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“Kumusta ang lakad mo?” tanong ng kanyang mamang.
Inilapag niya ang hawak na folder saka kumuha ng tubig. Ang init sa labas.
“Ayos naman. Kailangan ko na lang raw i-follow up," sagot niya.
“Kumain ka na ba?”
Tumango siya. “Tapos na, mang.”
Parang kailan lang nang magsimula ang taon. Ngayon ay papalapit na naman magtapos. For Lila, her life went back to normal. Normal means boring, regular day to day life. Papasok sa umaga, lectures, reporting, recits, quizzes at maya't mayang term paper. Sa hapon ay duty pagkatapos ng lunch. Maglilinis ng librong nakakalat, magtatala ng mga data at uuwi sa gabi.
As for Ewan, they remained civil. He didn't bother her ever since that outburst outside Gustavio which bothered her instead. Shane wasn't talking about him anymore which only made her curious that she sometimes wish that Shane would slip his name and talk about him.
Nahihibang na yata siya. Lalo na nang mapadalas ang pang-iistalk niya sa account nito. There's nothing new. Ni walang stories na naka-post. Is he that busy? Nalilito siya sa sarili. Now, that she got what she wished for, she didn't know what to do.
Ngayong hindi na siya kinukulit ng lalaki, siya naman ang napapaisip lagi. One time, she purposely pass near CE building. Kinain niya lang ang pangako niya noon sa sarili. But she really saw him.
“Hi," bati niya, almost too enthusiastically.
“Hi," ika nito.
“S-sige.”
She walked passed him.
“Lila...” he called and she turned around in an instant.
“Bakit?” tanong niya.
He paused to think for a second but then he shook his head.
“Wala. May tournament kami pero baka busy ka.” He pursed his lips.
Tumango siya saka sinabing, “Una na ‘ko.”
Nang makalayo siya ay agad niyang tinuktukan ang sarili.
“Ang tanga mo, Lila," inis niyang bulong.
How hard can it be? Talking to him like they usually do. Ang dali lang naman makipag-usap ngunit natatameme siya kanina. It's just that Ewan's always the first one who initiates the talk. It's never her. She realized that now. She must've sucked so bad, she thought. Small talk lang hindi niya pa magawa nang maayos.
“Pupunta ka sa sem-ender?” tanong ni Shane
Tinutukoy nito ang party after finals.
“Oo...” she replied.
“Makikipagbati ka na?” Tinaasan siya nito ng kilay.
She smiled. “Parang gano’n.”
“I think, I’m ready to cross that line," she added.
“Naks!”
Pareho silang naglakad sa kahabaan ng library habang tulak-tulak niya ang kart. Si Shane naman ang tagakuha ng mga libro na iniwan ng mga estudyante.
“Paki-sampal ako kay Quinn," ika nito.
Tumawa siya. “Baliw. Akala ko may iba ka na?”
It's been quite some time. Akala niya ay hindi agad magiging okay ang kaibigan. That slap was really hard. Akala niya Shane would not take it well but she was wrong. Lila is happy that she's doing fine.
“Oo naman. Hindi pwedeng wala akong date sa party," anito.
“Tsaka costume party ‘yon, ha. Pwede na ‘yong white dress mo.”
Napasimangot na lamang siya sa sinabi nito. She really planned to go to that party. Even if it means that she have to go out of her comfort zone. If it means to finally reconcile with him.
She decided to opt for an easy costume. Hindi niya alam kung fairy o angel ba ang ang suot niya. Basta may pakpak siya. She wore a dress and curled her hair a little. She also put a light make up, the thing she spent almost a day just to master.
“Nasaan ka na? Hindi ka ba pupunta?” Shane is on the other line.
“Teka lang. Inaayos ko pa ‘yong pakpak ko. Nasira kasi.”
“Dalian mo," reklamo nito.
Kung kailan nagmamadali siya ay doon pa sumagi ang kanyang pakpak sa isang matulis na metal. Kinailangan niya pa tuloy ipagdikit gamit ang tape. When she felt satisfied, nagmadali na siyang umalis.
On her way, she spotted someone familiar. A man in red suit, it seems like he had some sort of weapon on his back. Hindi siya nagkakamali, it's him. Napatigil siya saka lumapit. But then she saw another woman. They looked too close.
What are they doing?
And what is she doing hiding behind a bush?
She saw the lady inching closer to him. Even with her silhouette, Lila knew that the lady was beautiful. Napaisip siya kung anong laban niya. Is it too late for her? Ang bilis naman yata nitong makalimot? But she can't blame him. It looks like she's the only one overly thinks and feels everything.
Lila was about to walked away but them some ants bit her leg.
“Aray! Aray!” Napatakbo siya.
Nakita siya ng dalawa, parehong gulat sa kanyang ginagawa. They eyed her. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata.
“Lila?” He realized that it was her.
Agad siyang yumuko. “Hala sorry! Wala akong nakita!” she exclaimed and she ran as fast as she can.
“Lila, sandali!” Hinabol siya nito.
Napatigil siya dahil mahapdi pa rin ang kagat ng mga langgam.
“Bumalik ka na do’n," pagtataboy niya dito.
“Bumalik saan?” tanong nito.
Saan pa nga ba?
She sighed. “Doon sa babae mo.”
Nagmamaang-maangan pa ito. Alam niya namang gusto iyon ng lalaki. He can score on that girl if he really wants to, she shouldn't care at all.
He grinned suddenly. “Wala nga ako no’n eh.”
“Di ako bulag.” Inirapan niya ito.
If she didn't interrupt, they would probably be kissing and kissing right now. And what is it with her? Hindi niya alam kung saan nanggagaling ang inis niyang nararamdaman ngayon.
“Di mo man lang ba tatanungin kung si Spiderman ba ako o si Deadpool?” He raised both of his brows.
She didn't answer so he did a lot of poses. Kinuha pa nito ang dalawang katana mula sa likod. He started swinging it acting in character. She pursed her lips suppressing a laugh. He's really out of his mind, she thought.
“Hindi ako nagbibiro," singhal niya.
Tumawa ito. Palakas nang palakas.
“Ba’t ka tawa nang tawa? Baliw ka na ‘no?”
He then stopped and scratched his head. Pareho silang naiilang na nakatayo. Ewan tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at her.
“Kung ganyan ka nang ganyan, hindi ko maiiwasang isipin na may feelings ka sa’kin at nagseselos ka kanina. Pero wala ka namang nararamdaman, diba?” he asked as if taunting her.
“Gusto ko lang makipag-bati," she told him.
Ngumisi ito. “Matik na ‘yon. Malakas ka sa’kin eh.”
“What happened to that?” Tukoy nito ang kanyang pakpak.
Napahawak siya dito. “Nasagi matulis na ano sa bahay," she explained.
He beamed and said, “It must have hurt to fall from the sky.”
“Korny mo!” she exclaimed but her laugh gave it away.
Napatingin ito sa cellphone.
“Huwag na tayong pumasok?” he said.
She nodded and replied, “Sure.”
Naglakad-lakad sila hanggang sa narating ang garden. They sat on the fountain. Both of them looking too different from each other. He's some kind of superhero and she's an angel or fairy of some sort whose had a broken wings. They really shouldn't be together. But oddly, their shadows fit together. Pinagmasdan niya ang repleksyon ng buwan mula sa tubig na nanggagaling sa fountain. The flow of the water and the cicadas in the corner formed a certain kind of melody.
“Alam mo ‘yong story ng dead stars?” he asked.
Napatunghay ito.
“Yeah. Nabasa ko na ‘yon.” She nodded.
“Pero nakakatuwa pa rin isipin at nakakalungkot.”
Napatingin siya dito at nagtama ang kanilang mga mata.
“The light of a star will continue to travel until it reaches its destination even in its death. Ang hiwaga lang pakinggan.”
She can't help but smile. He's right, it really does wonder.
“Sino ba ang Language major dito? Ba’t ang dami mong figure of speech sa katawan?” She let out a chuckle but he didn't even grin.
“Sa’yo lang naman ako ganito. Ikaw lang naman nakakapagpaganito sa’kin," he uttered.
“Ewan...”
He held her hand and brushed his fingers on her knuckles.
“Lila, you only need to ring me three times.”
Siya ay napatunghay sa kalangitan. It a cloudless night, a cold one. She can actually hear the faint sound of music inside the hall. Ngunit wala sa isip niya ang pumunta doon. She didn't even get to see its 'glory' but it didn't matter. Hindi naman iyon ang pinunta niya. She stared at his peaceful gaze. Maybe, it's not too soon anymore, she thought.
Wala nang pasok kaya naman full time niyang tinutulungan ang kanyang Mamang sa bahay. Isang araw ay nag-general cleaning sila sa bahay at namili ng mga bagong gamit sa kusina. Siya rin ang katulong nito sa paghahatid ng mga halaman. Marami ang orders ngayon lalo pa at may libreng ratan ang house plants na binibenta nila.
Nag-volunteer siyang maglinis sa linya ng mga halaman na ngayon ay wala nang laman. Nakita niya ang natirang Calathea sa gilid. Ang puting pattern ng dahon ay kapansin-pansin sa gitna ng pagiging kulay luntian nito. Bakit hindi ito ipinagbili? Maganda naman ang paglaki nito. Alagang-aga pa nga nila.
“Mang?” tawag niya.
“’Nak?”
“Pwedeng akin na lang ‘to?” tanong niya habang hawak ang halaman. Lumapit ito saka tinignan ang hitsura nito.
“ ’Yan? May mas maganda pa doon sa likod. Ibibigay mo ba?”
“Sana...” she trailed off. Kinuha niya ang Calathea saka nilinisan at inilagay sa ratan. Ginawan niya ng ribbon at nilagyan ng card. Magugustuhan kaya ito ng taong iyon?
“Tao po!” Lumabas siya para tignan. Nakita niya ang driver ng isang delivery company.
“Sino sila kuya?” tanong niya.
“Dito ba ang bahay ni Lila Cornelia Javier?”
“Opo, bakit?” She nodded. Lumapit siya habang nilalabas nito ang isang parcel.
“Paki-pirmahan na lang.”
Pumasok siya sa loob bitbit ang isang box. Medyo may kabigatan iyon.
“Ano ‘to...” bulong niya.
Agad siyang pumunta sa kusina at naghanap ng kutsilyo para buksan ang package.
The girl who pierced through my eyes...
Iyon ang nakalagay sa isang maliit na note. Nakasilid pa ito sa brown paper roll, wrapped and knotted around by a jute twine. Na-excite siyang makita ang laman. Ingat na ingat niyang buksan ito dahil ayaw niyang mapunit ang balot.
It's a book. Something fall off the floor. Kinuha niya iyon. Pamilyar ito. Class picture niya 'to noon. Tanda niya pa ang maroon nilang uniporme. Binasa niya ang nakadikit na note sa likuran.
Who would’ve thought that the two of us have already met in pre-school? Ikaw ‘yang naka-bangs on the far left, right? Nag-away tayo noon. I can’t forget the look on that girl’s face when she threw that pencil to my eyes. The horror and chills.
She bit her lip. That was him? Hindi niya rin malilimutan ang araw na iyon. Pinagsisihan niya ang ginawa. Talagang wala pa siyang kontrol sa sarili. Tanda niya lang ang nakakainis na ngisi ng batang iyon. It was him after all.
Kidding aside, it must have been some kind of premonition back then and that day when I saw you again.
Merry Christmas, Lila ko...