Invitation
The first day of the year went well. Nag-stay kami sa Subic hanggang umaga at tumulak pauwi pagdating ng hapon. The ride back home was peaceful. Kami ni Aspen ay parehong nakatulog habang si Kuya Theo ang nagmaneho. Kuya Van can't drive because he was hung over. Ang dami kasi niyang nainom kagabi.
Austin Javier Uvero: You got home safe?
Message agad ni Austin ang nabasa ko nang makauwi sa bahay at mahiga sa kama. I'm so tired.
Georgina Meredith Sy: Yes.
Austin Javier Uvero: Good. Inigo and I will pick you up later at around twelve thirty. We need to be at the airport early on. I already talked to your Mom and Dad about it. Rest for now.
Nakapag paalam
UnconsciouslyFirst week without Austin went by slowly. Dahil six hours behind ang Serbia, hindi rin talaga kami nakakapag usap masyado. It's either I'm already asleep when he calls or he wakes up really early to talk to me. But during their afternoon break, nakakapag-usap kami through chat. It saddens me that there's still a week ahead before they get back.Grabe, ang attached ko na sa kanya...My cousins, Tito and Tita already went back to Davao. Si Lola ay ganoon din, nakabalik na sa Shanghai. Yesterday, we also drove Kuya Theo to the airport because he'll go back to Ohio. Mom and Dad are both back to work. The whole house has been quiet ever since. Mabuti na lang may Turbo kaya kahit papaano, hindi naman sobrang lungkot.I just did the usual things that I do on a daily basis
UnconsciouslyWhen Saturday came, I'm all nerves. Alas sais ang simula ng exhibit at may after party hanggang alas onse. Maaga akong pumunta kasi alam kong traffic na naman. I asked one of our drivers to accompany me. Hindi rin kasi ako sinamahan ni Kuya Van for an obvious reason. He hates traffic. Well, halos lahat naman yata.It's a formal event. Mom offered to style me. She made me wear a multi-lavender tweed cocktail dress. I paired it with light pink ankle-strap heels. Simple lang ang sinabi ko sa kanya kasi ayoko namang makaagaw ng pansin. Maliit na hikaw at simpleng kuwintas lang din ang suot ko.Pagkarating ko sa venue ay agad akong inalalayan ng isang staff at tinulungan akong dalhin ang paintings ko sa naka-assign na space para sa akin. Ang daming naka-display na paintings... I am so amazed. Manghang-mangha ako sa
JealousI was caught off guard. Hindi ako nakagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko nang marinig ang sinabi niya."Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Sandro said.Napakurap-kurap ako at napaisip kung ano ba ang gagawin o sasabihin ko. I mean, what was I supposed to say anyway? Thank you for liking me? Sorry but you need to stop it because I'm not interested? I don't know... So I just settled with silence."Will you still offer a ride?" tanong niya.I am this close to taking back the offer. Pero alam ko na hindi ako patutulugin ng konsensiya ko kapag may nangyari pang masama sa kanya. And so I nodded. Inalis ko na ang dalawa kong paintings at binitbit. Ganoon din ang ginawa niya. He even offered to take mine but I declined.
HomeSimula na ng second semester. I have 21 units this sem kaya medyo mabigat ang load. Mayroon na rin akong classes na iba kina Agatha at Inigo. They both major in Information Design. May mga klase na hiwalay na ako sa kanila pero sa general courses ay magkakasama pa rin kaming tatlo."And then? You two were good after you cried your heart out?" Agatha asked. We're currently having our lunch. Kinuwento ko sa kanya 'yong nangyaring pagseselos ni Austin kay Sandro. She seems okay hearing Sandro's name. Bali cleared her mind daw kaya nawala na ang pagka crush niya roon."Not the crying that you're thinking of. More on happy tears... And yeah, we're good.""My gosh! Sa inyo na lang talaga ako kinikilig!" she shrieked. Sinabayan pa ng hampas niya sa braso ko.
No Questions "Javi Uvero with the deadly slam!" sabi ng commentator kasabay ng malakas na hiyawan ng supporters ng team. Nakakabingi ang ingay. Kahit si Iain at Inigo ay pareho ring napatayo dahil sa dunk na iyon ni Austin. Two minutes in on the fourth quarter and the game is tied. Nakalamang lang ang team ng Chanston dahil sa puntos ni Austin. Now that I've seen him play in a real game, I can't help but be impressed. Jaco's the star player of the team but Austin's contribution can't be ignored. Ang galing niyang maglaro... Whenever he makes a point, he celebrates humbly. Hindi siya iyong show-off na ang yabang tingnan. "Well, shit. The koala didn't play shit!" Inigo exclaimed. "Told 'ya, loser!" sigaw ni Agatha. If we want to talk to each other, we really need to raise our
LuckiestTo say that I rushed everything would be an understatement. Ni hindi pa ako naliligo nang makarating si Austin. I asked him why he was so early and he just said he's worried we'll get stuck in the morning traffic. Ayaw niya namang sabihin kung saan kami pupunta. Inaantok pa nga ako kasi tinapos ko kagabi 'yong requirement na ngayong araw ko dapat tatapusin.I felt like I was the Flash when I managed to get ready in a span of twenty minutes. Hindi iyon ang madalas na oras ng pag-aayos ko. I took a quick shower and just got the most comfortable and go-to clothes I first laid my eyes on. Sabi naman ni Austin kahit ano raw suotin ko basta komportable ako. So I settled with a faded maong shorts, a plain black top and I paired it with a black strappy sandals. I also tied my hair in a half ponytail. Hindi ko na na-blowdry pa kasi nagmamadali na.
KissPinipilit ko na si Austin na ako na ang magmamaneho pabalik pero ayaw niya talaga. The whole ride, he would hold my hand whenever his right hand's free. Kapag magpapalit siya ng gear, iniiwan niya lang ang kamay ko sa hita niya tapos hahawakan ulit pagkatapos. It's almost eleven when I got home."Thanks for today," I said. Hindi na matanggal sa mukha ko ang ngiti. Today was tiring but the happiness that came with it is unparalleled. "Kaya mo pa bang mag-drive pauwi?""Yup. It's just for a few minutes," Austin answered. Concerned lang naman ako kasi alam kong pagod na siya. Kung ako nga na naupo lang buong byahe napagod, paano pa kaya siya na nag-drive? At saka nakita ko rin siya na minamasahe iyong braso niya noong nag-stopover kami sa isang cafe para kumain."Alright. Uwi
Child"What happened?" I asked. Ang seryoso bigla ng itsura ni Austin kaya mas lalo akong kinabahan. May masama bang nangyari?Hindi napansin nina Inigo at Agatha ang presensiya ni Austin dahil abala pa rin sila sa pinag-aawayan nilang dalawa."Turbo and Robin got sick," he answered. Bigla namang nanlaki ang mata ko."What? Why?" tanong ko. Medyo nabawasan ang kaba ko nang malaman na wala naman palang nangyaring masama sa kanya."They won't eat. I don't know why."He looked awfully bothered so I stood up to face him."Did you have them checked already?"He shook his head. "Their vet's not in yet an