I'll Hold On To You 【Filipino】

As I looked at you, I felt the slowing down of time... ― Florence Joyce xxxxxx [Relaina] It was only six-thirty in the morning. Pero sa wakas, narating ko na rin ang Oceanside Rose University. To be precise, I was standing in front of the building of the Engineering and Architecture Department. Ilang milya lang ang layo ng school na iyon sa bayan at simula sa semester na ito ay dito na ako mag-aaral. Pero hindi ko naman maintindihan kung bakit hindi ko pa rin magawang humakbang para makarating na sa loob ng building at mahanap ko na ang classroom ko. Grabe naman. Kailangan ko ba talagang maramdaman ito ngayon? Hindi ito ang panahon para kabahan nang ganito, 'no? There was also no reason for both of my hands to feel this cold that was holding the straps of my backpack hanging on my back. Sa tingik ko naman, walang kakain sa akin ng buhay rito. "Nervous?" I turned around to the source of that voice. Kahit naman aminin kong kinakabahan talaga ako, nagawa ko pa ring ngumiti nang makita ko ang pinsan kong si Mayu. It so happened that we took the same course, which was Architecture. Sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga ito ang kursong gusto kong kunin at aralin. At least, that was what I felt. But until now, I still don't know kung anong course ba talaga ang gusto kong kunin at pag-aralan. I just decided to give in to what my father wanted for me. It was just for now, hanggang sa magawa ko nang malaman kung ano nga ba talaga ang gusto ko sa buhay. Wala naman sigurong masama, 'no? "Bakit hindi ka pa pumapasok? It's not like the people would eat you or anything for you to be this nervous," Mayu said when she finally approached me. "Alam mo namang newcomer lang ako rito, 'di ba? Of course, I'd feel nervous." But my cousin just stared at me incredulously na para bang tinubuan ako ng sungay o 'di kaya ay may nasabi akong hindi kanais-nais. I frowned at that sight. Why would Mayu look at me like this? "Ano'ng baguhan ang pinagsasasabi mo riyan, ha? In case you've forgotten, you were born and raised here until nine years ago. You just disappeared for nine years, and now you're calling yourself a newcomer? Baliw ka ba, ha? O baka naman gutom ka lang?" "Pareho na rin ang punto n'on." Ito talagang babaeng 'to. Why can't she just agree with me for now? I was just being slightly dramatic, that's all. "Let's go before we end up late for our first class." Maybe it was for the best if I drag my cousin out of here before she even decide to prolong the discussion. Masakit na ang ulo ko sa pagtangkang pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Hindi ko muna gustong makipagdebate sa madaldal kong pinsan, pakiusap lang. Thankfully, Mayu obliged. But seriously speaking? I noticed that people around me kept on looking at me. Was there something on my face? Did I just grow two heads for them to look at me? Wait, naisip ko na pala iyon kanina. "You've changed a lot, you know?" Mayu suddenly said na ipinagtaka ko. Bagaman natigilan ako sa sinabi ni Mayu, hindi ko naman napigilang mapangiti nang malungkot bilang tugon. "Maybe, something changed. To think I disappeared from this town for nine years. You can even include Oliver cheating on me. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko pa nagawang ayusin ang sarili ko pagkatapos n'on. So yeah, I did change. Wala naman sigurong masama, 'no?" Tumango si Mayu. "You're right. You've become even more hot-headed than usual. Para kang naging bitter sa mundo." Ano raw? Sa totoo lang, ha? I would end up hitting my cousin because of this. Unbelievable! Bitter? Ako, bitter? Seryoso lang? Okay, I would admit na medyo bumababa ang pasensya ko sa isang tao depende sa sitwasyon. Pero hello! Was that supposed to be a basis for Mayu to call me bitter? Napailing na lang ako at binilisan ang paglalakad nang tuluyan na kaming makapasok sa building. "I don't know what to do with you, Mayu. Did you have breakfast and you're spouting random things now? Baka gutom lang iyan. Kumain ka kaya muna." "Come on. You know I was just joking. Hindi ka na mabiro. Kaya kita tinatawag na bitter, eh. Kung gusto mo, isama na rin natin ang pagiging killjoy." Mayu was chuckling when she said that and followed me. Take a deep breath, Relaina. It would be better for you to calm down, okay? Mapang-asar lang talaga si Mayu. Masanay ka na. Okay, ano na naman ba 'to? I was acting weird today. To think I was talking to myself again. There weren't a lot of people inside the building when Mayu and I entered. But I could easily see and realize that the people here had their groups and cliques. Sa tingin ko lang, ha? Maybe it was me who would never have a set of friends here at Oceanside aside from Mayu. Hindi naman kasi ako mahilig makihalubilo, eh. Lalo na nang mangyari ang break-up namin ni Oliver. We were supposed to climb up the stairs when something fell from above. Not just me, but Mayu also stopped when we saw that. I frowned when I saw a gloxinia on the staircase. Wait, ito ba 'yong nahulog mula sa itaas? I immediately took it at tumingin sa mga balkonahe roon para makita kung sino ang nakahulog n'on. But I didn't see anyone there. Wait! Don't tell me a ghost would do this? Okay, that would be a weird notion. I looked at the flower in my hand once again. I don't know what to think as I continue looking at it. Was it just me who would always feel as if I was mesmerized whenever I would see a flower? Ang weird ba? Pero heto ako, eh. At ito ang nararamdaman ko. Especially when I know the meaning of this flower in the language of flowers. "Maybe it fell unintentionally from whoever was above," Mayu commented. "Okay. Then find that particular person up there who did this at nang masapak ko siya. Hindi man lang marunong magtapon ng kinalat niya nang maayos." At tinawanan lang talaga ako ni Mayu. Baka ito pa yatang pinsan ko ang masapak ko instead of that flower-throwing person. "But wait. What was the meaning of that gloxinia flower in flower language again?" Mayu asked. It was enough to pull my attention away from the flower that I was holding and faced her. "In the language of flowers, gloxinia means 'love at first sight." "Wow! Ganda naman ng meaning. But why would that flower fall from the balcony?" But I just responded with a shrug. I wasn't even aware of the true reason for this flower to fall down that staircase. I just didn't want to think of the possibility that a ghost was playing a trick on me. Just thinking of that possibility right now gave me serious goosebumps. Hate na hate ko pa man din ang idea na may multo ngang naglalaro sa akin. Diyos ko po! Huwag naman sana! Anyway, I would pay attention to that later. Mayu and I still had a class to attend. But we were supposed to go up the stairs when I noticed that some people were running down the stairs that Mayu and I were supposed to go up. "Watch out!" I heard that voice shout. "Huh?" Before I gained composure, it was too late for me to even comprehend the next events that happened. Wala man lang pasabi o heads up. "Out of the way!" Pero hindi ko nagawa ang sinabing iyon ng lalaki. A young man was heading straight towards me as he ran down the stairs. He was running fast that I saw him trip, which made him lose his balance. Before I could even move out of the way, his body collided with mine which only made us both crash to the floor. The impact of the fall on me was too much since I was at the end of the staircase. And you have to add the weight of the person above me. "Ouch!" Napaigik na lang ako sa sakit dahil sa lakas ng pagkakabagsak ko na talaga namang naramdaman ko. Because of the strong impact of the fall, I almost lost consciousness due to intense pain pero tiniis ko. I tried my best not to faint even though I was beginning to close my eyes because of the pain. Besides, I knew that person who pinned me down was still above me. I wanted to know who was that person so that I could yell at him for doing that. Isang sigaw at isang sapak lang talaga para kumalma ako. I felt that person above me moved. I slowly opened my eyes and the face of that person greeted my sight. But it seemed like a cat got my tongue because of what I saw and my urge to scream at that person was blown by the wind. And take note, minsan lang mangyari ito sa akin. Iilan lang ang taong nakagawa ng ganito sa akin.From what I could see, he was the most good-looking person I've ever seen in my life. Okay, good-looking might be a bit of an understatement. But I didn't want to say he was that handsome even though it was the truth. And I didn't want to say that this handsome jerk just awaken my five-month-long slumbering heart. It was because, at that moment, I couldn't even stop my heart from beating so fast as I continued to stare at his face. Warmth crept up to my cheeks when I finally realized that our faces were just a few inches apart. I could also smell the cologne he used that, for some unexplained reason, made me feel hazy. The scent wasn't that strong; just enough to disturb my senses even without him knowing that. The guy above me immediately got up and helped me to stand up from the cold pavement. "I'm so sorry, miss. Hindi ko sinasadya. Are you okay?" His voice was apologetic when he said those words. But before I could even say something, a sudden surge of intense pain struck my head. All of a sudden, I felt like being blown by a strong gust of wind as my mind started to go black. "Miss!" Narinig ko pang sigaw ng lalaki bago ako tuluyang nawalan ng malay.