CHAPTER 24

FINALLY. Today is our graduation. I'm honestly sad and happy at this moment. Graduating means parting of ways.

We will create a new path for our future lives. Hindi rin naman kasi pwedeng palagi kaming magkakasama lalo na't hindi kami pare-pareho ng course na gustong kunin.

Nakakalungkot lang dahil parang ang bilis ng araw. Parang kahapon lang ay first day of school. Parang kahapon lang ay nagkakakilala kaming magkakaibigan.

Today is the last day of us, being a senior high school student. Now that we are entering college life, we are entering adulthood as well.

Damn, nakakaiyak.

"Guys, I'm here!" Hinihingal kong bungad sa mga kaibigan kong kanina pa naghihintay sa entrance.

"Finally, you're here! Kanina ka pa namin hinihintay!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Tagal kasi." Saad pa ni Xenus.

I glared at them. "Aba, mga hinayupak kayo! Ngayon lang naman kayo naghintay, ah! And FYI, I'm just almost 5 minutes late! Kayo nga, eh halos isang oras tapos never pa akong nagreklamo. Mga shutanginang 'to."

Tinawanan lang ako ng mga abnormal.

"What's with all the rocket here, bunso? Papalapit pa lang kami pero halos rinig na namin 'yang boses mo." Someone patted my head.

Napanguso ako. "Mga hinayupak kaibigan ko, kuya. Mga reklamador." I rolled my eyes.

"Asus, reklamador ka din naman minsan." Sinundot ni Mama ang tagiliran ko dahilan kaya napaigtad ako.

"Mama nga!" I groaned. I grabbed my father's arm and embraced it.

"Papa, they're bullying me." Pagsusumbong ko.

"They're not bullying you, princess. They're just telling the truth." Napasimangot ako dahil sa sinabi ni Papa. Kusa akong bumitaw sa pagkakayakap ng braso niya.

"Ay, gano'n, kampihan." Muli na naman silang napatawa sa inasta ko. Imbes na mainis, mas lalo akong natuwa. Seeing them happy makes me happy as well. They are my happiness.

"Oh, it's nice to see these young teenagers again." Lumawak ang ngiti ko nang makita ko ang mga magulang ni Charlotte.

Nagmano ako sa mga magulang ni Charlotte. Pinakilala din ng mga kaibigan ko ang kanilang mga magulang bago kami nagmano sa kanila isa-isa as a sign of respect.

"So, they are my parents po." I hugged my mother's waist using my right arm and hugged my father's arm using my left arm.

Ipinakilala ko sila Mama at Papa sa mga magulang ng mga kaibigan ko. I also introduced to them my Kuya Josiah and his girlfriend.

Nakakatuwa nga dahil mukhang kaagad na nagkasundo ang mga magulang namin. And at this moment, I just realized that this is my first time meeting my other friends' parents. I'm silently hoping that this won't be the last.

"Best friend!" Nagulat ako nang may biglang humila sa braso ko. 

"Ay pusang gala ka!" Malakas kong saad. Kunot noo ko namang nilingon si Xenus. "Lintik ka naman! Makahila wagas, eh."

Tanging pagtawa lang ng malakas ang sinagot niya.

"Na'ko, Xenus, sinasabi ko sa'yo. Graduation ngayon kaya utang na loob 'wag mo akong pinipikon ngayon." Masungit kong saad.

"Ito naman, napakasungit talaga!" I groaned when he messed up my cap.

"Xenus!" Tili ko dahil sa inis.

"Sungit--aray!" Daing niya nang biglang may humampas sa likuran niya.

"Ikaw talagang bata ka, oo! Ang lakas mong mang-asar." It was his mom.

"Mama, naman! Ang sakit kaya." Reklamo ni Xenus.

"Aba, talagang masasaktan ka. Ang ganda ng ayos ni Harietth tas guguluhin mo." Sermon sa kanya ng Mama niya.

Hindi ko mapigilang ngumisi at belatan ang hunghang. Napailing na lamang siya dahil sa inasta ko.

Nagulat ako nang kunin ni Tita Xiena ang cap mula sa ulo ko.

"A-Ah, Tita, ako na po." Nakakahiya naman.

"Na'ko, ako na, hija." Pagpupumilit niya kaya pinabayaan ko na. 

Malawak na napangiti si Tita nang matapos niyang ayusin ang cap ko. "Ayan, maayos na. Nakakatuwa pala kapag may anak na babaeng pwede maayusan. Sayang, hindi ako binigyan ng babaeng anak." Nanghihinayang na saad ni Tita.

"Pwede naman tayong gumawa ulit, hon, kung gusto mo." Halos mabilaukan ako nang biglang sumulpot si Tito Neus sa harapan namin at 'yon kaagad ang ibinungad niya.

Tita Xiena glared at him. "Kung 'yang kaligayan mo basagin ko?" I almost laughed because of what Tita said.

"Sabi ko nga mananahimik na." Biglang suko ni Tito.

"Hindi na lang kasi kayo makuntento sa amin ni Nexus." Singit pa ni Xenus na mayroon nang dalang batang lalaki. Sa tansya ko ay limang taong gulang pa lamang ito.

Lumapit ako sa kanila ay nakangiting tinitigan ang bata. "Ang cute at gwapo ng kapatid mo...ikaw lang hindi."

Xenus being arrogant as usual. "Wow, grabe! Ang pogi ko kaya!"

Hindi ko na lamang siya pinansin. Nexus, Xenus' little brother, stretched his hands to me, asking me to carry him. I want to carry him kaso baka bawal so I slightly pouted.

"Gusto mo ba siyang buhatin? Mukhang gusto rin magpabuhat ng dwende sa'yo, eh." I looked at Xenus, feeling a bit excited.

"Pwede?" Hindi ko na naitago ang ngiti ko nang tumango si Xenus saka binigay sa akin ang kapatid niya.

Habang naghihintay kaming magsimula ang program, nakipaglaro muna ako kay Nexus habang si Xenus ay nakabantay lang samin.

"All students, please form your line just like how we practiced before. Isama niyo na rin ang parents or guardian niyo." Sir Lopez announced.

Kaagad na binuhat ni Xenus ang nakababatang kapatid saka ibinigay sa Papa niya. I fixed my toga a bit and looked for my parents.

Bago pa man kami pumila, nakita kong nagkukumpulan ang mga kaibigan ko kaya nagpasya akong lumapit sa kanila saglit upang kausapin sila.

"Sa tagal nating magkakaibigan, ngayon lang ako hihingi ng isang pabor. Please, just fucking please! Walang sisigaw ng kung anong katarantaduhan mamaya. Tangina, lalo na kayo Charlotte. Maawa naman kayo sa'kin. Ako ang napapahiya, hindi kayo." I said, almost pleading.

But instead of receiving a positive answer, they gave me a unsure one. "Hindi natin alam...let's see na lang."

Putangina.

***

Naging mabilis ang ceremony. Tapos na naming matanggap ang diploma namin. Next is our awards. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan. Hindi dahil sa pag-akyat ng stage. Kinakabahan ako dahil baka maulit 'yung kahihiyan na nangyari sa akin last year dahil kila Charlotte.

Mukhang hindi na talaga matutupad ang hiling ko sa kanila dahil pagka-akyat pa lamang ni Dannie ay biglang nagsigawan ang mga abnormal kong kaibigan. Naging gano'n ang nangyari tuwing may kaibigan kaming aakyat sa stage para tumanggap ng awards. And now, it's my turn.

"Harietth Casia Sentilliano, with honor. Work Immersion Award, Research and Innovation Award, Leadership Award, Outstanding Performance in Social Sciences Award, Mathematics Award, and Conduct Award." The MC announced.

Sabay kaming naglakad ni Papa paakyat ng stage. Nakipagkamay kami sa Principal bago ibinigay kay Papa ang mga medals na matatanggap ko.

Bahagya akong yumuko para maisuot sa akin ni Papa ang mga medals na pinaghirapan ko. 

"I'm so proud of you, anak. I'm so sorry...Papa, loves you." My father kissed my forehead. A tear fell from my eyes but my father instantly wiped it for me. 

We also took a couple of photos as a remembrance.

"Tangina, ang dami mong awards, Yhetty!" Ash shouted.

"Halimaw ka! Halos hakutin mo na lahat!" Arvy laughed.

"Magtira ka naman, hoy!" Pagbibiro ni Leinard.

"Yhetty ko! Nanay namin! Tangina, mahal na mahal ka namin!" It was Charlotte. She was with her boyfriend who was also shouting and clapping.

"Puta, 'wag mong kunin lahat!" Ark also shouted.

"Syet, baka Harietth namin 'yan!" Hermmy also joined while jumping and clapping her hands.

"Bakla, ang galing mo!" Tili ni Dannie habang sumasabay sa pagtalon kay Hermmy.

Angie, Thean, Rica, Hensley, Yzza and Cole are also there.

Bago pa man kami makababa sa stage, from a distance, a saw a familiar figure of a woman. Bahagya kong inayos ang salamin ko upang siguraduhin na hindi ako namamalikmata lang.

It was Selenn. And she's smiling at me while mouthing, "Congratulations."

I smiled and mouthed back, "Thank you, likewise." 

When the program ended, kaagad kong hinagilap sila Mama para mag-picture. Sunod naman ay ang mga kaibigan ko. We took a lot of photos to keep, and those photos will serve as our treasurable memories.

"Hoy, teka lang! 'Di pa ako tapos sa picture taking! Wala pa kaming picture ni bff!" Sogaw ni Xenus nang akmang aalis na kami.

Halos mabuwal ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang bigla akong itulak ni Hermmy. "Oh, bff daw. Mag-picture na nga kayo nang matapos na." Ngising aniya.

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako at lumapit sa hunghang kong bestfriend.

After our picture-taking, we decided to eat on a fast-food restaurant, with our parents of course.

Naging masaya ang simpleng lunch namin dahil napuno ng tawanan at asaran ang lamesa namin. Pati ang mga magulang namin ay nakisali rin.

"Titas and Titos, pwede po ba kami gumala ngayon? Pupunta lang po kami sa amusement park!" Lakas loob na saad ni Charlotte.

Halos mapasigaw kami nang pumayag sila, including my parents.

***

The thrill of graduation still hung in the air as we headed to the amusement park. It was around 1 PM when we arrived, and the sun was high in the sky, but we didn't mind. We were here to celebrate—to leave the stress and worries of school behind us for a little while longer.

"Ano ang una nating sasakyan?" Charlotte's voice cut through the noise of the crowd; her excitement palpable.

"Roller coaster!" Arvy suggested immediately, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Everyone cheered, except for me and Xenus. I wasn't too thrilled about roller coasters, and by the look on Xenus' face, neither was he.

"Kawawa naman kayong dalawa," Dannie teased, nudging Xenus playfully. "Masaya kaya! Para maramdaman mong buhay ka!"

"Tangina, hindi takot sa horror house pero takot sa roller coaster!" Pang-aasar ni Cole kaya nakatanggap siya ng batok kay Xenus.

"Ulul ka!"

I chuckled nervously and shook my head. "Pass ako diyan. I'll stick to the ground, thanks."

"Ano pa nga bang aasahan natin kay Yhetty. Pag-pass, talagang pass," Hermmy quipped, making everyone laugh. "Oh, siya, Xenus, ikaw na bahala kay Yhetty."

In the end, our friends rushed off to ride the roller coaster while me and Xenus stayed back. I opt for more relaxing rides like the bumper cars. Time flew by in a blur of laughter, screams, and the whirring of machines as we dashed from ride to ride.

Before we knew it, 6 PM rolled around, and the sky was painted in hues of pink and orange.

"Gusto kong panoorin ang sunset!" Hermmy exclaimed, staring at the sky in awe. 

"Sakay tayo sa Ferris wheel!" Thean suggested.

We all agreed, and soon enough, we were lined up for the giant Ferris wheel, which loomed over the park like a sentinel. As we boarded, Xenus and I ended up sharing a cart.

The gentle rocking of the cart as it ascended gave me a strange feeling. Maybe it was the sense of peace that came with being away from the noise of the park, or perhaps it was the fact that it was just the two of us—Xenus and me—alone for the first time today.

The sun was slowly dipping below the horizon, casting everything in a soft, warm light. I glanced at Xenus, who was leaning back, eyes fixed on the sky, and I felt a familiar flutter in my chest.

"Ang ganda ng sunset," he murmured, his voice soft.

"Yeah, it is," I replied, though I wasn't looking at the sunset. I was looking at him.

Then, out of nowhere, the first firework burst into the sky, painting the twilight with bright colors. It was so sudden that it caught us both off guard.

"Oh wow," Xenus breathed, his gaze now following the fireworks as they continued to explode in rapid succession, lighting up the night. The awe in his eyes made him look different—more vulnerable, more real.

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of what I was about to do. Ever since that night at the school fair, when we had stayed up late talking about our dreams and futures, I had known that what I felt for Xenus wasn't just the usual affection between friends.

It was more. It was real.

"Xenus?" My voice wavered, but I needed to say it. I couldn't let the moment pass.

He turned his head, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"I..." I took a deep breath, willing the words to come out. This was it. This was the moment. The fireworks reflected in his eyes as he waited, unaware of the storm raging inside me.
The words hung in the air between us, mingling with the fading echoes of the fireworks, as the Ferris wheel carried us higher into the night.

"I like you, Xenus."