SEVEN AND ARROW (Montana Series 2 | BXB)

12: Flotrancia

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The cafeteria was buzzing with noise of chatting students during the lunch hour, but I barely heard any of it. My thoughts kept floating back to Arrow. I was holding my spoon and fork, moving it around my plate without really eating.

"Alam mo bang hindi mauubos 'yang kinakain mo kung tititigan mo lang," sambit ni Maze.

"Kaya nga," saad naman ni Audrey. "May problema ba?" tanong nito.

"Wala naman," matipid kong sagot.

"I seem to know the reason," said Maze.

"Me too," followed Audrey. "Is it about Arrow?"

A heavy breath escaped my lips when I heard his name. "I don't get him. Nakatira kami sa iisang bahay pero pakiramdam ko ay marami pa akong hindi alam tungkol sa kanya."

"You'll never understand someone if he don't know how to talk," Maze implied.

"In Arrow's case, he knows how to talk, but he chose not to say anything," said Audrey, twirling her fork to her carbonara.

"What will I do?" I asked. "Hindi ko na kayang manatili sa bahay nila kung araw-araw niya akong itatrato ng ganito. Wala naman akong pakialam sa kanya kung magkaiba kami ng tinitirahan, but we're living in one house and my room is just next to his room."

"Mahirap nga 'yang sitwasyon mo. If I were in your position, I would be uncomfortable as well," Maze stated.

I was glad because I found a new family, but I couldn't bare the idea that I was living with a person colder than East Antarctica and hotter than Sahara Desert.

"Hello, can I share the table with you?" someone spoke, and it was a familiar voice. I turned to him and saw my childhood friend.

"Dandrix," I said. "Pumasok ka na pala. Tara, maupo ka."

Naupo naman siya sa aking tabi sabay lapag ng pineapple milk sa aking harapan. "For you, hindi ba't paborito mo 'yan."

"Yes, thank you," I said and grabbed the drink he offered.

I heard Maze and Audrey cleared their throat, which caught my attention. "Oh! By the way, guys, this is Dandrix Rodriguez, my childhood friend," I introduced. "And Dandrix, these are my new friends, Audrey Alejandro and Maze Pajarillo."

"Hello?" Audrey waved with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," said Maze. "You're new here?"

"Yes. Kakaka-transfer ko lang dito kahapon," sagot ni Dandrix.

"From what Department are you?" Audrey asked.

"I'm from the Department of Health and Allied Sciences," he answered.

"Oh, future Doctor," Audrey remarked.

"Yes," Dandrix said, smiling. "Hopefully, maituloy-tuloy ko para makapasok sa medical school balang araw."

"Just be positive," said Maze. "Mabilis lang ang oras. Hindi mo mamamalayan ay natupad mo na pala ang pangarap mo."

"I know, but it's not always about hardwork. Sometimes, money has a huge factor in achieving our dreams. In my case, I had to earn and save first before pursuing what I wanted in the future."

Natigilan ang dalawa kong kaibigan sa sinabi ni Dandrix. Among us, I was the only one who could actually relate to his situation. We both born with unfortunate feet, walking in the highway of poverty.

In our table, there's a line between people who were blessed enough to get what they want, and people who had to work harder to achieve their goals in life. The awkward silence in our table was broken when a group of people went to our spot. It was Maureen along with her friends.