Kabanata 6
HELIYA and I immediately got close with Eve and Cyan. Mas lalo akong hindi nahirapan makisama sa kanila nang makausap ko ng masinsinan si Cyan at nakumpirmang isa nga siyang lobo, bukod doon ay nabanggit niya rin sa akin na si Eve ay anak ng isang tao at isang lone werewolf. She just happen to born as a human with no ability of transforming into a werewolf just like us, pure-blooded werewolves.
Ipinakita rin sa akin ni Cyan ang kanyang marka ngunit hindi iyon pamilyar sa akin. According to her, their pack is residing in the woods near the boundary of Ridgerton and Queensas. At nang tanungin niya ako tungkol sa pack na kinabibilangan ko sinabi ko na lamang na matagal na kaming walang kinabibilangang pack ni Mama.
Sa loob ng halos isang linggo ay matagumpay nila kaming nailibot sa iba't lugar na kailangan naming malaman at mapuntahan ni Heliya upang hindi kami gaaning mahirapan kapag opisyal nang nagsimula ang academic year. Kamangha-mangha ang labas ng mismong university dahil talagang para siyang community area exclusively for students of Pasquerton.
Kababalik lang halos namin sa aming dorm building galing sa labas matapos nilang maisipang kumain doon sa isang restaurant malapit sa grocery store. Dumiretso ako agad sa aking silid upang magpalit ng damit bago kumuha ng tubig sa kusina.
Habang nagsasalin ako ng tubig sa baso ay napansin kong papalapit sa akin si Cyan. Kumuha rin siya ng isang baso at nagsalin ng tubig pagkatapos ko bago uminom.
"It may sound weird but can I see your palm, Nari?" tanong niya.
I nodded as an answer before I held my hand which she immediately took. I have no idea what is she up to but I just stood there and wait. I saw how she closed her eyes and caressed my palm using her thumb and draw some unknown shape on my palm using his point finger.
After a few minutes, I was shocked with how she reacted and just let go of my hand without a word. She seems to be surprised of something too but she didn't say any word.
"W-Why? What's wrong, Cyan?" I asked, trying to get her attention by tapping her arms.
She gasped and then blinked few times before looking into my eyes and shook her head. "N-Nothing, don't w-worry about me."
Gusto ko pa sana siyang tanungin ulit ngunit nagmadali na siya sa pag-inom at agad na umalis sa kusina. Narinig kong dumiretso siya sa kanyang kwarto at nagsarado ng pinto. I was left dumbfounded at the kitchen. I was really curious as to why she acted like that. Still thinking of it, I drank the water on my glass and moved the pitcher back on the fridge and left the glass on the sink.
When morning came the next morning, Cyan seems to be fine already but she's a bit distant from me. Every time she talk to me, she's avoiding my eyes and seems to be filtering her words. I didn't on how she act more because I am really sleepy. My curiosity did not let me sleep at all.
SA mga sumunod na araw ay tila bumalik sa dating pakikitungo sa akin si Cyan kaya't pilit ko na ring winaksi sa isip ko ang nangyari ng gabing iyon.
Dalawang araw bago ang opisyal na pagsisimula ng klase ay nagtungo pa kami sa isang party ng isang kaibigan nina Cyan at Eve. Nauna rin naman akong umuwi kaysa sa kanila dahil talagang hindi ako mahilig sa mga ganoong klase ng kasiyahan.
Matapos ang unang dalawang linggo ng klase ay nagkaroon ng announcement sa bulletin board ng bawat building regarding the opening of different university organization. Nang tanghaling bumaba ako para magtungo sana roon ay marami pang mga estudyante kaya't ipinagpaliban ko na muna ang paglapit roon at nagtungo na lamang roon sa cafeteria upang bumili ng makakakain.
Tuwing Lunes at Miyerkules ng tanghali kasi ay hindi nagtutugma ang schedule naming apat, mas maagang natatapos ang klase ko kaya't wala akong nakakasabay kumain. Hindi naman gaanong mahirap pakisamahan ang mga nagiging kaklase ko kaya lamang ay nahihiya pa rin akong basta na lamang sumama sa kanila.
Matapos bumili ay naupo ako sa isang bakanteng table hindi kalayuan sa inuupuan ng mga kaklase ko. Nang magsimula akong kumain ng pasta ay napansin kong palapit sa pwesto ko si Claura, isa sa mga kaklase ko sa isang minor subject.
"Hi! Pwede bang maki-table?" tanong niya. Jolly talaga si Claura and she has round face and chubby cheeks which makes her look cute and adorable.
"Sige lang, Claura," simpleng sagot ko bago bahagyang ngumiti sa kanya.
"Bakit mag-isa ka lang? Asan 'yung mga kaibigan na kasabay mo noong Friday?" Muling tanong niya habang iniaayos ang mga pagkain niya.
"Ah, magkakaiba kami ng schedule every Monday and Wednesday eh kaya mag-isa lang ako ngayon. Ikaw, bakit wala ka yatang kasama ngayon?"
Nginuya at nilunok niya muna ang kinain niyang burger bago siya sumagot. "Wala lang. You know, I want to explore and be friend with other students. This week, ikaw ang target ko!"
Bahagya akong natawa roon. Ang taas ng energy niya, napalingon pa sa amin iyong ibang mga estudyanteng nakaupo sa mga kalapit na table na marahil ay narinig ang boses niya.
"Anyway highway, saang org ka sasali?"
"Hindi ko pa sigurado, eh. I haven't checked the full details on the bulletin board. Ang dami kasing tao kanina, ang hirap makipagsiksikan. Ikaw? May kino-consider ka na bang salihan?" Tanong ko pabalik at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain.
"Hmm, actually meron.." Panimulang saad niya while squealing excitedly. "There's an organization kasi here in the uni which was called HiWAGa. HiWAGa as in abbreviation for Himig, Wika, Arte at Galaw. Gusto kong magpasa ng application form and mag-audition doon. Samahan na din kita later doon sa may bulletin board."
May ganoon pala? I'm an average singer but I do have knowledge in dancing, acting and playing instruments because of my high school activities which are mostly theater plays and live performances. Maybe I should consider joining that organization.
"So you're into performing arts pala," saad ko habang pinagmamasdan siya.
"Actually no. I'm not that good in singing and dancing, plus I feel awkward when I'm acting. But then, I am actually planning to join because of their president!"
Hala, bakit siya kinikilig? Ano bang meron sa president nila?
"Huh? Ano bang meron?"
"Omg, Nari! You should join HiWAGa talaga to see house gwapo Clausque is! Sobrang gwapong papi!" She said while smiling widely.
"What? Clausque? Santa Clausque? Maybe he'll grant your wishes," I joked but she just frowned at me.
I swear it is funnier inside my head but I guess I don't use enough humorous words.
"Oh come on, Nari! Don't joke like that, baka pagsisihan mo kapag nakita mo siya."
True to her words, pagkatapos naming kumain ay sinamahan niya ako roon sa may bulletin board. Mabuti na lamang at hindi na gaanong maraming estudyante ang naroroon tulad kanina kaya't hindi na kami masyadong nahirapan.
Karamihan sa mga organization na naroroon ay mga subject or course related, ang iba naman ay about service like organizations for outreach programs and community service. May mga included benefits rin doon ngunit hindi ako gaanong interesado sa kanila kaya't napagpasyahan kong sa HiWAGa na lamang ako sasali.
"NEXT po!" sigaw ng isang lalaking marahil ay officer ng HiWAGa.
Kanina pa kami nakapila sa labas ng auditorium kung saan gaganapin ang audition. Isa-isa lang kasi ang pinapapasok upang maiwasan ang ingay. May mga provided naman na upuan sa labas kaya't hindi gaanong mahirap ang maghintay.
For today, I decided to play the K545 Sonata of Mozart. I can play some pop songs and other modern music but I think some might do that already so I decided to go for K545 sonata, although that's the easiest piano piece of Mozart, that's the only piano piece of him that I can clearly remember. I don't have a piano at home so I stopped by the music room yesterday, gladly it was open and the student there allowed me to practice.
Sabay kaming nagpasa ni Claura ng application form sa HiWAGa kahapon at tulad niya ay marami rin akong narinig na mga estudyante na ninanais lang talagang sumali roon upang masilayan ang presidente. Sikat talaga sa unibersidad ang Clausque na tinutukoy nila dahil nang banggitin ko ang tungkol roon kay Heliya matapos naming magkausap ni Claura sa cafeteria kahapon ay kilala na niya agad iyon. Naisipan niya pa ngang I-search sa Facebook pero bigo siya dahil wala itong account roon ngunit mayroon siyang ilang picture na nakita mula sa posts ng ilang official and unofficial school Facebook pages.
Hindi maipagkakailang gwapo nga ito. Even from the picture you can see how smooth his skin is. His face seems to be pore-less. He has a pair of hazel eyes, thick-proportioned eyebrows, straight-edged nose, and heart-shaped lips. He's really attractive but he seems to be snob.
After a few moments, I was finally next in line for the audition. When the student in front of me a while ago came out of the auditorium I immediately made my way inside.
Just like the others, I stood on the stage facing five students sitting on to the audience area, two of them are female and the rest are males, with their folders and pens. I glanced at each one of them but my eyes stayed on the particular hazel eyes. So this is what he looks like in person. He seems cold.
When the male on the far left spoke, nervousness creep on my system and the cold temperature of the auditorium is not helping at all. My eyes once again landed on Clausque. He's looking at me as if he's staring at my soul.
"You're Nariva Amari Volkov, right?" he asked, flipping through the pages of the application form. I simple answered 'Yes'.
The other female student then asked, "So, you're a transferee from Howerville. Hmm, let's see what you can do."
"Ahm, I-I'm going to play K545 Sonata of Mozart," I said nervously. The other student from the backstage then fixed the position of the piano and gestured me to proceed on playing.
I heaved a sigh before setting my fingers on top of the piano key and start playing. The sound of the piano filled my ears but was not enough to calm my system. I can still feel Clausque's stare, it's intimidating me.
Makalipas ang halos apat na minutong pagtugtog ay matagumpay kong natapos ang piano piece. Matapos pindutin ang huling key ay agad akong tumayo at bumalik sa gitnang bahagi ng stage.
"Impressive! Do you know how to play other instruments aside from piano?" tanong noong isang lalaking nasa kanan ni Clausque.
I simply answered that I can also play an acoustic guitar and ukulele and explained that it's been years since the last time I used those. They seem fine with my answers naman kaya I simply stood there and wait for me to dismiss me.
When I look at them I saw the guy nudging Clausque as if asking him to speak or do something. I waited for him to speak but he didn't. He just sat there and looked at me with his hazel eyes. Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay nagdesisyon na silang I-dismiss ako to call for the next student which is Claura.
The sky is already dark when I came out. It was past seven o'clock and there are still at least thirty students waiting outside. While I was waiting for Claura at the bench, my phone suddenly rang. It wasn't because of a call but because of a calendar reminder. When I unlocked my phone, my eyes widened when I realized what the reminder is all about.
The blue moon.