“Nakapag-desisyon ka na ba kung sa’n ka mag-aaral ng kolehiyo, Leni?” tanong ni Lourdes sa kaniyang anak. The Gerona family is currently having their dinner when that question came out of Salvacion’s mouth, saglit pang napaisip si Leni habang siya sa ngumunguya ng ngayon ay kinakain nilang carbonara na kanilang hapunan.

“Hindi pa po, actually.” Tugon ng dalaga sa kaniyang ina. More or less, she hasn’t been able to decide on behalf of herself because it was her parents who got her enrolled in Epiphany Christian Academy in the first place. She just depends her decision on on someone’s.

“’Di ba dapat tinatanong na sa inyo pagyari ng midterms ninyo kung magi-stay kayo for Epiphany Christian Colleges or lilipat kayo ng school?” banat muli ni Salvacion.

“I can decide naman po, ’Ma, but I’m too busy preparing for the divisional track meet on Sunday.” Tugon naman ni Leni, dito na sumabad ang kaniyang amang si Antonio.

“Tama nga naman ang anak natin. Last year, ’di ako nakapunta dahil napakarami kong trabaho no’n, pero ngayong taon makakapanood na ’ko. I’ll cheer you up.” Ngiti nito, but Salvacion insisted to let Leni lead her decision on choosing a school for her college studies.

“Kung sa school kaya ng ate mo ikaw mag-aral?” putol ni Salvacion sa patutunguhan ni Antonio. She looked at Lourdes and by look, she told her that she wanted Lourdes to speak up.

“Ay oo, maganda sa school ko, Bunso.” Lourdes persuaded, she ate her carbonara after she spoke.

“You mean in Saint Louis University Mary Heights Campus sa Baguio?Maganda ba ’don?” Leni asked again to clarify her option.

“Naman! Pipiliin ko ba ’don kung ’di maganda? Saka malaki ang focus ng school sa clubs and activities at competitive rin sila in terms of intellect. Palakaibigan din ’yong nga tao ’don.” Muling Tugon ni Lourdes.

“Subukan mo ’don, I think it will be great for you.” Lourdes recommended, saglit pang napaisip ni Leni at kalaunan ay sumagot nga siya sa rekomendasyon ng kaniyang ate.

“I think maganda naman ’don, pero ang layo eh!” panghihinayang niya.

“Kung bumalik na lang kaya tayo sa Baguio, ’Pa? Total ’don ka na rin naman po next na madidistino sa trabaho mo, why don’t we move back there? ’Di po ba?” Kay Antonio naman ngayon naitapon ang rekomendasyon at desisyon.

“I’m actually thinking the same thing, pero hindi ko pa alam kung matutuloy tayo dahil ’di pa rin naman naglabas ng official statement ang boss ko eh.” Ngisi naman nito.

“Yeah, and living close to my school would be convenient for me though.” Napahagikgik naman si Lourdes, saglit pa ay pinutol ni Leni ang kanilang pag-uusap.

“Kukuha pa po ako, kagutom eh.” She stood on her seat and she went to their kitchen.

***

Hapong-hapo si Sara habang patuloy ang kaniyang pagtakbo paikot sa oval ng kanilang eskuwelahan, it was in the middle of the night and a few people—mostly from the track and field club, are there. Sasapit na Ang alas otso ng gabi ngunit nanatili pa rin sila roon upang mag-ensayo pa sa kanilang laban.

Epiphany Christian Academy was open for twenty-four hours but is exclusively for students only. Also, the rooms are locked together with the office, library, and laboratories except for the cafeteria. Lights are everywhere to not keep the tracks dark so that the track team can easily practice their run.

Back then, Sara didn’t win any awards when she ran in the track meet. Leni and Kiko was the school’s only hope that time because there’s no one else in the track club other than Pia, Leni, Cynthia, Kiko, Koko, and her. All of them either got into third place or fourth, or dragged down on the top 5. Unfortunately, Sara and Koko were the ones that didn’t earn a place.

Cheering Leni and Kiko, and supporting the two made them did their best in last year’s track meet earning them the first prize in their respective competitions. From then, Sara idolized Leni and she promised to herself that she’ll earn the the gold medal in the next year’s meet.

She invested all her time in running when August came, procrastinating her classes just to practice. She showcased what she acquired last intramurals and won the first prize in her respective race for the green team. All’s too well until midterms came, that’s the time when she has to go back for the lessons she missed but she failed to even finish the test. She just accepted her fate because it’s a part of what she wanted.

“Makikita niyo, just watch me... I’ll win that gold!” Huminga siya nang malalim at uminom siya sa kaniyang baunan ng tubig. Pagkatapos nito ay tumakbo na muli siya paikot sa oval upang ipagpatuloy ang kaniyang pag-eensayo para sa track meet.

***

Writer’s block, ito ay isang kundisyon na pangunahing nauugnay sa pagsusulat, kung saan ang isang may-akda ay maaaring hindi makagawa ng bagong gawa o nakakaranas ng paghina ng pagiging malikhaing. Nakatitig lamang si Bongbong sa kaniyang sinusulat na draft, blangko ang kaniyang isipan at nadidismaya siya sa kaniyang sarili.

“Again, huh? Bakit naman ngayon pa ’ko inatake ng writer’s block? Ito na nga lang ang pagkakataong makakapagsulat ako nang matagal eh. Kainis naman talaga!” he groaned. Bongbong banged his palm on his table making a noise that echoed throughout his whole room.

“Bongbong, is everything alright?” Narinig ni Bongbong na nagsalita si Imelda mula sa ibaba, pakumwari naman siyang nagpalusot na parang wala lang nangyari.

“May lamok po kasi sa lamesa ko, hinampas ko lang po, Inang.” He excused, matapos nito ay napabuntong-hininga siya at dumukdok sa kaniyang lamesa habang inaatake siya ng mental breakdown. He kept scratching his head again and again until it gave him frustration.

He grabbed his phone and he threw himself on to his bed, nang tumama ang malambot na kutson sa kaniyang katawan ay nakadama siya nang ginhawa. Napahinga muli siya nang malalim at binuksan ang internet connection ng kaniyang cellphone.

Habang nakaupo naman sa sofa at nanonood ng TV, bahagyang nagulat si Leni nang biglang tumunog ang notification ringtone ng kaniyang cellphone. After a while, a message from Bongbong popped into her screen, napangiti siya sa kaniyang natanggap.

“Is your track meet coming up?” Bongbong asked in his message.

Habang nagti-type si Leni ng kaniyang sagot ay napansin niyang lumabas mula sa banyo si Lourdes at bagong paligo ito, lumapit ito sa kaniya at walang kaano-anong sumilip na lamang sa kaniyang cellphone. Sa pagkagulat ay kaagad iniwas ni Leni ang cellphone niya sa paningin ng kaniyang ate.

“Napapadalas na ang pagme-messenger mo ah? Sino ka-chat mo?” hagikgik ni Lourdes. Sinamaan naman siya ng tingin ni Leni at tumayo ito sa kinauupuan niya, umupo siya sa sofa kabilang bahagi ng kanilang sala upang lumayo kay Lourdes.

“’Ma oh, si Ate Lourdes nagbabasa ng chat ng may chat.” Leni complained to Salvacion who’s currently watching her favorite telenovela with her husband.

“Nag-aaway pa kayo katanda niyo na, huminto nga kayo! Nanonood ako ng Maria la Del Barrio dito oh, malalaman na ni Nandito na nanay pala niya si Maria!” saway nito sa kanilang dalawa. Dito na nga tinigilan ni Lourdes si Leni at iniwan na lamang niya itong mag-isa.

“Oo, sa Sunday na ’yong meet namin.” Leni typed and sent his reply to Bongbong. Nang ma-recieve ni Bongbong ang reply ni Leni ay napabuntong-hininga siya ay dumukdok muli sa kaniyang lamesa.

“I wanted to cheer her but I have folk dance practice on Sunday.” He exhaled, kalaunan ay nagtipa na rin siya ng kaniyang isasagot.

“I’m going to church on Sunday, I wanted to watch the track meet but I can’t because of church. I’ll just pray for you.” He replied to Leni’s message.

“Salamat.” Nakangiti itong si-nend ni Leni.

“Pero madali lang naman ang service ah, you still go kasi alas diyes pa naman ang simula ng meet.” Dagdag pa ni Leni.

“I still have stuffs to do in church after the service though, so I’ll ran late if ever.” Nakangiti rin si Bongbong sa pag-type niya ng kaniyang mensahe.

Saglit pa ay bigla na lamang pumasok sa isip ni Bongbong ang narinig niya kaninang nasa eskuwelahan pa siya mula kay Sara at Pia—the thing in between Leni and Kiko. He encouraged himself to ask so he typed again.

“Say, is there someone you like?” But instead of the send button, he pressed the erase one on his keyboard. Nangigil siya at inilapag ang kaniyang cellphone sa kaniyang lamesa at tumayo sa kaniyang kinauupuan.

“I wanted to ask her but... I don’t want her to think it’s that way, I don’t wanna ruin what I have between her.” He punched the end rope of the light switch while saying that in frustration, he doesn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, he received another message from Leni. Kaagad niya itong tinignan at itinigil niya ang pagsungok sa lubid na nakakabit sa light switch.

“Ipagdasal mo ’ko ha, gusto ko ring malagpasan ’yong record ko dati.” Napangiti si Bongbong at muli siyang nagtipa.

“Sige, akong bahala sa ’yo.” Nang matanggap ito ni Leni ay napangiti siya, she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

“Salamat.” She typed.

Nang matanggap ito ni Bongbong ay napangiti siya, he reacted a heart on the message and he put his phone down his table. Once again, he stared at the story draft he’s currently working on. He smiled as soon as after he felt that he has the the urge to write again.

~Interval Provocation.