Frozen Heart (KARA FANFICTION)

Chapter 35: Aftermath

The days had oddly gone through and it was the time of the year again for students to leave their beloved Alma matter. It was nearing fast almost just like one breath away. Yet despite this obvious fact—a verdict either of not guilty or a sentence of death—nothing really much has changed, at least for Mika and a bunch of friends she left behind at Concepcion. She barely made through her passive life. She had been very careful to have the slightest interaction with she-who-must-not-be-named if impossible to not at all after she left. It had become her daily wish to never come across a particular girl. Good thing, the heavens had been continuously gracious to grant her request.

...

Like a princess on some famous fairy tale, Mika beat the clock home before it struck midnight, except she would never see herself that way. She'd always been so plain, average, and ordinary in her mind all her existence. It was exactly a month before she reaps the fruits of her labor and she, together with her thesis mates, had just faced their panel. It took them almost two hours, the longest two hours in their lives filled with sweat, gut wrecking, inquiry and criticisms. It was already 9 pm when they finished.

It took them two hours to tackle everything and finished at 9 pm given that there were also others before them that made their defense. Fortunately, Mika's group made it and they are all already included in the eligible candidates to march this coming April and since they were very much in cloud nine— they almost jump like crazy after hearing the final comment on their work— her groupmates decided to have a little celebration. She would have wanted to decline and probably make some lame excuse but in the end the boys, that is biologically speaking of course, were able to persuade her. It wasn't really hard to say yes to those two charming guys anyway. So, they went to a fine restaurant to eat and headed to the nearest karaoke bar after. Achilles and Lyle even had a few bottles of beer but she made her point understood that there'd be no drinking any kind of alcohol for her tonight. Good enough, the boys didn't push it. They respected her decision so they just had some fun singing on the karaoke machine, not minding if they were close to impossible, hitting the notes right. All these were fitting as the reason of Mika's lateness.

Pagdating n'ya sa kwarto gising pa din ang frosh n'yang roommate. Di tulad sa mga naunang tinuluyan n'ya, dalawa lang sila sa kwarto.

"Hi ate, gusto mo?" Magiliw na alok ni Fritz sa hawak nitong Pringles. Hanggang balikat ang itim nitong buhok na bahagyang nakukulot sa dulo. Mapungay ang mga mata nito at bagay sa mapula nitong labi ang kumikislap nitong asul na braces sa ngipin. Sa pagmamasid n'ya ng mga klase ng gamit at gadgets nitong up to date, nakasisiguro s'yang rich kid ang kanyang roommate.

"Sige lang. Salamat." Tanggi n'ya.

"Kamusta po pala 'yung defense n'yo?"

"Ayun okay naman." Sagot n'ya habang pagod na naupo sa kanyang kama.

"Congrats po." Nakangiting bati nito sa kanya.

"Thank you."

"Eh di next sem, wala na po akong roommate?" Nakanguso nitong tanong. Makulit at masayahin si Fritz. Sa ilang buwan n'ya itong nakasama ay madalas n'ya itong nakakwentuhan kaya madali n'ya itong nakapalagayan ng loob. Hindi naging hadlang ang maikling panahon at agwat ng edad nila para hindi mapalapit ang loob n'ya dito.

"Magkakaroon ka naman uli ng bago eh." Pag-alo n'ya dito.

"Bibisitahin n'yo po ako dito ah kahit tuwing foundation week lang."

Isa pa marahil ang pagiging natural nitong malambing ang nakapagpagaan ng loob n'ya sa bata. Idagdag pang naalala n'ya ang kapatid sa dalagita.