I was late for several weeks at the start of the school year. My mom was about to withdraw my enrollment in Muntinlupa University but I begged not to. I felt like my condition will worsen if I stayed home. I asked mom and dad to allow me to continue my schooling. After several requests, my parents gave me their permission.
Dad escorted me to the University on my first day. My dad talked to the Dean and explained my condition. He showed the Dean my medical certification to grant us any consideration. Dr. Clemente, the Dean, was kind enough to extend his support and allowed me to continue my schooling.
I started my semester under the shade of a big Acacia tree on the far end side of the University. I went there because my heart was filled with inhibitions. I was late and I didn’t anyone in my class. I felt lost and stuck. I wasn’t sure if I made the right decision to continue at all.
I passed by a small kiosk of chocolate drink on my way in. I bought and drank it as I walked my way inside. I remembered the Chocolait drink that is always in our refrigerator and bring to school since I was in first grade. I was enjoying the drink on my way to my classroom. But I didn’t have the courage of entering the classroom because I was late and the instructor was already inside. And I also felt shy seeing my classmates whom I didn’t know. So instead of entering, I took a quick turn to the other way and left the classroom.
As I was strolling the University grounds, I noticed the Acacia trees that were planted on the sides of the buildings. They were strategically planted on their place to serve as waiting places for students, perhaps during free periods or break times. The wind blew refreshingly under the trees at mid-day. The sound of the rustling leaves brought peace and joy to my spirit.
My mind was captured by the skyscraping trees that I didn’t noticed that I already reached the farther end side of the University grounds. There, the last Acacia tree stood. It was noticeable that this tree was planted separately from the rest. From there, the entire University ground could be overlooking. The area is more quite compared to the rest and wind is much cooler there.
And under the shade of the isolated Acacia tree, I sat.
Since then, the tree was place of refuge. I ran to it in escape from the noise and chaos of the world. One time in Mr. Toledo’s class, he called me answer his question. To be honest, I wasn’t listening to him during discussion. My mind was wondering elsewhere and I was looking outside at the window. One moment, my eyes were caught by his scribbles on the whiteboard. Then in just a snap, my name was called.
The entire class went silent as I stood. I asked Mr. Toledo to repeat the question for me that he cordially acknowledged. I did it to give me time to think about my answer because I really wasn’t listening.
But as I stared at the board, bits and pieces of the lessons came to my mind. I think this lesson was taught to us during Junior years. The memory was just unclear so what I did was draw shapes and arrows on air.
My answer gathered a mocking laughter from the class. I felt extremely embarrassed at that point and knees shriveled and got weakened. I took a deep breath to compose myself and sat back down on my seat. Then Mr. Toledo spoke. He stopped the class from taunting me and explained my answer. That was the first time my attention got caught by our instructor.
If I was not mistaken he is the instructor that is always with Mr. Beranda, the adviser of HUMSS class. I heard his students called him sir Sam. I always see them together in the cafeteria drinking coffee. Mr. Toledo is the more quite one while Mr. Beranda is the story teller.
They always buy the banana rolls from the kiosk just outside the University gate. I saw them once when I happen to buy “choco-choco” from a kiosk nearby. They didn’t notice me but I was watching from a table just beside theirs. Many students were talking about them but I noticed Mr. Toledo to be a bit aloof and distant from the attention of the students. Mr. Beranda on the other hand seemed to be enjoying the attention. Mr. Toledo kept his eyes on his phone and ignored everyone. He seldom smiled to anybody. He is very formal and quite snobby.
One afternoon when I was leaving the University, I made a wrong turn in one of the buildings and end up on a different corridor. Not knowing where the corridor would lead me, I continued walking the short stretch. The corridor was deserted and only the sound of my footsteps against the tiled floor was being heard. In a minute, I reached the end the corridor.
When I exited the building, I end up on a pathway that left me speechless. I didn’t imagine that there was a place like that inside the University. There is this wall that is curtain with Bougainvillea down to the pathway. The entire stretch of the wall is covered with it. It was so beautiful. I walked on the pathway as I appreciate the beauty of the flowers. They were swaying at the gentle breeze of the afternoon wind. It was so peaceful.
Somewhere along the pathway was a stone bench just beside a building. I come to the bench and took a sit for a while. The peaceful air of the place was broken by the ringing of my phone, it was my dad. I picked up the call and dad told me that somebody is picking me up. I told him that I was not at front gate yet because I made a wrong turn earlier that brought me in this area. I described him where I was and he told me that he is familiar with the place. He told me that there is a small gate at the end of this pathway leading to the main road. He told me to wait there until the driver comes.
I hurriedly picked up my backpack and walked along the pathway to the small gate that dad said. Not far from the stone bench, the pathway crossed with another pathway. I didn’t know which side I should take, the left or the right side. I was about to take the left side when I saw Mr. Toledo walking towards me. I paused at the sight of him. I didn’t know him yet so I was shy and stood frozen on the side as he approaches. As a courtesy for an instructor, I greeted him “good afternoon” that he acknowledged with a simple nod. I thought he was going to talk to me because he stopped walking momentary and was about to say something. But he suddenly continued walking and passed me. He looked back for a moment then continue walking.
I tried to run after him but I saw him took the first jeepney that passed the waiting area. I was looking at him as the jeep sped away when my dad’s car drove in front of me.
Every time I felt lonely for being alone and didn’t have any friends to talk to in class, I made an escape and went to that Acacia tree at the back of the University. My instructors may have noticed my frequent cutting of classes but I couldn’t help it. It was very hard being the “new kid” in class.
I spent most of my down time there watching the ground, appreciating the gently blow of the wind on my cheek and the rhythmic sound of the rustling leaves of that huge tree. Sometimes, I received text messages from mom and dad asking how my day is going. I mostly didn’t reply to it but I was happy that somebody was thinking about me.
I always forget my phone in my room when I leave for school. But my mom always reminds me about it and tucks it in my pocket. She said, my phone is there only means of reaching to me when I’m in school. Knowing they can contact me anytime relieves their worry about me. I love how mom and dad worries about me. It’s new to me. I grew up not having them on my side most of the time.
But aside from the frequent text messages that I receive from them, I am also looking forward to know who the unknown number is in my inbox. Several days after I got discharged from the hospital, mom gave me my phone which is wrapped in handkerchief. It was dead and the screen was shattered. I completely forget about it until my mom asked about it before I went back to school again.
I charged the phone for a short while before turning it on. I saw a lot of missed calls from mom and dad dated April 10th. It was in succession from eight in the evening until nine. I didn’t bother asking them why they were calling me that night because I couldn’t even remember myself where I was then.
I was used to them calling since I was a kid to check me out, asking what I want for take-out dinner or when they’re going to be home late. So this amount of missed calls is not new to me.
One time when I was sitting on my spot, I read through the messages in my inbox. There were messages from my classmates in my previous school and a lot from mom and dad. All of the messages were from the names stored in my phonebook, except for one. There was an unknown number in my inbox.
I tried texting the unknown number. At first it was just a simple “hi”. No reply. I was sending casual greetings like “good mornings”, “good afternoons” and “have you eaten yet?” but still, no reply. I thought maybe, the number is already inactive. Or maybe the owner changed number or blocked it already. I planned to call the number but I didn’t know what to say if somebody picked it up. Why did I call?
Every time I felt bored, I was going to send random messages to all of my contacts; to my classmates in junior year and even to my mom and dad. I wanted them to know that I still remember them. And when I received a reply, I immediately reply back to start a conversation. That way, I wasn’t feeling bored anymore.
Texting had been my routine for a month since my parents wasn’t allowing me to go out on my own yet. And I brought that routine when I came to the University. Texting is my emotional outlet. I texted whatever I feel; from the littlest thing I was doing to the meals that I was eating.
I text almost anything. I text to have anybody to talk to, anybody. Until one time, no one is replying me back.
One afternoon when I was going home, I took that route again with the bougainvillea on the walls. I made a random message about how refreshing the wind was. I sent it to all of my contacts. I was not expecting anybody would reply anymore. They may have already found my messages annoying and a waste of time to reply at.
But the night later when I was lying on my bed, silently staring at my bedroom ceiling, I felt my phone vibrates. I hurriedly grabbed my phone and see who messaged. Finally, somebody replied and wanting to text with me again. But my excitement suddenly fades when I saw the message sent.
It was a short “hi” from the unknown number.