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Prologue
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2024-10-29 19:42:56THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEPrologue
"Hello po, Dean, good morning po," nakangiti kong bati.
I don't know if it's just my imagination but I saw Dean's face lightened up upon seeing me.
"Welcome back, Iris, the bad-ass transferee!" he said and my lips parted.
The heck?
I was shocked kasi pati iyon natatandaan pa ni Dean. Matagal na rin ang bansag na 'yon sakin at nakapagtatakang pati iyon ay nakarating sa kanya.
Galing lang.
Huminga ako nang malalim bago nagsalita.
"Actually Dean, hindi ko po alam ang sasabihin ko dahil kapal lang ng mukha ang dala ko ngayon," seryosong sabi ko.
Nakatingin lang sa akin si Dean, tila hinihintay kung may iba pa akong sasabihin.
"Uhm—"
"Ilang taon na siya?"
"1-year-old na po, Dean," I replied with my voice fading.
"Babae o lalaki?"
"Lalaki po."
Matagal akong tinitigan ni Dean tsaka muling nagbato ng tanong.
"Alam niya ba?"
Kahit alam ko o kilala ko na ang tinutukoy niya ay nagugulat pa rin ako.
"Hindi po, Dean. At...at wala po akong balak sabihin sa kanya," pagsisinungaling ko.
"Iris, he has the right to know."
Hindi agad ako nakasagot dahil tama naman si Dean. But I refused to answer his question.
Matunog na huminga si Dean, tila nahuhulaan na wala akong balak pag-usapan ang bagay na iyon ngayon.
"Yung scholarship mo, tulad ng ipinangako ko ay nandyan pa rin," mabilis akong tumunghay kay Dean nang hindi makapaniwala. Akala ko ay hindi na niya ako tatangapin dahil sa nangyari sakin. Heto at handa pa rin siyang papasukin ako sa kanyang unibersidad kasama ng aking scholarship. Marunong nga na tumupad ng usapan si Dean.
"Thank you so much, Dean. It means a lot to me," sinsero at napapaiyak na tugon ko.
"Walang anuman, Iris."
Mukhang may balak pa siyang sabihin ngunit hindi niya na itinuloy.
"And welcome back."
"Thank you po."
Iyon lang at nakangiti kong tinalikuran si Dean. Papalabas na sana ako ng office nang bigla itong bumukas at lumantad ang nag-iisang tao na hindi ko pa kayang makita higit sa oras na ito. Matagal kaming nagkatitigan at hindi malaman kung paanong babatiin ang isa't-isa.
Nauna akong makabawi ng tingin at nginitian siya ng kaswal.
"Hi!"
Nagawa kong gawing normal ang boses ko kahit para na akong maiiyak. Buti nalang nag teatro ako no'ng high school kaya magaling ako umarte sa mga ganitong bagay.
"Iris..."
"Hi!" I greeted again.
But Joaquin was still looking at me, eyes wide shut.
"Kelan ka pa nakabalik?" he asked, perplexed.
Kahit anong gawin kong pagpapakalma sa sarili ko ay napapasinghap pa rin ako kapag naririnig ko ang boses niya. Madiin kong tinikom ang bibig ko at huminga nang malalim dahil baka biglang mag-breakdown alo dito ng wala sa oras.
Mukha rin namang nakalimutan ni Joaquin na nasa office kami ni Dean at gusto niya pa yatang makipag-kwentuhan dito tungkol sa pagbabalik ko.
"Ah, nito lang. Dumaan ako ngayon dito para...mag-aral ulit," was my reply. Hindi pa rin ako nilubayan ng tingin ni Joaquin hanggang sa umubo sa likuran namin si Dean at tinawag siya.
"Come here Mr. Tio," Dean ordered.
Nang magsimulang maglakad ng tulala si Joaquin papunta kay Dean ay dali dali akong lumabas ng office.
Masyadong maraming nangyari nitong mga nakaraang taon na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko kayang ipaalam ni kaninoman. Lalo na ngayon na tatapusin ko na ang aking pag-aaral.
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The Good Equal Chapter 41
THE GOOD EQUAL | #TGEC41JOAQUIN"Pres, pinapatawag ka ni Dean," Angela peaked at the door."Office?" I asked and she simply nodded.I stood up from my seat and closed my laptop. I exited my office and I saw my officer's busy doing something on their laptops. And then I call out Matt."Who's attending the ID?""Sina Akin, Pres," Matt answered. "Umalis na ako kasi hindi naman ako pinapansin ni Akin kasi dumating 'yung mga magagandang SA. Kaya umalis na lang ako," he dramatically narrated.
