Igniting a Heartbeat

 

There I was
Thought I had everything figured out
Goes to show just how much I know
'Bout the way life plays out

  - Your Song Parokya Ni Edgar
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"So final na? Doon na tayo gagawa kila Yuna? Okay lang sayo, Bro?"

 

 

 

Ryujin asked. After kasi mag-submit ni Ningning– na napagkasunduan naming siya nalang 'yung maging leader ng grupo– ng 1/4 sheet of paper with our names on it kay Sir, hinayaan niya na kami mag scram sa iba't-ibang sulok ng school para makapag-plano na. 

 

 

 

Basically, parang free time na rin naman kaya andito kami ngayon sa canteen, kumakain dahil nag-aya sila Chae and Lia na kumain kasi nagugutom na daw sila. 

 

 

 

Tapos na din kasi kami mag-plano ng invention namin and now, we're just finalizing nalang ang place kung saan kami gagawa as well as the time and date. 

 

 

 

"No problem with me guys." Pagsang-ayon ni Yuna. Sakanila kasi yung mas accessible sa lahat. Malapit lang din yung village ng bahay nila sa kalye namin kaya goods na rin. 

 

 

 

We all agreed to start with the phase 1 of our project which means working on the paperworks this coming saturday. Yun lang kasi ang free time ko, considering na nag t-trabaho pa ako. I'm thankful na nag-adjust sila para sakin. Plus, mag o-overnight din kami. Pumayag naman ako para mas mabilis matatapos. 

 

 

 

Tsaka, so far, masaya din sila kasama. I don't have friends sa school kasi wala din naman akong time makipag-kaibigan. I'm often invited sa mga galaan pero I kept refusing din to the point na napapagod na sila kaka-aya sakin because yun nga, nag t-trabaho ako tas ginugugol ko sa pag-aaral at tulog ang tanging day off ko. 

 

 

 

So I guess it's safe to say na wala akong social life. 

 

 

 

Hindi naman alintana sakin dahil it kept me from attaching myself to others. Mabuti na 'yung mag-isa kesa iiwan ka din naman pala sa ere pagkatapos na nila makuha ang gusto nila sayo. 

 

 

 

Okay, that took a dark turn but yun nga. In my past years, marami na ring nagtangka mag take advantage sakin. Probably because ang bata-bata ko pa. From my parent's relatives, down to friends na akala ko totoo kaya huwag nalang. Mabuti na mag-isa. 

 

 

 

"Okay, so final na. Saturday at 4pm? Goods?" Ningning finalize. We all nodded in agreement. 

 

 

 

We got up from our table, took our trashes and threw it in the garbage bins tsaka tumungo na sa napakahabang stairs. 

 

 

 

Bakit kasi nasa third floor pa 'yung classroom namin. Tsk. 

 

 

 

Halfway nang pag-akyat namin ng hagdan, we suddenly got stopped when a group of girl's blocked our way. 

 

 

 

Mukha silang mga kiti-kiti. May tinutulak silang babae papalapit samin na may hawak-hawak na bouquet of red and white tulips sa right hand nito and a box of donuts sa kaliwa. 

 

 

 

Ningning was in front along with Ryujin na mukhang amuse na amuse na sa nangyayari tas ako naman sa likuran ni Ningning with Yuna beside me tas si Lia and Chaeryoung yung pinakahuli. 

 

 

 

Malaki naman yung hagdan, sakto yung pangdalawahang-katao side by side kung papa-akyat, kaya we still abide by the rules na 'Always keep right sa stairs'. 

 

 

 

Finally, the girl got annoyed sa antics ng mga kaibigan niya kaya naisipan niyang mag move on her own. She took a deep breath and was about to take a step forward when Ningning stopped her. 

 

 

 

"Paakyatin niyo muna kami pwede?" Nagulat ako sa walang emosyong saad ni Ningning. It's contrary to her cheerful self kanina. 

 

 

 

I heard a snicker beside and behind me. Sila Yuna, Lia and Chaeyoung. I looked at Ningning. She looks serious now. 

 

 

 

"B-Baby, sorry na," The girl uttered, looking down. 

 

 

 

Actually, now that I have observed the girl properly, mukha siyang Haponesa. Wait, I think I saw this girl before. 

 

 

 

My brows furrowed tas biglang lumaki ang mata ko when I finally remembered her. 

 

 

 

Hala! Siya 'yung kaibigan ni weird girl ah! Yung mabait na babae. 

 

 

 

Pero wait... mag-jowa sila?! 

 

 

 

I feel like a marites but chismis is chismis. 

 

 

 

And chismis is life. 

 

 

 

Pero teka muna. I c-confirm ko muna kung kaibigan ba talaga to ni weird girl. 

 

 

 

"Giselle?" I tested my luck. Baka mamaya magkamukha lang pala sila. 

 

 

 

Napa-angat naman ang mukha ng babae, then her pale brown eyes widened atsaka ngumiti sakin, revealing her eye smile. Samantalang 'yung mga kasama namin ay nagtataka't naguguluhan na. 

 

 

 

"Uyy! Leafy! OMG! What are the odds na dito ka rin pala nag-aaral!" She exclaimed. Napalitan na ng excitement ang kaninang kawawang expression niya. 

 

 

 

I saw how Ningning's brows furrowed, looking at us alternately. 

 

 

 

"Magkakilala kayo?" She asked, voice now in a cold manner. Her dark brown eyes are now piercing on mine. 

 

 

 

Luh! Luh! Mukhang madadamay pa yata ako dito. 

 

 

 

I slowly backed off. Nakakamatay kasi ang tingin ni Ningning. 

 

 

 

Gago, pare. Huwag ka mag-selos sakin. 

 

 

 

I cleared my throat. "Ah, naging customer ko siya last Friday sa Benny's. Kasama mga friends niya," I answered honestly. She nodded at tumingin ulit sa babae. 

 

 

 

"You went out last Friday?" Tanong nito sa babae, "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice still void of emotions. 

 

 

 

Giselle looked back at her, her expression was back to what it was before– head low, lips in a pout and wide eyes who looks like it was seconds to crying. 

 

 

 

"It was bobo Karina's last minute idea. I didn't bother informing you because I was so mad at you and we weren't okay at that time." Mahinang pagpapaliwanag nito. 

 

 

 

I snickered mentally at the 'bobo' part. Bobo ka pala weird girl eh. 

 

 

 

"Ah" 

 

 

 

We winced at Ning's reply. Tinalo pa first name ko sa sobrang lamig. 

 

 

 

Nahimigan naman ito ni Giselle kaya mas lalo siyang lumapit kay Ningning. 

 

 

 

"Yizuo Lucienne Alvarez, sorry na please. I really hate it when we fight." Garalgal na ang boses nito and pale brown eyes getting really close to tearing up. 

 

 

 

That was also Ningning's real name by the way. Palayaw lang pala ang Ningning niya. 

 

 

 

We all looked back at Ningning whose stern face suddenly went soft nang ma-witness ang kalagayan ng babae. She clench her jaw, bit her lip and sighed deeply before embracing the girl. 

 

 

 

I smiled secretly. Ang rupok-rupok.

 

 

 

I leaned my body on the railing, crossed my arms at matamang nanonood ng mag-jowang nag-susuyuan. Since wala pa rin yatang balak ang grupo ni Giselle na paalisin kami dito. It was a different friend group though. 

 

 

 

I sighed and move my sight sa baba ng hagdan. Thankfully, wala ng mga estudyante. I bet they were already inside their rooms now. I took a look at my wrist watch. Meron pang 10 minutes to watch this unfold haha. 

 

 

 

"I-It's fine. Hey, stop crying na. It was just a silly petty fight anyway," She's still hugging the crying girl, "but we need to work on your communication skills, Baby. Grabe ka, natiis mo ako ng dalawang araw," soft na ang voice nito pero may kaunting lungkot pa din, and her hands were already caressing the girl's dark wavy hair habang pinapatahan.  

 

 

 

Damn. Feeling ko nanood ako ng k-drama. Live nga lang.  

 

 

 

"I'm really sorry, Lulu. It was my fault. I got j-jealous more than what I admit and pushed you away. Bakit ba kasi ang gandang pogi mo kaya maraming nagkaka-crush sayo. Especially that Wonyoung ." rinig namin ang paghikbing reklamo nito habang nakayakap pa rin sa bisig ni Ningning.

 

 

 

We saw how Ningning tried close her eyes and bit her lips to contain a small squeal at her girlfriend's cute antics at mahinang tumawa, "Selosa. Eh ano naman 'yun kung ikaw lang naman ang one and only crush ko?" 

 

 

 

I raised my brows. Okay, I think it's about time to leave. Umungot na rin kasi ang iba kong kasama dito atsaka nakaka-buryo ang tilian ng mga school friends ni Giselle. 

 

 

 

Mukhang wala rin namang pake sila Ningning at Giselle kung may audience sila. 

 

 

 

Grabe, dito pa talaga sila umeksena amp. 

 

 

 

After that... scene at the stairs kanina, nag tuloy-tuloy na ang klase. Ningning's group laughed nang maalala nila 'yung karupukang nangyari kanina. Hinatid na din namin—more like ni Ningning muna pala sila Giselle sa room nila. 

 

 

 

Umupo din sila sa tabi ko at inalok ng donuts na ibinigay ni Giselle kanina–that I didn't refuse, and tried to indulge me sa grupo nila to which they didn't failed. 

 

 

 

Like I said earlier, ang saya nga nila kausap. Hanggang sa hindi ko na pala namalayan na we all got close together. It was currently Friday now and ever since that grouping sa research, napagkasunduan na din namin na kami nalang din ang maging grupo whenever merong group activities sa iba pang subject. 

 

 

 

Nasaktohang marami. Kaya all four days long plus ngayon ay kasama ko sila. 

 

 

 

At first, ang usapan is t'wing group works lang ako sasama sakanila pero mga putcha! Buntot ng buntot sakin tas dadaldalin ako. Aside from being a group member daw, gusto din nila ako maging kaibigan. 

 

 

 

I refused at first and I even confronted them about their purpose and agenda of befriending me but they just shrugged it off atsaka tinawanan lang ako pagkatapos sumagot ng—"Dapat ba may purpose, agenda or kapalit para maging kaibigan ka? Well, okay then. I guess our purpose for befriending you is dahil ayaw ka naming makitang mag-isa. We know how ty it is to be alone."— and continued what they did. 

 

 

 

Kaya here we are now, I let my guard down and broke my rule. And my once quite life became loud and messy–in a good way, I guess. I just hope it won't change once they finally get what they wanted. 

 

 

 

At hindi naman sila pumalya, because for a really short amount of time, I can see how truly genuine they are to me. 

 

 

 

It annoyed me at first but nakuha rin nila ang kiliti ko grrr–and that is food. They kept bribing me with food at marupok ako don!

 

 

 

I also learned a lot about them during these short amount of time. Sina Ryu, Chae and Yuna ay ang mga malilikot at pilyo sa grupo tas palagi pa akong nadadamay sa mga shenanigans nila tsk. Pero when it comes to academic works, napakaseryoso't responsable nila. While Lia and Ningning fall between makulit and serious type. 

 

 

 

Oh, atsaka mag-jowa rin pala sina Chaeryoung at Lia. 

 

 

 

O diba? Ang dami ko nang natututunan. 

 

 

 

All school week long ay hinahatid din nila ako sa bahay after dismissal since they knew that I work. Hindi ko naman ma refuse kasi ang lakas ng persuasion skills ni Ningning! 

 

 

 

Muntik na rin nga ako ma-persuade na umoo at tanggapin ang ibibigay nilang cellphone sakin when they found out na wala akong phone but good thing, mas nanaig ang stubbornness ko kaya wala din silang nagawa. 

 

 

 

It's also funny din kasi they don't ask me na gumala, but instead, they took me to work–and yes, hinihintay din nila akong matapos magbihis– tas doon sila tatambay sa club kahit madali lang while I serve them some wholesome drinks such as fruit juices, iced coffee or iced chocolate courtesy of Kuya Ten. 

 

 

 

Isa pa 'yun. Super happy din daw siya kasi meron na daw akong mga kaibigan aside from them. Sus as if naman. 

 

 

 

Oh, and Giselle–or si ate Giselle–minus her group ay paminsan-minsan ding sumasama samin. Simula kasi nang magbati sila eh parang hindi na mapaghiwalay ang dalawa. I also found out that Ate Giselle was 2 years older than us. Naalala ko tuloy si weird girl. Magka-edad kasi sila. 

 

 

 

I shook my head. It's weird na naaalala ko siya. Hmmp. 

 

 

 

Hindi naman palaging nababanggit ni ate Giselle si weird girl, pero kapag nagkataon na mabanggit man, alam mo 'yun? Yung parang parati kang tinutukso sa paraan ng pagtingin niya. Para tuloy akong may nagawang kabulastugan. 

 

 

 

Ipinag-sasawalang bahala ko nalang. Pero curious ako kung ang ba ang pinagsasabi ni weird girl dito sa kaibigan niya. 

 

 

 

"Dahon sungit! May nagpapabigay sayo galing sa isa kong kaklase." My thoughts were halted when Ate Giselle handed me a red heart shaped box with yellow ribbon–na feel ko tsokolate a