Song: Close- Westlife
Happy
Naputol lamang ang tinginan namin nang ipakilala na ang susunod na team. Nakita ko rin na kumaway si Ian kay Kelly. Konti nalang talaga iisipin ko na may something silang dalawa.
Nang matapos ang toss coin, inanunsyo na kung sino ang offense team at kung sino ang defense team. Bago ako syempre manood ulit ng finals ay nag-binge watch ako ng football games sa youtube para may idea na ako.
Offense team will be the St. John University while the defense team will be the Golden Hills University.
When the game started sobrang naging maingay na ang field. Ang dalawang pinsan ni Zach ay sobrang nagkakatuwaan sa pagchecheer.
The opponent team was too good to be true ngunit parang wala lang iyon kela Zach. They still did well kahit na magaling ang kalaban. Zach was really good. Even Ian. Kaya naman todo cheer rin itong si Kelly.
I didn't know Ryan knows something about football dahil mukhang hindi siya clueless habang nanonood. Di kagaya ko noon. Natapos ang second half ng lamang ang St. John University ng isang touchdown.
Kung magpapatuloy ang maganda nilang performance ay may chance silang maging champion.
And so, they did. Ang St. John Football Team ang tinanghal na champion ng University Football League. Tuwang-tuwa ang buong student body sa pagkapanalo ng St. John. Ian was the one who scored the championship point.
"Your boyfie is so good ha?" Pang-aasar sa akin ni Ryan. I rolled my eyes at him playfully.
Sabay sabay kaming bumaba ng bleachers upang salubungin sila Zach. Peter and John was still going crazy about the game. Sa sobrang intense nito parang hindi sila makamove on dahil bukambibig parin nila 'yon.
Sinalubong si Zach ng daddy niya at niyakap siya. Habang ang mommy niya naman ay hinalikan siya sa magkabilang pisngi. He was holding his trophy. Siya kasi 'yung tinanghal na MVP ng UFL. Habang si Ian naman ang Finals MVP.
They asked Peter to take their photo with Zach's trophy. Hindi man ngumingiti si Zach, ang gwapo niya parin. Para talaga siyang modelo minsan. Hinila naman ako ni Katarina at pinasali sa picture nila. I stumbled a little dahil sa gulat ko sa ginawa niya.
She placed me beside Zach. I mumbled a congrats to Zach at ngumiti na sa harap ng camera. Even Kelly, Peter and John joined the photo. Si Ryan ang naging photographer.
"Oh, si Samantha at Zach naman!" Anunsyo ni Ryan. Nilakihan ko siya ng mata. Jusko naman itong si Ryan!
"Oonga, anak. Kayo naman ni Sam." Ani Tito Patrick. Umalis na sila sa tabi namin at pinanood kaming dalawa. Zach put his arms around my waist nang mag-umpisang magbilang si Ryan.
"Let's go. Let's celebrate outside! Zach, make Ian come with us." Sabi ni Tita Carmel at nagsimula na silang mag-lakad. Ang dalawang magkapatid na si Peter at John naman ay nautosan pa si Ryan na kuhanan sila ng picture sa field kaya medyo malayo rin sila sa amin.
"Yes, mom." Zach answered. Nang dumaan si Ian sa may gawi namin ay sinabihan niya agad ito which he gladly accepted the invitation. He even asked if Kelly would be there!
Ah! I sense something here already.
Kaming dalawa nalang ni Zach ang naiwan. Siniguro ko muna na malayo sila sa amin bago ko harapin si Zach.
"Congrats!" I smiled widely at him.
"You already said that." He chuckled.
"Well, I still want to congratulate you for a job well done! Tingnan mo nga ikaw pa 'yung tinanghal na MVP sa buong season ng UFL."
Ngumiti ako sakanya at ganon rin ang ginawa niya. Bago pa makapagsalita si Zach ay sinalubong kami nila Peter.
"Kuya Zach! Congratulations!" Nakipag bro fist ito sakanya.
"Jusko itong dalawang batang 'to. Ginawa akong photographer! Nakakaloka!" Reklamo ni Ryan. Parehas naman kaming natawa sakanya. Poor Ryan.
Naghiwalay lamang kami ng magshoshower na si Zach. I patiently waited for him sa kotse niya. Ryan brought his own at doon sumakay ni Peter at John. Naging baby sitter pa tuloy si Ryan ng di oras.
Of course, Kelly will ride with Ian. Zach smelled like aftershave ng matapos siya magshower. He opened the car door for me and I hopped in. Ngunit hindi niya iyon sinarado. Tiningnan ko siya at ako na sana ang magsasara ngunit pinigilan niya ito.
"Fuck it." He said. Before I can even react he already crashed his lips into mine.
Tila hindi maproseso sa isip ko ang lahat. Sobrang unexpected talaga niya humalik! When his lips started moving into mine ay hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko na mapapikit at humalik pabalik.
Libo-libong sensation ang naramdaman ko sa bawat halik niya. When our lips parted, ngumiti siya sa akin at sinarado ang pinto ng kotse. I bit my lip and smiled to myself.
Ryan and I stayed up all night. I told him about Zach and I's kiss a while ago. I thought the car ride was going to be awkward pero hindi. We were laughing all the time telling each other's stories.
I'm so proud of myself dahil napapatawa ko na si Zach and we became so comfortable around each other already. I was hoping na sana magkaroon nga kami ng chance ni Zach. Because I will be so grateful for that.
I don't know if we are still pretending dahil sa totoo lang, ako ay hindi na. Everything is so real to me. It came to a point na I didn't want to pretend anymore because I'm already falling for Zach.
Nagiging mahirap lang dahil hindi ko alam if Zach feels the same way. I can't read him. Hindi ko alam kung ano bang nararamdaman niya. He's like a beautiful book but so hard to read.
Hindi ko kayang masabi 'yung nararamdaman ko sakanya dahil natatakot ako sa magiging reaksyon niya. Kaya pinaparamdam ko nalang sakanya.
I don't want him to love me dahil lang mahal ko siya. I want him to love me dahil nakamove on na siya. I want him to love me dahil handa na siyang magmahal muli.
Minsan ay pumupunta si Zach dito tuwing weekends. We tried to bake but the kitchen suddenly became a mess. We ran around the kitchen while throwing flour at each other.
Napasigaw ako ng binuhat niya ako at hinarap ako sakanya. I laughed so hard nang sabuyan ko siya ng harina sakanyang mukha. He wiped away the flour from his eyes. Tumingin siya sa akin. We were just staring at each other's eyes. Admiring one another while I'm inside his arms.
Right now, we feel like we are the last ones on earth. I'm definitely aware that Ryan is around but I didn't care. I pulled him closer to me then I crashed my lips to him. Mas inilapit niya ang mukha ko sakanya to get a better access. We made out for a long time hanggang sa bumukas ang pinto ng kusina.
"What the hell is this?" Ryan shouted. I pushed Zach away from me at hinarap si Ryan. He roamed his eyes around the mess we made inside the kitchen.
"We're just about to clean this up, Ryan." Sabi ko at inayos na ang ibang gamit.
"Dapat lang!" He was about to go out pero huminto siya sa may tapat ng pinto. "And don't think that I didn't see you two making out. Clean yourself up, kids." He blew us a kiss.
Nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi ni Ryan. I turned to Zach who was trying to hide his laughter. Nang tuluyan nang makalabas si Ryan ay doon na siya natawa ng sobra.
"I think we should clean this up." He said. I nodded then we started cleaning the whole kitchen.
Ilang linggo ang lumipas hanggang sa dumating na ang linggo ng graduation. I have finally accepted na walang pupunta sa pamilya ko. Ryan left the country last week. So, I have the unit all to myself. Minsan ay pumupunta si Zach dito.
We didn't do anything that involves sexual activities, you know. We just made out. A lot.
Yesterday was the baccalaureate mass and today is our graduation. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Hinagod ko ang suot kong damit hanggang baba at huminga ng malalim.
I'm going to drive myself sa venue. Ayoko namang abalahin pa si Zach bago mag-graduation diba? I smiled to myself bago ako lumabas ng unit. Dala dala ko ang toga ko at ang aking bag.
Nang makarating ako sa venue, dumiretso agad ako sa table of registration. Lahat ng estudyante ay may kasama ako lang ang wala. But I didn't let that affect me.
Nung pumirma na ako, tinanong ako nung babae kung kasama ko ba ang magulang ko. I shook my head at dumiretso na kung nasaan ang ibang graduates. Ngumiti ako sa mga bawat makakasalubong ko. Nagulat ako nang may yumakap sa akin galing likod.
"Sam!" Kelly squealed.
"Kelly!" We hugged each other. Hinawakan ko 'yung kulot niyang buhok. "You look so good!"
"Ikaw rin! Your parents... are they coming?" She asked. Alam niya kasi noon na umaasa parin ako na pupunta sila. As I've said, I've finally accepted it.
"No." Tipid akong ngumiti. She pulled me into a hug.
"It's okay."
"I know... Yaay! We're graduating!" I raised my hands up in the air trying to lighten up the mood.
"Yay! Congratulations on the award, by the way."
"Thanks."
"Kararating lang din ni Zach. Have you seen him?" Umiling ako. I haven't seen him in a week. Puro text lang kami. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan siya dahil di naman niya sinasabi.
"No. Haven't seen him for weeks. Alam mo ba kung san siya nagpunta?"
"Alam ko they had a family outing. Nag out of the country sila. That's why he's been out for weeks."
Zach didn't tell me. Akala ko naman may nangyari na sakanya.
"Oh. He didn't tell me." Sabi ko.
Naputol ang usapan namin ng magsimula na ang programa. The graduation went by how it's supposed to be. Ngayon ay awarding na ng medals for honors. Tinatawag na kami isa-isa together with our families. But sadly, I had to go there and receive my medal alone.
'Yung pamilya sa likod ko ay ramdam ko na tinitingnan ako at pinagbubulongan pa siguro ako. Kahit 'yung pamilya na nasa harap ko ay pauli-uli rin ng tingin sa akin. Maybe they're wondering why this girl is standing there alone. Hindi ko na lamang sila pinansin.
Ako na ang susunod na gagawaran ng medalya. Tinanong pa ako kung nasaan daw ang magulang ko sasagot na sana ako nang may biglang sumagot para sa akin.
"I'm with her."
Tita Carmel stood by my side. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakita. Tita Carmel will join me receive my medal. I won't accept my award alone.
Hinawakan niya ako sa likod at iginiya na umakyat sa entablado ng tawagin na ang pangalan ko.
Samantha Greyshel G. Enriquez, Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, Magna Cum Laude.
I was still in shock. But I managed to smile ng kamayan ako at isabit sa akin ang medalya.
"I won't let you receive an award alone, hija. I'm proud of you." Sabi ni Tita Carmel nang makababa kami. I couldn't hold back at napayakap ako sakanya.
"Thank you so much, Tita." A tear escaped from my eye. I never would have imagined for her to come up on stage with me.
"Thank you for making my son happy again." She wiped away my tear.