Buoyancy

Chapter 1

"Oh humingi ka na ng paumanhin sa mga anak ko, nasindak mo ata sila kanina"  si ama.
"Tay, baka akalain ng heneral na madaling masindak ang mga tao rito" sagot ko na naging dahilan ng pag-ngiti ng heneral.
" Hanga ako sa mga matatapang na babae" sabi ni Heneral Del Pilar habang kami ay kumakain.

"Edi hindi mo na kailangang humingi ng dispensa heneral"  ani ko at ipinagpatuloy na ang pagkain.

I woke up with the sound of my alarm clock ringing. It's first day of school. One year. Just one year and I'll graduate. I sighed. That's strange, these days, lagi akong nanaginip ng ganon. The vibes, the settings, the language na nasa panaginip ko, it's different. It's like ako pero nasa ibang lugar.

I decided not to be bothered by it, panaginip lang naman. I still have a lot of things to do. Having a family of successful people, I always think I have to be  the best in my craft. Siguro kaya gusto rin ako ng iba ay dahil lang sa pamilya ko, hindi dahil sa akin.

I showered and changed. I wore my yellow satin dress and a pair of sandal. I reached the side table to get my ID "Addison Bree Zobel, Applied Corporate Management" I read what's written in the card. I can't believe I managed to get through a course I don't really want for three years.

I skipped breakfast and just went to the car, my parents are not around, not surprising.

Pagkababa ko ng sasakyan, dumiretso na lang ako sa room. I waited for my friend to come. It's a good thing that we're on the same block. My one and only friend, a real one. Yung kaibigan ko 'di dahil sa pamilya ko pero dahil sa akin, she treats me as "me", not as a daughter from an influential family.

"Addi!" I turned around when I heard a familiar voice

"Winter! I missed you!" I told her as I hugged her. I couldn't see her for a month because she went out of the country for a vacation. We took our seats and started to chit-chat.

  "You know Andreau Ayala?" Winter suddenly asked. My forehead creased. "Who?" I answered. She just sighed "You don't know him of course but maybe you've crossed paths already? Gatherings?" She said. "I don--"

"Of course no, you're a homebody. I don't know why they allow you to do that? Dad always forces me to go" She said, cutting off my words.

"So what's the deal with that Andreau?" I asked. "Apparently, he's in the same block as ours!" she exclaimed.  "And? Am I supposed to celebrate?" I said causing her to roll her eyes, I laughed. "What? It's just a man, Winter. What's so exciting about it?" I told her. "Fine, Fine" she made face but still continued on telling me 'facts' about that Andreau guy, matalino daw siya, etc. Nag-usap na lang kami until she just stopped talking and looked at me... Or the person behind me?

I confirmed it was the person behind me because I looked back to where she was looking and she really was staring at the man behind me. He was just sitting there, talking to other people, probably his friends. I had to look again because he looked really familiar but I just can't remember who he is. I just shrugged the thought and decided to talk to Winter who's now on her right mind but still quiet.

"Hey!" I snapped at her, she finally looked at me. "Finally, ano ba kasi yun? You were literally frozen kanina" I told her. "Andreau" she said, still looking stunned. "Andreu? Huh?" I asked curiously. "Yung nasa likod mo kanina"
She whispered. "Oh? Okay" that's me.

Winter just looked at me in disbelief. "What?" I widened my eyes for her to see that I'm serious. "Yun lang?" sabi pa niya.
"Ano ba dapat? kiligin? I don't even know him!" I stated. "Right, okay madam" She just said.

I personally think wala namang mali sa reaction ko. It's just a man. I admit, he's really handsome. He's wearing a gray sweatshirt and black pants, he's also wearing a white sneakers. Winter mentioned earlier na he's like me in terms of family. Now that I see him, he seems really simple for a successor. Mostly, people like him would overdo the way they dress just to show people how rich they are. I can't see that in him.

I didn't notice I was staring at him, not until he looked at my direction and looked at me in the eye. He really looks like someone I know. I looked away, baka ano pang isipin niya. I distracted myself by talking to Winter. Bakit ang tagal ng prof?

When the professor finally arrived, we really did not do anything since it's the first day. 

Winter and I decided to just eat in our favorite stall sa Area 2. We were eating when a group of people- men entered. Agad kong napansin si Andreau, even with those simple clothes, he manages to stand out. Talking about appeal huh.

Wait what? What did I just think of? No.. No.. I never thought of that.

I just continued eating and when we're already finished, I went to the counter para magbayad. "475 pesos po ma'am" the woman in the counter said. I handed her my money and while waiting for my change, lumapit sa akin si Andreau.

I looked at him but hurriedly looked away and pretended I was using my phone. "Your change ma'am" my attention went back to the cashier. I took my money "Salamat ate" I smiled at her. Her job is hard. Every job is hard, kaya sana people will not belittle other people they think who's 'lower' than them.

I was about to leave when someone grabbed my hand. I stayed still and nervously looked at the hand that grabbed me.

I slowly looked up, just to see Andreu's face, with an emotion I can't name. My heart is beating so fast! I don't even know why.

"By any chance..." he started talking , I was just staring at him.

"By any chance... Have we met before?" he asked, his face is now full of curiosity.