Stay Wild, Moon Child

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Eight

Harold Reyes.

I remember when I transferred to this school, I was a walking shell. Numb. Void of emotions. Empty.

The only thing that keeps me going back then is yung goal ko na maka graduate with honors.

I don't even know what I want to do after graduation. I don't have any course in mind. I feel like wala rin naman akong karapatan na mag isip sa kung ano ang dapat kong kuhanin. I'll just do whatever my dad tells me to do.

Kasi the last time na hindi ko siya pinakinggan, something bad happened.

Naalala ko nung panahon na 'yon, para bang nakalimutan ko nang magkaroon ng any positive emotions.

But then I saw Harold and he made me feel things na akala ko hindi ko na mararamdaman ulit.

I remember that time, we were required to stay after class para manood basketball practice game. Kalaban yung team from the other school. That's also my first day of being the class president. Medyo inis ako kasi nadagdagan ang responsibilidad ko at hindi ko naman pinlano na maging class president. But I'm also not the type of person na hi-hindi sa ganito kaya naman sinusubukan ko na lang lunukin ang responsibilidad na pinaako sa'kin.

Naalala ko non mga kaklase ko, sobrang tutok sa game. Hiyawan ang mga lalaki, samantalang busy naman kiligin ang mga girls dahil sa mga crush nila na players. Ilang beses ko rin narinig ang pangalan ni Harold non pero hindi ko pinansin. Busy ako sa maya't maya na pag tingin sa oras. Inip na inip ako, gusto ko nang umuwi non.

Naalala ko nun nakita kong naglalaro si Harold, maganda ang ngiti niya. Like he's really enjoying this kahit pa sobrang intense ng game. Hindi nagkakalayo ang scores nila nung kalaban. Madalas salitan lang ang lamang.

He's cute, I give him that. Kaya kilig na kilig noon mga kaklase ko, eh. But maybe not enough to make my heart flutter. Not enough to make me feel positive emotion.

Until last second nung game, lamang yung kalaban. Na kay Harold ang bola nun. He threw a three point shot. Pasok. Buzzer beater. They won by two points.

When he made that shot, everyone's jumping and cheering. Kita kong nag kumpulan ang mga ka teammates niya to do a group hug.

Of course, alam ko na sa kanilang lahat, he should be the happiest. He made that shot. Their team won because of him. But instead na makisaya siya sa mga team, I saw him hurriedly went to the other team. Nung una nag tataka ako, pero nakita ko na may isang player from the other team na nakaupo sa bleachers at mukhang injured ito. Nilapitan agad siya ni Harold to check if he's okay, at ito pa ang nag tawag ng medics.

A simple act of kindness that manage to caught my attention.

Ewan, pero yung gesture niya warms my heart. It felt weird kasi it's been so long since I've felt that kind of warmth.

After that day, madalas ko nang napapansin si Harold. He's quite popular among girls at pansin ko rin marami siyang kakilala sa school, pero he likes to keep his circle small. Mas madalas ko siya makita na kasama nina LJ at Chichi pag lunch. Minsan naman kasama niya si Seb.

He's cool, like really cool. I love watching him play basketball because it seems like he's the happiest pag nasa loob siya ng court. Hindi pa nakatulong na ang gwapo niya, tapos ang tangkad pa.

Pinaka plus point ay I know, Harold's genuinely kind. Minsan sobrang bait, nakakatakot baka may mag take advantage sa kanya.

Pero grabe, bago ko makilala si Harold, my life's been empty, cold and dark. Pero pag nakikita ko siya, I can see a flicker of light, I feel warm and happy.