CHAPTER 1 Unexpected Connection
816 Words
“Harper, hindi ko pa rin gets kung bakit kailangan pa tayong paghiwalayin ng section,” reklamo ni Gwy habang bitbit ang bag papunta sa bagong classroom.
“Same, bro,” sagot ni harper, best friend niya simula elementary. “Pero sabi ng adviser, random daw. Wala tayong magagawa.”
It was the start of senior high school, and though Gwy was excited, something felt off. Sanay siya na si harper and haze, ang laging kasama niya group works, lunch breaks, tambay after class. Now, they'd be in different sections for the first time.
“Baka okay din ‘to, no? New people, new friends,” haze added, trying to lighten the mood.
Gwy just nodded. “Yeah… pero weird pa rin.”
Gwy was sitting alone under the acacia tree near the field, her earphones in, scrolling through her phone when someone tapped her shoulder.
“Yo, tol!” si Harper and haze, may kasamang girl and boy na hindi pa niya nakikita before.
Gwy pulled out one earphone. “Uy, bro. Sino ‘tong mga kasama mo?”
Harper grinned. “Gwy, meet Aileen and Ethan. Kaklase ko sa Section C. Naging seatmate ko sa isang subject, ang kulit n’yan, pare.”
Aileen gave a small wave, her smile soft and natural. “Hi, ikaw pala si Gwy, Naririnig kita lagi kay Harper and haze. Ang dami niyang kwento tungkol sa’yo.”
Gyw blinked, a little surprised. “Good things, I hope?”
Tumawa si Aileen. “Depende. Joke lang! Puro good things.”
Haze smirked. “Sabi ko nga sa kanya, ikaw yung pinakamaingay na tahimik.”
Gwy chuckled, feeling a little more at ease. “Weird description pero fair enough.”
There was a brief silence, but it wasn’t awkward it felt easy. Aileen and Ethan sat down beside them, casually joining the vibe like she had always been part of it.
The sun had just started to rise, casting golden light across the old train station. The air was crisp, filled with that earthy scent of morning dew. Gwy adjusted the strap of her camera bag as she scanned the small group gathering near the rusted tracks.
“Uy, Gwy!” haze called, waving. “Nandito na rin sila Aileen, oh.”
Gwy’s eyes followed Haze’s hand and there she was with Ethan. Dressed in a simple white top, jeans, and a camera around her neck, Lily looked both nervous and excited. She turned and smiled when she saw him approaching.
“Hey,” she greeted softly.
“Hey,” Gwy replied, trying not to seem too eager. “Ready to shoot some history?”
Aileen laughed gently. “Sana. First time kong mag-photowalk na ganito, parang nakaka-pressure.”
“Walang pressure,” Gwy said, reassuringly. “Think of it as capturing stories… through silence.”
Aileen paused, clearly liking the thought. “I like that.”
Harper clapped a hand on both their shoulders. “O, kayo na bahala sa isa’t isa, ha? May na-meet kasi kami na ka-collab sa club. Babalikan namin kayo mamaya."
"Ethan halika na" Hila ni haze kay Ethan.
Before either could reply, she walked off, leaving Gwy and Aileen standing awkwardly close.
“So…” Gwy began, gesturing toward the platform. “You want to start over there?”
Aileen nodded. “Lead the way.”
As they walked side by side, the train station revealed its quiet beauty peeling paint, broken windows, rusted steel that shimmered like bronze under the morning sun.
Aileen lifted her camera, capturing a bent rail with a single weed growing beside it.
“Ang ganda ng contrast,” Gwy commented, peeking over her shoulder.
“Thanks,” she replied, glancing at her. “You see beauty in decay too, huh?”
“I always have,” Gwy said. “Parang love. Hindi laging perfect, pero may ganda sa mga wasak na parte.”
Aileen looked at him for a moment, surprised. “That’s… deep.”
Gwy chuckled. “Sorry. Madalas akong mapaisip pag may camera ako.”
They continued shooting in silence, occasionally sharing shots and tips. But every now and then, their eyes met. And with each exchange, a little more of the awkwardness faded.
Later, as they reviewed their photos under a shaded tree, Aileen said, “Thank you, Gwy.”
“For what?”
“For making this feel… natural. Parang hindi ako bago.”
she smiled, tucking her camera back in its case. “That’s because you’re not just anyone.”
For a second, Aileen didn’t answer. But the corners of her lips lifted slowly.
That moment, Gwy didn’t think much of it. A new friend, maybe. Harper and Hazel classmate. Nothing more.But fate had a funny way of setting the stage for stories we never planned to write.And though no promises were made, no confessions whispered, something quiet and certain had begun. Something real.
- Writer
