Chapter 11: Believe

Nakasunod ang mga mata ni Chloe kay Julian nang makita namin siyang muli sa school. Mabilis ko naman siyang sinaway, pinandilatan pa ng mata upang tigilan na niya iyon. She just rolled her eyes.

"Makinig ka, Noelle, ha. Huwag mo na ulit kakausapin o lalapitan man lang ang lalaking 'yon! Ang feeling naman niya, hmp! Hindi porke't gwapo siya at sikat, pwede na siyang umasta nang gano'n? Sa susunod na siya naman ang lumapit sa'yo at kausapin ka ulit, huwag mo na siyang kausapin! Tse!"

Si Chloe pa ang nagagalit para sa akin.

Pero hindi ko naman magawang magalit kay Julian. Kasi pakiramdam ko, naiintindihan ko na siya.

And I believe in him.

At least, I believe in the Julian I had talked to before. The one who shared with me his family's secret teleportation ability...

I just have to have faith in him.

Pero sa huli, hindi ko rin sinunod ang sinabi sa akin ni Chloe. Sinabihan ko siya kanina na huwag nang magalit kay Julian, pero hindi ko naman maipaliwanag sa kaniya kung bakit. Hindi pa siguro ngayon.

I was having a discussion with my fellow student council members in the hallway one day when, suddenly, Julian approached us.

Napalingon ako sa kaniya, at gano'n din ang mga kasama ko. We all stopped our little meeting in the corridor outside our classrooms. Tumahimik sila nang makita nilang nilapitan ako ni Julian.

At hindi ko alam, pero basta na lang akong napangiti nang makita ko siyang nasa harapan ko na. This feels like the Julian I know...

"Noelle," he called my name.

Tuluyan na akong natigilan sa pakikipag-usap sa mga kasama ko. Napansin ko rin ang tahimik nilang bulungan habang nakatingin sa amin.

I excused myself from the group. Tumango naman sila at hinayaan akong lumapit kay Julian.

"Julian..." I whispered as I slowly stepped toward him.

He smiled at me. Bahagya namang umangat ang labi ko. It's really him.

Bumaling ako muli sa mga kasama ko at bahagya na lang kumaway bago sila tuluyang umalis.

"Susunod na lang ako sa council room, Prez," I told our president before they walked away.

Pagkatapos, itinuon ko na ang atensyon ko kay Julian.

"Student council? Are you..."

I nodded. "I'm the Treasurer."

Nakita kong bahagyang napanganga siya, parang namamangha pa sa akin. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng konting hiya.

"Hindi ka ba nahihirapan? You're also the manager of our soccer club," he asked.

Umiling ako. "Ayos lang. I guess I can manage..." I tried to smile at him again.

At ngumiti rin siya sa akin, kaya lalo pa akong napangiti.

"Hinanap mo ba ako?" I asked.

He nodded.

He was really looking for me?

"Uh..."

Mukhang may sasabihin pa sana siya, pero naputol ang usapan namin.

We both turned when the bell rang, signaling the start of classes. Napatingin ako sa kaniya ulit at naabutan ko siyang malalim na bumuntong-hininga.

"Let's meet later at lunch break?" he asked.

Dahan-dahan akong tumango.

He smiled before saying goodbye.

At habang pabalik ako sa classroom ko, hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong ngumiti pa rin.

When lunch break came, I already saw him waiting outside our classroom. Mukhang na-dismiss nang mas maaga ang klase nila kaysa sa amin, kaya naman naroon na siya, nakatayo sa corridor, habang napagtitinginan ng mga estudyanteng dumadaan. I could tell he was drawing attention—not just because he was Julian Ellis Trinidad, the star athlete, but because of what happened between us at the cafeteria just the other day.

At nang magsilabasan na kami ng mga kaklase ko, naramdaman ko ang mga tingin nila sa amin. They were probably wondering why we were talking to each other now, after that awkward incident.

"J-Julian," I called out as I stepped out of the classroom.

He smiled upon seeing me. "Let's have lunch?"

Tumango ako, and we walked to the cafeteria together despite the stares from other students. They were clearly curious, but Julian seemed unfazed, completely ignoring them. Kaya naman hindi ko na rin sila masyadong pinagtuunan ng pansin.

After getting our food, we sat down and started talking.

"So, how did you become the soccer club's manager?" he asked.

"You had a different manager before, right?" I pointed out.

He nodded, waiting for my answer.

"She quit," I explained. "Your coach asked me to take over since we know each other—he was my mom's classmate back in the day."

"Oh..." He nodded again, as if processing the information.

Pero hindi pa man talaga nagtatagal ang usapan namin, kailangan na agad niyang umalis...

"I think I have to go back now, Noelle. Damn it, it's such a short time," he muttered under his breath. Then he looked at me intently. "But don't worry. I'll come back."

Napakunot ang noo ko. "Is it... really time-traveling, Julian? And you have to go now?"

He nodded, forcing a small smile, but I could see something deeper in his expression. A mix of urgency and frustration. Yet, he seemed glad that I remembered our last conversation. Of course, how could I forget?

Dahan-dahan akong tumango bilang sagot.

And in that moment, I think I saw his jaw clench slightly.

He wants to say something more.

Something important.

But he couldn't. He had to go.

"Noelle Sarina!"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad pabalik ng classroom nang marinig ko ang malakas na tawag sa akin ni Chloe. Lumapit siya at sabay na kaming naglakad.

"Absent lang ako ng isang araw tapos ano tong naririnig ko na nakita raw kayo na nag-uusap na naman ni Julian Trinidad na 'yon at nagsabay pa kayo mag-lunch?!"

I sighed. Chloe had a cold yesterday, kaya wala siya sa school, but she looked fine now—except for her usual over-the-top reactions.

Umiling ako. "Chloe—"

"Hindi ka talaga nakikinig, 'no? Sinabihan na kitang dedmahin mo na 'yon!"

"Hindi, Chloe. Hindi mo kasi naiintindihan," I said softly, looking away.

Because I couldn't explain it to her.

I couldn't tell her Julian's secret.

And yet, as I walked back to class, I couldn't help but wonder...

What was Julian trying to tell me before he left?