Above The Lines

Chapter 36

Humiwalay kami ni Lukas kina Penny at Aki. Masama ang tingin ni Penny sa amin habang hawak ni Lukas ang kamay ko na hinihila ako papunta kung saan man kami pupunta. Instead of going to the quadrangle kung nasaan yung dalawa, we went sa benches likod na building malapit sa department nila dahil 30 mins na lang ang free time ni Lukas para hindi sya mahirapang bumalik ng room nila.

"Bakit naman pala mukhang stressed ka na? First day pa lang ah?" tanong ko.

"Oo nga. First day pa lang pero ang dami ng gustong ipinapagawa ng prof namin. Better to start the class with a bang at ang definition nya by starting a bang is bombard us with requirements. Sanay naman na kami pero nakaka stress pa rin talaga," aniya.

I don't really know a thing about Arki but I know they're having it really tough. But I kniw Lukas' hard work will be worth it because he works hard for it.

"You'll be crazily busy this year, no? You're on your fifth year already," ani ko.

He's on his fifth year and this is his, Kuya Jule, and Kuya Jonas' last year as an Arki students. Ang mga mag b- besties naman na sina Ate Yuli, Ate Roan at Ate Amelie ay 4th year na din at graduating as Tourism students. Meanwhile, si Miko naman ay first year na.

For the first and last time, nagtugma na nasa iisang university kaming magpi- pinsan.

Lukas turned his head on me saka ibinaba ang Chuckie na iniinom nya. His legs are crossed habang naka strech while hi left hand's on the back of the bench na walang sandalan para suportahan ang bigat nya.

"Hmm... I have to juggle my time between my thesis, other school works and reviewing for boards and for you. That means we'll be having less time together," aniya.

"That's not a problem, Lukas. Just focus on your own thing and while you do that, gagawin ko rin kung anong dapat kong gawin. I'll be busy too. Kung may bakanteng oras ka na then that's when we can hang out. We can be both busy and rest together," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Ayaw ko naman kasing i- compromise mo yung school work mo para sa akin. Hindi rin ako mag e- enjoy pag magkasama tayo knowing na you left the things that you have to do for me," dagdag ko.

Lalo na't his school performance has always been great. Ayaw ko rin naman na baka dahil sa akin ay ma wala sa kanya yun. I know myself how hard he works for his grades. Pero syempre hindi ko na ivo- voice out yun.

"Yeah. Hindi naman ako aalis kaya it's not right to think na maiiwan kita. Ikaw rin naman diba? Hindi ka aalis?"

Muling gumapang ang kaba sa dibdib ko. "O- oo naman."

Tumango sya't inangat ang mga labi nya while fondly looking at me. "Right. Third year ka na rin pala. Just hold on this year and next year and you'll be graduating," aniya.

"I am and I'll be quite busy," sabi ko.

"Sayang. Baka hindi kita matulungan sa school works mo o hindi narin tayo makapag review ng sabay ng madalas. Gustong gusto ko pa naman na nag re- review kasama ka.

"You don't have to, Lukas. Don't feel burdened or obligated about me or about us. I would really appreciate if you'd spare me a little of your time and ou can always come to me when you feel like resting and I'd do the same for you. We can be each other's pillar. But, I wouldn't want you to sacrifice more important things for me."

Lukas is staring at me like he's touched with what I said. Malamlam ang tingin nya habang naka angat ang mga labi nya.

"Mag b- board exam ka na agad pagkatapos mong grumaduate? You don't wanna rest for like a year? You know, you can travel or just do nothing," sabi ko sa kanya.

Lukas shook his head. "Nope. Ayaw ko naman na maging stagnant ako ng isang taon. I wanna practice agad kasi naniniwala ako na ang dami ko pang dapat matutunan and dapat malaman. A year would be too long for me."

"Anong sabi nina Tita El at ng Daddy mo?"

"Ayos lang naman sa kanila kahit anong desisyon ko. Nag offer pa nga sila if I would want to stay kina Tito kasama yung paternal grandparents ko na nasa Canada for a couple of months pero tumanggi ako."

"Why? Sayang naman. Pwede kang mapahinga roon."

"Canada's too far. Pag nag tagal ako roon, malamang mabu- bore rin ako roon. Kailangan ko lang ng isang linggo para magpahinga and then ayos na ako."

"Isang linggo lang? Anong gusto mong gawin sa isang linggo na 'yun?" tanong ko.

If one week's already enough for him, para sa akin naman ay napaka bilis pa nun. Parang isang iglap ko lang ay tapos na agad ang one week ko.

"Ikaw? What do you wanna do in that one week?" balik na tanong nya. Umayos sya ng upo and then he leaned closer to me. "Travel? Do nothing?"

"Kung may isang linggo ako mag isa-" I said but Lukas cut me off.

"Nope. Kung may isang linggo ka kasama ako, anong gusto mong gawin natin?" aniya.

I felt a tingle in my hear nang sabihin nya yun. We're talking about him but he still finds a way to include me.

"You want me to rest with you?" I asked to confirm kung tama ba ako ng pag intindi o kung nililinlang ba ako ng tenga ko.

Lukas nodded. "Oo. Bakit? Ayaw mo akong kasama?"

"Hindi naman. I mean, it's supposed to be time for yourself. To do things that you want to do and rest the way you want to, " ani ko.

I really appreciate that he wants me to come with him at sasama naman talaga ako kung gugustuhin nya. Heck, I would go anywhere basta ba kasama sya.

"Nah. Ayos lang ako kung anong trip mong gawin. Ang gusto ko lang eh kasama ka. Kahit saan pa 'yan. You just have to be around me and I'll be having my rest. So ano?"

Sobra talaga akong natutuwa lalo na tuwing sinasabi ni Lukas na ako ang pahinga nya. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam ko na comfort person nya ako at kailangan nya ako tuwing napapagod sya.

Hindi ko man alam kung ano exactly ang napaparamdam ko sa kanya tuwing magkasama kami para sabihin nyang pahinga nya ako. Naka upo lang naman kami madalas o sinasamahan ko lang naman sya sa mga trip nya but whenever I see na nagiging masaya sya kasama ako, nagiging mas masaya ako.

"Anong gusto mo? Travel tayo?" tanong ulit nya.

Tumango ako. "Gusto kong ma experience mag backpack travel."

"Backpack travel?" gulat na sabi nya.

Tumango ako. "I want to try that. For once, gusto kong maging spontaneous. Yung tipong hindi natin alam kung saan tayo pupunta basta aalis tayo," ani ko.

Naging mukhang entusiastic ang expression ni Lukas. Nakuha ko ang interest nya. Actually, things like this is his cup of tea and not mine.

"Oo! We can do that! We would go to the airport at kung saan yung next flight, we'll go there," tumaas ang boses nya't naging mabilis ang pag sasalita nya. He looks really excited!

"And then we could hop from one place to another. We'll gonna struggle together and have fun together," masayang sabi nya.

Lukas looks like a kid tuwing natutuwa sya and what's more cute is that hindi naman syang mahirao na patuwain. Gaya kanina, bigyan mo lang ng Chuckie okay na sya.

"Yes. We could do that tapos bahala na kung saan tayo. Let's go without a plan. That's what makes it more exciting."

"Kaso..." unti unting bumaba ang ngiti nya saka nag aalalang tumingin sa akin. "Okay lang ba sa 'yo gawin yun? Hindi ba too much para sa 'yo?"

Lukas knows how I don't really like to move around. Noon, yung definition ko ng rest ay ang pag 'hibernate'. Wala akong gagawin but to be still. Tuwing may gala kami ni Lukas, he gives me time to myself the next day and I really appreciate him doing that.

"Oo naman. Gusto ko rin naman gumawa ng bagay na malayo sa nakasanayan ko. I'll be okay, Lukas. Siguro may mga times na madi- drain ako pero okay lang ako. Saka, hindi naman araw araw na mararanasan ko yung ganun diba? Ikaw naman kasama ko. Alam ko namang hindi mo na ako pababayaan."

"Oo naman. Hindi kita pababayaan," aniya.

"Then I'll be fine," I assured him.

Lukas flashed again a contented smile.

I'll be looking forward to that another adventure with Lukas.

"Hayabear..." aniya.

"Hmm?" tanong ko.

"I... actually have an offer from different firms from here at Manila. Pati sa kung saan ako nag OJT to work with them when I pass the board kaya ayaw kong mag Canada."

Napa talon ako sa gulat at tuwa ng sabihin nya iyon. That's so commendable! Sure naman na makaka graduate sya't makaka pasa ng board but it's just so amazing na wala pa man ay naka kuha na agad sya ng offers with them. Imbis na sya ang mag struggle to find a firm to work on later on, sya na ang pinilahan. Kahit rin sa OJT nya. He also recieved different offers from Manila third year pa lang raw but he chose to turn all down and stay here.

I leaned closer to Lukas at pinag sama ang palad ko para palakpakan sya. "Talaga? That's really good Lukas! Congrats!"

"Thank you. I'm still not sure kung anong company ang tatanggapin ko."

"You said you have offers from Manila? Ayaw mo bang mag trabaho roon? You could have greater opportunities there," ani ko.

I am not telling this because I want to be back there but I don't want to leave him so he should come with me. I've seen how people were given with opportunites to get big there and knowing his potential, I would wish him that too.

"Ayaw ko. I don't want to leave here. Kuntento na ako rito. Hindi ko naman gugustuhin na magkaroon ng great opportunity kung malayo naman ako sa mga taong mahalaga sa akin. Sa pamilya ko. Sa 'yo. Saka what would I do in that big and cold city kung yung nagpaparamdam sa akin ng closeness at pagmamahal eh nandito? I'd trade my chance to get big for that."

Sa lahat ng narinig ko kay Lukas, rito ko na realize na talagang magkaiba kami sa bagay na ito. My plan was to leave everything here and go to that big and cold city like how he described Manila to seek for better opportunities to get big. I wan't to go and work there to broaden my desire to be successful and make a name for myself.

That is the plan and the goal that I have when I got here. Ngayon, hindi ko na talaga alam.

I admire Lukas because of that. Alam na nya agad ang sagot sa choices na meron sya at alam na nya kung anong gusto nyang gawin. He has a clear picture of his plans.

Sana ako rin.

Hindi na ako nakapag salita pa matapos sabihin iyon ni Lukas. I don't think I can ever rebut to that kaya nanahimik na lang ako sa upuan ko.

Lukas opened his phone and looked at his lockscreen na picture ko na naka talikod ako at sya ang nag tali ng buhok ko nung nasa may cliff kami. Well, he didn't really look at my picture. Sumulyap lang sya sa oras saka binaba na rin ang phone.

Ako ang lockscreen ni Lukas. How cute is that?

Lukas stood up saka ipinagpag ang kamay nya.

"Time na? Sige na, go na," sabi ko. Baka ma late pa sya if I hold him back.

"Oo, 2 minutes pa naman. Una na ako Hayabear ha? Thanks sa recharge."

"Of course. Anytime."

Kumaway kami sa isa'y isa bilang paalam. Halos isang metro pa lang ang layo ni Lukas nang ipinihit nya ang katawan nya paharap sa akin.

"Ah. Ako pala maghahatid sa'yo mamaya."

"Ha? Hindi na," ani ko. "Baka may gagawin ka pa?"

"Wala naman mamaya. Sinabi ko na kay Jule na ako maghahatid sa 'yo."

Kumunot noo ko. "Huh? Akala ko ba sasabihin pa lang ni Kuya Jule sa 'yo kani kanina lang galing canteen?"

"Kaninang umaga ko pa sinabi sa kanya pagka kuha namin ng sched."

"Ganun ba?"

Tingnan mo 'to si Kuya Jule. Para saan pala yung pag sigaw ko sa canteen kanina? Hay.

Tumango si Lukas. "I'll send you my sched ha? Para alam mo. Una na ako!"

Kumaway si Lukas and then I watched him jog his way to their building.