A five years courses comes into an end, the five years blood, sweat and tears that every civil engineering student is going to be rewarded, their dedications that has been payed off, and their title that they will get soon.
Now that it's a week before the graduation, the whole block planned an outing, before they will started to walk in different paths, in five years they become close to each other, having only one goal and that's to graduate under their course.
Greggy is staring at the toga that has been ironing by his mother. "Ga-graduate na ako." He whispered.
"Oo." Emma answer, "Sa kanya kaya makaka-graduate na din ako?" He asked.
Emma sigh, "Irene? Siya pa rin?"
"Laging siya, siya at siya pa rin talaga."
"Ang tanong, ikaw na kaya ang pipiliin niya ngayon?" Emma ask looking away so that she won't see his son's heart breaking for the girl he love.
Greggy stop on that question, "Siguro."
Irene is feeling excited, after the five years that she's choosing herself and her academic status, she can feel that she's near to free her thoughts about her what ifs.
"I'm excited!" She exclaimed to her sister.
"Bakit parang hindi ka naman masaya?" Imee ask, she's just listening but her eyes is on the laptop doing her work.
"I'm... I'm thinking about something else." Irene answer, she's holding her face while in front of the mirror.
"About what?" Her sister ask, "What if pinili ko si..." She can't even call his name.
"Ano nga bang nangyari sa inyo? I did not saw him since three years ago... Nung freshmen lang kayo, hindi nga nag tagal nung sophomore year na."
Irene remember it all again, about what happened, about what her decisions fall in to.
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As an engineer student there are having a more works that they need to pass. As a block section, they have a goal to help each other so they can proceed to the third year.
That's how Greggy and Irene become close, Greggy is good at mathematics while Irene is good at analyzing the problem.
In the cafeteria the scattered papers on the table and them looking at each other.
"Kaya pa ba?" Irene chuckled, sipping her fourth coffee for this day.
"Oo naman, it's either kakayanin o mag drop out na kinabukasan." He jokingly answer.
"You can take a rest muna." Irene suggested, her mind isn't working anymore.
"Kaya ko pa naman, if you want to sleep matulog ka na gigisingin na lang kita mamaya mga ten minutes bago mag next subject." Greggy smile at her.
She nodded and just let her head hit the table, her face is being covered by her arms.
The minutes turn into an hour.
"Finally!" A relief sigh and smile from Greggy, "Kahapon pa to eh, kahapon ko pa to pinipilit na gawin." He added looking at the sixteen sheets of paper that is a formula for one problem.
Then he look at Irene, she's not sleeping but her eyes and soul is close.
"Irene..." He whispered, not wanting to make her awake. He let his fingers run to her hair, "Gusto kita." A sudden confession, that made Irene suddenly awake.
"If you only knew how much I like you."
That words, that sentence, that feeling, Irene knew she can't reciprocate.
That time she did not say anything, she just acted like she doesn't know about it. They still continue to hang out, to be a study buddy until they are bringing each other to their home.
"Hello po ma'am sir." It's a rainy night, Irene insist Greggy to just stay on their house.
"Hello, did you already eat hijo?" Imelda ask.
"Y-yes po ma'am." He become scared by their gaze.
"He's not pa kaya." Irene chuckled, "We will eat na lang nang sabay." She added knowing that Greggy is just shy.
"Nako sabay sabay na tayo hijo." Imelda offered.
Greggy continue to shake his head, "No na po miss." He said.
"Masamang tumanggi sa grasya, Greg." Irene whispered.
Greggy just nodded, so they eat in peaceful Irene is talking about how they met and how she is grateful that she become friend with Greggy.
He is just nodding, tasting every dish that Imelda is serving, his ears and mind is always present on what Irene is saying. "Grabe na, tama na kakasalita Irene, hulog na hulog na ako sayo."
Imee is observing Greggy, his eyes and smile is different when it's come to Irene.
Next morning, when Greggy is already sent at home, Irene and Imee having a breakfast, Imee remember it.
"Pino pormahan ka ata nang kaklase mo."
Irene chuckled thinking it's just a joke, "Hahaha! Ate naman."
"Halata naman Irene." She insisted.
"No, we are just friends." She defended.
"Ahh ganon ba." Imee just nodded.
It's a different scenario when Greggy brought Irene in their home. It's Elvira's birthday, his youngest sister but he still invited some of his friends to come over.
Their table is filled with laughter and rant about their professors. Emma put another dish in their table, she saw how Greggy's eyes spark towards the girl beside him.
"Greg, uwi na ako." Irene tap him a little to get his attention.
"Hatid na kita." He quickly look at her, she shake her head "Wag na stay here and enjoy the night with them, samahan mo na lang ako sa kapatid mo may regalo kasi ako." She answered.
Greggy nodded and they bid a goodbye to their classmates, Greggy pull her towards Emma and Elvira who is enjoying each other companies.
"Hello po." Irene shyly greeted.
"This is Irene, my classmate." Greggy said since they might misunderstood her.
"Ahh kala ko girlfriend mo." With a laugh, her mother said. He glare at her, "Classmate nga mom ano ba."
Irene just watching them, her cheeks turn red she won't deny it.
"This is Elvira, the birthday girl." Greggy turn to point his sister.
"Hello Elvira, you are cute naman pala." Irene can't help but to pinch her cheeks.
Elvira shyly chuckled in front of her. "I have a gift for you." She reached the gift she had brought for her.
"Halla thank you po ate." She can't even look at Irene face because of shyness.
"Mauuna na po ako ma'am, happy birthday ulit." She said, "Tita na lang, call me tita." Emma excitedly said even holding her hands to have an hand shake.
"Mom, una na po uuwi na po siya." Greggy cut the moment the two building.
Greggy send her to the gate, "Sure ka ha di ka na magpapahatid."
Irene chuckled, "Hindi na ako bata, kaya ko na. Nakapunta nga ako dito, hindi pa ako makakauwi."
He just nodded and watch her walk away.
"Gusto mo?" A sudden presence of Emma hit the question.
"Oo." He bluntly answered.
"Ba't di mo ligawan, malay mo may chance." That's the reason why Greggy had a courage to confess.
That malay mo may chance always hunting him out. It's an evening and the rain was pouring so hardly, they are in the corridor of their buildings, the only two of them are there waiting patiently the rain to stop.
Greggy can't stand the wall between them, or maybe the wall he made, he build.
"Irene." Without looking at her, he gulp a little.
"Hmm? Yes?" Irene asked, but she's looking at him.
In peripheral view of Greggy, he saw it. "Irene..." He is double thinking if he should confess or let just be another what if of him.
"Ano nga?" Irene ask.
"I know I should not feel this way..." When he said that, Irene already have an idea what he's going to say.
"But, I like you—"
Irene already think about what she's going to answer, and this time she can use it.
"I'm sorry Greggy, but alam mo naman na sarili ko at ang studies ko ang priorities ko. I'm sorry if I can't reciprocate your feelings."
Greggy just nodded, he's eyes is sticking in the rain. "Can we still be friends?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't promise about it. The awkwardness is already here, I don't want to feel uncomfortable around you. Let's stop this, para maka move on ka na rin, sa akin." She answered.
"Ang hirap mag move on mas lalo kung hindi naman naging tayo." The thoughts of Greggy he doesn't want to tell.
He grab his bag and open it, "Mauna ka na." He give her the umbrella.
"May payong ka?" Irene was shock.
Greggy nodded, without looking at her. "Hindi ko lang sinabi, para maka amin ako."
"Tara na." She said, Greggy shake his head. "Mauna ka na." He whispered.
Irene accepted the umbrella, she walk away watching the puddle of the rain.
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"If sumabay ako sa kanya that time, graduate na din kaya ako sa kanya?" The question he is still continue to ask for already three years now.
"We are here na." His classmate announce, the venue where their hangout will be held.
"Thanks." He smile leaving the van.
He spotted her, It's just three years since they did not talk but she grew like he did not saw her for a decade.
The plan get so well, drinking and laughing about what happened in the five years.
Irene and Greggy have a time together, to talk again and bring back the past. Like he's always doing, he can't look at her, but his eyes is his on feet that is playing the water in pool.
"How are you?" Irene ask, bravely spoke first.
"I'm good, I'm already good." He smile a little. "Ikaw Irene, kamusta ka?"
"I'm hunting by the my conscience." She answered.
"About what? Bakit ka nako konsensya?"
"The past—"
"Sa pag amin ko?" He sarcastically chuckled, "It's fine, I'm so happy that you chooses yourself."
But Irene still thinking about it, with all courage she push herself to ask the question she wants to ask.
"May feelings ka pa rin ba sa akin?"
He look at her, "Oo. Gusto pa rin kita."
"Kahit ilang taon na?" She continued to ask, tears falling down.
"Kahit dumating sa point na nahanap mo na ang para sa'yo." He answered, he still manage to smile.
"Kailan mo hahanapin yung sarili mo?" She suddenly ask.
Greggy shrugged, "Hindi ko alam, nawala ko din siya kasabay nang pagkawala mo sa akin."
"Sorry talaga..." She said again.
"Hayaan mo, pag graduate natin mag mo move on na ako." He assured.
Irene smile even she's crying, "Please! Para sa'yo."
He just nodded but he cupped her cheeks. "I love you."
"Sorry but I can't."
The day already come, the day where the real world start for the university student.
Greggy is smiling at his mom, "Greg naano ako sa ngiti mo ha, ano na naman kalokohan ginawa mo"
"Wala naman mom grabe ka naman sa akin hahahaha!" He just chuckled.
"Greg?" Irene called out, Greggy turn to see her.
"Congrats Irene!" He greeted.
"Congratulations!" A sweet smile.
Greggy smile, the smile without any love towards her. He only need a closure between the both of them, ipamukha sa kanya na wala talagang pag-asa.
The ceremony started with a light heart the claps and congratulations for them.
"Magna Cum Laude, from Bachelor of science in Civil Engineering—"
"Araneta, Gregorio Maria Benitez the third." Emma's eye widen when her son call as a Magna Cum Laude student.
Irene clapping hardly, "So proud of you Greg."
"Ikaw talaga lahat na lang nang title parang gusto mong kunin." Emma whispered.
Greggy chuckled, "May isa lang naman ako hindi makuha kuha." The title of being Irene's boyfriend.
"Marcos, Maria Victoria Romualdez." Ferdinand is accompanying her, "Summa Cum Laude."
The clap from different courses and their course excite her.
"Galing, galing talaga nang baby ko." Greggy chuckled he is just joking about it now.
They did get the degree and they even passed the licensure examination being on top notcher. They can do well without each other, and—
Finally Greggy already graduated from her.