Pleace Notice Me

Chapter 26

Sometimes, what we wish is not what's meant for us. It'll remain as a wish, forever.

"Miss Cruz, nandito na po ang mga papers. Nacheck na po namin ni Ella." I smiled at my student. I can see myself in her. She's just so competitive at times, which made her different from me.

It's been years. My highschool drama is over, I am already a teacher. I'm happy with my work and ICHS is just really my safe haven.

Masakit man ang mga nakaraan ko dito, it's still my safe haven tho.

Ito ang saksi ng mga kabaliwan naming magbabarkada, mga kalandian ko, mga paghihirap ko at higit sa lahat, mga katangahan ko.

Before, I'm here as a student. Now, I'm here as a teacher.

"Ma'am Ann, di ka pa uuwi?" Tanong ni Milly na isa sa mga bagong teacher dito sa ICHS.

"Una ka na Ma'am Mill, tataposin ko muna tong para sa Homecoming. Malapit na rin kasi at kailangan ng idistribute."

Nauna na rin ang mga kasamahan ko, ako na lang ang naiwan sa Faculty office kaya't tahimik kong ipinagpatuloy ang pagpiprint ng mga programs for the batches.

Batch '20 Intermission No. c/o Trent Corpuz

Batch '19 Intermission No. c/o Arc Fuentabella

Those names. They're always connected huh. Kung nasaan ang isa, nandun din ang isa. Siguro sila talaga tong magkakatuluyan eh.

Before our graduation, I broke up with Trent. Our relationship is just so toxic. We always end up fighting. The gossips about him and Nicole worsen. I was branded as 'walang kwentang girlfriend' because I don't even know where my boyfriend is if he's not around. Instead of sleeping after doing my requirements and school stuffs, I always end up crying. I always cry myself to sleep because I always ask myself what's lacking in me. Anong wala sa akin? Bakit niya ako ginanon?

"Let's end this Trent." I warily said, I'm so exhausted from lack of sleep.

"So you already choose between us." He mockingly said.

Lucy and Fely is just outside and they can hear us talking here in our classroom. Graduation na bukas.

"Trent, there's never been a competition. Wala akong pinipili sa inyo. What's between us is just so toxic that it really exhausts me." I'm in the verge of crying. I don't want to be emotional.

"I'm sorry." Nabigla ako sa pagkakasabi niya. I did not expect him to say sorry. "I'm sorry love. Please, give me a chance, last chance. I promise not to screw this up." He's crying. He hugged me. I can feel his tears in my neck.

"Trent, I gave you multiple chances. I've been so selfless. I think it's enough. I don't want any life dramas anymore. I'm graduating tomorrow, last day of being here. I wish you'll be happy without me. I know I've been a burden to you. I'm such a nagging girlfriend, you've been very understanding to me. But Trent, things seems to be so different. Walang nagtatagal. Change is constant. Things change, people change, and feelings fade away. You can't force someone to stick around you. I swear, I tried so hard not to give up on this. I tried so hard to retain my love for you, to make my love for you fight for us but you did not cooperate."

Since then, he's always been jealous of Arc especially when we were hailed as Mr. and Ms. ICHS. Inalo niya pa si Nicole sa harap ko, without even congratulating me first. He comforted her in front of so many students, in front of my cousins, my friends, IN FRONT OF ME, without giving a simple glance and without even saying a single congratulations to me.

"Ann, last chance please." He cried but all I can feel is pain and pity. No more love for him, natabunan na ng sakit. Akala ko ba walang true love sa highschool days? Eh ano to? Bakit ang sakit?

"Trent, it's enough. I'm sorry, I love you. I still do but you made me love myself less. You made me think less of myself. It's not healthy for us to stay in this relationship." I badly want to give him another chance but I know it's not right. "Sorry. I love you, love. Please make your dreams come true. Please do your plans accordingly. Please achieve your goals. I will always be here right behind, watching you. And if you succeed, I will be the happiest woman. Well aside from tita, right?"  I tried to joke around but my voice trembled and my tears can't just stop falling. I hugged him tight. I kissed his cheeks. He's still crying when I left the room. Lucy and Fely immediately hug me when I'm already outside. I smiled to Josh who is watching me, feeling so sorry. I hugged him too, grabe ang mga sakripisyong nagawa niya para sa amin ni Trent, para matulungan kami pero di talaga nakaya.

Hys. Yun na yung last na pagkikita namin ni Trent. After that, I spent my vacation in my mom's hometown in Iligan City. Hindi din siya umattend ng graduation ko. He just send me a bouquet of red rose with a "Congratulations, Love." in its note.

I never attended any of our homecomings for the past 5 years kahit na ako ang coordinator ng batch namin. I just send Arabella or any of my SHS batchmates as my proxy during meetings. I studied in Iligan Institute of Technology (IIT) which is a branch of Mindanao State University (MSU) and I took up Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring Biological Science. I aced the board exams, I ranked 3rd.

As for Arc, we're still communicating. He is now a Civil Engineer, which surprised me a lot. And he is applying to be my man daw. AGAIN. For the past few years, he's been courting me. He started reconnecting with me during our 3rd year in college. I was crying that time and is having a video call with Ara and Carl because I'm so exhausted with our feasibility studies when he suddenly messaged me, asking to turn off my call to his cousins and call him instead. Magkasama pala sila ng time na yun. Later that month, he visited me in Iligan City. Kasama niya ang mama niya kasi bumisita rin sila kay Belle na nasa MSU-Marawi pala nag-aaral, nursing ang kurso nito. Since then, always na kaming magkachat. I mean, he always messages me even if I'm not online. Mas naging updated pa kami sa isa't isa dahil every weekend, Belle and I will spend it together. It's either siya ang bababa ng Iligan or ako ang bibisita sa kanya sa Marawi. He even visited Iligan during my Graduation day, sinuholan niya pa si tatay ng libreng pamasahe para isama lang daw siya. Our friendship got renewed. Just this year, nakapasa na rin siya sa licensure exams nila, and he aced it too! He ranked 7th allover the Philippines.

My wishes before are now slowly coming true. I'm already a teacher and is now teaching in my beloved alma mater for almost a year. Walang nakakaalam na mga batch ko na dito ako nagtatrabaho kasi kakasimula ko lang dito last June. It's already April and I guess wala pang nakakakita sa akin kasi wala naman na ang iba dito. Ara is also a teacher but she's still chilling out in her mom's hometown, she's just accepting tutorial sessions. Napag-alaman kong nasa Manila sila ni Jane, she's already an accountant. Alam kong uuwi sila ngayong homecoming ng ICHS, tiyak masusurprise sila na makita ako. Si Arc lang ang may alam na dito na ako nagtatrabaho.

Wishes do come true, mine did, though not all. However, not with the man I was with during I made those wishes. Guess, not all wishes seems do come true and what we expect the least is not impossible to happen too. I did not expect Arc to be loyal and faithful, if he is, to me but seems to be I was wrong. Hope so.