Chapter Text
Amara Louise Ricalde / Cole Aviera Vergara
“Girl, I swear to Jesus Mary and Joseph hindi ito ang pagsubok na susubukan ko today please please please help a girl out.”
“Amara Louise! Listen to me, you will be fine, stop being so dramatic.”
If you happen to ask why I ended up here…. Hindi ko rin alam. My duty finished at around 3am kanina and I spent 1 hour commuting kasi apparently tulog na ang mga tao at the godforsaken hour of 3 in the midnight at tanging mga alipin ng edukasyon at salapi nalang ang gising. I can’t even book a grab. Ganon pala feeling ma-reject habang pagod na pagod ka na. Nakakaiyak pala talaga.
Now, I have my pending task noted in my mind habang naka angkas ako sa Move it na I believed nabook ko lang dahil pinagdasal ko ka’y Lord.
I had it listed. I was pretty sure I did.
• Case Study due tomorrow
• Quizzes in Pharma and Ethics
• Bumili ng cat food for my Juyon
• Finally, sleep.
Markado ko lahat e, I had it planned…. Until Kuya finally reached the gates of my dormitory and the next thing I knew I was asleep with my pillows scattered around and my scrub uniform being worn on. It was 10am when I woke up and my classes starts at 1pm.
I have my Case study presentation scheduled at 2:30pm. It is now 12:30pm and I just completed it (did not even get the chance to proofread it, what in the hell). Nakatayo ako ngayon sa pintuan ng kwarto ko, holding my laptop in one hand and trying to balance my phone between my left ear and shoulder
“I swear ilang santo na ang nadasalan ko — who I didn’t even know existed mind you — para lang gumana ‘tong printer ko. It’s not working, Maraiah I swear to Florence Nightingale umiiyak na ako right now, what am I supposed to do, I swear mawawala ang pangalan ko sa Dean’s List ano nalang sasabihin ng CI —”
“Goodness Amara Louise, if you don’t stop being dramatic right now imbes na gamitin mo yang utak at sense of survival mo ako mismo gugulo sa tight bun mo kapag nagkita tayo sa campus.”
Maraiah sounded stressed. Of course, who wouldn’t? Duh, everyone should be stressed. Hindi lang ako ‘no!
“What do you suggest I do please patulo na yung luha ko sa right eye!”
“Prepare for your class, save your file at magpaprint ka sa greenfields! Yung printing shop ni Tita Bimbe, life saver yun. Kasi kung hindi ka pa kikilos dyan at magtititigan lang kayo ng printer mong anim na taon ka ng sinusubukan wala talagang mangyayari sa’yo, Amara.”
I sighed at finally binitawan ko na yung Laptop sa table ko at my right side. I wiped my tears in my right eye, my god tumulo pala talaga siya?
“Fine, magpeprepare na ako right now. You’re sure reliable yun si Tita Bimbe?”
“Yes babe, I’m sure.”
I sighed. The only problem is, I’ve never stepped foot in greenfields. Yet. So there's a 97.8 chance na maliligaw ako ron somewhere. Because unlike my girlfriends Maraiah, Janna and Celestine who have that place memorized at the back of their hands, I was the total opposite.
Aside sa wala akong time to roam around the famous “greenfields” of our “green school”, I always thought it was a place of overrated cafe shops and overpriced ramens. Right now, I have to swallow that pride and finally finally visit the place.
“Will you accompany me tho?” I asked Maraiah, silently hoping she would hear my thoughts.
She laughed, as if she was expecting me to say that. “No, sweetheart! It's about time. We told you a few times that greenfields isn't just about glorified cafe dates and pogi hunting. Text me when miracles happen and you got it done tho!”
Nakakainis! But then again…. I can't complain because she's right. “Fine… will you accompany me with prayers tho?”
She laughed hardly which also made me smile a bit kahit hindi pa rin naaalis yung “konting tapik mo sakin iiyak na talaga ako” expression in my face.
“Thoughts and prayers, honey. After your case study presentation, sunduin ka namin nila Janna. Don’t know lang kay Celestine, I heard my nililigawan yun na prinsesa from tourism department.”
“Ohhhh, more prinsesa than me?”
“First of all, you're not a prinsesa, madam pwede pa”
I rolled my eyes at the mention of the endearment madam. “Madam” was an endearment made by my very performative ex from the engineering department and I hate HATE it when people remind me of that.
"Hearing that endearment from you feels like you summoned a curse upon me. Dadalawin kita sa panaginip mo kapag hindi successful ‘tong case presentation ko mark my words.”
“Fine fine fine, But I'm not the one rushing right now to the place I swear I hated para lang ma-survive ang case presentation ko na due in an hour and a half and I’m still in the vicinity of my overpriced dormitory cursing a spell on my beloved best friend who did nothing but love and support me every single day.”
I looked at the time, it is now 12:48. “May araw ka rin, Maraiah. Tandaan mo ‘yan, even pretty girls go through hell too!”
——————
“Avie, anak. Pasensya ka na pero may bilin lang ako ha? Mukang matagal tagal pa kasi itong pinapaprint mo sakin e nagmamadali na yung anak ko, wala raw siyang lunch.”
I just smiled at Tita, urging her to continue “So… Iwan ko muna ‘tong shop ha? May tiwala naman ako sayo, Cole. Naku, I swear alam ko namang hindi mo ako tatakbuhan dahil ipapa-blotter ko kayong mga marketing major kapag tinabukhan mo ako”
I laughed slightly, “Okay po tita, gawin niyo lang po need niyo. I’m sorry if masyado pong maraming pages, at least kaching kaching yan, tita”
Tita Bimbe laughed as she hit my shoulder because I did that gesture with my hand telling her na malaki kita mo rito sa pinapaprint ko ngayon, Tita Bimbe.
“Maiwan kita saglit, ha? Anong oras pasok mo, cole anak?”
“Around 2pm pa po, tita. Chill lang ako rito until you get back don’t worry”
“Sige, walang lalabas ng pinto hanggat hindi bayad Cole Aviera ha?”
I laughed, “Opo tita. Masusunod.”
Paalis na sana si tita ng bigla nya akong hinarap with the expression as if she's warning me na baka bigla kang subukan ni Lord habang wala ako.
“By the way anak, sa mga oras na ‘to usually puno ‘to ng mga med students na nagrusush para magpaprint. I won't be here… ikaw muna bahala, ha?”
I didn't answer, I didn't nod. I didn't do anything to assure her na I agreed to whatever may (or may not) happen in the next few minutes. But since it was Tita Bimbe, I just smiled.
What the hell? Sinasabi ba ni Lord na tama na ang pag-aaral para maging corporate slave in the future at mag-settle nalang bilang kanang kamay ng Tita Bimbe Printing Shop?
Is this a sign?
As if the universe was hearing Tita Bimbe’s manifestation, a girl in her white uniform stood outside the door — careful, not doing anything, not moving. She just stared as if she was contemplating.
Hello? Hindi naman ‘to daluyan pa-impyerno.
I chose to turn my back from the door, thinking na maybe kaya hindi siya pumapasok kasi akala nya multo ako rito na nakaupo sa monoblock sa harap ng printer ni tita.
Naka black pa naman ako.
After good 5 minutes, I once again tried to look back — carefully, “Ay alagad talaga ni Florence Nightingale, talaga naman oh.”
She's still there, still in the same position as she was 6 minutes ago.
Ganito ba talaga kapag med students? Medyo baliw.
I sighed and chanted in my head that whatever I’m about to do right now I’m doing it for the love of Tita Bimbe.
I tried to wear my fakest smile and opened the sliding door of the famous printing shop of Tita Bimbe na maraming studyante na ang pinagtapos.
“Yes? Do you need anything?” I asked, as if I owned the shop, as if kanang kamay talaga ako ni Tita Bimbe.
She hesitated and looked at her watch instead. I raised my eyebrows as if I was telling her na kapag muka kapang tatanga tanga dyan in the count of 20 seconds isasara ko ‘to
“Shit, sorry okay….” She sighed and smiled.
She smiled.
She smiled as if she’s about to throw an offensive remark any seconds from now, “Ikaw si Tita Bimbe?”
There it is.
I didn't answer but the fake smile I was wearing earlier is now far gone. Alam ko namang pagod kaming mga marketing major pero we are far from looking like a Tita.
No offense to Tita Bimbe kung nasaan man siya ngayon.
But seriously? Tita Bimbe?
I tried not to roll my eyes, I tried not to eye her from head to toe, I tried to be really really kind.
So I didn't say anything, I just looked at her in the face, and I finally opened the sliding door creating a space for her to get inside.
“You can send the file now.”
“Huh?”
Huh? Anong huh? “The one you have to get printed. You can send it through email or messenger. Andyan yung informations”
I looked at her, as if I was waiting for a bomb to explode any minute now. She just looked back at me, not doing any of what I instructed her to do.
We just stood there. I raised my eyebrows at her until she finally snapped out of it.
I assume she's a nursing student and not a med student just yet. Sayang talaga sila minsan e, ang ganda ganda pero medyo may saltik.
“I sent it already.” She said, looking everywhere but me
“I know, I can see it”
“I’m just making sure”
“And I'm just assuring you”
She sighed, the sigh that tells you na this is already her 101st pagsubok of the day. So I snapped out of it, I tried to be a bigger person.
And I smiled, genuinely this time. I swear this is genuine.
She looked at me when she noticed me smiling and as if a big dark cloud was lifted from her head, she also smiled.
Ayan, ganda lang dapat. Kalimutan nating medyo engot siya.
“I'm sorry if I offended you, I didn't mean to. My mind was all over the place”
I just smiled, focusing on the file that she sent.
“Long, short or A4?” I asked
“What?”
I looked back at her again, “Sorry. Short”
I smiled and nodded. Gusto niya ata nagtititigan muna kami bago nya ako sagutin.
“I’m sorry pero kasi hindi talaga ako nakakatulog until I make sure I am at peace with everyone.”
I now looked back at her fully, my eyes never leaving her eyes. And I didn't say anything.
Ano ‘to mmk? Consultation? Open forum?
I urged her to continue, “I said — before you asked me if long, short or A4 — I said I’m sorry if I offended you”
“Offended me with what?”
“When I told you na… I mean when I asked you..”
“When you asked me na…?”
“Na… Na baka Ikaw si Tita Bimbe”
I didn't answer. But the sight of her looking around the whole shop, avoiding my existence, as if her assuming na I was Tita Bimbe is the most embarrassing thing she has ever done in her life made me smile.
But as soon as her eyes went back to mine. I tried to look like I wasn't smiling at all.
Baka sabihin crush ko siya.
“First of all, I’m not Tita Bimbe”
“Yeah, right. Obviously”
“And I'm happy that you know how to apologize”
She smiled. “Yes. I’m sorry, again”
“It's okay, Amara” I said
Her smile faded, as if a cop accused her of stealing 56 goods inside a grocery store.
“The file has your name in it.”
“Oh..” she said
“Edi…. Unfair kung hindi ko malalaman pangalan mo.”
Huh? “Huh?”
“Would you prefer me calling you Tita Bimbe instead?”
Lord, siya na ba? Please alam kong maganda siya at ang bango tignan and she looks like a sunshine in everyone's life pero ayoko sa engot.
“Cole.”
“Hmmm?”
“It's cole.”
“Just Cole?”
“Cole Aviera Vergara”
“Amara Louise”
“I know. Nursing?”
“Yeah. You?”
I smiled, careful not to give too much information kasi baka mabigay ko pati puso ko bigla.
Huh? HUH??
I cleared my throat, “Well… I'm just… kanang kamay lang ng Tita Bimbe Printing shop.”
She looked at me, as if she was trying to imprint my face at the back of her head. As if she is telling me na hu-huntingin ko yang mukang yan sa campus kung ayaw mo magsabi.
As if the God was on my side, narinig ko yung tunog ng printer hinting na tapos ng i-print yung case study ni madam amara pretty.
I handed the paper to her with a smile on my face.
Please don't ask further questions. Please don't ask further questions. Please don't ask further questions.
“You don't really want to tell me what department you are in?”
“Like I said, kanang kamay lang ni Tita Bimbe”
Lord, please.
Why am I not telling her what department I am in though? Anong amats ko?
“Marketing.” She suddenly said
I raised my eyebrows, “You're from marketing.”
“Am I?”
“Maybe. Are you?”
“Maybe I am. Maybe not. Or maybe I’m just really kanang kamay of Tita Bimbe”
“Or maybe you really are Tita Bimbe”
I laughed, “Alright, Amara. Good luck on your case study.”
She smiled, Lord kanina pa kami nagpapalitan ng ngiti parang nalulusaw na ako
“How much?”
“Sorry?” Kanina Tita Bimbe ngayon bayaran naman?
“Yung pinaprint ko. How much?”
“Ahh.” Engot din e, bagay kami.
What? “It's on me na.” Again.. what?
“Oh come on, ako na nga yung naka offend, I need to pay.”
“Look binabantayan ko lang ‘tong shop, I’m also waiting for my own paper to get printed. Isasama ko na yung bayad sa pinaprint ko with mine.”
She just looked as if she was saying bakit mo naman gagawin ‘yon?
“Okaaaay….?”
“You don't have class?” I asked trying to divert the topic
I saw how her eyes bolted na para bang binuhusan siya ng malamig na tubig sa muka. “Shoot! Fuck! Sorry I have to go.”
I nodded, trying to suppress my laugh kasi baka batuhin nya ako ng monoblock. I watched as she opened the sliding door and bolted out of the shop.
I stood up and gathered my things, also preparing to leave when I heard the door opening again.
“Thank you, Cole. For the record, you don't look like a Tita. I’ll see you around campus, miss marketing.”
She didn't give me time to respond because she basically slammed the sliding door as she ran away.
Nakakainis, late na nga siya nilandi pa ako.