"Meron daw meeting mamaya."

Nakita ko ang pagsimangot ng dalawang babae na kaharap ko dahil sa narinig. Maging ako naman, never nagustuhan ang meetings. It feels like I'm going to die whenever I attend meetings, especially when the speakers deliver their speech plainly. I am not sure if they were aware of it.

"Meeting na naman. Mangongolekta na naman sila ng mga pondo-pondong wala namang ganap sa school," Kyla hissed.

"Mandatory ba 'yan?" Carleen also asked with a hint of annoyance.

"I don't know. I just read it from the GC. Hindi niyo ba nabasa?" I asked them.

"Minute ko na 'yang GC na 'yan. Ang ingay kapag madaling araw." Carleen leaned on her seat.

"Akin hindi. Nagleave ako." Kyla seems so proud of what she had done. "Char. Naka-ignore sa 'kin 'yon. Kung do'n nila ako nilapag sa BA-III, baka natuwa pa akong mag-seen."

I looked at Dillion who seemed unbothered with the meeting. He's just there, sitting next to me, playing with his food. He's even smiling like an idiot.

"There's a meeting." I tried repeating what I said. Mamaya, magtalang-talang pa siya kapag hindi niya alam ang nangyayari. He glances at me for a second before glancing back at his food.

"Yeah? Where? I'll go with you." I frowned before looking at his food. There's nothing wrong with there. Just apple and ham that he requested from me. That's how friendship works, he reasoned out. "If that's okay, of course." He chuckled, now starting to eat his meal.

"Okay lang 'yan, lagi ka namang sumasama sa 'min, ngayon ka pa ba mahihiya?" Kyla joked which made Dillion laugh.

After that, we attend the meeting. If not because of attendance, I will gladly ditch that meeting.

"Iba talaga ang power ng attendance, napapa-attend kahit ang pinakatamad na tao," I heard Kyla said after she signed on the attendance sheet.

Nakaka-umay 'yong buwan-buwan na meeting. They're just going to show us their 'plans' with the school. I still see no progress at all. Meron naman pala, sa cr. Kailan lang nila ginawa 'yong CR para sa LGBTQ+ members. Sa lahat ata ng projects nila, 'yon lang ang nagustuhan ko.

Nakahiwalay sa 'min sina Carleen at Kyla. Unluckily, the seats in front were occupied that's why Dillion and I had no choice but to stand at the back.

I roamed my eyes at the whole auditorium. It's big, not to mention, but it can't accommodate the whole department. Sana, sa gym na lang sila nagpa-meeting.

The whole room is filled with bored sighs, noisy gossip, and laughter. I was just crossing my arms, starting to get annoyed. They want us to assemble early yet they can't even go here early! Sayang sa oras, tangina.

"Are you okay? You look pissed." I glanced at Dillion who was standing next to me. Like me, he's crossing his arms while leaning on the wall, facing me.

"I'm just annoyed. They should be here. Such a waste of time." He chuckled but when I glared at him, he changed his reaction into an annoyed one too.

"Yeah. They should be here," he said, giving me side glances. I tsk-ed and ignored him. It feels like everything is annoying me. No, everything is annoying when he's around.

We're already friends but that doesn't change the fact that he's still obnoxious. Why does God give me annoying friends?

Mayamaya lang ay dumating na rin ang speaker. Nakakabanas hintayin. Akala mo naman talaga, importante ang sasabihin. Bullshits.

I lazily glanced at the TV screen where agendas are flashed. It's not that much but it'll consume decades if they're still not going to discuss already!

"Chill. They'll start any seconds now." I mentally rolled my eyes at what he said. "Nagugutom ulit ako." I heard him say.

"Ang dami mong kinain kanina sa canteen. Hindi lang 'yong apple at ham. Anong alaga ba ang meron ka?" Totoo naman kasi. Nag-request pa siya ng dessert niya raw. His appetite is rediculous.

"Malaki ang alaga ko."

"Tsk." I got my snack in my bag. I honestly don't know why I bought these chocolates and chips. I just found myself buying it. "Eat this as silently as you can. Kapag nahuli ka lang nila, makita mo." I gave him one of my chips.

"'Yong isa pa. 'Yon, oh. The Pretzel one." I frowned when he pointed the other snack. Hindi talaga uso sa kanya ang hiya. Kahit labag sa loob ko, binigyan ko na lang siya. "Thanks."

And like the other normal days I had, my day ended boring and plain. Every day is always the same for me. Being with my friends, facing the lecturers, reciting, and doing some activities.

Lagi ring nakikisabay sa 'min si Dillion whenever we're having lunch, or having group study; he's always present. He often gives me some chocolates. Nagsesend pa siya sa 'kin ng kung ano-anong chats or voicemail. I just usually leave him seen.

He really likes me that much, huh?

Wow, really, Callan? He's just friendly. Baka nga hindi siya seryoso sa 3 months to fall e. It's been a month since he said those. May improvement naman. We became closer. Mas nabawasan na din ang pagkainis ko sa kanya. I can laugh at his jokes and he is, too.

"Where are we going again?" I asked him again one day when he told me that we were going somewhere.

"We're going somewhere fun! Come on." Minadali niya pa ako. He said that he will fetch me at the gasoline station near my house. Sa dami ng pwedeng paghintayan, sa gasolinahan pa. "I'm here, where are you?"

"I'm still at the house. Maliligo pa ako," I said as I got my towel.

"What the fuck, Callan? Ang sabi mo sa message mo, on the way ka na!" I smirked when he shouted at his phone. "Nagmadali pa ako tapos ang lagay ay maliligo ka pa lang?"

Hindi ako sumagot. Malay ko bang seryoso pala siya nang sinabi niyang may pupuntahan kami. Hindi pa nga ako kikilos kung hindi niya sinabi. I hanged up the call before entering the bathroom.

Hindi na ako nagtagal do'n dahil baka tuluyan nang mabuwiset sa'kin si Dillion. Ang dami niya naman kasing alam. Hindi na ako nagpaalam sa pamilya ko na aalis ko. It's as if they care.

Nag-commute na lang ako papuntang gas station na tinutukoy niya. Natawa ako nang mahina dahil nai-imagine ko na agad ang mukha niyang maasim. Nang makarating, agad kong nilibot ang paningin ko sa lugar. Nasa alas singko na pero maliwanag pa sa labas. Nang makita ang sasakyan niya, alam ko agad na kanya ang Mercedes na 'yon, agad akong lumapit.

"Ang tagal mo," he said those words, eyes on the front. I scoffed. Kasalanan ko pa. Umikot ako pa ako at pumasok sa shotgun seat. "I've been waiting here for decades."

"Sino bang nag-aya?" sagot ko saka sinuot ang seatbelt. Pinahinaan ko rin ang aircon dahil masyadong malamig. Napatingin ako sa kanya na noon ay nakatingin din sa 'kin. "What?"

"Iba pala ang mukha mo kapag wala kang salamin. You're better without those." Umiwas ako ng tingin nang magtagal ang tingin ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Whatever. So, where are we going? I can't stay up late outside," I said.

"Don't worry. Ihahatid na lang kita if ever gabihin tayo." Napatigil ako sa pag-aayos ko nang salamin saka napatingin ulit sa kanya pero ini-start niya na ang sasakyan.

"Saan ba kasi? You know that I am not into night-trip." Nagsisimula na naman akong mainis nang tawanan niya ako. Hindi man lang sinagot ang tanong ko.

"Basta..."

And I let him. Bahala siya sa buhay niya. 'Wag niya lang akong iligaw dito, ire-report ko talaga siya sa pulis. Dala-dala ko ang phone ko.

Tumingin na lang ako sa labas habang bumabyahe. Pinatong ko ang siko ko sa nakabukas na bintana sa tabi ko at dinama ang pagpasok ng hangin. Pinatay ko na rin ang aircon dahil wala namang silbi 'yon.

Nasa city pa rin naman kami kaya nakampante ako. Hanggang sa kainin na ng dilim ang buong paligid, hindi pa rin kami nakakarating sa kung saan gustuhin ni Dillion. Nagsisimula na ring mamuo ang inis ko dahil mukhang pinagti-trip-an niya na naman ako.

"Ano ba? May pupuntahan ba tayo o wala? Kanina ka pa ikot ng ikot, ah." 

Napalingon ako sa kanya ngunit napatigil nang tamaan ng liwanag ang mukha niya, sumilay ang mga luha na tumutulo sa mata niya. Nakita niyang napatigil ako kaya pinunasan niya muna ang luha niya saka tumawa ng mahina.

"Putangina..."

"Itigil mo 'yong kotse."

"Ayoko..."

"Itigil mo 'yung kotse, Dillion."

"Ayoko...ayoko na..."

"Putangina, itigil mo sabi!"

Mabibigat ang paghinga namin nang itigil niya ang sasakyan sa gilid. Naririnig ko din ang mahinang pag-iyak niya pero hinayaan ko lang siya. Hindi ko naman alam ang nangyari kaya hindi pa dapat ako magsalita.

Napahinga ako nang malalim saka siya tiningnan. Nakadukdok lang siya sa steering wheel, malamang ay umiiyak pa rin. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o hindi e. Bakit ang bigat namang makita siyang umiiyak?

"Makikinig ako."