If someone would ask him how his summer went, baka hindi niya ito masagot in details. The first five days of his vacation had been fun. Hindi pa rin makalimutan ni Ken ang paghalik ni Ahn sa pisngi niya. Pinipigilan niya ang sariling mag-message dito araw-araw habang nasa states ito. Ayaw kasi niyang ma-overwhelm ito.

Nang umuwi ito ay nagkita agad sila. Kasama nila si Iya because his ninong asked his twin to keep an eye on them. So, wala silang choice. Ibinigay ni Ahn sa kanila ang pasalubong nito. To Iya, a scarf of golden orange and maroon, colors of the Gryffindor house. Sa kanya naman, yung Every Flavoured Beans. Parehong galing sa Orlando, Florida.

--

Nakahanda na lahat ng gamit nila for college the day before. Maaga silang natulog na magkapatid, which was hard, given na halos hindi sila makatulog sa sobrang excitement.

Iya woke up at five in the morning. Alas syete pa lang ay papasok na sila ni Ken. Orientation ng mga freshmen saka kukuha sila ng schedule. Ang ibinigay kasi sa kanila noong enrollment ay puro tentative pa.

The smell of his new car was a bit overwhelming. Amoy bagong-bago. Parang kabubukas na libro. That's why she sprayed her perfume all over it, which drove Ken mad, kasi ayaw nito ng pabango niya.

"Ihahatid ba natin si Ahn?" tanong niya sa kakambal.

Ken shook his head. "Pinagbawalan ako ni ninong."

"Ayan, ikaw kasi!"

"Ano na namang ginawa ko?" he asked sternly. "I wasn't the one who kissed her."

Naalala niya noong kinwento nito sa kanya ang ginawa ni Ahn. Ken's face couldn't get any redder. She had to take a photo for remembrance. Ipinost niya iyon sa Facebook and her ninong commented on it. She didn't tell him na dahil iyon sa ginawa ng anak nitong paghalik sa pisngi ng kapatid niya. Her ninong would go crazy for sure. Ayaw nya nitong pahawakan si Ahn, pahalikan pa kaya? It doesn't help that she initiated the act.

"Kahit na. Sabi naman ni ninong sa 'yo, di ba? Take it slow. Three years mong paghihirapan si Ahn."

"Sabi rin kasi ni ninong, bakuran ko raw. E ano na ba talaga ang gagawin ko?"

She shrugged. Hindi rin niya alam. Ang hirap kasi ng M.U., parang may karapatan sila pero wala naman talaga. At kapag may isang nag-pull out from the M.U. stage, hindi na makarereklamo yung isa, kasi hindi naman binding ang M.U.

Ipinarada ni Ken ang sasakyan sa parking lot ng university at saka sila nagpunta sa malaking function hall na nasa pinaka-sentro ng school. Katabi lang ng school nila ang high school, elementary at prep. Kumbaga, iisang school lang sila, hinati lang sa dalawang community. Hindi allowed ang mga college students na makihalubilo sa mga nakababatang estudyante and vice versa, pwera na lang kung may okasyon.

May mahabang pathway sa gitna ng dalawang community at may identical walls naman sa tigkabila nito. May mga puno ring nakahanay sa tigkabilang side ng pathway. The walls are high enough to prevent anyone from trespassing. Halos hanggang dibdib niya ang sementadong parte nito tapos from chest up, about another five feet high, ay yung parte naman ng grills.

Tanda niya dati, kapag nasa bandang tabi sila ng wall, may mga college students na nagha-hi sa kanya mula sa kabila.

Halos kalahati na sa kabuuang bilang ng seats ang occupied. Karamihan sa mga kagaya nilang first years ay nakaupo sa bandang huli.

"I think I'm a bit overdressed," she told her twin. Naka-Sunday dress siya at wedged heels. Ang dami pa niyang burloloy sa katawan. Una niya iyong napansin. Karamihan kasi sa mga nandoon ay naka-jeans lang at blouse or shirts.

"Okay lang yan, hindi lang naman ikaw," Ken replied. He pointed at some girls who were walking in the middle aisle. Parang characters out of Mean Girls movie ang mga ito. Naka-sunglass pa ang babaeng nasa gitna.

Kung gusto ng mga ito ng atensyon, then wish granted. Lahat ng mga estudyante ay nakasunod ang tingin sa mga ito.

"Saan tayo uupo?" tanong niya sa kakambal.

"Sa bandang unahan."

She nodded and walked with him. Napansin niyang sa kanila naman napunta ang tingin ng mga estudyante. Kumapit siya sa braso ni Ken.

"Ken, nakatingin sila sa 'tin," puna niya.

"Hayaan mo sila."

She's used to having people's eyes on them. Ganoon kasi sa high school. Siguro karamihan ng mga kasama nila sa orientation ay galing sa kabila kaya kilala sila ng mga ito. Pero iba na kasi ngayon. Wala na sila sa high school. College na sila. It's a different ground. Parang Hunger Games. Survival of the fittest.

Nakahinga lang siya ng maluwag nang makaupo sila ni Ken, a few seats away from the 'mean girls', as she dubbed them in her head.

Alas otso nang magsimula ang orientation. Nagsasalita na ang speaker pero marami pa rin ang pumapasok dahil sa pagka-late. The speech lasted for three hours and then they were told to go to their departments for the schedules.

Pagkatapos niyang makuha ang schedule niya, she ate lunch with Ken. May klase na raw agad ito ng alas-dos. Sya naman ay may minor subject ng 12:45 so they ate in haste.

Pagkatapos nilang kumain, bumalik na siya sa department niya for the first class. Sa building A, room 107 ang unang klase. Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago pumasok sa classroom. A few turned their heads when she entered, and just as quickly, bumalik ang mga ito sa kanya-kanyang ginagawa.

Nagyuko sya ng ulo at saka tahimik na pumunta sa bandang likuran para maupo. Pero naunahan siya ng isang lalaking naka-ombre denim shirt. Nakarolyo ang manggas noon hanggang sa siko nito. He's also wearing black jeans and black combat boots. There's a studded bracelet on his left wrist.

She looked up to him. Malamlam ang mga mata nito, malalantik ang mga pilik. He looks Hispanic. Matangkad din ito, probably a few inches taller than Ken. Ang mahaba nitong buhok ay naka-tuck sa kaliwa nitong tenga, which has a black circle earring pierced.

She gave him a smile, trying to be friendly. But he just gave her a bored look and sat where she was about to sit. Itinaas pa nito ang mga paa nito sa chair na nasa kaliwa niya. Saka ito nagpangalumbaba.

"Uhm, excuse me..."

He sighed and looked up to her. Pinangilabutan siya nang tingnan siya nito mula ulo hanggang paa. Instinctively, she crossed her arms against her chest when his gaze lingered there.

Nagtaas ito ng kilay at saka unti-unting ngumiti. But she didn't like that smile. It seemed sinister.

"I'll give you a kiss if you ask nicely," sabi nito. His voice sounded velvety.

Napanganga siya. "What?"

"Come on. There's no need to be starstruck."

"Excuse me?" Pinamay-awangan niya ito. "I wasn't starstruck!"

"Then why are you standing there with your mouth open?"

"You're sitting on my seat!" she pointed out.

Kumunot ang noo nito at saka yumuko para tingnan ang upuan. Hindi pa ito nakuntento, he also looked down under the chair. Tapos ay umayos ulit ito at ngumiti sa kanya.

"Sorry. It doesn't have your name on it."

"I was about to sit there!" she said indignantly.

"I got here first."

Magrereklamo pa sana siya when the teacher got in. She had no choice but to stomp her foot and walk away. Naupo siya sa unahan, inis na inis.

She was still fuming when the teacher asked them to introduce themselves to the class. She dragged her feet to the front, her lips pressed into a grim line. Lalo na siyang naging busangot nang makita niya ang lalaking sumubsob sa desk nito, as if to show her that she bores him.

What a jerk!

"My name's Emilia Christina Eusebio, 19 years old. I go by the name of Ilia because it's unique but my close friends and family prefer to call me Iya, because it's shorter. Fun facts? Hmm... I like Hello Kitty, I have a twin and I hate jerks."

Pagkasabi'y agad siyang naupo. She didn't even bother listening to her classmates as they introduce themselves. Napukaw lamang ulit ang atensyon niya nang yung lalaki na ang magpapakilala sa unahan. She waited for him to go up front for a chance to show him the same courtesy he showed her earlier. But he didn't go to the front. Basta na lamang niya itong narinig magsalita mula sa likuran.

"The name's Charles Hanson Madrigal, 20 years old."

"Is that all?" tanong ng teacher nila. Apparently, the jerk named Hanson just sat after stating his name and age.

"Fun fact?" narinig niyang pagpapatuloy nito. "Life sucks."

She wanted to turn around, pero pinigilan niya ang leeg sa paglingon. 'Life sucks'? What was that all about?