Love and Remember

•3 Minutes•

Oh, this is chaos! I walked up to our director and tried to calm her down. I could already see how much she's angry and boiling mad right now. "Don't worry, Janella! Let's just calm down and continue our practice, okay?"

But Janella continued the attitude. "Joanna, go back to your position and let's start this scene again. Everyone, let's do it again!"

I walked back to my position. I watched as while some people were working on stage, everyone else was so noisy and you could barely hear the director.

"What now, guys? Hurry up! Gah, back to the start!" she screamed. At least everyone quieted down and now the tension's set again. The propsmen worked then I was on the scene with the other two characters.

"Really?" The actor started. "You said you would never go back to that kind of life!"

"I tried," said me. I channeled my emotions and let the tears fall for the fifth time now. "But I could not lift us out of this kind of life!"

"Hey! Why are you guys moving at the back? Behave yourselves while the three are acting! Repeat!"

The director boomed and everyone's beginning to get restless again. I need to stop this act. Using "him" as my way to get myself to cry is not okay.

I think I need some explaining to do.

Time passed after I greeted him. I began to not trust him, and when I said "boss" I always had caps lock on.

"Boss are you done with your assignments?"

"Not yet, BOSS."

"Ahh okay, besides Philosophy and Statistics, that's all?"

"Yes, BOSS. Is everything okay now, BOSS? Do you still need me anymore?"

When he asks why I'm being deep with my words, I just say that's how I talk and he shouldn't mind it. But, I wanted him to know I didn't know who he was to me anymore. I began doubting him as he continued doing this to me. Sometimes, when I would be the one to talk, he let's me be on seen and doesn't reply.

"Joanna Marie, where are you?!"

I sprang up and then went out to stage.

"Gah!" said Janella. "Let's do it again!" Come on Janella, keep it together. Please don't get mad. As I was back to my position, I get suddenly tapped by the shoulder by Jenny.

"Umm, our adviser is already here. Do you think we should go to class now?" she asked. I nodded then peeked at the classroom then saw she was there.

I walked up to her and greeted, "Good morning ma'am, are we going to start now?"

She answered, "Yes, of course. Is that thing your classmates are doing over yet?" I gasped then said my apologies. I excused myself then went to the director.

"Janella, ma'am adviser's already here. She says we need to go to class."

She groaned but nodded at me, saying thanks then spoke to everyone. "Alright guys. Our teacher's already here. We'll practice for our Literature play again later."

Everyone then went to the classroom while some of us cleaned up the stage. Some help they are. As we entered, the teacher then asks, "Class, you were so noisy over there. What's it all about?"

Someone spoke, "Ma'am, we were practicing for our play. It is already two days from now so we needed to practice."

"Ok, but what was the situation and why were so many of you were shouting?" The teacher asked.

"Ma'am," I answered, "it was because some people weren't listening to our director and we were doing a lousy job at cooperating."

As I said that, everyone became noisy. As the conversation went on, the adviser said, "What? Wait, wait. This is serious, let's have a meeting for now about this, I'll give you your lesson some other time."

We began to discuss our problems. Few people began their own complaints, and midway through the discussion, I saw Janella was crying.

"Hey bae? What's wrong, Janella? Don't cry..." I said, but then I began crying as well. "Stop it, you're making me cry too."

Then more people began arguing with each other, then our adviser asked us then lectured us about unity and friendship. Then she also talked about the problems we had in our class. A few of us continued to tear up. But, finally we fixed our problem and the adviser asked us to go in a circle.

She then asked one of us students to lead a prayer then asked everyone to hold hands. As we were forming the circle, I saw my crush. I began to blush as I imagined what I was about to do. I went besides my seatmates, then made sure I was beside him. But suddenly I saw someone else.

It was boss. "Hey, why are you still crying?"

"Hmph, why do you care?" I answered. He then went between me and my crush. Oh my gosh! I almost held my crush's hand, but now I have to hold his.

I held the girl who was beside me her hand then pretended not to notice him there, but suddenly he took my hand and held it.

I felt that something beat again in my chest. Damn it! "Halla boss..." I commented. I began to think of something witty to say, but all I had was, "Sorry... I have sweaty hands."

"Don't worry, I have sweaty hands too," he answered. I tried looking away from him and chatted with Jenny and Paola who were at my left. I felt right hand being raised, and I turned as his friends were smiling at the two of us. I put both our hands down and thankfully the prayer was starting.

As the prayer started, I closed my eyes to feel the presence of the Lord. During the prayer, the girl beside me was so turbulent. But boss was, calm. Me and his hand never twitched. I tried not to get distracted by it, it was more distracting than the other person's hand.

We continued to hold hands for 3 minutes. It was the best 3 minutes of my life.

After the prayer ended, I opened my eyes. The person to my left let go then proceeded back to their seat, while me and him where laying on our backs by the wall behind us, still holding hands. "Did you pray and close your eyes?" He asked, smiling at me.

"It was a prayer, okay? Of course I did," I answered. I glanced at his friends and they were still looking at us funny, so I took my hand from him and went back to my seat. The teacher, out of a generous heart, let us continue our practice. Inspired, I did my best in my act.

Me gustas tu, gustas tu. Sutuduru, johahaeyo. Gustas tu, suturu~tu. I sang in my head.