Chapter Three

Classmate

I just realize that one of my guy classmates, and the person who just talked to me was actually that same guy who made me borrow his handkerchief at that time...

Kasi parang namumukhaan ko pa siya.

I wanted to ask him if he was really that guy I met at the party the last time, but he already went away after talking to me.

And I could only watch his back as he leaves...

When I arrived home I immediately looked for the handkerchief. And when I found it I decided to bring it the next morning in the university. I will return this to him.

"Elias Alexander Ybañez!" I called when I saw him walking to the university's gate during the morning. Bumaba pa ako sa sasakyan namin para maabutan ko lang siya.

We're in the same course, and we're classmates so it's natural for me to know of his name now.

Natigilan naman siya sa paglalakad at nilingon ako. Napatingin na rin sa amin ang ibang mga students na dumadaan at pumapasok na rin sa gate ng university. And I regret it right away what I just did for calling on someone that loud early in the morning.

Lumapit na rin ako sa kaniya. And then I showed him his handkerchief that he let me borrow that last time. "Uh, this is yours, right..."

Napatingin na rin siya sa panyo at unti-unti na iyong kinuha sa akin.

So he does still remember me from that encounter?

Sumabay ako sa kaniya sa paglalakad papunta sa room namin.

"I just want to return it to you... Uh, thank you for last time..." I said.

Tumingin din siya muli sa akin. "It's fine..." He said.

Gusto ko lang ibalik sa kaniya ang panyo niya ngayon. And then we became quiet while walking until he spoke.

"You were loud early in the morning." He said.

Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya. "I'm sorry..." I bit my lower lip. Naisigaw ko pa yata ang pangalan niya kanina. I didn't know how to address him yet, anyway. Should I just call him Elias Alexander, or his surname Ybañez? So that's why I just called him in his full name.

At may napansin din ako sa family name niya. Ybañez doesn't sound so foreign to me...

And I asked him. "Are you not from here, in Germany?"

Bumaling siya sa akin. "No. I'm from the Philippines."

And my eyes widened a fraction at what he said. "Oh! And you know how to speak in Filipino?" I asked him like an excited child.

Tiningnan niya ako. "Yes?"

Hindi ko namalayang napangiti na pala ako sa kaniya. And he stayed looking at me.

"My parents lived in the Philippines, too! And we still sometimes used the language in our home." Kaya naman marunong din ako.

Tumango naman siya sa akin pagkatapos ng sinabi ko.

At parang hindi ko pa namalayan na dumating na pala kami sa lecture room namin.

I watched him as he went to his seat. Naupo na rin ako sa upuan ko sa klase. At naghintay na lang muli sa pagdating ng professor.

Sometimes we also have a long break between our class subjects. So I brought a book to read on my free time. Naghanap na lang ako ng kung saan ako pwedeng makapagbasa nang tahimik. Pwede rin naman sa library but I found a peaceful place at the back of the college buildings. The place was empty with only some trees and the green grass. I found a spot below a larger tree. It looked comfy to read a book there and I might even fall asleep...

Naupo na ako roon sa ilalim ng puno at binuklat na ang libro ko. It was still summer so the weather was also nice.

And then I saw him arriving at my spot. He stopped when he saw me. While I saw the book that he was holding.

My lips parted. "You're reading a book here as well?" I asked him.

Tumingin naman siya sa akin. "Yeah, it's my usual place..."

"Oh. Then you can have your space here..." Umusog pa ako para bigyan siya ng pwesto niya.

This must be his place for longer than I have just found this spot. So I must share it with him.

Tiningnan niya lang naman ako at pagkatapos ay umupo na rin siya roon sa tabi ko. He opened his book and asked me a question. "Why are you here all by yourself..." He asked while looking at his book and he flipped the page.

"Uh... I just want to read in peace..." I said.

At tumango lang naman siya.

Pero pagkaraan ng ilang sandali ay nagsalita muli siya.

"You can't just intimidate your classmates because you came from a well-known family..." He said.

I looked at him.

I wasn't trying to intimidate other people...

Umiling ako sa kaniya. "I'm not like that..." I said.

I wasn't really a bitch like what they think of me now...

In fact, I was a really good girl growing up. And I was sweet not only to my family but also to those who were close to me and I thought were my friends...

Tumingin naman siya sa akin.

I looked at him. "I'm just... I just can't trust other people now..." I said while looking at him.

Nanatili rin ang tingin niya sa akin.

"I know that some people might just really want to make friends with me, but, I guess... I'm just not up for it right now..." I told him.

"And I'm not just trying to act all bitchy... I'm not purposely just ignoring you guys..." I was talking about our classmates. "I'm just trying to put up a wall and distance myself from others to protect myself..." I said.

And I don't know why I'm telling him all this. But maybe it's because I feel like I could rely on him, too...

Tumango na rin siya sa akin pagkatapos. He didn't say anything after that. He only listened to what I said.

And then he just went back to reading his book.

Tahimik na lang din ako na nagbasa sa tabi niya.

But then I still watched him as he read quietly...

Max and I also used to read books together. But he doesn't looked like this guy beside me now when he read.

And unlike Max, Elias Alexander seemed more genuine about his care for reading books...