"Kumusta?" I am walking in the pathway papasok na sana sa klase nang matigilan ako sa presensiya ni Ella. She asked me a question while her face is serious.
"I'm fine," tipid kong sagot. Ngumiti siya matapos marinig ang sagot ko at aktong aalis na sana nang pigilan ko siya. "Sandali, Ella!"
She faced me smirking. "What?" Nahihiya na ako sa sarili ko, dumadagdag pa ang nakakababa niyang ekspresyon, pero wala na akong choice.
"Anong oras mamaya?" matapang akong nagsalita. Mas lalong lumawak ang ngisi sa labi niya.
"Sabi ko na nga ba, ikaw rin ang magkukusa, Abie. Anyway, pagkatapos ng klase, gaya kahapon. Dito nalang kita hihintayin," she answered nang may ngisi parin sa labi.
"Sige, darating ako. Just wait me here."
"Sige," matipid na sagot niya bago ako nilagpasan. I was left alone, nakasunod nalang ang paningin ko sa likiran niya. Muling bumalik sa isipan ko ang mga narinig ko kaninang umaga. As long as hindi pa siya nakakaaffect sa pag-aaral ko, I am fine.
I heaved a deep sigh remembering the motivation why I should continue this. After all, I just work as a cashier naman, there's nothing bad there.
Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad papasok sa klase ko. I just entered the room exactly when the subject teacher arrived. Dali-dali akong pumwesto sa upuan ko.
The class was about to start when the opening of the room's door interrupted everyone's attention. My eyes sticked on the guy who's now walking papasok sa klase. He really is rude! Hindi man lang nagbigay galang sa buong klase.
"Mr. Santos?" Hindi makapaniwalang nagsalita si sir, while looking sa ngayo'y nakatalikod paring si Max.
Patuloy lang itong naglakad hanggang makaupo sa upuan niya. Sir waited for him to give even just a 'good morning' word, but he never received any words from him. Hindi makapaniwala ko siyang tiningnan, hindi ko tuloy napansin that our eyes are already staring at each other. Bigla akong kinabahan lalo na nang rumehistro ang paningin nito sa mga mata ko. Agad kong pinutol ang mga tingin ko at itinuon ang atensyon sa harap ng klase.
Wala na ring nagawa si sir kalaunan. Iiling-iling nitong ipinagpatuloy ang klase.
"Before I leave this class, iiwan ko na sa inyo ang announcement na kanina lamang inilabas ng School Organization. For the University's 23rd Anniversary, every class are obliged to make a presentation that will be performed next next week, February 20, Monday. So good luck to each and everyone. This will have a prize to those who'll win kaya galingan niyo. Again, good luck! Class dismiss."
After class dismissal ay umugong ang bulongan sa klase. It was all about adviser's announcement. Ngunit kalauna'y natapos din at nagsilabas ang iba. We don't have class after kaya naman ang iba ay nagsilabas na. I felt boring nang lumipas ang minutong mag-isa lang akong nakaupo sa aking upuan, so I texted Ally. In my one month here on class, I don't even have a friend that's why I'm always alone.
"Hey, do you have class now?"
Mabilis itong nag-reply na wala raw. So I texted her again na pupuntahan ko siya. Mabilis kong pinasok ang mga notebooks and ballpen ko sa mesa sa loob ng bag ko. At tumayo, I'm about to leave the room when someone spoke from my back.
"Are you going to the canteen?" Agad ko itong nilingon. Bahagya pa akong nagulat nang makita kung sino ito pero agad ko rin siyang nginitian.
"Yes, why?"
"Can I come with you? I don't have friend here kasi," she said that made me nod immediately. She was one of my classmate na gaya ko, ay lagi ring mag-isa lang na nakaupo sa upuan, I guess she don't have friend also.
Hindi na ako nagpatumpik-tumpik pa, I hold her hand the moment nang bahagya siyang lumapit sa akin. We're not close but magaan naman agad ang loob ko sa kaniya. She's my classmate after all.
"Oo naman. I'm actually about to go to my sister on the other building, she's third year high school. Dadaan muna ako ng canteen to buy her some food," mahaba kong wika sa kaniya. Nginitian niya nalang din naman ako.
Nagsimula na kaming maglakad palayo. I was holding her hand, like I already know her for long. In the middle of silence ay bigla siyang nagsalita.
"Transferee ka lang din dito noh?" she said that made me nod. Alam kong may kasunod pa ang sasabihan niya kaya hindi muna ako nagsalita. "I am Ria by the way. I saw you on your first day here. Before you enter the room I actually saw you already with two girls outside. Mom and kapatid mo 'yon noh?"
Natatawa ko siyang tinanguan bago sinagot. "Yah, my mom is a teacher here, while my sibling, as I said, she's on third year now," I answered smiling. Tatango-tango naman itong tumingin sa daanan.
"I see. Ako kasi, I've been here since I was on my first year high school," she started talking about herself even though I didn't asked. But still I lend my ears to her and warmly listen to her story.
"Siguro nagtataka ka why I don't have friends here kahit ang tagal ko na ritong nag-aaral. Well, I'm a shy type person, I don't love to talk with someone, kahit na kaklase ko pa. Kaya nga tumanda na ako ritong mag-isa ehh. Not until I saw you and finally approached you. You're just the only person I believe na makakasundo ko, kaya naman magkasama tayo ngayon."
Hindi ko maiwasang lihim na matawa sa kaniya. Based on how she talked to me right now, mukhang madaldal naman ata siya. Maybe she just need a little bit exposure and for sure mawawala ang pagkamahiyain niya.
"Starting now, pwede bang... sa'yo na ako sumama. I mean... can I be your friend?"
"Of course! No problem," mabilis kong sagot that made her smile. "We can be friends. Oo naman," dagdag ko pa.
We continued walking habang patuloy rin kaming nagkukwentuhan sa isa't isa.
Mukhang hindi na nga siya mahiyain based on how she talk to me right now. As in madaldal talaga siya. Palitan lang kami ng kwento habang papunta sa canteen.
Hindi na nga namin namalayan na nasa canteen na kami ngayon. The smile at ang pagiging madaldal niya fades the moment we faced lots of students. Tila ba tumamlay siya and I find out that her self confidence ang problema.
Pareho na kaming pumila to buy our foods. Nasa unahan ko si Ria, pasimple pa kaming nagbubulungan ngunit sa hindi inaasahan ay may nahagip ang mata ko. My eyes suddenly went to the right side of the canteen that shocked me.
Sitting on the white table. Simple lang naman silang kumakain. But this simple makes me feel weird.
Hindi na bago ang makita ko sila rito because we're all in the same university. What made me shocked is that for the first time I saw him smiling. I know I just saw him for days, but it fells like weeks already. I just don't know why I feel weird that he smile because of that girl.