#IHJADG1 Chapter 1
It's the beginning of my 2nd-year life of being a college student. My freshman journey is quite okay. Na-stress ako pero hindi umaabot sa punto na umiiyak ako. Since the day after tomorrow is the first day of school, nagpaalam na naman ako sa pamilya ko.
"Bye ma! Bye baby Arthur!" Agad kong binuhat si baby Arthur. Ngumiti lang siya na hindi niya alam na aalis na naman ako. Paano naman din niya maintindihan, 10 months pa ang bunso ko. Hahay bobo Sianna.
Sana hindi ako masyadong abala sa mga requirements tuwing kaarawan niya. Iiyak talaga ako kung hindi ako makapunta.
Pinabuhat ko na si Baby Arthur kay Mama at nagmano ako kay Mama.
"Bye Ma! Again," paalam ko at tumawa.
"Ingat ka ha?" Ngumiti si Mama at tinalikuran ko na siya. Magpahatid nalang ako sa driver namin kasi maraming ginagawa si Papa.
Our driver put my suitcase at the trunk of the car and I sat at the backseat. I rolled down the window and waved.
"Bye!! Ma at Arthur! Mwa!" Paalam ko ulit sabay flying kiss. Nagflying kiss din si Baby Arthur, ang cute talaga niya. Nagmana talaga sa Ate!
When he started the engine, I rolled the windows up again and wore my earphones.
Kumuha ako ng panyo sa bulsa ko at tinakpan sa mga mata ko. Hindi ko kayang hindi umiiyak. Last year, I really cried in front of my parents before departing but now I can manage without them knowing.
I live with my cousin's condo. Ate Ryleigh Gallentes. Her mother is my Mom's sister. We're not that close from the very beginning but we got to know each other more through those past months. Hindi naman ako mahirap pakaibiganin pero si Ate Ryleigh kasi ay medyo tahimik.
I can imagine her alone in the condo. It would be incredibly peaceful but then this girl right here arrived at her place. That's when everything's hyped.
"Thank you po Manong," I said after the driver helped me bringing the suitcase.
"Sige po Ma'am, aalis na po ako," he said and I happily waved at him. "Ingat po!" I said and went inside the building. I got on the elevator and I was about press the close button when there are three people running towards the elevator. I moved to the corner. I stared at those three people, that one particular guy seems very familiar to me.
"Kuya? Aiden?" The guy wearing a black shirt turned his head. My lips parted when I was actually right.
"Kuya!" I said and he was quite surprised too by my presence. "Uy! Sianna! Musta?" He gave me a side hug.
Ang dalawang tao na kasama niya ay napalingon din.
"Walang nagbabago sa akin Kuya, of course! Hindi ba ako binabalita ni Aya sayo tungkol sa akin?" Biro ko lang. I've known Kuya Aiden for too long, elementary pa ako, kilala ko na siya. Palagi din kaming pumupunta sa bahay ni Aya kaya magkikita rin kami.
"Busy eh, last year na namin ngayon sa college, trabaho na naman," he smiled. Ang gwapo talaga ni Kuya Aiden! No wonder crush ko talaga siya noon.
Hindi ko na tinuloy because I think I was too young for him. Happy crush nalang.
He tousled my hair and I gave him a soft glare. Sapagka't wala akong kuya kasi ate ang bumungad sa akin, eh bakit ba kasi pinakahuli lumabas si Arthur, oh well, basta parang kuya ko na si Kuya Aiden.
Surprisingly, we got off on the same floor. "Saan kayo pupunta?" Tanong ko kasi parang parehas lang ang dinadaan namin.
"We're going to our close friend," he said and I shook as my response.
Kumunot ang mga noo ko nang nakita ko ang babae na kasama nila pumunta sa harapan ng pinto ng unit Ate Ry.
Hindi na ako nagdadalawang-isip nagtanong kay Kuya. "Kilala mo si Ate Ry?" I said with my eyes widen.
Tumango siya, "I live in Ate Ry's condo! Pinsan niya ako!" I said with enthusiasm. Hindi ko kasi alam na barkada sila ni Ate Ry. I thought Ate Ry doesn't socialize with other people because I never saw her bringing people in the condo. Also, I don't often meet Ate Ry around the campus. There's only one time but she's alone.
Kuya Aiden's eyes widened. Pati ang mga dalawa niyang kaibigan ay napalingon din. "Ikaw pala yun!" Sabi niya.
Nakakunot ang noo ko. "Kinikwento ako ni Ate?"
"Oo naman, hindi niya lang sinabi ang pangalan. Palagi naman kami pumunta dito sa condo niya. I mean not often pero ganun din yun. Hindi siguro nagkasundo ang oras na 'tin," Aniya.
I sometimes went to a club with Aya. If the exam is approaching, I isolated my self in my room. That could be the reason kung bakit hindi magkatagpo ang oras nila sa pagpunta ng condo.
The girl pressed the doorbell button and Ate Ry opened the door.
"Hi!!" Bungad ng babae at yinakap si Ate Ry.
She eye-contact with the boys until she met my eyes. "Sianna!" She immediately went out and helped with my suitcase. "Ah! Okay lang Ate," I awkwardly smiled.
"Lorenzo, tulungan mo ang pinsan ko," she called the guy. When our eyes collided just for a few seconds, I was stunned by the guy's physical appearance. He is tall and chinito! Ang gwapo niya! Nagtagal ang mga titig ko sa mukha niya nang biglang nawala na siya sa paningin ko.
His name is Lorenzo, hmm interesting.
My day is blessed by the two handsome men! I saw him carrying my suitcase and put it beside the sofa.
"Thank you!" I grinned widely but he merely nodded and sat on the sofa.
I just shrugged and went to my room. Agad akong tumakbo patungo sa kama ko. "I miss you my bed!"
I grabbed my phone and chatted on our group chat. I still chat there even though Eimi is unavailable.
Si Aya din ay seenzone lang! Parang si Eimi 2.0 tsk!
Got back in the condo!
I sent a photo.
Seen by Aya
I put aside my phone and went outside to drink water. Nauuhaw na ako. When I stepped out of my room, they were chatting with a canned beer in their hands.
"Sianna, come here," Ate Ry gestured me to sit beside her. I followed her with a glass of water in my hand.
"Oh ngayon, nakita n'yo na talaga ang pinsan ko, Sianna magpapakilala ka," Ate Ry said and all of their gazes went to mine.
"Hi!! I'm Louissianna Madeline Mariano! Call me Sianna nalang," I said and winked. I purposely winked when my eyes were shifted to Lorenzo. He was taken aback by my actions but I just laughed.
"Hi! I'm Faye Arellano, nice to meet you," a graceful woman greeted me.
"And to this guy right here, ako nalang magsabi kasi hindi ito gaano gagamitin ang bunganga niya. He's Lorenzo Maiki Alcazar, by the way," Ate Faye continued.
"Alcazar? Hala! Tatay mo ba si Professor Alcazar?" Biro ko, tinutukoy ko lang ang professor namin nung 1st-year namin. First impression ko pa lang sa professor na yun ay hindi maganda.
He suddenly nodded his head. Natigilan ako sandali.
"TATAY MO?!" I unconsciously yelled. Nagulat lang ako kasi ang gwapo ni Lorenzo at mahinhin din. Ang layo talaga nila ni Lorenzo as in.
They were also startled by my abrupt response. "Hehe, sorry, po nabigla lang ako," I uneasily smiled at them.
"Si Professor Alcazar na nagtuturo sa Accountancy? Sa subject na financial accounting and reporting? Yung medyo mataas at nagsalamin?" Sunud-sunod kong sabi. Just to make sure, baka ibang professor ang tinutukoy niya.
He slowly nodded and my body froze.
"A-h ok-ay," I stuttered and looked away out of embarrassment.
Napapikit ako, bakit ganyan ang naging reaksyon ko? Nakakahiya sa harap nila! Baka isipin nila na hate ko si Professor Alcazar, totoo naman malapit niya akong binagsak at nasanay naman din ako sa ugali nun. Atleast, I was able to take a step forward in my college year.
"Ako! Kilala mo na ako syempre," singit ni Kuya Aiden.
We talked a lot of things and unexpectedly I got along with Ate Faye easily. She's a friendly person. "Ang ganda mo talaga Sianna!" Hindi ko na mabilang kung nakailan na niyang sinabi na maganda ako.
I just awkwardly laughed and changed the topic.
I went back to my room to get my phone and when I stepped out, I saw Lorenzo getting out of the CR.
I grinned widely at him but he returned me a startled face. "Hi! Ano nga ulit yung full name mo?" I only heard the Lorenzo and his surname Alcazar.
Kumunot ang noo niya. "Lorenzo Maiki—"
"Oo nga! Maiki!" I almost shouted.
"Tatawagin nalang kita ng Maiki? Kuya Maiki? Maiki? Kuya Lorenzo?" I teased him a little. Ang sarap niya kulitin kasi kahit anong tukso o biro ko sa kanya ay wala lang. Hindi ako kinakabahan kasi wala naman siyang pake.
"You can call me Lorenzo," he said.
"Maiki nalang! Mas cute!" I laughed at balak ko sana guluhin yung buhok niya kaso ang tangkad niya.
I opened my phone and walked first.
AYA!!! KASAMA KO ANG KUYA MO! GWAPO PAREN!
Aya: Naks naman, sa condo niyo?
Oo!! May kaibigan din siyang gwapo, chinito!
Aya: Ah! Si Kuya Lorenzo ba yun?
Kilala mo na siya?!
Aya: Oo matagal na
I don't want to talk about this through chat, kita nalang tayo bukas.
Aya: Okay ako dyan
"Patay ka sa akin Aya kung bakit hindi mo siya pinakilala sa akin noon," I mumbled under my breath.
———
We set a time for our meet today at a cafe. Medyo na-late ako kasi late ako gumising. Bakit hindi gumagana ang alarm sa phone ko?
"Sorry, Aya!! Late ako," I said with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry ka pa, gagawin mo pa naman ulit sa future," She said after sipping her coffee. I also ordered Latte and a sandwich. Hindi kasi ako kumain ng almusal.
"Huy Sianna! Eat a whole meal not a single sandwich," her brows were furrowed.
"Diet ako, okay?" Umirap ako pero bumalik ang tingin ko sa kanya nang naalala ko ang purpose of meeting her today.
"Tell me about Maiki," I said.
"Sino si Maiki?" Tumaas ang kilay niya.
"Si Lorenzo! Second name niya ang Maiki. I decided to call him Maiki because I find it cute," I grinned.
"Hoy, he's two years older than you, hindi ka mag kuya sa kanya?"
I pursed my lips and shrugged. "Okay lang naman sa kanya tawagin ko siya ng Maiki,"
"Eh kasi, mahinhin naman talaga si Kuya Lorenzo at hindi yan masyado magreklamo. Hindi ko pa nga nakitang nagalit siya o nainis,"
Tumili ako sa sinabi niya. I like those type of guys. Yung hindi sumasakit sa ulo at hindi arogante. "Aya, I think I like him,"