Chapter 7

Sola’s POV

“Hey?” tawag ni Rough sa akin habang naglalakad kami papasok sa eskwela. We use his motor but because both of us haven’t eat yet, we’re here in the town to buy some food. Maglalakad na sana patungo sa isang restaurant subalit nahinto nang tumapat sa convenience store.

“Do you know them?” tanong niya nang makitang pinapanood ko ang dalawang tao sa loob ng convenience store. They look so inlove with each other. Gaile was just leaning in Franco’s arm while they were eating together. I can’t help but to laugh. Why are they even spending their days in that convenience store instead of eating in fancies restaurant?

Right. Small things matters.

“Not really. Let’s go,” sambit ko kay Rough at magpapatuloy na sana sa paglalakad subalit nakita ako ni Gaile. Nanakbo siya palabas habang may ngisi sa kaniyang mga labi.

“Miss!” malakas na sigaw niya habang nakatingin sa akin. Huminto naman ako para lingunin siya. Isang malapad na ngiti ang ibinigay niya bago lumapit sa akin.

“I was thankful,” Gaile said suddenly kaya napakunot ang noo ko nang mapatingin sa kaniya.

“The fire of hope that He left with me… I was thankful for that… Even in that short period of time, I enjoy the time He has given me. I was happy,” nakangiti niyang saad.

“Hope never really dies no matter how hard the rain pour… That simple hope he gave to me was the one who helps me to keep going no matter what will be the ending is. I was just so lucky that in my last few months here, I found the will to live and enjoy my life.” Nahinto ako roon bago napatingin sa kaniya. Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa tote bag ko.

“I hope you can find a will to live too, Miss.” Isang malapad na ngiti pa ulit ang ibinigay niya sa akin.

“Thank you for pushing me to meet him. I’ll die more happier now…” She gave me another smile before she finally walk away from me. Napakagat ako sa aking labi nang makita ko siyang naglakad palayo sa akin. Bumalik siya sa loob ng convenience store. Pinanood ko siyang sumandal sa dibdib ni Franco.

Matagal lang akong napatitig sa kanila bago napatingin kay Rough na siyang may ngiti sa mga labi at may hawak nang pancake na mukhang binili niya lang sa kalye rito sa tapat ng convenience store. Napatitig lang ako sa kaniya habang ang nilalakaran niya’y unti-unting nagkakaroon ng kulay.

I think He finally let me meet my hope.

“Why do you look at me as if you are in a teleserye?” natatawang tanong nito sa akin bago niya inabot ang pancake na hawak. Napailing na lang din ako sa aking iniisip. Why do I even think of him that way? This annoying and loud guy? As my hope. That’s funny.

“Let’s go?” Tumango ako sa kaniya bago ko kinuha ang pancake.

“You know that girl?”

“Yeah…” I said before shrugging. Agad ko namang napansin ang paniningkit ng kaniyang mga mata sa akin kaya nagtataka ko siyang nilingon.

“What?” Ngumiti lang siya bago umiling.

9:30 pa ang klase namin kaya talagang sinusulit ni Rough ang araw. Ni ayaw niya pang umalis habang nandito kami sa public park. The kids are having fun habang ang ilan ay pinapagalitan na ng kanilang magulang.

“It’s still early! Pawis na pawis na naman kayong papasok sa school!” anang isa. Rough and I were just looking at them. Rough having a soft expression different from his name while I was just looking at them blankly.

“I suddenly miss my mom. She use to nag me whenever I go to the park in our province,” he randomly said while eating his pancake.

“If we meet earlier, I probably hate you.” I also take a bite. Naramdaman ko ang tingin niya sa akin.

“So you don’t hate me, huh? I thought you don’t like me at all base when you look at me.” Napatikhim ako roon.

“I don’t like you at all.” Natawa naman siya at napakibit ng balikat tila ba wala siyang pakialam sa sinabi ko. Napairap na lang ako dahil hindi rin talaga marunong makinig ang isang ‘to.

“So why would you hate me? Care to tell the story?” he asked before he looked at me, giving me all his attention. Hindi ko naman natagalan ang kaniyang mga mata. It was look so warm as if he cares for me. 

“I hate kids with their parents when I was younger. I hate it because I never had one.” I didn’t realize that I was blabbering nonsense kaya nakita ko ang kaniyang mga mata na nakatitig sa akin at nagtataka rin sa aking sinabi.

“Huh? I thought both of your parents are still alive?” Natawa na lang din ako nang mahina. Right. I was living as the owner of this life.

“Right. Don’t think about what I said. Let’s go to school,” ani ko ngunit pansin ko ang titig niya sa akin. Dinaan ko na lang din ‘yon sa pagsusungit kaya wala siyang choice kundi ang dalhin na ako sa school.

Nang bumaba ako sa kaniyang motor, people are looking at us. Well, he easily gain reputation here in school. Everyone likes to be his friend or even have a relationship with him.  

“I’ll drop you in your room first,” bulong niya sa akin kaya agad na naningkit ang mga mata ko.

“Help me. People are scared to approach me when I’m with you. Hehe,” pabulong na saad niya.

“I thought you like attention?” Napanguso naman siya sa sinabi ko roon.

“I don’t like attention! I just like to have a healthy and happy environment,” nakanguso niyang saad kaya napangiti na lang ako.

“I want to be greedy…” mahinang bulong niya habang nakatitig sa akin kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya but in the end he just smile at me before he shrug.

“Sola!” Sheena is already loud when she called me.  Nagtataka ko siyang nilingon kaya isang malapad na ngiti muli ang pinakawalan nito.

“Hey!” she said with a wide smile.

“Let’s go to College of Engineering habang may free time pa!” Nagtataka ko naman siyang nilingon doon.

“Why?” Kumunot ang noo ko roon. I tried my best to study the owner of this life’s schedule so I can do my own things to. I decided that I won’t ruin this life for her.

Napaisip naman ako nang maalala ang sinabi ni Gaile. Is it really fine? To try to hope for something? To try to hope for a better day? To a happier one? Is it really okay to do that?

Napakagat na lang din ako sa aking labi dahil na kay Rough na naman ang mga mata ko. I don’t know if it’s because the day I spend with him was fun or because he was the first person who approach me here but I just know one thing, it was always warm when I’m with him.

“Anong why? Come with me visiting my boyfriend. And don’t tell me just because you and Hugh are not talking, you won’t come with me na, huh?” Tila magtatampo ito kung hindi ako papayag. Napabuntonghininga na lang ako at nagpatangay sa gusto niyang mangyari. Agad niya ring hinablot kay Rough ang bag ko.

“Bye, Rough! I’ll take my bestie with me for now,” nakangising saad nito kay Rough. Nang lingunin ko si Rough, pinagtaasan niya ako ng kilay.

“College of Engineering? To my cousin’s department?” tanong niya.

“Are you going to see my cousin then?” Bago pa ako makasagot, hinawakan na ni Sheena ang braso ko.

“Yep. She’ll surely see him there. To begin with, she haven’t move on.” Humalakhak pa si Sheena na atat na rin na makita ang nobyo niya. Habang hinihila ako ni Sheena, napatingin lang ako kay Rough na may ibang ekspresiyon ang mukha ngayon. His usual smile is gone now. He just watch me until I’m finally gone. That’s what I also did. I felt like I was always drowning in the darkness when I look at his dark black eyes. It’s prettier than I expected it to be.

“I think you still have a chance with Hugh, Sola,” biglaang saad ni Sheena.

“When you are sick, Hugh keeps on asking someone for a lecture to give it to you,” ani Sheena kaya napakunot ang noo ko roon. At first, they keep on saying that Hugh didn’t really gave me attention and I know that too. To begin with, he only treat Neela special. Neela was one of the main lead in the story ‘Halfway’.

Napakibit na lang ako ng balikat. It seem like Hugh really treat the owner as his younger sister. Isa pa, I think hindi niya pa rin nami-meet ang main lead. She was from another school. She’s from a well-known family. Hugh and her met here. When there’s a sport fest between two schools. That’s already a tradition in the two best schools.

Now that I think of it, it was really fascinating to meet all the characters that I made.

Nang makarating kami sa department ng engineering. Busy ang lahat. Sheena immediately saw her boyfriend kaya todo kaway agad ito. Napangisi na lang ako roon. It seem like she’s not really use to be alone. She always want someone with her.

Agad nila akong niyaya sa isang bakanteng room kung saan nakatambay ang ilang student ng engineering. Nakita ko si Hugh na siyang siya nakayuko lang sa kaniyang desk. Agad siyang tinapik ng kaibigan niya. Mukhang bubulyawan niya pa sana subalit tinuro ako. Tipid ko lang na nginitian ito nang magkasalubong ang mga mata namin. He immediately straighten his back and use his hand to support his chin.

Nangitian ko naman na siya kaya hindi na rin ako nagtangkang bumati rito. Nagtungo na lang ako sa tabi nina Sheena. Her and Angelo was already talking with each other. Kulang na lang ay maglampungan ang mga ito. Alam ko naman na sinama ako rito para mag-third wheel.

“Hey, Sola. Ngayon ka lang ulit nakabisita, huh? Nagpapa-miss?” pang-aasar ng ilang estudyante na hindi ko naman kilala but they seem like Hugh’s friends. So if they are, two of them named Garry and Jerry. I just don’t know who.

“Effective naman, Garry! Miss na rin naman ni Hugh.” Humalakhak pa ang isa. Naki-tawa rin si Sheena at Angelo habang ang mga labi ni Angelo ay nasa leeg na nito. Yes, I wrote the schoolmates as liberate and it seem like Sheena and Angelo are one.

Napakibit na lang ako ng balikat at hindi pinansin ang asaran nila. Napagpasiyahan ko na lang ding umidlip muna dahil sinubukan ko na namang bugbugin ang utak para lang makasulat.

Nagising na lang ako nang may marahan na tumapik sa akin. Napakunot ang noo ko nang mapatingin kay Hugh na siyang nakasandal sa gilid ng pader habang tinatapik ang pisngi ko.

“Sleepy head, you still have a class now,” mahinang saad niya. Dahan-dahan naman akong napa-diretso ng tayo at napatingin sa paligid. Wala na ang mga tao at maski rin si Sheena.

“Where’s Sheena?” kunot noo kong tanong.

“She’s already in the class.” Agad akong napasimangot bago tumayo roon.

“She didn’t wake me up,” ani ko. Siya ang nagyaya sa akin dito. I came because I want to be a good friend as the owner of this life will probably do.

“I said I’ll be the one who will drop you before your class finally started.” Napataas ang kilay ko roon.

“Still feeling guilty? You don’t have too. I’m moving on,” nakangisi kong saad bago nagsimula nang maglakad. I feel really bad for the owner of this body for her to experience this kind of thing.

“Sola…” mahinang saad tawag niya nang hawakan ang palapulsuhan ko. Nilingon ko siya bago pinagkunutan ng noo.

“Can you stop avoiding me now?”