happyeclair: (stress)
Martha was sitting on the bench, waiting for Benjamin to arrive. She was nervously waiting for him, the man she hasn't seen for a week. The man who has just confessed his love to her, the man who just revealed another facet of himself to her. They were supposed to meet up in the park in their university. They have this particular spot where they ended up hanging out regularly.

Martha was getting really nervous. She was looking at her watch over and over again. Did she get there too late? Was Benjamin's watch synchronized with hers? Did they actually agree on what time to meet? There were at least five different suggested times to meet-up. If ever she got it wrong, she'd just have to wait.

Rummaging through her bag, she took out a pocket-sized notebook and a pencil. She wrote down the items she needs to buy if she'd be baking his favorite apple pie. And she added to the list the things her sister seems to have been looking for like this brand of toothpaste and a huge tub of hair product. Oh and she might as well buy laundry detergents and stuff.

She looked at her watch again after making the list. No sign of Benjamin. Martha was getting impatient and at the same time even more nervous about getting the details wrong. Should she send him a text message? Should she call his cell? No, she can't. She musn't. Or should she?

Martha fidgets as she sits on the bench. People are passing her by. They don't pay attention to her. After all, everyone's got their own business. Why should they stop and stare at her? It's just that she can't help but look at everyone else, that's why she's getting conscious.

Moments later, she realizes it's not supposed to be this way. She needs to go away. Why is she the nervous one? Why should it matter what she thinks? Why would he have to lay his heart in front of her when it is not proper?

And so Martha brings out her mobile phone from her bag and sends him one short message. "See you after graduation. Maybe."
happyeclair: (Default)
Originally posted on: 29 November 2005

This is a scene that entered my mind. It’s still hazy. It’s still lacking a lot of things. Very incomplete. It’s in Filipino. I have yet to translate it into English.

Isang hapon, may isang binatang naglalakad sa Ayala, tila malalim ang iniisip. Tila alam na niya kung saan siya dapat kumaliwa, kung kailan dapat tumawid, o kumanan sapagkat tila siya ay tulala, hindi siya nababangga o nadadapa. Patuloy lang siya sa kanyang paglalakad. Kung sinusundan mo siya ay hindi mo masasabi kung saan niya talaga nais magpunta sapagkat galing na siya sa may Paseo, pumunta na sa may Greenbelt, nakarating na sa may Waltermart at bumalik siya sa may Paseo. Naikot na niya ito. Balisa siya. Maraming iniisip.

Nadaan siya sa isang 7-11, ‘yung nasa may Valero, medyo malapit sa Paseo Center. Umupo siya sa isang upuan at tumitig sa mga binebentang babasahin. Hindi niya malaman kung siya ay bibili ng magasin o ng diyaryo. Tila nawawalan na siya ng pag-asa.

Tingnan natin ang binata. Nakasuot siya ng asul na polo at itim na pantalon. Malinis ang kanyang itim na sapatos at nakasuot din siya ng itim na medyas. May bitbit siyang envelope na may mga papel. Ang kanyang buhok ay maikli at maayos ang pagkaka-suklay. Sa kanyang mga bilugang mata ay makakakita ng lungkot at pagkabahala. Tila pagod na siya.

Tumayo ang binata at pumunta sa may mga mabibiling maiinom. Tiningnan ang mga presyo ng inumin: Sprite Ice na Php17, Coke na ganun din ang presyo, may tubig na iba’t iba ang presyo. Pinili nito ang isang bite ng Summit mineral water na kalahating litro na may halagang Php 12.25 dahil ito ata ang pinakasulit sa dala niya. Matapos kunin ang bote ng Summit ay tiningnan nito ang mga babasahin. May kopya pa ng Buy & Sell. Kumuha ito ng isa at tumungo sa kahera. Pagka-abot ng mga ito sa kahera ay dumukot siya ng singkwenta pesos sa kanyang bulsa.

Ano ba naman ito, Carlo? Pang-ilang trabaho na itong sinubukan mo subalit di ka pa rin natatanggap. Palibhasa’y ‘di pa tapos sa kolehiyo at ‘di pa sigurado sa nais gawin. Kahit ano na lang ba talaga ay susubukang pasukin basta lang kumita?

Bumalik siya sa pwestong pinanggalingan kanina. Binuksan ang Buy & Sell at naghanap muli ng maaaring subukang pasahan ng resume. Wala namang masama kung susubukan. Sana nga lang ay makahanap ng trabahong nais talaga niyang pasukin.

Ano ba naman ang alam ko? tanong ng binata sa sarili. Hindi siya nakatapos ng kolehiyo. Dalawang taon lang siya doon sapagkat naubusan ng panustos ang kanyang mga magulang. Sa ngayon siya ay nakatira pa rin sa kanyang tiyahin sa Kamuning ngunit ayaw naman niyang maging pabigat kaya siya ay naghahanap ng trabaho. Kung hindi lang nagkasakit ang kanyang ama ay malamang na nakatapos pa siya. Pero may kasalanan din naman siya. Nawalan siya ng scholarship dahil bumagsak siya sa ilang klaseng kinuha niya noong nakaraang semestre. Akala niya ay papasa siya ng Math pero sa kasawiang palad ay hindi umabot ang grade niya. Bukod sa math ay may mga klase pa siyang nabagsak dahil hindi sila magkasundo ng mga ka-grupo niya sa isang proyektong trinabaho nila. Dahil kaguluhang iyon ay hindi isinama ng mga ka-grupo niya ang pangalan niya nang sila ay magpasa ng proyekto nila sa guro nila. Hindi man lang siya sinabihan - sa totoo lang ay pinag-isipan niya nang maigi ang mga suhestiyon niya kaya lang ay wala namang sumang-ayon sa kanila dahil sa palagay nila ay hindi talaga maganda ang mga iyon. Kinausap niya ang kaniyang guro subalit huli na ang lahat - naipasa ng ang mga grado at nakasulat na ang grado sa classcard. Sayang nga naman daw ang mga ideya niya subalit ganoon talaga. Ulitin na lang daw niya ang klaseng iyon kung nais niya at sa halip na gawin niya ang proyekto na may kasamahan ay mag-isa na lang niya itong gawin sa susunod. May problema nga lang siya. Wala na siyang pera at wala na ang scholarship kaya kailangan niyang magtrabaho muna hanggang makaipon uli ng pambayad ng matrikula.

Bumuntong-hininga ang binata. Tiningnan kung ano ang mga pwede niyang subukang pasukan.

Espresso

Dec. 23rd, 2009 02:59 am
happyeclair: (Default)
Originally posted: 12 June 2005

I had a cup of espresso in my right hand. I could smell the aroma very well and it was something that made me a bit more relaxed. Just a little.

It was such a rainy afternoon and the cafeteria was almost full.

Almost.

The seat across me was empty.

The air was humid. It was almost stifling.

I was alone. Unless one would consider my ES 11 book and my Sharp calculator suitable companions, that is. I was in the middle of solving a bunch of sample problems on trusses and frames when you walked up to my table and asked:

“Miss, may I join you?”
And you even glanced around and seemed to want to say “There are no more vacant seats.” You didn’t have to do that because I knew that anyway.

I glared at my book and calculator, wishing that they were both gone. Then I looked up and met your gaze. I noticed that your nose wasn’t flat, that your eyes were round and that your bangs are a bit long but they did not cover your eyes. Your countenance was pleasant. And your smile - it seemed to me that you weren’t unperturbed at all by the horrid weather and the stuffiness of the cafeteria.

“Have a seat,” I mumbled, not knowing anything else to say to you. What was I supposed to say anyway?

You smiled and placed your bag on the floor. You said, “Thanks” and proceeded to sit on the chair. Then you placed your sketchpad on the table. I watched you idly flip through it, looking for an empty page. You had a mechanical pencil in your shirt pocket and you took it out. I was suddenly reminded of him - the one who told me I was beautiful, the one who told me I was a cat whose eyes haunted him. At that moment I wanted to get up from my seat and leave you alone to sketch your fantasies. I felt that the air in the cafeteria was choking me, as if there were actual hands around my neck. I got all the more distracted from solving my ES 11 sample problems - sort of. Hah. I felt as though I was hit by a truss.

You seemed to have noticed that I was getting a bit edgy. Why shouldn’t I be? All those bittersweet memories flooded my mind, sending it into a flight of panic.

I tried to not look at your sketchpad. How did I try this? I stared at my feet. My be-sandaled feet. And yet I got more memories of him. How could it be? Well, I was wearing the Mojo sandals he gave me when he found out that sandal straps got torn one time. I wanted to remove them from my feet already, to tell the truth. But I had no extra shoes in my locker.

The thought of the locker.

We used to share it. However, two weeks ago I changed the lock. He didn’t use it as much as I did anyway. The only reason he shared it with me was that he could leave gifts for me. Then again, it’s been a while since he surprised me. And now he has no reason to do so. And I shouldn’t expect anything.

I have to shake off these thoughts. I must focus on my problem set. It’s due tomorrow. My world has to go on turning without him by my side.

“You ok?” you asked me. You glanced at my problem set. I guess you think that I am freaking out because of it.

I tried to give you a smile, no matter how fake it is. “I’ll be fine,” I mumbled. That was such a lame thing to say. I try to avoid looking at you once again because all the pain comes back to me when you look my way.

———————————————-

That was definitely just a story. I had the idea during a rainy day while waiting for a ride by MRT Quezon Avenue station. Somehow, the stormy weather made me think of my college days and CASAA, the canteen by Palma Hall.
happyeclair: (Default)
Originally posted: 3/7/2005

The cool night breeze soothed Therese’s agitated nerves. She has been walking around, checking out clothes, paper products, lamps and books. This is what she does before a harrowing day at work. A job at the call center was definitely taxing for her. Just thinking about it made her mind swirl.

Why did she even apply for the job?

She knew the answer to that. Like any of her college batchmates, she took that job because of the money.

Therese walked on and went past by the series of malls as she went to her workplace. The fast talking reps filled the place. And in a while she’ll be sitting down in her station. Therese winced and shrugged. “Another day, another day,” she muttered.

Profile

happyeclair: (Default)
happyeclair

July 2020

S M T W T F S
   1234
567 891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jan. 6th, 2026 11:29 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios