Chapter 7: Senior Henry

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Thalia’s flight was scheduled for 6 PM, and her good friend, Ylana, took time out of her busy schedule to see her off at the airport.

"Why did you suddenly decide to get a divorce and go back to school?" Ylana asked habang iniaangat ang maleta ni Thalia sa conveyor belt sa check-in counter.

She turned to face her friend with a curious expression.

Thalia and Ylana had met in high school after Thalia transferred.

Magkasama sila sa iisang klase noong huling taon nila at kalaunan ay nag-aral sa parehong unibersidad, maging sa parehong kurso. Kahit magkaiba ang kanilang personalidad—one being lively and outgoing, the other reserved and quiet—their bond had remained strong over the years.

Pagkatapos ng kolehiyo, pinili ni Ylana ang isang karera sa labas ng kanilang kurso. Pumasok siya sa isang kumpanya ng real estate kung saan siya ang namamahala sa mga pamumuhunan sa mga shopping mall. Dahil sa kanyang trabaho, madalas siyang nasa mga business trip and she was rarely in one place for long.

Kaya  nang bumalik siya mula sa kanyang pinakahuling biyahe, nagulat siya nang malamang hiwalay na si Thalia at naghahanda nang kumuha ng master’s degree.

Mula noon pa man, nagtataka na siya kung paano nauwi sa kasal sina Thalia at Asher. Halos hindi nga sila nag-uusap tuwing may reunion ng kanilang unibersidad, pero bigla na lang, sa loob ng isang buwan, they were married. Now, without warning, they were divorced.

She was baffled.

Habang abala si Thalia sa pag-check in, sinulyapan niya ang kaibigan. "Gusto kong baguhin ang buhay ko."

Ylana raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t your life good enough already? Hindi mo kailangang magtrabaho, may sumusuporta sa’yo. Maraming tao ang maiinggit sa ganyang klase ng buhay."

Thalia shook her head. "It’s better to rely on yourself than on someone else. At para sa kaalaman mo, hindi ko pinakasalan si Asher dahil sa pera niya."

Ylana smirked. "Then why did you marry him? He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d treat his wife badly."

"It had nothing to do with him. The problem was me," Thalia admitted.

Ylana chuckled. "A flash marriage and a flash divorce—parang kasunduan lang ang relasyon niyo."

Napabuntong-hininga si Thalia. "Ang mga may kasunduang kasal, may kani-kaniya silang pakinabang sa isa’t isa. Ano bang meron ako na kailangan ni Asher?"

She tilted her head. "Your looks, your figure, your education, your intelligence—take your pick."

Thalia gave her a wry smile. "With his status, he could have any woman he wanted."

Her friend thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Fair point."

Ibinalik ng staff ang ID card at boarding pass ni Thalia. Kinuha niya ito at tiningnan ang oras. "May oras pa bago ang boarding. Kumain muna tayo."

Ylana nodded. "Sounds good."

Ngunit habang abala si Thalia sa pagsuksok ng kanyang ID sa bag, biglang nawala ang bigat sa kanyang balikat—dumulas ang braso ni Ylana palayo. Ilang saglit pa, ang ID card na hawak niya ay nalaglag sa sahig.

Awtomatikong yumuko si Thalia upang damputin ito—pero biglang may isang sapatos na mamahaling balat ang tumapak dito.

She froze, staring at her ID trapped beneath the unfamiliar shoe.

The owner of the shoe quickly realized his mistake.

"Pasensya na," sabi ng isang malalim at malinaw na boses. Iniangat ng lalaki ang kanyang paa at yumuko upang damputin ang card para sa kanya.

As he straightened up, their eyes met.

"Thalia?" the man asked hesitantly.

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Thalia, pilit inaalala kung sino ito.

Before she could respond, Ylana gasped in recognition. "Henry?"

The name immediately triggered Thalia’s memory.

Henry had been a senior three years ahead of her in the architecture department. Noong siya ay nasa unang taon, pansamantalang naging tagapayo ng kanilang klase si Henry sa loob ng mahigit kalahating taon. Sikat siya noon sa kanilang unibersidad—guwapo, napakahusay sa disenyo, disiplinado, at hinahangaan ng mga propesor at kapwa estudyante. Ngunit palagi siyang may malamig at mailap na personalidad, laging malayo sa iba. Sa aspetong ito, medyo kahawig niya si Asher.

Thalia had been the same way—reserved and preferring solitude. Hindi siya mahilig makisalamuha o magpapansin, kaya kahit nasa parehong larangan sila ni Henry, bihira silang mag-usap maliban na lang kung kinakailangan sa paaralan. Nang magtapos si Henry, tuluyan silang nawalan ng komunikasyon. Hindi niya inaasahan na makikita niya itong muli rito.

"Senior," she greeted, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

Hindi nagpakita ng pagkabahala si Henry na hindi siya agad nakilala ni Thalia. 

He gave her a polite nod in return.

Ylana, ever the talkative one, had already begun chatting. "Senior, it’s been so long! I never expected to meet you here."

He smiled slightly. "It has been a while."

Ylana beamed. "Funny thing—I was just talking about you a few days ago, and now, here you are. What are the odds?"

She glanced at his wristwatch before looking back at him. "Senior, nagmamadali ka ba? Kung hindi, sama ka sa amin. Kumain tayo nang sabay."