Mnemosyne Deogracia (Unedited)

IX

Nem Deogracia

"Ugh! Sino ba tong Kierra Rodriguez na to?!"

Selene's been like that since yesterday. Pinatawag kasi siya ng Registrar kahapon dahil may problema daw sa mga papers niya. When we got there, tinanong niya agad kung anong problema and to our surprise, hindi daw nag-match ang personal records niya sa mag filled up forms niya. That's absurd, right? Kaya napilitan siyang tingnan kung anong mali at ang mas nakaka-surpresa is that she's married, according dun sa database na ipinakita niya.

Like really married to someone, halos mag-iskandalo na siya kahapon sa Registrar's office para lang i-justify na hindi siya kasal. How can she be married? But she had no choice kundi kumuha ng CENOMAR or Certificate of None Marriage para masiguradong hindi nga siya kasal or else the school will deny her transfer and worse, baka ma-kasuhan pa siya ng dishonesty.

Kaya nagma-madali kaming pumunta sa NSO kahapon. Hindi na sana ako sasama dahil may meeting pa ako with regards to our grand ball to be held next week but I just can't let this girl walk on her own dahil hindi na daw niya kabisado ang lugar. If I know, palusot lang niya and I have no choice but to cancel the meeting, luckily, nasalubong ko si Ms. Gorgonio sa JSU gate and told her the re-scheduling.

So pagdating namin sa NSO, we asked the guard first kung ano ang mga gagawin para makuha ang pakay namin, without further ado, ginawa na namin ang kanyang advice. We waited for like 30 minutes' there tapos sasabihin lang na request denied at mas malala dahil ang sinabi ng teller ay: "Would you rather request your marriage certificate instead, Ma'am?".

That was the most epic part of our journey yesterday. CENOMAR ang gusto namin at hindi yun, so I advised Selene to request that nalang para matapos na. People were staring at us, iniisip siguro nila na mga ignorante kami but who cares? At least, mission accomplished.

"I don't believe this!" Natatawa akong nakatingin sa kanya. "How can I be married?!"

"I know, Hunny."

Don't think of something else, it's my endearment only for her. Yes, we HAD a relationship before but we call it quits now. It's good that we have adjusted our lives and brought the past where we left off. Hind yung relasyon namin bilang lovers but as friends.

"Sinong siraulo ba ang nag-kasal sa amin? And worst! I don't even know this..." She looks at the paper. "This girl! Oh my gods! Is this even real?!"

"Can you relax for a bit? Masyado kang stressed. Smile!"

"Ugh! How can I smile, Nemo?! Nanganganib ang buhay ko sa letseng papel na to!"

I did not utter a word. I know it's hard, I mean, really really hard for her. First, there's a problem with her records. Second, she's married. Lastly, to someone she never knew.

"Uh, how can I help?"

Jame, my boyfriend entered my room.

"Hey, Hubby." He pecks a kiss on my lips.

"What's the problem, Ands? You look like shit tho."

Selene throws a pillow at him, buti nalang nailagan niya ito.

"Close!" He then hugs me. "Anong problema ng ex mo?" I giggled at his question.

James was my suitor turned boyfriend turned ex-boyfriend turned boyfriend again. We were classmates since we were in nursery, we broke up nung pumasok siya sa PMA but gladly we get back together after he transferred here. Hindi ko na sila kailangan pang ipakilala sa isa't-isa, close din kasi sila.

"Hmm. She's married kasi."

Alam din niyang naging kami ni Selene. He knows that Selene had a huge crush on me way back in high school. Bakit lang daw natagalan sa pag-confess ang kaibigan ko sa akin.