When The Night Sky Becomes Lively

II

We humans were made as social beings. Thus whether you believe it or not, it's a fact. Kung ayaw mong makisalamuha, doon ka sa bunganga ng bulkan manirahan.  

Society operates through teamwork. Even in school, you cannot avoid socializing to others. But it didn't mean that you could be friends with all of them. Limitations still exist. Some only addressed someone as their workmate or classmate.

Why did I say that, you ask? Because there's still hesitation within me. May iba sigurong nagsasabing maarte akong tao o kaya ay praning pero mas maganda na sigurong ganon. From that day onward, Delos Reyes would address me as a friend. I reciprocated, but I still had reservations. Let's say for me, our relationship was more than a classmate, less than a friend.

Sa panahon ngayon, uso na ang magpanggap. Anumang oras, bigla kang sasaksakin sa likod. Kahit sa kaibigan mo, magpapanggap ka pa rin. Saka lang lumalabas ang totoong ugali ng tao kapag nag-iisa.

Hindi ko nga rin mawari ang totoong dahilan kung bakit nilapitan ako ni Delos Reyes. Dahil lang ba pareho kami ng interes? Pareho kami may maibubuga intellectually? Or out of pity? Siya lang ang nakakaalam n'un.

And there's another problem. Snipers were ready to kill me anytime and hijack the artillery I'm operating. Kidding. Nagseselos lang siguro dahil kaibigan ko si Delos Reyes. Though I could sympathize to them.

Alam kong paulit-ulit na ako pero hindi ko talaga maiwasan. If it were an otaku, I don't mind. But a girl in her caliber? It could be both a blessing and a curse. You can say that she's your ideal girl. May maipagmamalaki talaga siya inside out.

For the past few days, medyo nakapag-adjust na ako sa bagong environment. At the same tine ay unti-unting nasasanay sa ingay ng mga kaklase ko. Pati na rin siguro sa temperatura dahil nagsisimulang lumamig ang panahon. Salamat kay Hanging Habagat.

But the issue on hand was still on the loose. Hindi ko pa rin pwedeng ibigay ang full trust ko kay Delos Reyes. Minsan ay kinakausap ko naman siya. Kaso hindi sa puntong nakalabas na ang kademonyohan ko. Medyo polite pa rin ang pag-address ko sa kaniya.

Fourth day ng klase. Wala masyadong pinagbago. Nagsimula na rin ang introduction sa iba't ibang asignatura. Ganoon na rin ang mga groupings na kahit ayaw ko ay kailangang gawin. And for the first time, I would gladly announce that being pabuhat is lit. Hinayaan ko ang mga leaders na mag-isip at kung tatanungin ako ay kaunti lang ang sinasabi ko.

Wala pa namang nangyayaring gulo. Sa ngayon. Tahimik at mapayapa.  At the same time, nagsisimula na ang unti-unting paglabas ng kademonyohan ng mga kaklase ko.

"Seems you changed a lot, Steven. The usual you would proudly show his intelligence to everyone."

"Unfortunately, intelligence itself cannot realize your dreams. Cunningness can defeat raw intelligence. A hardworker can defeat a genius. Not to mention, kapal ng mukha. Mike, you should rely on your actions than brain power alone," I replied to the big guy wearing specs on my right. His height is 5'7.

"Noted." Mike nodded and took a bite of his sandwich.

And here I was, sitting with a group consisting of three girls and two boys including me. Kaming mga lalaki ay nakasandal sa puno habang ang mga babae ay nakaupo sa mat na nilapag nila. They seemed having fun on their spot lalo't  nagpapatugtog pa sila ng mga nauusong K-Pop songs ngayon. I could recognize some of them though.

They're my schoolmates from my alma mater. We all decided to enroll in Evergreen so we could still be together. Still, I chose this school within my accord.

Lunch time namin ngayon kaya napagdesisyunan kong bumili na lang sa canteen. Nakakatamad din kasi magkanin. At coincidence na nahanap ko silang nakatambay dito kaya sumama na ko.