8:25 am
This
is boring.
It
was an odd day that morning.
Heavy,
wet and tiring. I
was sleepless the past night in spite of exhaustion I felt yesterday.
Also, it was raining for five straight days now. And still, I have to go
to school in my midweek school break.
I woke up at around 7:00 am and I have to do my morning rituals in hurry
because I have to be in school at 8:30 and mind you, my travel takes one
hour. And yet I left home 8:00. In that case, to be safe and fast, I
didn’t take the bus. I rode another public transport known as the FX
or the mega taxi that cost Php 8.00 (eight pesos) more.
On
my way to school, I sneeze so hard that I thought I’m going to get
colds. Coupled with chills, I was thinking to go back home. But like
what I’ve said, it was a very odd day that it only took me less than
one hour to be in school. And that, turning back is for no avail.
The
reason why I have to be in school is that I am a part of a team joining
a quiz bee. I am not really a part of it (because I didn’t make it to
the Finals) but the supposedly 3-member team became a 4-member
competition and I was the addition. The competition was not that stiff
in the first two round because we lead through out the Easy and Average
levels. But as the competition entered the Difficult round, we find it
odd that we only answered two questions, which dropped us to the second
place losing only by one question. But for me, it is still a good thing
that we didn’t place last, which our Organization’s rank last year.
I
told you that I have to be in school to join a quiz bee but what really
motivate me to be in school, instead of resting at home, is that
someone’s going to be there too- the apple of my eye. She was one of
the dancers who opened the event (and will open another at the
afternoon), performing an interpretative dance to make up for the
Doxology part. She doesn’t know up until now that I got a habit of
staring at her without her awareness. I really find her beautiful when
she doesn’t exert effort to be beautiful. I find her rather amazing
and pretty when she’s sleepy, tired, worried, and others or even when
she’s doing nothing at all. And while she was dancing upstage, I
solemnly and obliviously kept staring at her. But whenever she gazes
towards the crowd, I just automatically close or move my eyes to other
things. I know that she already knew it but I just can’t let her sense
that I’m crazy over her.
At
the same day, like what I’ve said, she’s going to dance again to
commence the afternoon seminar and that I opted to stay longer though
I’m not required to attend the event. Also, my friends are the one who
are in charge of the activity and so I extend a hand to help them to
have reasons to stay. Without hesitations, they accepted me and asked me
to edit and re-print the certificate, which will be given to the guest
speaker. The consequence is I have to do it immediately. And so I have
to run from our school to the nearest computer station just to fix a
little problem, only to find out that they have made a remedy for the
spoiled certificates and that my efforts are of no great concern.
It didn’t hit me at all, what knocked me off is I didn’t saw
her second performance. Petty, I know, but this is just me.
After
an hour and a half, we were all tired and hungry. One suggested that we
eat at a nearby food chain (Jollibee). We were ten and nine of them are
all girls. But that doesn’t bother me. There are only 4 boys in our
regular class of 13 Accounting majors and only 7 boys in our batch of
around 28 BSA and MA’s. Going back to the story, we
assent into the suggestion and all decided to go and take a snack
(though some have heavy meals).
We
headed to the second floor of the restaurant and find it to be half-full
and the ten of us will have to sit afar from each other. But there was a
space in the far back which could sit all of us together. They arrange
the chairs and the five tables so that all of us can sit with each
other. But the last table is fixed firmly on the floor and cannot be
move, leaving two chairs, consequently two persons, to be place a little
far from the eight. They all play a joke on me and to her (name I
won’t mention for many reasons) and left us the table for two.
We all proceed to our snack and I ordered a burger, a large fries and
iced tea. I was really hungry early that moment, but as I stay on that
table with her, I just forget my tummy and start to feed my heart
instead. There was silence in our table as our companions having their
biggest laughs for the day.
Still
there was silence. It’s deafening me and so I broke the ice
first. I looked at my watch and checked what was the date. Then I
proceeded to ask her if there is someone waiting for him (because I see
her glancing her watch occasionally). She responded, none and asks me
why. I told her that her glances to her wristwatch are indicative of
something (and yet I know there’s another reason). After that, some of
our friends butt in and include us to their discussions. Chit chats and
teases continued. Then there’s this silence again. To encourage her to
talk more, I ask something green about her. I asked her, if
something happened to both of them already. She was quite defensive but
I’m expecting it because I know she’s one of the most conservative
girls I know. I went on to the topic and ask what she received during
their first month together. She said that their first monthsary
(month celebration) was nothing but a forgotten history because they
were both busy. She was busy studying for our exams, while the guy is
sick, who is currently having his review. I, then, asked about their
second month. It was a simple date that happened just five days ago,
according to her. I was surprised and told her that I thought it was
today. And the real reason why I’m asking if someone’s waiting for
him is that I thought it was every tenth day of the month. She grinned.
She
told me that she also mistaken their monthsary happening every tenth of
the month instead of the fifth day. (And to tell you the truth, that
even if ten is what I believe to be their number, the number ten has
been reminding me of her). And after knowing her little story, I asked
myself if somewhere, could be in our past life or somewhere in space and
in time, we were together and that the number ten played a special part
in our life. But back to reality, still it has not happened. And
besides, when I start to tease about her size, and that she’s getting
bigger as of the moment, she told me, “Isusumbong kita kay
[blank]”, name I chose not to mention also. At that moment, my
happiness ceased. Staring at her is what I can only do and beyond that
is just a fantasy.
Time
passed hastily and I can’t seem to finish my burger and my fries.
I’m a tall guy of an average built and that burger and fries are
nothing to me. But like what I’ve said, I seem to forget my tummy and
savor the moment instead (feed my heart). It was short-lived yet
satisfying. I don’t know if I finally accepted the facts and that I am
moving on or I still feel something about her and still hoping for
something to happen.
5:40
pm and we all decide to go home because the sky is starting to get dark.
We all walked outside and since we are all going to the same direction,
some of us continued their gossips and stories. But suddenly, it
drizzles and small raindrops start to fall on our heads. Only three of
us have umbrellas. And I’m one of them. Odd it seems but my mom always
told me to bring umbrella whenever I go out especially this passed few
days. Remember, we are ten in the group and only I brought my umbrella
out and use it. They say that the rain is manageable. I didn’t argue
and use my umbrella alone. I shelter myself alone though some of my
friends told me to share the umbrella with her (referring to the apple
of my eye). But I jokingly said, “Ayaw. Isusumbong ko kayo kay
[blank].” I didn’t offer my umbrella to her. It was my intention not
to.
In
my mind, I am imagining of something. Remember the myths about the
gremlins. Whenever they get wet or rained, they multiply.
I was thinking that if I will not share my umbrella with her,
she’ll get wet. And with that, she’ll multiply. Thus, I will no
longer have to wait for her or compete with others or with him over her
love and attention. Also with hopes, that one of her multiples will fall
for me too…
Back
to reality, she’s no gremlin. She’s just a simple girl who I happen
to love extraordinarily.
Our
strides, soon, brought us to our different destinations and I, alone,
took the bus home. I sat at the 3rd row of the passenger seats near the
glass window. On my way home, the rain got heavy. It caused a big
traffic too. But I didn’t care about the traffic. I just lean my head
to the glass window and lazily look outside as the rain pour down. It
was quite a view to stare outside as the rain stream down the glass
window. Faces and places distort. But it was a nice view for me. I
smiled and felt that the sky sympathizes with my loneliness. Early that
day, blessings were falling right into my hands but this afternoon, one
slipped away without me knowing.
All
in all, that day has been wonderful. Something I don’t expect. I have
my fall but praises somehow offset those downs.
----0----
----0---- ----0----
You
must be wondering why the title of this story is 8:25… When I
sneeze that morning, I catch a glimpse of my watch as I was
covering my face. It says 8:25 am but it could be 7:58am (my watch
is 27 minutes advance). And according to the sneezing
code, a
sneeze that occur between 8:01 and 8:30, mean a Good luck for the
day. A sneeze between 7:31 and 8:00 means "Expect the
unexpected". Which
way I go, both gives the same idea.
-J.K.P.
|
See this?
Bloody
isn't it? |
