Chapter 2 – He did follow me!

When we reached the Ateneo de Manila University, halos malaglag ang aking panga dahil sa laki at lawak nito, sobrang ganda!

“e-excuse me miss” nauutal na wika ng isang babaeng kasing edad ko lamang kung titignan.

“a-ako ba?”

“yes, someone gave this to you” she said while handing me a jollibee plastic bag with coke, two burgers, three fries and one bottled water.

Nag-aalangan ko namang tinanggap ang pagkain at saka tinignan kung may note sa loob pero walang nakalagay kung kanino galing. “Who sent this?” I asked, really confused.

“I don't know, he just told me to give it to you”

“Where is he?” tumingin ang babae sa isa sa mga buildings doon but I didn't see anyone there.

“I think, he left already”

“o-kay, thanks pala rito” saad ko nga at ngumiti nalang ng matamis kaya tuluyan nang lumisan ang babae sa harap ko.

“wow, lakas mo man, first day palang may secret admirer na” pang-aasar sa akin ni Meekho na ikinasalubong ng dalawa kong kilay.

“huy! kung sino man 'yan hindi ako nagpapaligaw no. Tinanggap ko lang ngayon kasi hindi pa talaga ako nag aalmusal kakamadali, thanks to my husband na hindi man lang ako ginising” reklamo ko nga at naupo muna sa bench para kumain.

“Husband? Kasal kana?” he asked in surprised, hindi ko pa pala nakwekwento sa kanya.

“Oum, I have two kids na rin, ang kukulit nga eh”

“Nagjojoke ka lang ano?”

“Mukha ba akong nagbibiro?” irita kong tanong pabalik, akala mo talaga ay pinaglololoko siya eh.

“So totoo nga?”

“ay hindi” I said, sarcastically.

“Ang labo mo kausap”

“Here, kumain ka nalang” saad ko nga at sinalpak sa bibig niya yung isang buong burger na tinanggal ko na mula sa paper wax.

“G*go ka talaga” he cursed suddenly that makes me giggled from my seat.

“Attention, everyone!

Welcome to Ateneo De Manila University. We invite you to join us in the quadrangle, near the stage for our orientation program. Our Dean of the School of Law, Atty. Katrina P. Legaspi, will provide a welcome address, and we'll cover essential information about the program. We'll begin shortly. Thank you for your cooperation!” The emcee's voice echoed through the speaker.

I hastily finished my food that almost making me choked.

“Let's go” hyper kong sabi pagkatapos kong maitapon sa basurahan ang lahat ng pinagkainan ko.

“Sandali lang, painom ako ng tubig!” hirit niya sa akin ngunit hindi ko ito pinagbigyan, kung nandito lang si Arjay, paniguradong umuusok na iyon sa galit dahil sa selos.

“pinakain mo sa'kin yung burger tapos ngayo—”

“Bumili ka ng water mo!” irita kong sambit, sinabayan pa ng pagkapit niya sa bag ko dahilan upang mas lalo itong bumigat.

“Hmmp Meekho! bitawan mo nga yung bag ko”

“Ang daming tao, baka mawala ako”

“Sa laki mong 'yan?”

“Ayaw kong mawala ako sa tabi mo” hugot niya sabay ngisi kaya nahampas ko ito sa braso nang wala sa oras, síra úlo talaga!

“Meekho!” someone shouted, agad naman kaming napalingon sa direksyong pinanggagalingan ng sigaw, the place was packed, but we managed to see two man with familiar face.

“Wow, reunion ba 'to?” one of the man said as they approached us, Meekho and a man shared a warm hug while me, I couldn't take my eyes off the other guy, though—familiar talaga sila.

“Uyy Freya, ikaw na ba 'yan?” pagbati nito sabay tanong, shutek! sino ba kasi sila?!

“oum” I commented, shortly.

“Why do you stared at them like they was strangers to you?” Meekho suddenly whispered to my ears, nagsasalita na yung speaker pero wala kaming balak makinig.

I was still wondering who those two guys were.

“Familiar sila sa'kin” sagot ko.

“Man! hindi yata kayo namukhaan ni Freya” saad nga ni Meekho kasabay ng malakas nitong pagtawa.

“Kumirot yung puso ko 'dun!” giit ng isang lalaki na mas lalong nagpablangko sa utak ko.

“My name is Aries, tapos ito naman si Ricky. Parang nung high school lang, circle of friends pa tayo nila Zeph and Ria”

“Aries? Ricky? Gagi!! Sorry nag-iba kasi yung mukha niyo” I tried to explain but the disappointment was written all over their faces, parang naguguilty tuloy ako pero kasalanan ko bang hindi ko sila namukhaan kaagad?

“Hindi ko nga kasi kayo namukhaan, sorry na” I repeated.

“Okay lang, Freya” Ricky said, straight siya pero sobrang kulit kaya minsan, mapagkakamalan mo talagang bading kahit hindi. “Oo nga, parang hindi naman naging mahalaga sa'yo yung friendship natin noon” paggatong pa ni Aries.

“Our friendship really matters, umiyak pa nga ako nung graduation natin eh” pagdidiklara ko.

“Really? Wala ka ngang luha”

“Probably, before graduation umiyak na ako kaya nung mismong graduation na, wala ng luha pero umiiyak yung puso ko 'non”

“Fine, fine, wala talagang nananalo sa'yo, Freya” Aries said that makes me grinned.

super galing ko talagang mangatwiran!

“Let's head to our respective classes na raw” pagsingit ni Meekho, masyado talaga akong nadistract sa pakikipagdaldalan, hindi ko tuloy narinig kung saang section ba ako nabibilang, bullsh!t

“Tara na Aries, Ricky” Meekho shouted as he walking away from us.

“Hoy! Pa'no ako?!”

“Ayan, hindi kasi nakikinig” Ricky teased me, binatukan ko naman ito upang makabawi, nakakainis sila, parang walang pinagbago.

“I'm sorry, Freya. I didn't hear your name” sagot sa akin ni Meekho na siyang napakamot ako sa aking ulo.

“Wait! Huwag niyo naman akong iwanan dito” I shouted as I run to follow them. I'm getting all wrinkled up, I feel like a lost kid here, it's so embarrassing.

I was about to leave the university but thankfully, I bumped into Ria in the hallway, what a coincidence.

“Oh Freya? Bakit hindi ka pa pumapasok sa room natin?”

“H-ha? Classmate ba tayo?”

“Are you late or hindi kalang talaga nakikinig kanina?” Ria said with a laugh but I couldn't help but to feel annoyed. I'm so fed up with this, Meekho, Aries and Ricky are getting on my nerves!

“Saan ba yung classroom natin?”

Tinuro niya naman ang ikatlong silid sa ikalawang palapag ng gusali na siyang nabunutan na ako ng tinik sa aking dibdib.

“Maraming salamat!” I said with a smile on my face, I gave her a peck kiss on the cheek that makes her giggled. With that, tinungo ko na nga ang classroom namin, halos bakante na ang likurang bahagi kaya sa harap nalang ako naupo.

For sure, ako ang unang matatawag kapag may recitation.

“I'll never forget this day Rainer Jaz Montemayor, Meekho San Agustin, Aries Bustamante and Mark Ricky Napoles!” I pouted to my seat as I rolled my eyes, sirang sira na yung araw ko dahil sa kanila.

Maya-maya pa ay pumasok na ulit si Ria, naupo siya sa tabi ko dala-dala ang dalawang sting at dalawang malaking nova na sapat lang para sa amin.

“Libre ko na 'yan, te” she stated with a warm smile, tatanggihan ko sana buhat sa busog pa ako pero alam kong magtatampo siya kapag hindi ko tinanggap.

“Thankyo—” before I could finish my word,

umalingasaw na ang magkahalong tilian at bulungan ng aking mga kaklase na halos mabingi kami ni Ria sa sobrang ingay.

A person with a strikingly familiar face strode into our classroom, my eyes widened in utter shock as our eyes meet.

“Why professor jay was here?” pabulong na tanong sa akin ni Ria ngunit hindi ko siya masagot buhat sa panginginig ng dalawa kong binti.

He did follow me!

He still doesn't trust me, like I'm going to replace him.