Nakatitig lang ako sa apoy. Anunsyo ng mga taga bantay na kailangan na naming matulog kaya ang iba ay pumasok na sa kanya-kanya nilang mga tent. Napaalam muna ako kila Ryan at Jacob na pupunta sa restroom kaya tumango sila.
I quickly found the restroom with the help of the caretaker there. Eventually I also finished and went out. I was slightly taken aback when I heard a woman's voice that seemed to be crying so I stepped over there.
I just found the woman sitting and crouching while still crying. It looked up and there our eyes met again. I don't know why she's crying but I know she's hurt.
Tumigil siya sa pag-iyak at pinunasan ang kanyang pisngi na puno ng luha. "A-Anong ginagawa mo dito?" tanong niya sa akin. Tumayo siya at pinagpag ang pwet niya na narumihan.
"Ba't ka umiiyak?"
Tumigil siya sandali at tumitig sa akin pero mabilis ding umiwas ng tingin. "I'm just scared of the world... "
Kunot ang noo ko. "What do you mean?"
"Have you ever experienced that everything is fine but something suddenly comes and that will be the reason for you to lose everything?"
Anong ibig niyang sabihin?
"Wag mo ng isipin 'yung sinabi ko. Napagod lang ata ako sa byahe." She turned her back on me but I quickly grabbed her hand and there put the handkerchief I took from my jacket.
Tumingin siya dito bago sa akin. "I can't take away your tears but I know you can do it with yourself." She smiled at me, not a simple smile because you could see that she was going through something hard.
Now, I realised that I'm not the only person who has a hard time in this world, I always look at my problems but when I compare my problems with the others, even bigger than mine.
Her strength because she doesn't give up, she just cries until she feels less.
I sidestepped slightly in my bed because of what I was thinking. Why am I thinking of her? Yes, I admit that I feel sorry for her, but is that still the flesh in my mind?
Ngayon lang ako nakaramdam na maawa sa isang tao at sa babae pa na hindi ko kilala ng lubusan. Tumingin ako sa mga kasama ko na kanina pa nakatulog, inayos ko ang sarili ko sa higaan at ipinikit ang aking mga mata hanggang sa lamunin ako ng dilim.
Others have fun while playing different games, children's games that we liked when we were kids. Others sing along with playing the guitar. There are people dancing to the music.
Everyone has their own world, their faces are full of fun. This is how much fun it is to be with the people you love and trust. Their smiles could not be erased as they looked at their friends.
Napatingin ako sa dalawa kong kaibigan na nagpapalipad ng saranggola. Pinayagan kami ni Mr Cruz na gawin ang mga gusto naming gawin dahil mamaya may activity na ipapagawa sa amin ang mga guro para raw mas mag-enjoy ang lahat.
Ng mapansin ni Jacob na nakatingin ako sa kanila agad niya akong tinawag para lumapit doon. I had no emotion to look at the kite string that jacob held in my hand. Don't tell me I'll do it?
Tumingin ako ng matalim kay Jacob. "Hindi ka naman liliparin dyan, icontrol mo lang 'yan para hindi bumagsak sa lupa." I could do nothing but follow what he said. I started to hold the rope tightly, when I felt it rise I adjusted the rope to make the kite rise even more.
Nakangiti na pinanood ako ni Jacob binigyan pa niya ako ng dalawang thumbs up. Napailing na lamang ako at tinuon ang atensyon dito.
I felt that there was an eye looking at me so I looked around but I saw nothing. I stopped looking at the woman whose smile reached the sky, her smiles were full of joy unlike last night which was full of sadness.
Suddenly it stopped laughing as our eyes met, she avoided looking at me. My attention went to Jacob who called me to grill what we were going to eat today so I quickly went there.
They said there was a river here, we could take a bath there because it was clean. They each brought Jacob and Ryan towels and soap. We went on the way to go in the wide river, it was cold and fresh there.
Ng makarating na kami agad kong inalis ang shirt na suot ko at sumulong sa tubig, ganun din ang ginawa nila Ryan at Jacob. We had bathing companions, there were women and there were men. The river is wide so we don't stick together.
I swam deep and went straight to the side where the boulder was. I immediately went there and went up. Water was running down my face as well as my hair so I combed my wet hair and slowly opened my eyes.
I stiffened in my seat when Jazure's face opened up to me, our faces were so close unti na lang ay nalalapit na ang mga labi namin. Gulat ang mga mukha niya na nakatingin sa akin, sabay kaming lumayo sa isa't isa ng marinig namin na tinawag ang mga pangalan namin.
Ryan and Jacob even teased me because when they saw it, I totally refused. I didn't know she was there.
Lahat kami ay nakatayo sa malawak at patag na lugar, nakatayo sa harap namin si Mr Cruz. "Gusto kong sulitin niyo ang araw na ito dahil alam kong magkaroon kayo ng mahirap na pinagdadaanan sa susunod na taon. Huwag kayong gumawa ng masama o makakasama sa kapwa niyo. Maging maayos sana ang araw niyo dito, nagkakaintindihan ba tayo?" tanong nito sa aming lahat, mabilis na tumango ang lahat bilang sagot.
There is a lot to do here. Tonight there will be a concert band here later, this is what the students here are waiting for the most because it is one of the famous bands here in this place.
Hindi ko nga alam kung anong plano ko mamaya kung anong gagawin ko. Gusto kong matulog ng maghapon sa tent pero alam kong hindi ko magagawa iyon dahil pipilitin na naman ako nila Ryan at Jacob para makipag saya kasama nila.
I took my camera and hung it around my neck. I went out to our tent to look for my two friends who did nothing but take a walk. I was just walking with strangers but I didn't pay attention to them.
At the same time we stopped walking as we watched the sunset in the middle of the two mountains. Others were amazed at the beauty of its submersion.
Itinutok ko ang camera ko dito at mabilis na pinindot, may dumaan pa bago ko napindot ito. Naglakad muli ako ng matapos ng lumubog ang araw. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad ng may humarang sa aking harapan. Babae ito na may hawak na papel, tamad ko siyang tinignan. "What do you need?" malamig na tanong ko.
"Farrel, matagal na kitang gusto simula pa noong first year high school--"
"Is that all? Sinasayang mo lang ang oras ko." I quickly turned my back on her, I even heard her calling but I didn't give her a look. I immediately stopped walking when I saw Jazure standing and looking at me.
Kakausapin pa sana niya ako ng mabilis ko siyang lagpasan. I don't know why I felt guilt for what I did to her. Maybe it's better that we ignore each other because our lives aren't really connected, we're just totally strangers to each other so we shouldn't entertain each other.
The surroundings are quiet, you can only hear the tiny reflections of insects in the trees and wind blowing in the trees causing it to dance.
Maraming nangyari sa araw na ito, hindi ko inakala na nag enjoy ako akala ko dati boring dito pero mali ako. I can't count how many I've done in this place, I can say that I have not regretted coming along and giving my time for it because it is more than a memory that I can bring to life.
In this place I feel free...
I never thought to myself that I could just run away from my world and go to another world where you can find real fun. We are all happy, you can see that in our eyes.
But each of us has problems and one is that there is the new year which will test our resilience as students. If every person here is asked what course they will take, they will answer many and we will be left as students who have no idea what we are going to get.
I learned here how to value time. Every hour that runs is very important because every number has values that even the money can't afford to buy.