"What are your plans after your graduation?" Hayley asked.

I shrugged off. "I'm not sure, but I can't wait to get off this island."

Biglang sumimangot ang mukha ni Hayley. Para bang may sinabi akong mali? But she's always like this, we all get used to it. 

"What?" I asked laughing.

She slightly hit me on my arm and crossed her arms, I feel like I hit a wrong pedal that turned this girl maddy-mad-mad.

"You said you'll stay here as Cuyo. Narinig ko kayo nag-usap ni kuya no'n, e. I remember that day. Akala mo ha?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, that's true. Sinabi ko nga 'yon sa kuya mo, pero bakit ka naman nakikinig sa usapan namin, ha?"

She quickly rolled her eyes at me avoiding answering the question. "Nevermind na lang. May pasabi-sabi ka pa noon na hindi ka aalis ng Cuyo pero sabik na sabik ka na palang umalis ng isla. Remember, walang Hayley at Kuya Onat sa ibang isla."

"I know, I know, I know," I said, letting out a deep sigh. "But I know there's a lot of opportunity out of this island and I don't wanna enter politics just because my father is running for being Cuyo's Vice Mayor. I think this isn't just for me."

"Okay," she bitterly replied. "At saan mo naman balak pumunta?"

"Sa Coron."

Hayley glared at me and thought I was just joking, but I am smiling too proud of my answer that get her pissed a little

"For real ba talaga?" Hayley asked, her tone saddened and I felt that. "Or nagjo-joke ka lang?"

Umiling ako. "I wish I am, but yeah, no. I have actually been planning to do it since when I was young. Graduation is just a few days away, and my parents already secured a ticket for me to go to Coron the next day. I surely will miss you, Hayley."

Hayley quickly wrapped her arms around me, giving me a tight hug. It felt like she doesn't want to let me go, so I just returned it back.

And then I heard her murmuring something I wasn't able to figure out.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"Huh?" she muttered, hastily pulling herself from the hug, and shaking her head. "Wala, a? Imbento ka na naman. But if that's something that would make you happy, support kita riyan. Saka don't forget to message me and kuya! Lalo na kapag bored ka ro'n."

"I don't think I'll get bored there," natatawa kong sagot. "But thanks for the care."

"Ako pa ba?" Ngisi pa nito. "Anyway, congratulations agad! Sana hindi ka magka-jowa pagdating mo ng Coron."

My brows joined together when she said that. "You don't mean that, do you?"

But she just gave me a quirky smile I don't like. "Hindi mo sure." She giggled.

I tickled her on her side and she was just dancing like a worm trying to avoid them. We just stopped doing that when she was trying to get on her feet and plead to stop it.

Not that long when Jonathan walked in on us and he looked at us as if we did something exhausting.

"Gago ka, Onat. Ang dumi ng utak mo," usal ko.

He was so confused when I said that. "Anong sinasabi mo? Adik ka na, Douglas."

"Ano ba kasi 'yon, kuya?"

"Tawag ka na ni mama," sabi ni Jonathan. "Umuwi ka muna ro'n sa bahay."

"Ano na naman 'yon?"

Napakibit balikat naman si Jonathan. "Hindi ko alam. Umuwi ka na lang do'n. Dalian mo na!" pagmamadali pa nito saka kukuhain sana ang suot na tsinelas at hahabulin ng palo si Hayley, but before he could even do that, nauna nang tumakbo palayo si Hayley.

"Your sister is one of a kind," I commented.

"Oo, one of a kind na pangit," tawa pa nitong tugon. "Tara, Doug. Basketball tayo."

"Sige ba, tara," sagot ko sa paganyaya nito.

***

A few days later, I graduated from college. At the age of 24, I know I'm on the right track.

At the Alejandria's residence, my parents organized a little celebration where they invited some of our relatives, their colleagues, and some of the people I knew nothing about. Wala namang problema sa akin. Seeing them all having and greeting me for an achievement many people wasn't able to get, they are proud of me. And so am I.

Jonathan come to me gave me a warm hug then patted my back. Umalis din naman ito sa pagkakaakap.

"I'm gonna miss you, Doug."

"Well, you have a choice na sumama sa akin, Onat," saad ko.

Bahagya naman itong natawa sa sinabi ko. "Kung pwede, 'di ba? Pero may nakuha na rin naman akong trabaho rito at saka mas masusuportahan ko ang mga magulang namin. Iniwan nila ako dati para pumunta ng Maynila, hindi ko naman gagawin 'yon sa kanila."

"Baliw, hindi naman sa Maynila ang punta ko," sagot. "Lilipat lang ako ng Coron. Doon kasi nakatira ang ibang kamag-anak nina papa."

"Sabi ko nga," natatawa nitong usal. "Pero 'yon nga, mababawasan na ang libangan natin sa basketball."

"Hayaan mo kapag bumalik ako—pero hindi pa nga ako umaalis, e." Tawa ko pa. "Celebrate muna tayo ngayon, hayaan na natin kung anong mga susunod na mangyayari."

"Tama," aniya. "Abangan na lang sa susunod na kabanata..."

I left Jonathan a moment since I was called by the other guests. I entertained and talked with them. It was quite nice meeting them all, even though I don't have any idea who I was talking to. But it was a great experience to celebrate this with the people I care about and people who come to congratulate me, and I think that's enough.

 After that day, I was ready to leave my hometown.

I was so ready, I prepared myself to get into this new journey of my life. Noong una, ayaw pa nila ako patuluyin talaga, but I've made up my mind and told them that it would help me grow and be independent. Pumayag sila at alam kong kakayanin kong mag-isa kapag nakatapak na ako ng Coron.

Leaving Cuyo, I oath to myself not to take any money from my parents again. Kung magpresenta man sila, it would be good, but also I have the right to decline their offer since I can do it all by myself na. Kailangan ko lamang pagtrabahuan and that's fine for me.

There are a lot of new things to discover outside Cuyo and I'm ready for that.

Aside from my parents ay sumama rin ang magkapatid na sina Douglas at Hayley sa airport. Ang naisip ko pa ngang gawin, tatakasan ko na lang sila. As in, hindi ako magpapaalam na aalis na dahil alam kong magkikita naman ulit kami soon. I really don't know when, but I'm sure I will be back.

"Paano na lang kaya kung pumunta kami sa Coron ni kuya?" tanong ni Hayley sa akin.

I shrugged off saka ko nilingon ang kapatid niya. Umiling si Onat.

"Hindi pwede, Hay," sagot ni Onat. "Nag-aaral ka pa."

Hayley raised her left brow. "Ano naman, kuya? Hindi ba pwedeng bakasyon? Never pa naman tayong nakapunta ng Coron, e."

"Never pa rin naman tayo nakaalis ng isla papunta sa ibang isla," natatawang sagot ni Hayley. "Sa susunod na lang. At saka 17 ka pa lang, kapag senior ka na. Pwedeng-pwede na."

"Loko ka talaga, Onat," aniko. "Anyway, kita-kita na lang soon."

"Don't forget to message us," paalala pa ni Hayley. "Kung hindi, susugurin talaga sa Coron."

Natawa si Jonathan. "Saka baka ro'n ka pa makahanap ng girlfriend mo, ha? Paambunan mo naman ako ng kahit kaunti kapag meron."

"Loko ka, Onat. Walang gano'n."

"Sus!" ani Onat. "Mas maraming turista ang nagpupunta sa Coron. Karamihan pa mga dayuhan galing iba't ibang bansa. E, may lahi ka rin naman, 'di ba? O baka makahanap ka pa ng perfect match mo."

"Sana malasin ka sa love life kapag nasa Coron ka na," saad ni Hayley. Ramdam ko 'yong poot sa tono ng boses niya.

"You sure be joking again," I commented. "Anyway, I guess you deserve this hug."

I pulled her closer and gave her a hug. I pulled Jonathan as well and we all just hug each other. I know I'll miss this moment with them, but Coron isn't that far from Cuyo. We're just parted by the water so that won't be a problem, I could just take a ferry to go there whenever I want.

"Good luck on your new journey, Doug," ani Jonathan at pagtapik pa nito sa balikat.

"Kayo rin," aniko. "Lalo ka na Hayley, bawal muna mag-boyfriend."

Her face reddened. "Syempre naman."

When my flight is just around the corner, I bid goodbye to them. It's just really hard to do this, but I've got so many plans ahead of me and I want to make those dreams come true. And this is the right time for me to do it.

To seek what else I could do in Palawan.

I headed inside the airport and checked in and wait for the boarding. Many people, after graduating college, thought they should take a rest or maybe have time for themselves before entering the corporate world as they said. But for me, I can do both. I can travel and still have the best time of my life.

I know I will. I'm already manifesting to that.

When my flight is called and I boarded the plane, the flight didn't really take too long when I landed in Coron. Alam na ng mga kamag-anak ko na nandito sa Coron ang pagdating ko, when I scooped my phone out of my pocket, it slipped off of my hand and the phone just kissed the ground with the screen first on it.

And when I grab it on the ground and felt so devastated when the screen had cracks on it. I let out a deep sigh, shaking my head.

"Well, what a bum... I guess, welcome to me..."

***

#PalawanDouglas #PalawanATBD #Imcrazyyouknow #SWIPxPATBD