"Hey, you know i have this latest version of the super sikat paris-made perfume.."
Paris? Parang sa kanto lang kung banggitin nila ah? Nako. Napakaganda pala talaga ng school na 'to. Tama nga yung mga kaibigan ko. Sa bagay, nakakapanghinayang din kung pakakawalan ko pa pagkakataon kong makapag-aral dito! Kaya lang... Kaya ko bang mabuhay dito?
"Excuse me, are you new here?"
Tinatanong niya ako kung bago raw ako dito. Ingles ba ang isasagot ko?
"Ahhhm, Y-y-y... Ahh oo. Ikaw?"
Ayokong mag-english.
ABA! Filipino naman siguro sya kaya maiintindihan niya rin kung anong isasagot ko.
"Actually, me too eh. By the way, Mika Reyes. And you?"
Wow. Ang tangkad tangkad naman niya. Sanay kasi akong ako na ang pinakamatangkad sa amin eh.
"Victonara Galang"
Inabot niya yung kamay niya. Nakakahiya naman, punong puno ng pawis yung sa akin pero baka akalainin naman niya suplada ako kapag hindi ako nakipag-shake hands.
"So... Victor----ania..."
"Ah. Hindi. Victo-----nara. Vic na lang para madali."
"Ow, sorry my mistake. Vic, nice meeting you. I'll go ahead. See you around then."
"Ah sige, bye. Ingat."
Grabe. Nakaka-starstruck pala ang mga tao dito. Ang gaganda! Ang kikinis pa kamo. Halatang halata na laking maynila. Kumbaga, tubong Maynila na talaga! Kilos at Itsurang Manilenya! Teka. Teka. Parang ang tagal ko na ata dito, anong oras na ba?
"Nako. Victonara, sa lahat ng makakalimutan... Relo pa!"
Naiinis ako sa sarili ko. Napakamakakalimutin ko! Saan kaya ang orasan dito?
"Bro, it's 9am na. I can't be late. Hey, why call up this early? Yes, we do have a serious training later. Alright. Concentrate sa mindset. we need to win this season's title, remember that!
Blessing-in-disguise ang pagiging loud speaker mode ni kuya habang may kausap sa phone niya. In fairness, ang hula rito atleta rin 'to eh. Ano kayang sports ang sinasalihan niya?
Saglit ngaaa...
9? 9AM? Lintik.
Ayokong malate sa first class ko!!!! Elevator, bilisan mo naman. Nagmamakaawa ako! Hindi ko na kaya, MAGHAHANDAN NA LANG AKO! Exercise din to...
"2nd... 3rd... 4th... 5th... Isa na lang! Yes! 6th."
Eto na nga ata ang room ko. This is it! Kumukulo ang tiyan ko!!! Nakakakaba. Nangangatog ako sa nerbyos.
1...2...3...ayan nakapaasok ka na, ara. Kaya mo yan! Ngumiti ka lang. Matatapos din yan.
"Vic? Vic! I see we are on the same class. We met earlier... At the lobby, remember?
OO. Naalala kita, pero naiwan ko ata ang memorya ko sa hagdan eh. Hindi ko maalala ang pangalan mo, ineng!!!
"I'm mika, if you don't remember... Sit here, beside me oh."
"Oo nga pala. Sorry ah. Napagod kasi ako sa pag-akyat ng hagdan eh."
Hindi ko mapigilan ang hingal ko. Sus! Nakakahiya, para akong binuhusan ng isang balde ng pawis kahit na de-air con naman dito!
"OM... Seriuosly, naglakad ka? Bat hindi ka nag-elev?"
Nag-abot siya ng tissue galing sa pink pouch niya. Sa totoo lang, may panyo naman ako pero nakakahiya naman kung tanggihan ko, diba?
"Thanks! Akala ko kasi late na ako eh."
Ngumiti siya sa akin na parang may sasabihin pa, pero biglang dumating yung prof kaya natigilan ang lahat sa mga kanya-kanyang ginagawa.
"Okay. Let me introduce myself...."
Biglang nagbukas yung pintuan at pumasok ang isang lalaking... Nakita ko na kanina? Ahah! Si kuya loud-speaker!
"I am really really sorry, sir."
"Name? Give me your name."
"Jeron Teng, sir."
Ang galing! May lahing chinese siguro to. Sabi nga nung mga taga-sa-amin, karamihan nung mga nag-aaral dito hindi purong pinoy. Big time!
Siguro alam ko na kung bakit late siya. Kasi... Naghintay siya ng matagal para makasakay at makisiksik sa elebeytor. Kaya tama yung desisyon kong maghagdan. Tsk. Tsk. Good dyab!
"Dude, is there anyone sitting beside you?"
DUDE? Ako? Ako ba yung tinatanong niya?
Nako. Awkward naman nito. Baka mapahiya kung sasagot ako tapos hindi pala ako yung tinatanong.
"So i think, there's none noh?"
Ara. Ngiti. Ngiti. Ngiti.
"Hi. I think i saw you kanina. You kinda look familiar. By the way, Jeron Teng."
Inabot niya yung kamay niya! SHOCKS! Ayan nanaman ang basang basa kong kamay!
"Victonara Galang... Pero vic na lang"
JERON'S POV
i can't be late. This can't be happening. Wait, nagvavi-vibrate yung phone ko... Look who's calling?
Thom Torres? SERYOSO?
"Bro, it's 9am na. I can't be late. Hey, why call up this early? Yes, we do have a serious training later. Alright. Concentrate tayo sa mindset natin. we need to win this season's title, remember that! Bye."
Oh i see someone who seems interesting. Is she a he or is he a she? A lesbo or a gay? Wait. Wait. Wait. By the way she acts, panigurado late na rin to. Paano ba 'yan, i think I should be making new friends na. If you're not informed, ako lang naman ang MR. FRIENDSHIP sa amin... So... let's start with him (?) her (?) IT (?)
...A very soft kalabit would be perfect...
*Soft Kalabit
"Hi... I see you..."
okay. Hindi niya naramdaman. Umalis na siya. So ngayon, wala na siya. Jeron, pahiya now, bawi later. Wala namang nakakakita, diba? But where is she going? No way. Is she serious? Stairs? Wrong move dude.
It took me several decades para lang makasakay sa elev! Then, all i have now is a minute to open the door and let myself be excused from being late. Badtrip. I hope wala pa yung prof kundi...
"I am really really sorry, sir"
that's all i can say. SORRY.
"Name? Give me your name"
Too early to have a record but...
"Jeron Teng, sir"
That gender-confusing, snobish creature is my classmate? Oh this seems to be a lucky day for me except for the fact na late ako. OKAY. LATE AKO. LATE. Late ako...
There are so many vacant seats pa in this room but i want the closest chair to her... him? Basta... SIYA. period.
"Dude, is there anyone sitting beside you?"
HEY! I am starting a convo here. Reply please. Why cant i make you have at least a single reply! Nakakahiya na, everybody's looking at me. Okay. I quit.
"So i think, there's none noh?"
Quitting is definitely not a part of me. Push ko to hanggang we'll be able to share info.
"Hi. I think i saw you kanina. You kinda look familiar. By the way, Jeron Teng
Don't tell me you don't have a name. Be reasonable, I'm waiting for your answer.
"Victonara Galang... Pero vic na lang"
At last, she replied back. Ang tipid ah. Isang tanong isang sagot?
Now, i know that she's a he not a he who's acting like a she.
"So may i ask, where are you from?"
What a non-sense question!
"Pampanga."
Saan 'yon? Yung madaming farms and carabaos?
"With your height, i guess you're an athlete. Tama ba?"
CHANGE TOPIC. I don't know anything about Pampanga.
*Silence*
SERIOUSLY, ang hirap magmaintain ng convo na ikaw lang ang nagsasalita.
Okay, she just smiled. Do i look like a gangster? She's obviously avoiding my eyes.
"so... What sports are you in?"
Track-in-field? Table Tennis? BASKETBALL?
"Volleyball..."
OOOPSSS. Certainly, forgot that.
Just try asking me anything. And i'll be...
"ikaw?"
...SPEECHLESS
*After a minute or two of perfect silence
"Hmmm, ME? I'm into playing Basketball... Is this your first class?"
Naubusan ako ng itatanong.
"Oo eh."
Will this be the end of our convo? NO, PLEASE?
"Btw, since were classmates in this subject. If you don't mind, can i get your number?"
Prankahan na 'to!
Hindi ako maniac or something. And i also know she's not into me. Its for academic purposes only. Swear.
*She accepted my phone and quickly entered her number
WOW. Astig! Without any word, she entered her number sa phone ko! You're extremely cool! This makes me so curious, more curious about you.