Simula

"Sigurado ka na ba talagang hindi mo na papatuloy dito ang studies mo? Sayang naman, ojt na!" I sighed and sadly looked at Joy.

She's my dorm buddy. We're both studying at UP.

"Hindi na talaga kakayanin. Kailangan na naming umuwing probinsya. Andun kasi ibang pamilya ni mama." I told her.

Second year college na ako sa kursong Food technology. Malapit na ang bakasyon. Third year college na ako. OJT na sana.

"Aalis ka ba dahil sa mama mo o dahil sa mga fake friends na - " I sadly looked at her and shook my head.

"If they don't like me, then they don't like. If they no longer wants to befriend me, then I can't do anything about that. We can never really pleased everyone around us." Mataman kong paliwanag sa kanya.

Naupo na si Joy sa tabi ko at saka ako tinulungan sa pag-aayos ng mga gamit ko. I saw the sadness in her face. Siya ang kasama ko since first year. Sabay naming inexplore ang UP.

"Magkikita pa naman tayo ulit." Pabiro ko itong siniko.

"Subukan mo talagang hindi magpakita, sasapakin kita." She warned me with a bittersweet smile.

I hugged her, as tight as I can, "Thank you for staying with me...when everyone else left me. Thank you for understanding me...when they all had closed their doors for me." A tear fell from my eye.

Para kaming baliw na nag-iiyakan dito.

"Hi! Freshman ka?" Gulat akong napalingon sa babaeng nakatayo sa harap ko.

She shyly smiled at me. I nodded and smiled a little.

"Nice! Freshman din ako! Anong course mo?" She energetically asked me.

"Food tech. Ikaw?" Nakita kong medyo nalukot ang mukha nito.

"Comm Arts," She trailed off and offered me her hand, "By the way, I'm Joy Kirsten Animas."

I smiled at her and gladly accepted it, "Aliesha... Aliesha Belinda Lim."

Nagkataon na kakatapos lang namin mag-enrol. Nagkataon din na parehas kami naghahanap ng matitirhan.

"Yung murang apartment lang sana balak kong kunin eh" I honestly told her. Tumango ito sa akin.

"Same lang naman tayo." She said and continued walking.

Huminto ito at saka pinagmasdan ang  karatula. Malapit lang naman sa UP. Budget friendly din ang dorm kaya nagdecide kami na kunin na iyon.

Sa isang kwarto ay may double deck. Maliit na mesa at isang stand fan.

Napangiti ako ng maalala ang gawain namin ni Joy. We would both stayed late at night just so we could do our schoolworks. We would both laughed and cried together. We would both spend our nights ranting about a certain prof we hate.

Inasikaso ko na ang mga kailangan kong papeles. Kailangan kong umuwi agad sa probinsya dahil mageexam pa ako sa lilipatang paaralan.

I had few friends in UP. But they weren't as genuine as Joy. Uso kasi ang siraan at kapag ikaw ang nasa gitna, talo ka. In my case, I lost.

Hinatid ako ni Joy hanggang sa bus terminal. We both hugged each other and bid our goodbyes.

I sighed as I sat near the window. Yakap ang backpack ko at ibang gamit, I plugged my earphones on. Nauna na kasi sina Mama doon. Kailangan na ni Mama magpacheck up. Nahuli ako dahil kailangan ko pang asikasuhin ang mga papeles ko.

Umaga na ng makarating ako sa Bicol. I get my things and went off the bus. Naghanap na rin ako ng tricycle para maihatid ako sa bahay ni Auntie. Nandoon kasi sina Mama pati ang nakababata kong kapatid.

I paid the tricycle driver. I let out a deep breath. I know my life would be different here.

Sana lang ay mas maayos. I don't want to create any ruckus in here. Masyado nang marami ang problema ko.

I opened the gate and went in. Naabutan ko na kinukunan ni Auntie ng blood pressure si Mama. Nagmano ako sa kanila bago ipinasok ang mga gamit ko sa kwarto namin.

Hindi ko alam kung hanggang anong oras ako nakatulog. Naramdaman ko na lang na ginigising na ako ni Mama. Kailangan ko pa nga palang pumunta sa escuela na sinasabi niya.

Nagmamadali ako sa pag-aayos ng aking sarili. I wore a simple skinny jeans and black shirt paired with usual converse.

I took the exam, muntikan pang ma-late at saka ibinigay na ang mga requirements. Gladly, my course din dito ng course na kinukuha ko. Hindi ako mahihirapan.

Days flew so quick. Nagising na lang ako magpapasukan na. Nagising na lang ako nasa hospital na si Mama. My Mom is suffering from breast cancer. Buti na lang at stage one palang naman ito.

Maagapan pa raw. May kaya ang pamilya ni Mama. Kahit hindi ako magworking student ay mayroon naman silang pampagamot.

My Mom used to work as a secretary in a business firm. Umalis lang dahil nagkasakit. My Dad? He's gone. I don't know anything about him anymore.

"Hi! I'm Aliesha Belinda Lim, twenty years old and uh, I'm from UP taking up Bachelor of Science in Food Technology." I said to my classmates and to my Prof. They all looked nice, well, I hope they're really nice.

Naupo ako sa likod. From there, I met such wonderful people.

"Hi! I'm Ella!" She offered her hand and I accepted it.

Ella looks like a doll. Ang kutis niya ang sing-puti ng gatas. Maganda rin ang itim at straight nitong buhok.

"Charm!" Si Charm naman ay morena. She's wearing eyeglasses at nakalugay lang ang brown wavy hair nito.

"Jerard!" Jerard, unang tingin ko palang sa kanya, alam ko nang babae rin siya. Medyo mahaba ang buhok nito at on fleek ang kilay.

"You can come with us!" They said in unison. I smiled at them.

God, please give me such genuine people.

- - -

This is not the second installment of BSU Series 2.

This is Spencer Trilogy!