01.33.2013

Feet sore. Eyelids heavy. Nose itchy. Stomach grumbling. I was about to give in when I was in the church. I was indeed tired of all the workloads for the past weeks. I was working the zombie look for days now.

I never thought my prayer during the mass would be heard immediately. Exactly after the mass, my phone started vibrating inside my pocket. I thought it was just one of those group messages again that flood my inbox because of my phone finally getting signal again. It didn't stop vibrating and I got irritated. When I saw who was calling, my mind shouted "Sh*t!" it was one of my former schoolmates who was now studying in University of the Philippines and if he's calling me, one thing's for sure.

My head went blank as my hand was trembling when I slid the slide button to finally answer the call. I thought I was really hallucinating, but his words were real enough. "Congrats!" That was the last thing I heard clearly after his asking of who was receiving the call. My mind went blank and I was left speechless there while waiting for the pedestrian to walk to the other side of the road. The body pain suddenly washed away from all of my senses and boiled down to my tummy. It twisted and twirled in an unknown manner.

As I asked for what course I passed in, (hoping it would've been BAA):

Geology. At first I was frustrated, then I thought, this is what I deserve. God has a plan for me. 

At that time, I told myself to get my lazy up and start getting ready for one of the most bloody stages in life. Last time I checked, my cousin had just graduated from the course I passed last year. Thinking about it, he told me that when I was born, he was filling up his UPCAT form. (gulp) I told myself, "I'm next."

This is where I tell everyone, "I'm ready for fifteen [for real] years more."

- Iskolar ng Bayan (FINALLY)