Memories To Last

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Anja was fixing her locker when their teacher came. Nagmamadali niyang ipinasok ang mga libro niya sa locker atsaka nagtungo sa upuan kung saan katabi niya si Hardy.

Kakapasok lang ng adviser nila ay may isang hindi kilalang babae ang pasilip-silip sa labas. Nilapitan ito ng adviser nila atsaka pinapasok. Halos pareho sila ng uniporme ngunit iba ang I.D na suot nito.

"Good Morning Velababies! Ngayon ay may makakasama kayo! Siya ay si Angeline from Lemery, Batangas. Mag-i-stay siya dito for one week dahil may pasok na sila next week." Pagkasabing-pagkasabing iyon ng adviser nila ay nagsigawan ang lahat. Tila sobrang saya nila. Sa wakas! Bagong mukha.

Inayos naman ni Juliana ang upuan sa likod para may space roon ang bago nilang makakasama. Dali-dali namang tinanong ni Juliana ng kung ano-ano ito. Hindi naramdaman ni Angeline na bago lang siya dito. She felt the love and support of Vela People.

Everyone is talking to Angeline except for Anja. She was on her seat. Thinking a lot from her past, to be specifically, his ex boyfriend, Ethan.

 "Yes..." It is the day when he said yes to the man he thought that was the best. Ethan is two-years older than her but she still feels the love in him. They met by accident. It was card giving day of first quarter when they met.

Nagulat na lamang siya pag-uwi niya noon may nag-add friend sa kaniya. Una hindi niya alam pero tinanong niya agad sa groupchat kung sino iyon. Wilson replied that it was his brother.

 Lumalim ang usapan nilang dalawa hanggang sa napupuyat na sila para lang makausap ang dalawa. Minsan video call pero madalas ay chat lamang.

Anja was a heartbreak girl. Ilang lalaki na ang nanligaw sa kanya ngunit walang pumasok sa taste o standards niya. Tanging is Ethan lang. Hatid-sundo siya nito kahit malayo maliban na lang kung may pasok ito ng hapon.

They started dating in the mid-school year.  Hindi sila naging PDA. They are just a sweet and cute couple. Tamang yakap, tamang comfort at tamang sabihan ng 'Mahal Kita'.

 They thought their relationship will last until the ends of time, but it didn't. It only last for three months because of the accident that  happened in their life.

 After Wilson's accident, Ethan blocked Anja in every social media account and they stop talking until the present time. Anja is still clueless for the reasons why she was ghosted. Hindi niya malaman kung bakit nawala, kung bakit natapos.

Anja was walking in the Gabaldon Building when a familiar man comes in front of her and Bea. It was Karl, his suitor. Palagi siyang kinukulit nito at binibigyan ng regalo but her heart still needs a break. Kararanas pa lang niya ng break up at hanggang ngayon hindi pa siya nakaka-move on. She entertained Karl because she thought she would be able to move on but she's not. Ethan caused the pain in her heart and eyes.

"Uhm, hi! Kamusta! Hey!" Wala sa sarili si Anja na ngumiti dito.

"Hi..." She left the man having clueless smile in his face. Wala siya sa mood dahil hanggang ngayon ay naalala niya pa rin ang nangyari.

....

Vernique, Pia and Dara were busy reading the diary they found in Wilson's house. Tungkol ang mga ito sa memories ng Velasquez. Nasa kalahati na sila dahil hindi kaya iyong basahin ni Vernique. 

They found a quote...

“Not all person who smiles is actually happy. They are hiding their sadness within their smiles.”

Pia started crying.

"Oy, Pia bakit ka naman umiyak?” tanong ni Dara rito.

"I was touched by the quote. Ang alam lang na 'tin ay napakasaya ng bawat isa pero nalulungkot na pala sila at pasimpleng humihingi ng tulong sa atin."

"Kalma ka lang Pia! Matatapos rin natin ito ng sabay-sabay." Pinilit ni Pia na ngumiti, tumingin siya sa dalawang kaibigan at napahawak ng kamay sa mga ito.

....

It was lunch time. Yvon and John Lloyd ate together in the cafeteria while following Anja. Kasama ni Anja ngayon ang mga kaibigan nito na sina Bea at Laraine. Laraine was actually part of their small detective group but they shouldn't tell her because she and were friends. Reine was busy doing assignments that afternoon.

Pumila na silang dalawa nang pumila sina Anja. Pasimple pang bumati si Yvon kay Anja pati na rin si John Lloyd. They smiled with each other. Napansin naman nilang dalawa ang pagiging tahimik ni Anja. Habang nakapila ay patingin-tingin ito sa cellphone niya. Sinubukan ni Yvon tingnan ang larawan ngunit nabigo siya doon. Mahina ang brightness ng cellphone ni Anja at nagsimula na rin itong pumili ng ulam.

Matapos pumili ng ulam ang dalawa ay naupo sila sa likod na lamesa kung saan nakaupo si Anja at mga kaibigan nito. Tinatawanan pa nga silang dalawa dahil mukha silang may something pero nawala din ang iyon ng maki-table ang dati nilang kaklase na si Katrina.

Puro kuwento si Katrina sa dalawa ngunit masyadong abala ito sa pakikinig sa kabilang lamesa.

"I've always thought that I will be able to move on when I started entertaining other men but it didn't worked...." malungkot na sambit ni Anja.

"Maybe you are just really attached with the person. Baka minahal mo na talaga siya sa tatlong buwan na 'yon,” Laraine replied.

"Ethan is a nice guy. Baka may dahilan lang talaga siya sa pag-iwan niya sa iyo. Malay mo kagaya no’ng sa mga w*****d story na may sakit iyong bidang lalaki tapos bigla kang ‘di papansinin dahil ayaw mong maramdaman ang sakit," payo naman ni Bea.

"He should have said that!” Anja slammed the table. “I only knew one reason. It was Wilson... Baka siya ang dahilan ng paglayo niya sa akin..." Nanlaki ang mata nila Yvon at John Lloyd nang marinig iyon. Pati na rin sina Laraine at Bea. They all knew that they have done. They want to forget that but still the past wants to make them realize that it's really wrong and it's their mistake.

"You mean... Nalaman ni Ethan ang ginawa natin?" tanong ni Laraine.

"Ofcourse the two are really close with each other. Baka sa kan’ya nasabi ni Wilson." Natapos ang usapan ng tatlo at nang umalis ang mga ito ay nag-usap sina John Lloyd at Yvon nang pabulong.

"We are still clueless, but this is the thing that we should be considering in making conclusions..." bulong ni John Lloyd kay Yvon na hindi naman napansin ni Katrina.

"So what's your conclusion now?"

"Anja was not the one who did it...."