Napuno ng ingay ang buong lobby dahil sa mga estudyanteng mga kasama ko na excited na rin sa moving up ceremony. Napag-desisyunan ng Asplund na mairaos ang moving up ceremony ng mga Grade 10 students sa theater dahil kasya naman kami doon at hinahanda rin ang gym para sa mga graduating Senior High students.
Nang magbigay na ang hudyat ang isa sa mga guro namin, nagsimula na kaming mag-martsa patungo sa theater. Binigyan ko ng huling sulyap si mama sa tabi ko, na nginitian lang ako bago siya nawala sa paningin ko.
Kahit pa sinabing dapat tahimik kami pagpasok sa practice, rinig ko pa rin ang bulungan ng mga katabi ko hanggang sa mahanap na namin ang aming mga upuan.
Nanlamig ang mga kamay ko nang pagmasdan ang stage na puno ng dekorasyon at bulaklak. Sa gitna ay may nakahilerang upuan kung nasaan ang iilang mga pamilyar na guro at staff ng Asplund, at sa gitna ay nakaupo si Dean John Oliver Mendez, may isang matamis na ngiting nakaguhit sa labi nito.
Nagsimula ang seremonya mula sa mga mensahe ng mga guro at ni Dean. Ngiting-ngiti akong naghintay hanggang sa tawagin na ang section namin para isa-isa kaming bigyan ng diploma. Pumila ang lahat sa tabi ng stage, lalaki ang mauuna, at mga babae pagkatapos, na alphabetically ordered.
Ngiting-ngiti akong nag-hintay para matawag, pero mas na-exite yata ako para tawagin yung pangalan nina Allison.
"Mendez, Enrico D!" ngising-ngising tinanggap ng lalaki ang certificate, at binigyan nga siya ng magarbong palakpakan ng mga estudyante. Naantig naman ako sa itsura ni Dean na halatang napakasaya para sa kanya.
"Medina, Alexid Jenina P!" umakyat ako sa stage, pero gulat ng biglang magsi-palakpakan ang mga estudyante. Natawa pa ako ng makitang pilit silang sinusuway ng teacher sa babae na manahimik.
E wala, masaya kami ngayong araw na 'to!
"McGuire, Daryll P!" tulad ni Enrico, nakangisi rin itong tinanggap ang certificate, kasama ang hiyawan ng mga babae sa audience. Amp*ta.
"Rodriguez, Cosine T!" isa pa 'tong lalaking 'to na nakuha pang sumulyap sa'kin ay binigyan ako ng kindat! Kelan ko ba 'to tinuruan lumandi?!
"Sylvia, March Isidro S!"
"Torrealba, Aira C!" ang dalawang mag-bestfriend ay nabigyan rin ng magarbong palakpakan. Lalo na nang umakyat ulit ang dalawa para tanggapin ng kanilang mga academic award: Outstanding Leadership Award kay March as SSC JHS Vice President at Model Student Award kay Aira sa section nila.
Pero ang hindi ko talaga inaasahan, ay nang matawag ang pangalan ni Allison.
"Carpio, Allison Marcian A!"
Halos tumayo ang lahat ng nasa theater para bigyan siya ng magarbong palakpakan! Pero hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko nang makitang bigyan siya ng mabilis na yakap ni Dean Mendez. Pagkatapos noon, nakita ko pa siyang sumulyap sa mga estudyanteng nakatayo, a small smile playing on her lips.
Naulit pa 'yon noong umakyat muli siya ng stage para makatanggap ng mga academic awards: Excellence in TLE-ICT, Excellence in English, Excellence in Science, Excellence in Mathematics and Model Student Award.
Halos mapanganga ako sa dami ng natanggap niya. Umakyat siya sa stage with her mother, who looked so proud staring at her habang sinusuotan siya ng sangkatutak na medalya.
Allison looked back at the audience as if she was trying to remember it all. As if she would not be there after the ceremony. And it's true.
As part of the deal.
Noong araw ng deliberation niya, sinabi ni Alli na napag-usapan nila ang tungkol nga sa expulsion niya. I didn't know what came into Dean pero hindi na siya pinatawan ng expulsion ngayong ga-graduate na siya.
Pero pagkatapos niyang mag-move up, ay hindi na siya ulit pwedeng mag-aral pa sa Asplund.
Malalagay rin ang nangyari sa record niya, which was fine to her. Allison had always thought that she deserves it. Silang dalawa lang ni Dexter ang napatawan ng ganitong arrangement. Kaya pagkatapos ng deliberation ni Alli, I had come into the office to confess my wrongdoings, kahit pa si Daryll.
And in return, we both got the same deal.
Ganito rin ang kaso sa lahat ng gamechangers, except for Phoenix. And speaking of her, she got the Top Student award (and the rest of the academic awards that weren't mentioned) despite of everything.
Nalungkot naman ako dahil halos si Crisanto, Romulo at si Danielle lang ang um-attend sa ceremony. Kahit pa kaaway namin sila, alam ko na kahit papaano, pinahalagahan ni Phoenix ang naging pagkakaibigan nila. Sayang lang at dumating sila sa ganitong punto.
***
Piniling ituloy ni Allison ang Senior High niya sa Javier Fuenmayor University, ang school kung saan nag-aaral halos ang pamilya niya (like Leslie). Mas malapit rin 'yon sa bahay nila kaya 'yon na lang ang napili niya.
And with this, I decided to be with her and enroll at the same school. Gulat naman ako ng sumunod si Daryll. Pero mas nagulat ako ng sumunod si Cosine kahit pa hindi siya napatawan ng expulsion after Grade 10.
Ano bang meron sa'min ni Cosine? Ewan ko, pero mas naging close kami nang matapos ang Junior High. He started hanging out with me kapag may oras siya at pumupunta rin sa bahay for sometime. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa impluswensiya ko o tinuturuan ng walanghiyang Daryll pero mas normal na siyang kausap ngayon. Masyadong malaki ang pinagbago niya kumpara sa unang makilala ko siya.
Sa pagkakataon na 'yon, umamin na siya sa pagkagusto niya sa'kin (na hindi ko piniling ipilit sa kanya kahit alam ko). Sa totoo lang, I am already comfortable with his presence, kaya pinagbigyan ko siya.
Lumipat din ng ibang school si March at Aira. At ang tanging natira sa Asplund ay si Enrico, dahil sa hiling ng lolo nito, kahit umamin rin siya sa pinag-gagagawa niya't pinili na ring umalis sa Agila.
Nagkikita kaming lahat occasionally kapag nagkakataong pare-parehas kaming walang schedules. This time however, wala nang plinaplano, but we were just chill. Talking about the day, our schoolworks, our complaints.
Pero ikinabigla namin na nalaman ng iba ang pangyayari sa Asplund. I mean, the local newspaper and media. May mga naniwala, may mga hindi, pero nasisigurado nila na ang tanging mga taong nasa Asplund ang nakakaalam ng totoo.
Maraming nagbago sa mga oras ng Senior High namin. Tulad ni Cosine, lagi na ring bisita sa bahay ni Allison. Although she's still quiet to conversations, I can see the effort in her trying to converse. And I love her for it.
Lagi na rin niyang kasama si Daryll, and I don't know if he was influenced but he was more sweet towards us (specially Alli). I mean, sure, nag-aasaran pa rin silang dalawa ni Enrico pag nagkikita sila, pero nakikita ko na muli ang side niya na sa'kin lang niya pinapakita.
Like Alli, he was also slowly opening up to us.
***
Pero mas marami yatang nagbago noong tumapak na kami ng college. Mas nahirapan kaming magkita dahil sa conflicting schedules naming lahat. Halos minsan ay hindi ko na makausap sina March, Aira at Enrico for months. Pero naintindihan ko, we all have priorities and responsibilities now.
"Anong kukunin mong course, Alli?" tanong ko kay Alli ng minsang bumisita siya sa bahay kasama si Daryll at Cosine. Naglalaro ng chess ang dalawang lalaki sa sahig ng kwarto ko habang parehas kaming nasa higaan ni Alli, cuddling each other habang tinuturuan ko siyang maglaro ng isang MOBA game.
"Architecture." she answered nonchalantly.
"Wait, akala ko Computer Science?"
Tiningnan niya ako ng ilang segundo bago iyon binalik sa phone niya. "I may have the skill for it, but I want to follow what I want."
Wait, drawing pero Architecture? "Bakit hindi Multimedia?"
"I have a fascination on drawing buildings. How about you?"
Ako? What do I really want? Lumipad ang tingin ko sa mga papel na nakadikit sa corkboard ng study table ko. Most are drawings of places that I've always wanted to go to. Most of them aren't colored and perfect.
"...Architecture."
Bigla kong naramdaman ang awkward tension sa buong kwarto nang sabihin ko 'yon. Kahit pa hindi ako nakatingin sa kanila, alam kong nakatingin sa'kin ang dalawang lalaking kanina ay naglalaro.
They know that I might follow his footsteps. My father's footsteps.
"Well, I'll take Business." Si Daryll ang sumira ng katahimikan, and I'm f*cking glad he did.
"Pumipili pa rin ako between Political Science and Computer Engineering, there is a great 70% chance that I'll take the second option though." sabi ni Cosine.
In the end, kinuha nga namin ang mga pinagplanuhan naming course, and as if luck was on my side, naging kaming blockmates ni Alli! Noong senior high kasi, hindi kami nagkasama sa iisang section dahil mag-kaiba kami ng strand. She took ICT while I took HUMMS.
***
6 years.
I didn't know that we would need 6 years to finally achieve peace, let go of the past and heal.
Kahit pa naka-alis na'ko ng Asplund, what Danielle did to me traumatized me. Hindi ako ganoon kabilis na makalimot, lalo na sa ganoong kaseryosong bagay. They took advantage of me just because she's jealous, and got away with it because of power.
Fortunately, with the help of my newfound friends (and long-time psychologist), I'm glad that I slowly healed. Hindi ko masasabing nakalimot na'ko, but I had accepted what happened, and glad that I fought for it.
Masakit bang isipin na hindi ko siya kinasuhan dahil sa ginawa niya? Of course, pero okay na'ko sa naging kaso niya with Dexter. She was a direct accomplice kaya nasali siya sa kaso. Wala na akong naririnig sa kanya mula pa noong lumipat ako ng school.
It was the same situation for Alli. Maaaring hindi niya sinasabi ang 'lahat' ng nangyari noong bata pa siya, I got the hint of what happened to her after being close with her relatives. Halata rin naman 'yon with her wounds, and her interactions she had with her father.
Sa isang ward pala nag-iistay ang tatay niya after the mansion incident. Lagi naming sinasamahan si Alli na bumisita sa kanya, but would wait for her outside for privacy para magkausap sila. With the improving condition of him every year, this greatly helped her.
"Whatcha thinking?" naputol ang pag-iisip ko nang marinig ang boses ni Daryll sa harapan ko. Hindi ko na namalayang kanina pa pala ako nakatitig sa dagat na nasa harapan ko, mesmerized by the hue of the sea waves crashing against the sand.
"Wala. Just chilling." Kinuha ko ang can ng Sprite na nasa table at uminom mula rito. "Si Cosine?"
Daryll rolled his eyes. "He's trying to get platters of food from the hut where the Arguello's are to bring here, and trust me you don't wanna go there 'cause you'll only laugh with his tomato red face from the interrogation he's getting."
Naiimagine ko pa lang 'yon pero natawa na nga ako. He always looks cute as f*ck when blushing.
"Si Alli?"
He smiled and did not even answer when she appeared behind his back, her body wet from swimming. Good thing she had decided to wear rash guard because I could already sense Daryll's eyes behind her. The wet suit accentuated her muscles that she doesn't usually flex because in her words- 'it doesn't matter'.
Hanggang titig na lang talaga ako.
"Sina Enrico?"
I shrugged. "Not sure. Nag-enjoy yata sa scuba diving."
Bago pa maituloy ni Alli ang sasabihin, ay dumating si Cosine. Hawak hawak nito ang dalawang plastic bag na punong puno ng mga plato ng pagkain. Agad siyang umupo sa tabi ko, at isinandal ang ulo sa balikat ko. Tulad nga ng nasabi ni Daryll, nakita ko ang pamumula ng mukha niya.
"Alli, pinapatanong ni Leslie kung na'san daw si Allena. Papuntahin na daw dun sa kubo nila." sabi nito kay Alli na tumingin sa kanya matapos magtipa sa phone.
"She's on her way. I'll text Leslie to let her know."
"Ang saya ng walang pasok!" sigaw ni Aira, at pumasok nga sa kubo ng bigla-bigla. Sumunod sa kanya si March at Enrico na ngiting-ngiti rin. "Uy, salamat talaga Alli sa pag-invite ha!"
Ngumiti si Allison. "It's their whole idea. I just had the right to invite anyone I want."
Kahit pa 'their' lang ang tawag ni Allison sa mga Arguello, but I can't help but thank them for the long week vacation they've planned this summer. Lalo na't pagkatapos nito, not long after, ay tatapak na kami sa 4th year namin sa college.
Kung sa amin nina Cosine at Alli ay hindi pa 'yon ang katapusan, si Daryll ay ga-graduate na nga next year dahil sa kinuha nitong course na Business Administration na 4 years lang. Pati rin si Enrico na Information Technology course ang kinuha at ang dalawa na nagparehas na Psychology.
Nagsikain na kami ng handa na nasa table at nagkamustahan sa sari-sariling mga buhay, lalo na kina Enrico, March at Aira na sobrang malimit na naming makita. Nagtawanan kami sa mga kwento nila, and praised them for how far they've come.
"Okay ka lang ba? Sabi kanina ni Daryll pinag-kaisahan ka don ng mga Arguello? You looked pale!" natatawang tanong ko sa kanya. May kaniya-kaniyang mga usapan na kami kaya naisipan ko nang itanong ang tungkol sa kanina.
Ngumiwi ang lalaki sa tabi ko. "They've asked me several questions about Alli and you. They're really kind but intimidating. Too intimidating..."
"Atleast, Cos, mas malala pa yung pinakilala kita kina Mama." Kita ko ang pagbabago ng itsura niya nang sabihin ko 'yon. P*nyeta, 'di ko na mapigilang tumawa!
Pinakilala ko si Cosine kina Mama noong second year kami. After months of pursuing, sinagot ko rin siya. He didn't really have the time to prepare for sh*t just to ask me to be his girlfriend. What happened was, I suddenly called him in the middle of the night just to tell him what I feel.
Noong una, natakot talaga ako. Kahit pa kasi magkakilala kami ni Cosine, there is still the trauma, and the fact that I really didn't have any experience with serious relationships. He also isn't my ideal type to be honest. I wouldn't say he isn't good looking, but he isn't one of those types to swoon for. He's just... simple.
But I fell because of his constant efforts of showing care and love for me. Nandiyan sa lagi whenever I feel down, and he surprises me with all the thigngs about himself that I never knew about.
Like me, he isn't also that showy (he's shy about it), but I couldn't care less, 'cause he always has a way to show and feel.
Halos hindi siya makapagsalita noong kausapin siya nina Mama and Papa. Surprisingly, they had decided to do this. Fortunately, it turned out well. Not for Cosine's tomato face though.
Nabalik ako sa katinuan ang bigla akong makaramdam ng dampi sa pisngi. Gulat akong napatingin kay Cosine na may maliit na ngiti sa labi.
Aba p*nyeta nagnakaw ng halik.
"Sana all!" biglang sabi ni Aira kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. Ngayon ko pansin na ang mga mata pala nila'y nakapokus na sa'min.
"Whipped." rinig ko pang bulong ni Daryll kahit hindi nakatingin sa'kin. Kala mo naman hindi whipped kay Alli!
Mas ikinagulat ko yata na malaman ang balitang sila na ngayong summer. It was around the last month, so they're still taking things slow. I don't really know how it all happened, considering they sometimes go out together, I call it special outing since hindi sila nagsasabi kung anong ginagawa nila o pinag-usapan man lang.
Daryll was true to his words about liking Alli. It was good that they did not rush everything, although I can sense that they already liked each other since they've kissed on the night she got stabbed. They were private about each other, hindi nagsasabi kahit kanino kung ano bang meron sa kanila (unless you ask them yourselvses).
I'm glad that they're together though. Kahit pa 'di nila sabihin, I could see the little things between them. The smiles, gestures. Daryll changed a lot, knowing someone accepts him wholeheartedly. Like me, walang ginawang bongga si Daryll para mapasagot siya. All he did was wait, kahit pa may pag-asa ring hindi siya sagutin ni Alli.
He went into a risk, that I don't usually see him do.
Pagkatapos kumain ng lahat, ay nagdecide ang iba na I-try ang banana boat o mag-jetski. Kahit pa marami pa kaming natitirang araw dito, we want to enjoy what is given to us. Nakisama rin kami ang had fun for the whole day.
Noong mag-sunset, napili naming apat nina Alli, Daryll at Cosine na mag-stay sa dalampasigan para panoorin ang dagat. Nakaupo kaming apat sa buhangin, watching the waves slowly hit the sand. The smell of sea salt lingering, the sound of the water calming our nerves.
Napaka-tahimik tuloy bigla.
And times like this, it makes you think and reminisce. In my case, I had remembered how things went during our time in our 10th grade. Masyadong magulo. It was an experience that I want to forget but at the same time, I want to remember.
We were just kids back then. Wala talaga kaming alam sa ginagawa namin dahil gusto lang namin maging payapa at masaya. Nagdesisyon agad kami ng hindi iniisip ang magiging kapalit para lang maging masaya.
"Do you all want some drinks?" Putol ni Daryll sa gitna ng katahimikan na 'yon. Doon ko pa lang napansin na nakahilig paa sa balikat nito si Alli, her eyes closed.
"You know mine." Bulong ng babae bago bumukas ang mga mata nito't ibinalik sa dagat.
"Lemonade na lang, beh!" I mustered up the highest pitched voice I could do, making them all three laugh at me. Daryll had rolled his eyes and stood up. Sumama sa kanya si Cosine, leaving me with Alli.
Looking at her, she was the one who changed a lot. From her clothes, to her beliefs, the girl had come out of her shell. Sure, tahimik pa rin siya, but she's more open to us. And the smile on her lips, that I always love to see.
Finally, I could finally see her smile.
"Masaya ka ba, Alli?" Tanong ko sa kanya.
"Very." Mas lumapad ang kaninang ngiti niya.
"Sa tingin mo ba magiging okay pa rin tayo sa mga susunod pang taon?" Hindi ko alam kung 'san galing ang mga tanong na 'yon, but seeing her the happiest felt different.
"I can assure you that there will be times that we will not be... but it won't be as chaotic as before." I chuckled at her.
"What if someone tries to break this peace again?"
This time, she turned her head to me. Her lips already curved into a smirk, but her eyes... her eyes suddenly bear the same glint that I used to see whenever we plan an attack against gamechangers. The same eyes that was determined to get Evan's justice.
"Then we already know what to do."
Even before we met, the students called her with so many things... She was... Brave. Idiot. Kind. Stupid. Crazy. Attention-seeker. Smart.
But she's Allison. The girl who fought for justice. The girl who had helped me fight. The girl who was that friend of mine.
She maybe a Carpio and Arguello, but even without the surname that was her nightmare...
She's royalty herself.