SECRET LOVERS

January 2005 Noah told his parents about the National Collegiate Entrance Test (NCET) results. He was so happy upon knowing that he qualified to study at UF – Vienburg and had the opportunity to be admitted to the top university’s dual degree program in Architecture and Civil Engineering that he could finish in five years. But his father was not on board, allowing him to study in Vienburg. His father’s initial reaction was, “We don’t have enough money to send you to study at a university in Vienburg, Noah.” Noah responded with, “But I don’t need to pay tuition at UF – Vienburg, Ama. It is a government-funded university.” Noel Espina, his father then asked him, “What about the cost of living? It is much more expensive in the capital.” Noah’s reply was, “I got savings from my part-time jobs. I can also do part-time jobs while pursuing my degree. I just turned 18 last December. I can already apply for a professional driver’s license. I can also do handyman jobs along with Kuya Raoul or assist Tiyo Orlan in his auto mechanic shop. I will stay in the dormitory for less cost of housing. Just please allow me, Ama.” Lara Guanzon, his mother then vouched for him, “We should allow him, Noel. Among the males in both our families, he is the only one who passed the NCET. He even qualified to study at the top university in the country. That was his goal all along. UF – Vienburg has this dual degree program under the College of Architecture. He could either take civil engineering or business administration as the other degree. He worked so hard to be able to qualify. Let us support him. He is our only son. As parents, we should support his dreams.” His father then pointed out, “I get it. I also wanted him to be a degree holder. But we might not be able to support him financially all the way with all of his needs if he studies in Missi. Besides, the capital is full of temptations. We won’t be around for him. Our son will not just study here, Lara. He will study in the capital state.” His mother said further, “Ate Lira and Kuya Orlan are there in Vienburg. We can also visit him once a month. Our son is very responsible. He has his dreams. So I believe that he won’t be tempted by the distractions of city life.” His father pointed out, “Olive used to be very responsible too. But what happened?! Lira has found it difficult to discipline her as she reached 18. She learned how to smoke and drink from her friends. She even wanted Lira and Orlan to buy her those latest expensive gadgets even if they cannot afford them. She also passed the NCET but she didn’t focus on her studies. Her class marks could either be the lowest, failed or incomplete. So she couldn’t continue anymore. She just wasted the opportunity to become a professional teacher.” Noah then promised his father with great conviction, “I won’t be like Ate Olive, Ama. If I get even a failing grade, then I will stop. At least, give me the opportunity to prove to you and to myself that I can do it, that I can achieve my dreams.” Because of that, his father agreed, “Okay. I will give you permission to study in UF Vienburg. But once you lose your way, like Olive, then just enrich your knowledge of agriculture and focus on managing our small businesses. Anyway, you will inherit this farm eventually.” Noah acknowledged, “I know that, Ama. Even if I pursue a career in architecture and engineering in the future, I will only stay and work in Missi until I am 30. I will return here for good after that. You, Ina, the rest of our families, and our farm are all included in my future plans. You are my family. The farm is our home. So I also want this to be the home of my future family.” His father then said, “Okay. So do not fail us.” He vowed, “I will not fail you and Ina. I will also not fail myself.” Noah is the only offspring of Noel Espina and Lara Guanzon, born on December 9, 1986. Both were from low-income families in the State of Harsenos. They got married when Noel was 20 and Lara was 19, and had Noah just after five years of marriage to finish some vocational degrees. That way they could make use of all the produce and resources of the one-hectare farm of Noel’s family in the Municipality of Brighquen and earn more money. Noel was a passenger jeep driver and a farmer while Lara was a server/cashier in her mother’s small eatery in the public market of Marbay City, the capital of Harsenos. They were able to send Noah to the public elementary school and national high school in Marbay City, and support all of his needs. Their farm was a little far from the main road and it had no public utilities like electricity and water. So they had opted for Noah to stay with Lara’s parents in the city during the school days. Lara was regularly going to the city anyway to sell the fresh produce of the farm in the public market while Noel still got to drive a passenger jeep own by an operator of several passenger jeeps in Brighquen. So they still got to spend time with their son during weekdays. And on weekends, Noah helped out in all the farm work. They might not be rich. They only earn sufficient income for all their basic needs and a few of their wants. But with the one-hectare farm, they couldn’t be considered poor. They just needed to work hard to earn a living. Thus, Noah dreamt of giving them all a much better life. His paternal grandparent, Lolo Juan and Lola Nora were both very proud of his achievements. Since he studied, Noah had been a consistent top student in his class. He even won several national academic competitions like Filipinas Mathematical Olympiad. So they were also supportive of him studying in the country’s top university. Lolo Juan told his son, “Good thing you agreed for Noah to study in Vienburg, Noel. Your mother and I are even planning to convince you. This is a once in a lifetime chance. He is smart and very hardworking. So we should all support his dream of becoming an architect and civil engineer.” Noel told his father, “Well, we had an agreement. Just one failing grade and he had to return here in Harsenos and just continue his studies in Harsenos State University. The capital state has so many temptations. Lira’s daughter Olive passed the NCET before as well. But she prioritized having fun than studying. If Raoul, Lira’s son, passed the NCET, I am sure that he would be a professional right now. But then he was not given that much intellect. But he is a very skilled builder, and even took several vocational courses to enrich his resume. He even owns a small handyman services business. Lola Nora told his son, “Noah won’t be like Olive. Noel. So let us all just support Noah in his dream. Anyway, you had been lucky enough to be the recipient of that 1 kilowatt residential solar PV system donated by the foreign company who sponsored the solar energy seminar in Harsenos State University. We can already purchase a 12-volt refrigerator. Lara can already have a storage for longganisa, tocino, and embutido that she is making whenever there is a left-over organic chicken meat from the ones we slaughtered here and sold in Marbay City Public Market and Brighquen Municipality Public Market along with the fruits, vegetables, chicken eggs, and salted duck eggs. We can also make more processed food that needed refrigeration before we bring them to the market. We will all work hard so we could support his cost of living allowance. That way, he will have a much better life than ours.” Noah’s maternal grandparents were also very proud of him and all of his achievements. Noah was at that time with his grandfather Lolo Eliseo, a skilled wood craftsmen who earned supported his family along with his wife by making wooden doors, furniture, woodwork projects as well as doing carpentry jobs. Noah had been helping out his grandfather in all those woodworking projects whenever he was done with his schoolwork. Thus, he had also acquired those woodworking skills through the years. Lolo Eliseo asked him, “Did your father already agree for you to study in Vienburg, apo?” Noah affirmed, “Yes, Lolo. Ina and I will go to Vienburg this coming February to confirm my admission at UF Vienburg.” His maternal grandfather remarked, “That is very nice. So just focus on your studies and don’t commit the same mistakes that Olive did. Your mother is the smartest among all of our sons and daughters, but then we were not able to support her collegiate education. Good thing, the city government opened up Marbay City College offering low-cost technical and vocational courses when she and your father had already gotten married. They both studied while working first before they decided to have you. They were even able to buy that second hand motorcycle, which cargo side car was fabricated by your Tiyo Emil and Tiyo Eman. They had been using that as a service in bringing those farm products to the market as well as using it as a rolling store. Your Lola Lorena even told me that your parents were already able to buy a second hand generator as well as lease a market stall in Marbay and in Brighquen for all the farm produce that they would sell, along with all those processed foods that your mother and Lola Nora will be making. Your Lola Nora will be manning the market stall in Brighquen Pubic Market while your mother will be manning the on here in Marbay City Public Market. So, don’t let all their efforts just go to waste.” Noah responded, “I will reach for my dreams, Lolo. So I have no time for worldly activities. I can all have all the fun in the world anyway once I am already finished with my studies and working as a professional architect and civil engineer. I will be there to study and then eventually work. Then once I reached 30 and already saved enough money to establish my own construction firm, then I will be back here for good.” His Lolo Eliseo further asked, “Anyway, have you already applied for your professional driver’s license? You are 18 already.” He confirmed, “Yes, Lolo. I applied for it during the Christmas Break. Every weekend, I am already the one driving our cargo tricycle to the market.” His Lola Lorena then came in to his grandfather’s workshop to say, “Eli, the mayor’s driver is already here to pick up the wooden guitar stands that you and Noah designed and made.” The driver came in with a beautiful young lady, and then exclaimed, “Oh, they look much nicer up close. Thank you po for making my orders right away.” Lolo Eliseo responded, “You’re welcome, Miss. I get help from my grandson here. The design you approved of was his creation.” The young lady replied, “I see. Well, here is the other half of the p*****t we agreed on po. We will leave already.” Noah even helped the driver in loading the guitar stands at the car boot. When the young lady and the driver already left, he then asked his grandfather, “Who is that young lady, Lolo? I haven’t seen her before.” His grandfather answered, “I believed she is the youngest daughter of Mayor Fernando Benipayo. She has several guitars at home. So she wanted a durable stand for all of them.” His grandmother then teased him, “It seems that our grandson is love struck, Eli.” Noah responded, “I am just admiring her beauty, Lola. I have no plans of having a girlfriend until I reach 30. I have my career goals. They are my top priority. Once I am already successful then that is the only time that I will pursue a lady. And then settle down. Courtship will have no drama at that age bracket. Since the lady within my age bracket will already be emotionally matured at that time.” His grandmother then said, “Well, I hope that you can stay true to those words. You see, love will just hit you when you least expect it. I heard that young lady can play all sorts of musical instruments and she also sings very well. And she is not only pretty, she seems very respectful too.” His grandfather bragged, “Well, our grandson is also handsome and respectful. He even qualified with the dual architecture and civil engineering degree program of UF Vienburg.” His grandmother agreed, “Yes. That is true.” Witnessing all the efforts and hardship of his parents and relatives, Noah promised himself to reach for his dreams – Someday, I will be a successful civil engineer and architect. I like building homes and structures. So I want to have my own company. Once I am earning lots of money, I can also buy a bigger farm for Ama and Ina. I can also hire farm helpers for them, so their workload could be less. So I need to study hard and then later on work hard. If I do not do that, then I would not be able to give a better life for my family. We could have much better business and work endeavors if one of is a professional. I don’t look down on them for just finishing technical and vocational education training. But those professionals earn more with their construction projects while we just do the hard labor. We can have our own construction business. We might not be poor, but our lives would be better if I could be a professional. On the other hand, at the car of Mayor Benipayo, his youngest daughter, Trixie, asked the driver, “Who is that young guy, Manong? He was not there when I chose the design of the guitar stand from all the sketches shown to us. His grandfather seems very proud of him.” The driver answered, “He is Noah Espina. Among all the batch of senior high school students who took the in the National Collegiate Entrance Test this year, he ranked the first here in the state and ranked second within the entire country. He also won several national academic competitions like the Filipinas Mathematical Olympiad. I even heard that he qualified to study in UF Vienburg in some kind of dual degree program. He lives in a farm in Brighquen but since they have no electricity at the farm, his parents had decided for him to study here in Marbay from Kindergarten to Grade 12. He stayed with Manong Eli and Manang Lorena during school days. But during weekends, holidays and school breaks, he stayed in their farm. He and his other male cousins have been helping his grandfather in his workshop since he was a young boy. But he is the smartest among them all.” Trixie commented, “You seem to know a lot about him, Manong.” The driver said, “Well, my daughter is his classmate from Kindergarten to Grade 12. You see, in public schools where they have many sections they group students regardless of their overall ranking. In elementary your section will be the same from Grade 1 to 6. Once you moved to junior high your section will also be the same from Grade 7 to 10. And on senior high school, the same section from Grade 11 to 12. I believe my daughter have a huge crush on him. She is even delusional that they were meant to be since on this three stages of basic education, they always end up being in the same section. But you see, we are not given good looks like you. My daughter just has average intellect. So how will a young guy like Noah even like her? He is very respectful but very honest as well. His top priority is his studies. So even if young ladies are already the ones professing their love to him, he would just say that perhaps if they passed the NCET then he might consider.” Trixie asked, “So did your daughter pass the NCET, Manong?” The driver answered, “She did, but she could only enroll in the low-tiered colleges and universities where her test scores are acceptable.” Trixie remarked, “At least, she passed. Others do not.” The driver acknowledged, “That is true. But I guess she would have not study so hard for the NCET if not for Noah. Yet, that young lad will already leave our state next school year to study in UF Vienburg. He will probably not even return here anymore once he graduated from college.” Trixie said, “Yeah. That is possible. He will probably be working in a huge corporation in the capital of in another country.” When Trixie arrived at their residence, Caleb Tacorda and his parents were already there. Vice Mayor Tacorda, a political ally of her father, and her father were discussing a possible love match between her and Caleb, who was of the same age as she was. They went to the same private school. Her father talked to her that afternoon after their lunch with the Tacordas. Her father asked, “So what do you think of Caleb, pumpkin?” She asked her father back as if she didn’t know his plan, “Why are you asking me this question, Dad?” Her father said, “Well, he is from a good family. He is handsome. He seems to be a well-mannered guy as well. Plus he is an only son who will inherit the vast fortune of the Tacordas. You will have a nice future if you will end up being his wife in the future. So what about allowing him to pursue you?”