Looking outside the windows of the bus I’m currently riding on, I recalled all the past events that have happened ever since I started my new life in San Clemente as a college student. I have met a new friend—Karma, and I hope that I can befriend some people in the department and the block.

Staring at the hectare-wide rice farms, I thought of the events that have happened in my new environment for the past month. Indeed, I have met new people and new acquaintances, I even experienced my first fight and my first arguments at that university. I can’t believe that there are people like that at San Clemente University.

I just thought that there would be no students like that there since it’s considered as a prominent university. Even so, I need to accept that everything happens for a reason. I just wanted Arjim to be cautious for once, he wasn’t thinking about how I was feeling whatsoever.

“Ugh, the twists of life.” I whispered to myself while still staring at the bus’ window.

Moments later, we reached Sabani. After a month of being in San Clemente, I surely miss my hometown. I smiled when I saw the welcome arch and kept it until we’d crossed the arch. Seeing the mountains once again, the dense grass fields filled with beautiful flowers, the rich farm life of the municipality, it drives me back to be glad even more.

I decided to get off the bus before it reaches the terminal. I’m now in front of our parish church carrying a backpack containing some of my clothes I got from San Clemente. I went inside the church and did the sign of the cross, genuflected, and then I prayed while kneeling.

I’ve been a parishioner of this church ever since I woke up to consciousness. This is one of the things that I let go when I went to San Clemente for college. I’m just happy that I’m able to come here again after a month of being gone.

I’ve told our patron saint—Saint Paul the Apostle, about the experiences I’ve been through and that living in San Clemente is really fun. I made an intercession prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino and to the Virgin Mary for the Lord to guide me throughout my college life, knowing that the Lord always answers my intercession prayers when they’re the ones I’m making intercessions of.

After a while, I went off and I rode a tricycle to get home. No one would even wait for me in the terminal when I said that I wanted somebody to come and fetch me there. That’s the reason why I got off the bus and instead went to the parish church to pray. I truly miss this town, but not the people I know—except for Pious.

The trike reached our barangay, and it tossed me right into a waiting shed. I paid the fare and the trike went off. I was left alone in a waiting shed right before the welcome arch of our barangay, it’s currently noon and the weather is quite humid. Even so, the breeze blowing from the west gives me a cool feeling of balanced warmth.

I got my foldable umbrella from my backpack and I immediately opened it to counter the rays of the scorching sun. I walked towards the cemented road, still feeling the breeze and enjoying the scenery I had missed when I was in San Clemente. Nostalgia then hit me, knowing that I’d be here for only two days.

When I reached our house, my Lola was the one who greeted me first. It seems like she’s in a good mood today, and she’s happy to see me. I sat on our porch while Lola was still talking, saying that she missed me so much when I went away. I just smiled, knowing that those words were not even genuine.

“How’s your school, Apo? Is it nice to live in a city like San Clemente? Isn’t it dangerous there because there are a lot of snatchers and thieves?” Lola asked me, mimicking a concerned tone. I’m new to this new attitude of hers, she hasn’t even cared about me in the past few years.

“College is fine, Lola, San Clemente isn’t what you think it is. It’s a city with a low crime rate, so you’d rarely see snatchers or even thieves around.” I told her some lies, college is a hell of a place and San Clemente is indeed dangerous. I don’t want to smash the hope for her.

Mom and Dad must’ve said that Lola should treat me this way and care for me when I got off. Maybe they wanted me to feel better from what they did last month. It’s a matter of time to forgive them. I know that they only wanted me to achieve something so that the glory would be theirs as my parents. I can still remember the pressure they invested in me.

“By the way, Lola... Where’s Mom and Dad?” I asked her.

“They attended a christening out of town, they will be home tonight.” She replied, I just nodded, and I already went inside.

I locked myself inside my room and I changed into my normal clothes. I did not have the time to take a shower because I was too tired from the trip. I took out a deep breath and I lied on my bed, getting myself to stare at the blank ceiling once again. I dived into my thoughts and I closed my eyes.

I was not really aware of my surroundings at that moment, so I fell asleep while rethinking and recalling everything that was bugging my life. When I opened my eyes once again, it was already eight in the evening. My stomach is growling, and I’m craving for some Shawarma. It’s Saturday evening, I can’t quite determine what I want to do because I’m so hungry.

I stood up, and I turned the lights on. I looked at myself in the mirror—I looked like a catastrophe. I heaved a sigh, I went to my drawer to get some clothes, I found a pair of jeans. I tossed it onto my bed and I immediately fetched my towel to get some boost. I went to the bathroom to get a shower. When I got out, I went to my room again and dried myself up.

I wore the jeans I found, and I partnered it with a white tee. I wore a hoodie to make myself look pleasing sprayed some perfume and I decided to go out of the house even though it’s the middle of the night. September had just started, and I could already feel the cold breeze piercing through my hoodie—a sign that Christmas was already around the corner.

I put on a black crossbody bag that I asked my Mom to buy me as a moving up present. I’m lucky enough that she bought me this. I only use the bag when I go out on casual occasions. It would be better if I took the bag to San Clemente because it might be somewhat useful for me there someday.

No one heard me go out of the house. I suppose that my parents are already passed asleep after a long errand today. I’ve got some money I saved up. I had better treat myself after all those shenanigans. I walked past the street to get to the trike station. I did not worry ’cause they’re operating even at night, although there are only a few trike drivers there.

The sky is not that clear today. I couldn’t see the moon and the stars. The clouds covering the sky are so dense that I see nothing but void. The cold breeze thumping on my body signifies that there’s a chance of rain. I forgot to bring an umbrella with me. It was in my backpack, as I can recall.

“Kuya, how much for the fare if you take me to Poblacion alone?” I asked the driver. He looks at me as if he’s analyzing me, he nodded while still keeping a poker face.

“Fifty pesos, it would be better if you were not alone, though,” he responded. I gave him a smile as I also nodded. I took out a breath.

“Fine, Kuya... take me to Poblacion, please?” I asked him, he nodded once again, and he turned the trike to start. I got on, and it immediately took me to the destination I asked it to take me.

The nightlife of Poblacion immediately pounded me when I got there, it was like that night market in San Clemente. Yet upon seeing what everything looked like, I suddenly remembered Arjim. I just stood in front of the parish church, still thinking  of what I should do this evening. Eventually, I asked myself... Why did I even go there in the first place?

Oh, yeah... I was craving for some Shawarma. I just spent my time looking for a Shawarma stall, but I couldn’t find any. Surely, I can remember someone selling those. I went in front of the municipal hall in search for some, but there wasn’t anyone selling those. I have no choice but to buy something else to eat.

I went to a nearby convenience store and I bought a cup of coffee to freshen up my appearance. I stared at the vehicles outside the glass walls of the convenience store. I was suddenly drowsy the moment I noticed the time. It’s been an hour, yet I don’t want to go home yet. So I stood up while holding the cup of coffee that I had bought, and I walked to the door.

But after a moment, I found myself staring at someone. My hands were trembling and so as my sight, I couldn’t breathe property. He was holding the glass door to pull, he was looking at me with a hint of surprise within him. He then smiled, he opened the door to get inside, and he leaned closer to me.

Arjim wears a blue sweater. I could sense that the fabric was made of pure cotton. He wears a white shirt under his sweater, gray pants, and a pair of rubber shoes of the same color as his sweater. The silver lining of his glasses lits like his eyes when lights from passing vehicles and the nearby posts and establishments reflects on to it.

“The world was indeed small for the two of us, Dace,” Arjim uttered as he scratched his head. I took a step back, ready to walk away from him, but he stopped me.

“Wait, Dace! I wanted to clarify some things!” he shouted. I froze when he held my hand, feeling his warm palm pulling against my fingers.

“No...” I muttered, my heart was racing like it was flying freely in the mellow skies. I got a grip and I took a sigh.

“Arjim, I couldn’t take the moment to talk to you now—” my sentence was interrupted when I felt a sudden droplet of water from above. It then turned into pure droplets and suddenly, it turned into rain.

Arjim quickly grabbed something from his bag. It was a foldable umbrella and he immediately opened it. Arjim pulled me closer to him, causing me to have a sudden heart attack. My head landed on his chest, it was smooth, and the smell of his perfume contributed to the soothing fragrance of his light demeanor.

His right hand was holding my right hand, his left hand holding the umbrella while mine was holding to his collar near his chest. Time fell slowly, yet I did not want the scene to end once again.

I don’t want to turn him down, but I don’t want to embrace the wounds of yesterday. I was afraid to let him into my life again. I’m afraid to feel the same feeling of being in love, yet those feelings haven’t been reciprocated from then on.

“Arjim, I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have done that back in San Clemente. I was just scared, I was scared of hearing everything. I’m scared to let you into my life.” I looked down, confessing everything to Arjim.

The rain started falling, many people ran into the church and the nearby stalls to take shelter. Even so, Arjim and I stayed in our position. The rain continued to drip from Arjim’s umbrella, the breeze was starting to grow cooler. I noticed that Arjim tightened his grip on my hands, and he started to guide me into the nearby parish church.

We took shelter in it. We’re now sitting on a vacant bench as the two of us stared at the church’s altar. It took a while for the rain to stop, both of us were silent as we waited. When the rain stopped pouring down, we went off outside. The night was still young, the rain only lasted for a couple of minutes.

I looked up at the sky, the stars are now visible and so as the moon. I then looked at Arjim, smiling while doing the same thing. He looked at me and gave me a beam. I fluttered upon seeing him doing that. My heart was once again racing. I couldn’t explain the feeling. It seems like I’m longing for something that I can’t think of what it is.

“Dace, want to fetch something to eat?” Arjim then uttered, I just smiled, and I nodded at him.

“Okay...” I smiled back and I nodded.

I can’t help but to know that I almost did not control my emotions. Arjim is right, the world was indeed small, and we deliberately met by chance. It was like destiny was letting us meet in certain places and for certain purposes. I don’t know, but I surely want these moments to reoccur.