Eyes of a Stranger (Season Series #2)

Summer 20 : Flight

I left the room that I was in when the class is finally over. May mga nakakasalubong akong ibang mg teachers at students sa hallway nang maglakad na ako paalis. I saw some of my students playing with their friends in the playground that's placed on the side near the entrance of the school. I smiled and waved at them when they called my name, and they also waved at me. I exit the place as soon as I say goodbye to them.

I started walking on a sidewalk to make my way home. The plan and dream that I was building way back when I was in my first year of college were finally reached by the woman who didn't stop achieving them. Hindi na ako nag-apply pa bilang teacher sa Pilipinas at agad na pumunta sa Japan para dito mag-trabaho after kong mag-take at pumasa sa board exam.

Mage-eight years na rin ang lumipas simula nang lumipat ako dito. Nakabili kami ng bahay dito ng ate ko kaya dito na rin tumira sila mama. May mga pagkakataon pa rin naman na umuuwi kami ng Pilipinas para bakasyon doon at dalawin ang iba naming pamilya na nandoon.

And after all those years that passed, I could say that I had no regrets in my life after chasing my dreams. And now that I've already achieved all of my dreams, maybe it's fine to chase someone that I didn't chase for these dreams of mine.

~~~

Isa-isa kong nilagay ang aking mga gamit sa loob ng maleta ko. Tomorrow is our flight to the Philippines. It's actually been almost three years since the day that we went back there. We became so busy that we decided not to leave the country and return this year. I'm glad that our planned return has finally come.

Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalagay at paghahanda ng aking mga gamit. I was busy putting my stuff inside, but I was stopped midway when a thought came into my mind. An image flashed in my mind as if making me feel the feeling I felt way back in senior high. A laugh automatically left my mouth as I remembered all of them.

I wonder where he is now. As far as I know, Farrel and him are still in touch. But I never asked Farrel about him. I was too shy to ask, especially since I knew what kind of cousin he was. I'm sure he won't stop pestering me if I ever ask him about his friend. I was about to continue but was stopped by the sound that my phone made. I picked it up and answered Farrel's call. I put it on speaker so I could continue what I was doing.

"What?" I asked when I didn't hear anything from him. Problema nito? Siya ang tumawag pero 'di naman siya nagsasalita. I was stunned when I heard a thud as if the phone had fallen.

"Are you okay? What happe–" naputol ang sasabihin ko nang bigla na lamang namatay ang tawag.

I was blinking countless times while staring at my phone in confusion. Anong nangyari doon? Bakit bigla niyang pinatay ang tawag? Bakit nga ba siya tumawag in the first place? Dahil sa pagtataka ay imbes na tawagan siya chinat ko nalang. Wala naman akong nakuhang reply mula sa kaniya at nakitang offline na ang kaniyang account. Pinagti-trip-an nanaman ba 'ko ng taong 'to?

Napailing nalang ako saka bumalik sa aking ginagawa at hindi na inantay pa ang reply niya. Matapos ilagay ang lahat ng ilalagay ko doon ay sinara ko na ito at nilagay sa gilid. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at nagkitang naghahanda na sila ng makakain. Nagsimula na rin kaming kumain after nila lutuin ang ulam. Maaga akong natulog dahil maaga ang flight namin bukas.

Nagising ako dahil sa ingay ng alarm na mula sa phone ko. I quickly got up to get ready. I wore fitted jeans and a fitted top. I also wear a leather jacket to complete my look. I put some light makeup on and let my hair down.

Lumabas na ako ng kwarto habang dala-dala ang aking maleta. Nasa labas na ng bahay si papa kaya lumabas na rin ako. 'Di pa tapos mag-ayos si ate ng kaniyang sarili habang si mama naman ay may kinuha pa sa loob ng bahay. Tinulungan ako ni papa na ilagay sa trunk ng sasakyan ang aking maleta.

Sa backseat ako pumwesto at umupo na doon habang inaantay sila. Inabala ko nalang ang aking sarili sa aking cellphone at sakto namang nag-chat si Farrel. Himala at sumagot na siya. Ang akala ko ay may mabibigwasan ako pagbalik ko doon. Sinagot niya ang tanong ko kahapon na hindi niya sinagot.

Farrel Arezo Mariano

ayos ka lang ba?

anong nangyari sa 'yo?

Ha?

What do you mean?

Sorry, hindi ko na na-open ang phone ko kagabi

tumawag ka kagabi tapos pinatay mo agad

Ha??

Ako? Tumawag?

oo

don't tell me 'di ikaw 'yon??

Wait

Salubong ang aking kilay habang inaantay ang sunod niyang sasabihin. Lasing ba siya kahapon at hindi niya alam pinaggagawa niya? O baka naman pinagti-trip-an nanaman niya ako. Napataas ang aking kilay nang mag-appear ang tatlong dots indicating na nagta-type siya.

Right, that's me

Nalimutan ko, sorry

ok?

Anyway, ngayon ang balik niyo di ba?

Let me know if you guys have already arrived at the airport here, and I'll fetch you

ok, thanks

no worries

Pinatay ko na ang aking phone para hindi agad ito ma-low batt. Hindi ko na inisip pa ang confusion na binigay ni Farrel sa akin dahil sa chat niya. Pumasok na rin sa loob ng sasakyan sila mama at umalis na kami. Agad kaming nakarating sa airport.

Nag-antay lamang kami panandalian doon upang hintayin ang oras ng flight namin. We didn't wait that long since we arrived not that early. We enter the plane and find our seats. After all the passengers got inside the plane, the captain announced that we were now taking off.

The noise of the plane is the only thing that can be heard as it takes off. This is the only thing that I hate whenever we ride a plane. Masakit sa tenga ang ingay na ginagawa nito. I put on my headphones and played a song at full volume. Thankfully, it kind of lessens the noise that the plane is making.

After some time of enduring the noise, it finally ended. I let out a heavy sigh and made myself comfortable in my seat. I rested my head on a neck pillow I was wearing and closed my eyes to sleep for a while. This is going to be a long flight, might as well withdraw the sleep that my body needed. A smile slowly formed on my lips when my inner voice said something.

See you, Mr. Stranger— Mr. Akomi.

***