Chapter Text
*phone vibrates*
From Jhoanna:
Aiah, I’m here na.
That was my signal para magmadali na sa pag-aayos.
I looked at my reflection sa mirror and was satisfied naman sa ayos ko ngayong araw.
Makeup's not too dark or too light, natural lang. Just like how I like it.
Nag-spray na ako ng paborito kong pabango at bumaba na.
Pagkalabas ko ng kwarto, sinalubong agad ako ng nakakabinging katahimikan sa mala-palasyo naming bahay.
Kahit na ilang taon na akong naninirahan dito, I’m still not used to this. This is far too different from where I grew up.
Pero nandito na ako, so I have no choice but to get used to this.
Hindi na ako nag reminisce pa dun at lumabas na sa bahay namin para puntahan na ang nakapark na kotse ni Jhoanna.
“Goodmorning, Aiah.” Nakangiting bungad sakin ni Jhoanna
“Morning.”
The moment I entered the car and got myself comfortable, Jhoanna pulled me close and gave me a soft kiss on my left cheek.
Just like what she always does.
It’s a normal thing between us.
“Eww.” I faked my disgust to tease her
“Bad mo.” Jhoanna pouted, “How was your sleep?”
“Terrible! Late na ako nakatulog.”
“Excited ka siguro pumasok.”
“More like tinatamad na.”
Hindi naman namin first day sa university.
We’re already in our 3rd year sa college.
Pagod na pagod na akong pumasok, sa totoo lang. Kung pwede lang mag LOA na ako ngayon palang ginawa ko na.
The only good thing in college is that I’m with my bestfriend, kahit na magkaiba kami ng programs.
“Drink this para magka-energy ka at hindi tamarin.” Saad ni Jhoanna pagkatapos niyang iabot sakin yung tumbler niya
“What’s this?”
“Coffee lang. Mom bought new coffee beans, nabili niya nung pumunta sila ng Baguio.”
“Really?” Kahit di ko pa iniinom, na-lift na agad nun ang mood ko, “Pasabi thank you kay Tita.”
“Ako nag brew nyan. Sakin wala?” Pagtatampo niya
“Thank you, my very sweet bestie. You know I can’t live without my morning coffee.”
Jhoanna finally smiles, “Yeah, thought you’d like it.”
“I do.” Humigop na ako sa straw and it’s iced. I always like my coffee cold, “This is better than the last time, Jho.”
“I know. Ipa-grab ko yung beans sayo mamayang gabi, marami sa bahay.”
“Thank you, Jho.”
Nawala sa isip kong mag seatbelt kaya naman nung biglang lumapit sakin si Jhoanna, napasandal agad ako.
Nagulat ako dun.
“Wear your seatbelt, please.” Paalala niya sakin bago niya hilahin at i-lock yung seatbelt ko
“Sorry. You could’ve told me nalang.”
“Marami kang hawak.”
Right, hawak ko pa yung phone ko and yung tumbler na binigay ni Jhoanna. .
Nagulat lang ako nung bigla siyang lumapit ng ganun without warning. But it’s okay since it’s Jhoanna. Kung iba yan, nasampal ko na.
Nagsimula nang magdrive si Jhoanna papunta sa University namin in Taft.
Si Jhoanna, taga Taguig pa. Somewhere around BGC pa yan and dinadaanan niya nalang ako sa bahay namin dito sa Makati. Meron na nga siyang sticker exclusive para sa homeowners namin eh dahil halos araw araw siyang andito.
Medyo out of way na nga yung village namin at kailangan niya pa umikot pero sinasabay niya pa rin ako papasok.
Sorry, princess treatment yan. Forever a passenger princess!
You might ask kung bakit hindi nalang mag dorm si Jhoanna o kaya naman ako kesa araw araw kaming ganito.
Contrary to everybody’s beliefs, it takes too much time of your time if you live alone. Sa pag-iisip pa lang ng kakainin mo everyday, sa pagbili ng groceries, sa paglilinis ng unit, everything is stressful and time consuming.
Ang tanging nase-save lang ng dorm life ay yung hassle sa pagpasok, and mas okay magtiis sa distance if it means naman na comfortable ang buhay namin in our own homes.
Aside from my studies, ayoko kasi mag-isip ng mga bagay na hindi naman related dun. I’m already busy with my acads. Ayoko nang may dumagdag pa.
If wala naman si Jhoanna, pwede naman ako mismo mag drive. See? No hassles.
I just don’t like driving, lalo na sa Manila. Super traffic! Si Jho lang talaga ang may tiyaga.
“Where’s Sheena pala?” I asked her about our other friend na kapareho ko lang ng village
“Nasa dorm na niya kanina pa.”
“I thought umuwi siya kahapon? Weekend ah.”
“Umuwi nga, but hindi na sumabay satin. May dumating na parcel na matagal niya nang inaantay.”
“Parang alam ko na kung ano yan.” Nagkatinginan kami ni Jhoanna and she gave me a knowing look
“It’s definitely her new camera na bukambibig niya.”
Natawa naman si Jhoanna, “Walang makakapagpauwi kay Sheena sa dorm niya kundi camera related stuffs lang.”
“Yeah, sa tamad ng taong yun.”
Okay, to summarize it all.
We’re a group of 3. Me, Sheena, and Jhoanna.
We all met nung highschool since we all went to the same highschool, and now we’re here. Loud as ever. Pag sila kasama ko, nagmumukha akong nonchalant eh.
Mas naunang kong nakilala si Sheena dahil magkaibigan ang family namin and magka-village ka i. Si Jhoanna lang yung humabol nung last year namin sa senior high school.
Sheena’s majoring in Industrial Engineering, Jhoanna’s taking Bio-Med while I’m taking Legal Management.
Very obvious naman siguro kung ano yung field na gusto naming tahakin, right?
The amazing part here is hindi kami magkapareho ng program ni Jhoanna but naipagsasabay niya lagi yung schedules niya sa schedules ko.
Yung time ng pasok namin ay almost the same. Madalas akin yung una tapos kanya mga after 30-40 mins. Kaya naisasabay niya pa ako papasok at pauwi ng school. Magugulat na nga lang ako naghihintay na siya sa labas ng lecture hall namin every end of my classes para ayain akong kumain at umuwi na.
She requested it daw sa Dean and it took her a while bago natanggap.
She always adjusts to my schedule, simula 1st year palang. I don’t know about you all but I find it very sweet!!
I’m thankful to have Jhoanna around kahit na sobrang sakit niya sa ulo.
***
Advance reading is important but sometimes, it makes the topic borning dahil alam mo na. This being a minor subject too.
Hindi pa nakatulong if the prof himself is boring. Talagang reading by the book lang yung ginagawa. No additional fun facts or anything lang man? Even personal kwentos would’ve been nice, para lang maging interesting ang subject na ‘to.
Kaya naman nung na-realize kong wala akong makukuhang matino sa class na ‘to, napasandal nalang ako sa upuan. Hindi ko na kailangan mag worry, easy kwatro naman dito.
I looked at Jhoanna who’s listening intently sa sinasabi ng professor.
Kung titignan mo si Jhoanna akala mo napaka interesting ng sinasabi ng professor namin.
And knowing Jhoanna, alam kong nag advance reading din yan bago matulog kagabi. Hobby niya magbasa ng academic books, kasi she likes to learn new things.
Nothing excites Jhoanna more than learning new things. Kaya nga pumayag siyang mapunta sa field ng medicine dahil kahit na anong mangyari sa mundo, hindi mauubusan ng pwedeng matutunan dun.
Journalism was her first choice but her family said that it would be nice if dalawa sila ng ate niya ang doctors since they own a hospital. Jhoanna’s fine with anything naman kaya she pursued medicine. Gusto niya lang daw matuto ng mga bagong things na hindi niya pa alam.
That’s what made her special, and the reason why I consider her a genius (kahit na ayaw niyang tinatawag ko siyang ganun) kasi she learns a lot because she wants to. Like di mo siya kailangan pilitin mag-aral dahil siya mismo gusto niyang mag-aral. She’s genuinely curious about a lot of stuffs, lalo na sa mga bagay na hindi niya alam.
Kahit na walang kakwenta-kwenta, basta bago sa kanya, interested siya. Could never be me!
Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa pa ni Lord sa utak niya dahil lahat ng nalalaman niya, nare-retain sa kanya.
Tugon? Sana all!
“Are you bored?” Tanong ni Jhoanna sakin
“How did you know?”
“Sumasandal ka everytime you’re bored at nagpiligil humikab.”
I smiled. Lahat talaga napapansin niya sakin, even small things, “Galing mo ah.”
“And halos halikan mo na yung libro kapag importante yung sinsabi.” Sabay gaya pa ng mannerism ko
Inis ko siyang hinampas sa braso.
Inaamin ko naman na when I’m too focused sa lessons ng professor, I take down important notes and highlight the parts sa book ko.
And when I do that, I tend to lean close sa book. Walang pakialaman sa way ng pagsusulat!
“Do you want to take a nap?”
“Of course, I do. Late na ako natapos sa Econ.” I don’t sleep unless I finish my lectures kasi
“Then sleep.” Sabi pa ni Jhoanna sabay tapik sa balikat niya
“Edi napagalitan tayo pag nakita.” Sabay nguso ko dun sa professor namin
“Ang tanong, makikita ba?” Itinaas ni Jhoanna yung libro niya at binuklat pagkatapos ay nginisian ako. Parang ipinagmamalaki niya pang ang ganda ng naisip niyang idea. Cute
I chuckled, “Hindi ko na tatanggihan ang offer. Just wake me up kapag tapos na.”
“Sure, Queenie. Sleep.”
I smiled. She’s the only one who calls me Queen aside from my Mom, and probably the last one. Susuntukin ko ang ibang tatawag sakin ng second name ko.
Idinikit ko na ang upuan ko kay Jhoanna and laid my head on her shoulder.
I’m really lucky to have her around.