Strings of Fate

Hindi ko namalayan kung ilang araw na ang lumipas mula noong dumating ako sa Geneva. Hindi na siya kasing layo ng itsura niya noong una. Mas sanay na ‘ko sa lamig, sa tahimik na kalsada, at sa amoy ng freshly baked bread sa umaga.

Minsan, iniisip ko—"Totoo ba ‘to?" Kasi parang panaginip. Walang klase, walang deadlines, walang stress. Puro oras lang para magpahinga, mag-explore, at makisama.

Kadalasan, sina Camille at Mateo ang kasama ko. Kami ‘yung magkakampi sa gitna ng bagong simula. Kapag hindi kami naglalakad-lakad sa mga park at museums, nasa unit lang kami ng isa’t isa. Nagluluto, nanonood ng pelikula, o kaya nagkakantahan gamit ang portable karaoke mic ni Camille.

Minsan nagmi-midnight snack run din kami—usually just down the block para bumili ng crêpes o kaya bubble tea. Mabababaw lang kaligayahan namin.

Sa mga moment na ‘to, napapaisip ako.

“Hindi ko inakala na makakahanap ako agad ng ganitong klaseng comfort. Ang bilis. Parang hindi kami galing sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo.”

Si Camille, psychology major na parang walking Pinterest board—mahilig sa vintage, may pagka-hippie, pero sobrang insightful. Lagi siyang may dalang tote bag na punong-puno ng kung anu-anong libro, film photos, at dark chocolate.

Si Mateo naman, future engineer, chill pero witty. May pagka-dad jokes ang sense of humor pero hindi mo rin maitatangging smart siya. Parang kuya minsan, pero may moments din na parang batang excited sa life.

And then there’s me. The youngest. The outsider at first. Pero somehow, naging kami 'yung trio na hindi mo akalaing gagana, pero gumagana.

"Je suis tellement heureuse de vous avoir rencontrés," sabi ni Camille minsan habang naglilinis kami ng kitchen after dinner. (I'm so happy to have met you both.)

Mateo raised his glass of soda. “To random building mates turned unexpected friends.”

I smiled. “Cheers to lazy days and warm friendships.”

Hindi ko man sinasabi sa kanila nang diretso, pero sa loob-loob ko—

“Buti na lang talaga… buti na lang may Camille at Mateo ako rito.”

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Geneva no longer feels like a postcard.

In just a few weeks, the air that once smelled unfamiliar now reminds me of comfort. Mornings no longer feel too quiet. The silence now holds a kind of peace, not distance.

And maybe that’s because of Camille and Mateo.

We’ve grown close, in that soft, unspoken way where you don’t need to talk every second, but you feel at ease just being around each other. Walang ingay, walang pretensyon—parang matagal na kaming magkakilala.

Today is one of those days.

I’m curled up on Camille’s soft green couch, barefoot, legs tucked in, a bowl of popcorn resting on my lap while The Grand Budapest Hotel plays on the TV. Mateo’s on the floor with a blanket around him like a burrito, and Camille’s already fallen asleep beside me with a half-finished iced tea in her hand.

"I feel like we’re just a few days away from starting a podcast about our lives," Mateo says, yawning, eyes still glued to the screen.

I chuckle. “Only if you’ll edit everything. I’m too lazy.”

“Non, non. You’ll do the talking. I’ll be the mysterious background character.”

“Et moi?” I glance at him. (And me?)