The Art of Falling

21: Trouble in Paradise

21: Trouble in Paradise

Dahil sa Arts Festival, meron kaming mga free cut. Yung ibang subjects naman nire-require kami manuod sa mga games at competitions. Ramdam ko ulit yung pagiging first year. Pa-easy easy muna. Pahinga saglit sa acads.

Pinanuod namin si Steph sa dance festival. Si Carly at Ate Faith naman sa music festival. Marami ring booths ng pagkain sa may university park kaya ang saya saya ko. Pinadalhan pa ako ng extra allowance ni mama para daw may panggastos ako. Mataas naman daw yung mga grades ko last Midterms kaya may reward ako.

Nag-promise si Caeus na magdi-dinner kami at manunuod together. I was really looking forward to it. Kung pwede lang i-fast forward yung oras, gagawin ko para gabi na at magkita na kami. We agreed to a meeting time and place. I waited for him.

Thirty minutes have passed and I was still waiting. My stomach began rumbling but I ignored it. Baka na-traffic lang. I kept repeating in my head.

I tried texting and calling him but he was unreachable. After an hour of waiting, I got worried. I asked our friends if they knew where he was. Nobody knew. I met up with Steph and Hailey again so they help me look for Caeus. I was really getting worried about him.

Habang naglalakad kami sa school grounds, nakasalubong namin si Xander. Na-message ko na siya kanina. Nag-reply naman kahit 'No.' lang.

" Jess. We'll just use the toilet quickly." sabi ni Steph bago kami lumapit kay Xander.

"Sige, sige. Hintayin kayo dito."

Pumasok na sila sa isang building at iniwan kami ni Xander. "Did you find him?" tanong agad niya.

"Hindi pa. Okay lang kaya yun?"

"Maybe he's also looking for you. You might be going in circles and missing each other."

"Oo nga noh. Sige balik ako ng gym."

Doon kasi kami dapat magkita. Baka pagka-alis ko dumating naman siya. Sana talaga nandun lang si Caeus. Ramdam ko na ulit yung gutom.

I was about to turn around and head for the gym when the fireworks started. Loud sparks of light shoot up in the sky. It was beautiful. I couldn't help but smile. For a few minutes, I forgot about everything in my mind.

Parehas kaming nakatingala sa langit ni Xander. I felt his hand brushed on mine or was it my hand that touched his. Nabalik yung lungkot ko. Dapat si Caeus yung nasa tabi ko e. Dapat siya yung kasama ko ngayon na nanunuod ng fireworks.

Caeus, where are you?

Naalis lang yung mata ko sa madilim na langit nang magsalita si Xander. "Ha?" tanong ko. Hindi ko kasi narinig ng mabuti yung sinabi niya.

"Take it easy."

Kumunot yung noo ko. Pakiramdam ko talaga ang slow ko kapag si Xander kausap ko. Laging loading yung utak ko sa mga sinasabi niya. "Sige, punta na akong gym."

"I'll be right here."

Weird na talaga nito. Nag-okay na lang ako kahit hindi kung bakit kailangan niya pa sabihin sa akin yun.

Naghintay ako pero walang Caeus na dumating. Kinailangan ko ng umalis dahil ila-lock na ng security yung gym. Sarado na karamihan nung mga booths. Konti na lang yung nga taong nandun. I found myself sitting on a bench at the campus park. Hindi ko namalayan tumutulo na yung luha ko habang nakatitig sa phone ko. Hindi naman ako natural na iyakin. Ngayon lang.

I had no idea what to think. Nasaan ba si Caeus? Okay lang ba siya? I was desperate to know.

Hoy Caeus! Mag-reply ka naman please. Okay ka lang ba?