It is now the d'day. I was nervous standing in the entrance of the CN Hall A. Dito kasi ang venue ng Sangka sa Kaalam na isasagawa namin. I am the program head of this event kaya hindi mawala sa akin ang pangamba baka hindi ito maging successful. I don't want to disappoint Pres Lalo na at siya talaga ang tumulong sa akin sa pag prepare nito. Different students from different subdepartment of CAS department were showing up. They lined up in the registration area at ako naman ay nagmamasid lang. I looked at the venue, each long tables has three chairs para sa mga participants. By team kasi ito. This event is part of the celebration of CAS month since MS^3 is part of the CAS kaya kailangan may gawin kaming isang event at ito ang naisip ni Pres.
Sangka sa Kaalam is not just a test of intelligence but also it is a test of wits. Dahil may card na ipamimigay each team at bawat card ay may power na pwede nilang gamitin. Either to freeze the opponent, triple their scores or double their scores. The cards will be randomly distributed to them. Ilang minuto na lang ay magsisimula na ang event. I choose a hard working committee dahil they functioned all well sa task na binigay ko sa kanila.
"Okay everyone settle down we will start the competition in 5 minutes and use that time to create a yell for your team." Saad ni Row na hawak ang mic ngayon. She is the mayor of the first year stat evening. She really is good at hosting and a good friend of mine. Nagsimula nang umingay ang paligid dahil kaniya kaniya na sila ng gawa ng yell. Natatawa ako sa mga pagmumukha nila dahil ang seseryoso ng iba at ang iba naman ay pa chill chill lang.
Sinenyasan ko na si Row to start the program dahil time na. Tinawag niya muna ang governor ng council ng CAS department to have the opening remarks and after that the instructions were given to the participants and the folders containing a three cards for them to use it in this contest.
Some are thrilled because of it and I am thrilled also dahil ako ang nakaisip ng idea na iyon. We used the Uno cards dahil wala na talagang available na cards kanina.
The contest has two rounds and out of the 15 teams present here only 7 teams can proceed to the next round.
The first round was very intense. Some used their cards already and some saved it maybe for the next round. They are all being a street smart the way they uses their cards.
The event ended at 6pm dahil naglinis pa kami sa kalat namin sa hall. The team from BS DevComm won the game and our representative to this game got the second place. It was a nice fight dahil nag do or die pa dahil nag tie ang third place.
"Let's KTV muna guys to celebrate a successful program." Ani ni Pres na kakalabas lang sa DMS office. Nandito kasi kaming mga officers sa labas dahil hinihintay namin siya para sabay na kaming lumabas ng university.
I looked at ate Rye and Kuya Chris if they will go and they send me signal na hindi raw. Mukhang may date ang dalawa.
"Pres I can't go pala medyo hindi parin maayos ang pakiramdam ko. Bawi ako next time." Ani ko naman at tumango naman ito at ang iba rin ay umayaw dahil may kaniya-kaniyang lakad. It has been three days since binisita ako ni Miss sa apartment ko. I was really thankful na pumunta siya roon dahil hindi ko talaga alam paano aalagaan ang sarili ko kapag may sakit. She made it easier for me to get well. I haven't seen her in two days now dahil nga ay may seminar daw siya. That's what she said the last time we talked.
Humiwalay na ako sa mga kasama ko ng nasa gate na kami. Kailangan ko pang maglakad papunta sa waiting area ng bus o jeep. Nasa madilim na parte na ako ng daan ng may biglang sasakyan ang tumabi sa akin handa na sana akong tumakbo palayo rito baka kidnapin pa ako but I heard a familiar voice.
"Hop in Miss Alba." Ani niya kaya napangiti ako at sumakay din agad ako. Nasanay narin talaga ako na sinasabay niya ako kapag nararaanan.
"Hi Miss." Maligaya kong bati she smiled at me before maneuvering the car.
"How was the event Miss Alba?" She asked as she shifted to the other lane of the road. I smiled satisfyingly while looking back to what happened a while ago.
"It was a success Miss. I still can't believe that I pulled it off. It was so busy dahil may mga minor problems occurred but me and the team pulled it off together. I am proud of us." Masaya kong sabi na nahihimigan talaga sa boses ko ang pagkaproud.
"I am proud of you too." Ani niya with a soft smiled plastered in her lips kaya abot sa tenga rin ang ngiti ko.
"Ay wait I remember Miss akala ko po may 3 days seminar kayo. It has only been two days tho."
"Well I need to meet someone today kaya hindi ko na iyon tinapos. It was boring too that's why I bailed out." She chuckled afterwards kaya napatawa narin ako.
"Have you meet that someone already or pupuntahan mo pa lang siya Miss?" Para na akong nag-iinterview sa kakatanong ko.
"I already met that someone." She looked at me and her eyes looked at mine na para bang may iba pa itong sinasabi gamit ang mga mata niya but I couldn't point it out.
"Ang ganda ng mga mata niyo Miss." Yun na lang ang nasabi ko. I like her eyes din naman talaga. It is very expressive parang nangungusap palagi. Her eyes are talkative very opposite of her.
"Of course since I am beautiful." Mahangin niyang saad at nag flip hair pa nga.
"Ang hangin mo naman Miss pwede na akong tangayin." Biro ko naman. Pero totoo talagang maganda naman siya.
"How about I kick you out?" Napasimangot naman ako sa sinabi niya.
"Ang bad mo Miss." I pouted and crossed my arms. Napatawa dahil doon kaya napangiti narin ako. Her laugh is very soft kaya ang sarap pakinggan hindi kagaya ko na boses kargador na nga at pang baliw pa kung tumawa.
"Now I got to see your childish side." Nakangiti niyang sambit na ngayon ay nakatingin narin sa akin.
"Oi Miss mababangga tayo tumingin ka nga sa daan." Saway ko pa sa kaniya pero nginisihan lang ako nito.
"It's a red light Miss Alba. I still have 33 seconds to stare at you." Ani niya na may nakakalokong ngiti. Napatikhim naman ako dahil hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko. Lumalandi ba ito si Miss sa akin?
"I told you Miss na wag niyo na akong tawaging Miss Alba my real surname is Mascarpa." Mabuti na lang ay nag go signal na kaya pinausad na niya ang sasakyan at hindi na nakatingin sa akin.
"Why is that?" She asked with furrowed head.
"Because it is just that." Sagot ko naman pero masama lang niya akong tinignan saglit at binalik niya rin ang kaniyang mata sa daan.
"I am serious with my question." Seryosong sabi niya kaya naman napabuntong hininga na lang ako.
"I got adopted a year ago." I shared. I don't know why I am sharing this to her. Only few close friends knows about this Kahit nga ex ko ay hindi niya alam ito.
"Oh" The only thing she uttered. Maybe she doesn't know what to say.
"Yes that's why I live alone since my adoptive parents are in Houston while my biological mother and my sister's family are in Canada." Pagpapatuloy ko.
"Why did you got adopted?" I don't know if I should tell her the real reason or I should just give her a a vague answer. I was about to answer but she cut me off.
"Don't answer that. I know that's too personal." Ani naman niya na ikinapasalamat ko. Dahil hindi ko0 talaga alam kung paano sasagutin iyon.
Silence envelope the whole ride but a ring of phone broke that silence.
She answered her phone and put it in a loud speaker since she is driving. Boses pa lang ng nasa kabilang linya ay alam ko na agad kung sino iyon.
"Hoy babaeta ka saan ka? We heard you left the seminar." Miss Luiz said in the other line. Napatawa naman ako dahil sa tinawag niya kay Miss.
"I am driving, why?" She coldly asked and she is not in a good mood now I wonder why dahil maayos naman ang mood niya kanina ah.
"Hali ka rito nandito kami sa IT park. Naglalasing. Pesting buhay to." Mukha ngang nakainom na si Miss Luiz. I heard Miss Cruz sighed before looking at me parang may gusto siyang sabihin kaya nanatili lang akong nakatingin din sa kaniya. I heard Miss Luiz mumbling something pero wala roon sa kaniya ang atensyon ko kundi nasa mga mata ni Miss Cruz na parang kinakausap ako nito.
"Can you go with me?" She asked softly.
"Where Miss?"
"To fetch Luiz."
"Yes pwede naman Miss." Pagpayag ko kaya napangiti siya at liniko na ang sasakyan. I looked at outside at Nakita kong nasa harapan na pala kami kanina sa apartment ko.
"Thank you for coming with me tonight, Miss Mascarpa. We will get dinner after fetching that hardheaded lady." Saad niya kaya napangiti lang rin ako. The way she pronounces my new surname I find it sexy and alluring. What does she have to make me feel this kind of way though?