Yes.
The guy wearing a black granddad collar shirt that's folded until his elbows, gray chino pants, and some sneakers was indeed Mavin Jaranillo.
Nagtaka ako nang makita siyang papunta sa direksyon ko. I look behind me, thinking there must be someone in my back, but to my surprise, there's no one.
I tilted my head. Baka pupunta rin siya sa clinic?
Sinulyapan ko ang clinic saka nagpasya nang magpatuloy sa pag-alis. Contrary to what Tita Emilia wanted, I intend to get home through walking. Hindi naman na mainit, saka I can take advantage of the situation to have some exercise, which I lack of.
My eyes narrowed at him, still confused, when I saw him slowing down. Then he suddenly stop under a tree, not too far away from me. Is he waiting for someone?
"Hey," bati ko sa kaniya pagkalapit sa kinaroroonan niya.
Nagdebate pa ang utak ko kung papansin ko siya o hindi. Sa huli, pinili ko nalang na pansinin siya. It will be weird to ignore him when we already made an eye contact, right? And it's not like it's our first encounter…
"Hi," he replied. His lips curled for a small smile, eyes looking down at me.
Luminga-linga ako sa paligid.
"Are you perhaps waiting for someone?" I fired away.
Dahil tumigil siya sa paglalakad, I assume that he must be waiting for someone. At pinili lang maglakad papunta sa ilalim ng puno ng mangga para lumilim.
He raised his brows.
"I'm waiting for someone?" ulit niya sa sinabi ko.
I forehead slightly creased.
"Yeah?"
Is he not?
Napangisi siya. "Probably," he mumbled as he turn on his heels. His side now facing me.
"Pauwi ka na?" dagdag niya.
I nodded. "Ikaw? Going somewhere?" balik ko habang pinapasadahan ang ayos niya.
He must to be going somewhere formal or semi-formal. It is my first time seeing a fifteen year-old guy wearing a semi-formal clothes that's not school related. Wait, is he even fifteen? Because he seems to be older than his age, whatever it will be.
I'm the one to talk, because even I look older than my real age. Napagkakamalan akong nasa legal age na dahil sa height ko. It's not like it's my fault for being taller than the average girls my age.
"I'm… going home," he replied, sounding unsure.
I didn't pay any attention to what he said because I am too focused in determining our height difference. I was bothered by it. Kung kay Kaiden ay ilang pulgada lang ang pagitan namin, my line of vision, up close, for Mavin Jaranillo was... his neck. How exactly tall he is?
"Then, I gotta go." I said after a while when I notice that the sky was already orange.
Gumalaw na ang mga paa ko. Naalala na hindi dapat ako maantala dahil baka gabihin na ako. Nagtaka ako nang gumalaw rin siya at sinabayan ako.
"Do you intend to walk going home?"
Hindi ako sumagot.
"Sabayan na kita. I'm going to the same direction anyway."
Umawang ang labi ko. Bumuka ang bibig ko para sana magtanong pero isinara ko nalang ulit. Sinabayan na niya ako sa paglalakad. This is weird. Me and Mavin Jaranillo, walking side by side, in a narrow sidewalk. But I shouldn't put a meaning to it, right?
"Do you love dogs?" he ask after few minutes of silence.
Sinulyapan ko siya. Then I think about the thing he asked. Do I love dogs?
I eyed the stray dogs at the other side of the road. Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili. But… I don't feel anything for them except indifference.
"I love Kiho," I choose to say in the end.
Sa gilid ng mata ko ay nakita ko ang pagbaling ng ulo niya sa akin.
"Who's Kiho?"
Ngumuso ako. I showed him Kiho who's on the dog carrier bag; his head sticking out.
"My dog…"
Tumaas ang mga kilay niya at bahagyang natawa. "So it's name is Kiho… Why Kiho?"
Now it's my turn to smile. "Well, it's supposed to be 'Kiro' but Manang misheard it and began calling him 'Kiho', that's why…"
"Hmm… Interesting," he mumbled with an amused smile on his lips.
Napatitig ako ng ilang sandali sa mukha niya. Now that I got a closer look on his face, I can't blame the girls at school for crushing on him. He's indeed good-looking. Thick brows to be envied for, high-bridge nose, heart-shaped pink lips… and a pair of orbs that reflects his every emotions openly.
He has that kind of face that you won't come across everyday. And I'm very much sure that this kind of face are already out in the market. Just like any other guys out there.
Hindi na nasundan pa ang pag-uusap namin. We just walk side by side, quietly, until we reach the part of the subdivision where our village lies. I'm not sure if it's because he's already out of things to asked… But for me, I liked the comfortable silence between us that I didn't try to ruin it.
"I'll be on this way," I said, pointing at the end of the main road. Nasa tapat na kami ng kalye kung nasaan ang bahay nila.
Mukhang may sasabihin sana siya pero sa huli'y piniling tumango nalang at pinanuod akong maglakad paalis. Bago ako tuluyang tumalikod ay nakita ko pa ang pagbulsa niya ng mga kamay sa suot na pantalon habang ang mga mata'y nanatiling nakatuon sa akin.
Kahit noong nakalayo na ako ay ramdam ko pa rin ang mga mata niya sa akin. I am tempted to look back to check if he's still watching me. But in the end, I choose not to.
Binitiwan ko ang hawak na ballpen at isinandal ang buong sarili sa upuan. Naglakbay na naman ang isipan ko sa nangyari kahapon. No matter how many times I think about it, I'm still weirded out by the thought that Mavin Jaranillo and I walked together going home.
If someone from school happened to see us yesterday, would a strange rumor about us stir up?
Nah. Malabo.
"Itinaas mo pa ng kaunti." Tahimik kong sinunod ang utos ni Julien. "Ayos na."
Kinuha ko ang isang push pin na sinadya kong idikit kanina sa cork board at ginamit ito upang idikit ang poster. After a while, I move away from it and checked if I have done it right.
"Tara na sa taas," ani Julien.
Tumango ako. Isinara ko muna ang salamin ng bulletin board bago sumunod sa kaniya. We're done with the bulletin boards here in first floor. May apat pa.
The grade nine building has two bulletin boards in each floor. Naatasan kami ni Julien na tanggalin ang mga hindi na kailangang posters at palitan ng mga upcoming activities at bagong announcements, as she was the class president of the first section, and I being the class P.R.O.
My job as the class P.R.O wasn't clearly stated. Pero base na rin sa mga naobserbahan sa nakalipas na taon, the P.R.O and the class president work hand in hand, making it seems like I'm likely to become a P.A of Julien.
Tinanggal ko ang posters ng Nutrition month saka pinalitan ito ng para sa Buwan ng Wika. Time surely pass by quickly. Any moment from now will be the first quarter examinations.
"Seryoso! August 4! Ini-stalk ko ang FB account niya!"
Napalingon ako sa dalawang estudyante na nakatayo malapit sa railings. Kanina pa sila doon, tila may seryosong pinag-uusapan. Pinampag ko ang kamay saka isinara ang salamin sa bahaging iyon ng bulletin board bago lumipat sa kabila. I got another push pins on the box and pierced it into the cork board. Sunod kong idinikit ang schedule of events sa Niyogyugan Festival ng probinsiya na magsisimula sa Linggo.
"Birthday ni Jaranillo noong Sabado? Nag-imbita ba ng mga kaklase?"
Natigil ako sa paglalagay ng push pin sa narinig. Did I really heard it as 'Jaranillo'?
"Tapos na, Akila?" Julien's voice woke me up from my momentary trance.
"Yup." Idinikit ko ang push pin saka isinara na ang salamin.
Sinulyapan muna ni Julien ang bulletin bago nagsimulang maglakad. Habang nakasunod sa kaniya ay inisip ko ang narinig kanina. Ilan ba ang mga estudyante dito na Jaranillo ang apelyido?
That family name wasn't very unique in the town, but a certain clan with the very same name was widely known in the province: the former governor.
I had met the former governor years ago. I remember him as a tall man in his late fifty's with a very respectable aura. Kung tama ang alaala ko sa araw na 'yon, he's with two young men, probably his grandchildren.
I didn't got the chance to have a proper look on their faces back then, I mean his grandsons. Not that I needed to. Lalo na at tingin ko'y sa NCR sila nag-aaral. Of course, members of that clan should have the best, right?
"Nai-post niyo na lahat?" bungad sa akin ni Tricia pagkaupo ko sa upuan ko.
I gave her a look. When she let out a nervous laugh, I assumed that she understand what I'm trying to imply.
"Wait, let us explain, Akila. It's not what you think it is…" she said, her eyes going around places, perhaps looking for Clarice who's out of sight at this moment.
I shifted on my seat, tuluyan na siyang hinarap. "Sige nga. Tell me the reason why the two of you conspired to make me Julien's P.A," mapanghamon ko siyang tinignan.
Ngumiwi naman siya. During our freshmen year, the class P.R.O is Clarice. Last year, it was Tricia. Julien was always been the class president ever since. I don't actually hold grudges for the two of them. Gusto ko lang malaman kung anong rason nila for making me experience what they had experienced before.
"Ganito," pagsuko niya at umayos siya ng upo. "Tingin namin ni Clarissa, Julien's influence would be good for you. Because--duh! You don't deserve to be a wallflower in this section. Kung kami lang ang masusunod ni Clarissa, isasali ka namin sa pageants para ma-expose ka."
She leaned closer to me and whispered, "Mas capable ka pa kaysa kay Marga. No choice lang kasi dahil siya lang ang may gusto dito kaya siya ang isinasali."
Lumayo ako ng bahagya sa kaniya at umayos ng pagkauupo. Tahimik kong pinag-isipan ang sinabi niya. How and why is Julien's influence would be good for me? At ano ang mapapala ko kung mas marami ang makakakilala sa akin dito sa school? I appreciate their thought, but I don't understand their reason.
Iyon din ang sinabi ko sa kanila. Hindi naman nila ipinilit sa akin ang rason nila. And I'm thankful for them for that. Because the last thing I want from people is them shoving their opinions unto me.
Bumagal ang lakad ko nang may makitang post na pumukaw ng pansin ko. It's a subjective review of a certain book that just have been published recently. Nakita ko ito noon sa bookstore pero dahil hindi ako naintriga sa title ay hindi ko pinansin. After reading the whole post and some comments, I took a screenshot of the book. I'll buy a copy the next time I'll be going to the bookstore.
Nag-angat ako ng tingin. Pero sa bilis ng pangyayari, hindi ako agad nakaiwas nang may makasalubong ako sa makipot na covered pathway, making my left hand to be soak with what seems to be iced tea.
"Hala, sorry! Sorry!" said by the girl who owns the drink.
More than her apology, I am more concerned with my wristwatch. I am not sure if it's waterproof.
Ibinulsa ko ang hawak na cellphone saka inilabas ang panyo ko. I remove the watch from my wrist and covered it with my handkerchief. Matapos iyon ay binalingan ko na siya ng tingin.