A Place in the Middle

4

"Kailan ang next game?"

Nasa Starbucks kami ngayon sa loob ng Qtown mall. The same mall near Queenstein where we first met. Nagpalit na siya ng damit at ngayon ay nakaplain light blue shirt at gray jogging pants. Suot niya rin ang backpack sa likod.

"Bakit, pupunta ka?" his showed his amused smile.

"Asa. Nagtatanong lang." sabi ko saka uminom ng iced latte na inorder ko.

He laughed. "Around 7am next week sa Tuesday. Sad, class time." I nodded in agreement. I have piano class every tuesday morning. "So... Why piano?" he asked, moving a leaner closer to the table.

I'm relieved he didn't ask about last night because I was trying to forget. But I didn't think he would ask this. I shrugged, trying to remain casual. "Gusto ko lang." ...makalayo. But I didn't say it out loud. "If you have one thing you want to do for the rest of your life, what would it be?" O tried to change the topic.

Uminom muna siya ng iced americano niya bago nagsalita. "Film! Alam kong obvious na pero gusto makapasok sa film industry kaya habang nag-aaral palang ako, ineexpose ko na ang sarili ko sa field na iyon. Tanggap lang ng tanggap ng projects hanggang sa lumawak ang connections. Gusto kong makita ng mga tao kung ano 'yung nakikita ko sa camera kapag kumukuha ako ng mga litrato or mga finifilm ko." Mas lumawak ang ngiti niya at kita sa mga mata na siguradong sigurado siya sa gusto niyang gawin.

Tumango ako at ngumiti. "Planadong planado ah."

"Oo naman! Kung wala akong plano, hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta. Parang wala na ring future para sa'kin."

A chill ran down my back. I looked at him, the smile on my face slowly fading. So what will happen if you can't imagine a future for yourself? What will happen when you're still stuck in nowhere? What will happen to me?

I looked away from him and tried to smile. "Tama ka. Walang future." If he noticed the change in my expression, he didn't mention it.

"Where do you want to go?" He suddenly changed the subject. Away. I think, but instead I pointed at a near store, now smiling. "Bookstore."

Of all the places where I would rather be, it would be in a bookstore. Or in a library. Anywhere as long as there were books. It was such a beautiful thing to live a different life, to escape my own and find comfort in another through stories.

Nakasunod lang sa akin si Zen habang nagtitingin ako ng mga libro. I suddenly gasped when I saw the book I really loved. Nagrestock na pala ulit sila nito! Kinuha ko iyon at pinagmasdan.

"Favorite?" Tanong ni Zen na katabi ko na pala at tinitignan ang hawak ko.

"It's more of a comfort book." Sabi ko at binalik ang libro sa shelf saka naglakad papunta sa poetry section. Sumunod naman siya sa akin. "May six editions na ako including that one pero gusto ko ng isa pa bago ako tumigil sa pangongolekta." Sabi ko at tumawa nang mahina. If a story was too good, I would collect different editions of the same book.

"Woah. Ilang editions na ang mayroon?"

"Ngayon, siguro nasa 17 lahat. In english translation palang." Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya sa pagkamangha kaya mas lalo akong natawa. The author was that good."I want the French edition, though."

"Marunong ka magfrench?" Manghang tanong niya at umiling ko.

"Gusto kong matuto." Sabi ko habang tinitignan 'yung mga poetry books. I picked up two. That's when my eyes caught something hanging on the wall beside the shelf. There is a corkboard with little post-it notes and written there were short poems and messages.