It's so soft... Gosh! Naramdaman kong marahas niya akong inilayo sa kaniya. "What do you think you're doing?!" sigaw niya habang hawak ang magkabilang balikat ko. There is something in his eyes that... Wait! I looked around to check the guys that were chasing me without minding the words that he's saying. Buti wala na. Nilingon ko siya, "Thanks!" sigaw ko. Tumayo na ako at akmang tatalikod sa kaniya nang maramdaman kong hinila niya ang ipit ko! What the? Naramdaman ko ang pagladlad ng buhok ko. Nagpatuloy lang ako sa paglalakad palayo sa kaniya. "You're just running away?!" he shouted. "Just think of it as saving one's life!" I shouted back. Hindi maipinta ang mukha niya. Sorry... Atleast he get to be a savior today. He is handsome... but mas malaki ang problem ko ngayon. How am I supposed to stay here without a freaking house? Kinuha ko ang phone ko sa bulsa ng labcoat ko. I tried dialing my dad's number. "Bakit ba kasi ayaw ni dad sumagot?! Argh!" Palabas na ako ng campus nang may nahagip ang mga mata ko. "Hey! Could you please take a picture of us?" isang babae ang lumapit sa akin na dala ang cellphone. Ah... Open house nga pala ngayon kaya maraming students ang nandito. Tiningnan ko yung phone na inaabot niya. "No, let's just use my camera for a better quality," sambit ko habang kinukuha ang camera ko sa sling bag ko. "R-really? Aw... Thank you!" Nang nakapuwesto na sila ng boyfriend niya ata sa harap ng isang building ay pinicturan ko sila. Ilang shots din ang ginawa ko for more choices... Nang matapos ay lumapit ako, "So... what's your email? I'll send it." tanong ko. "Umm... there's a booth there that prints the pictures so... if you don't mind..." Okay... but "Don't worry, we'll pay you! But before that, I remember there's this bench here that has the famous legend about love. Would you mind taking our pictures there as well?" Yes, I can have money for later. Pero anong bench yung sinasabi niya? "Sure. Where's the bench--" "Over there." Agad nyang turo. Sa pinanggalingan ko kanina. Okay... I'm not walking there again. May hiya rin naman sa akin no! "A - ah, I think, I already need to be in class right now so..." "Oh... Is that so? Okay... we'll just pay you for the picture." Nang natapos yun ay umalis na ako ng camp at umupo sa loob ng isang restaurant malapit sa university. I have to eat! Habang naghihintay ng order ay nagscroll muna ako sa instagram ko. Napansin kong ang daming nagheart sa latest post ko. Tiningnan ko ulit 'to. Isang picture ng babae at lalaki for engagement. Ang kita lang na mukha ay yung babae kasi nakatalikod ang lalaki while the girl is looking sideways. I miss this. Now that I think about it, I really need to go back to Manila. But I can't! Nobody's been answering my calls! I'm still willing to finish what I've started here... but hell. I don't have enough money! One month pa before sem break! After I eat, I ordered some beer. Hindi ko kaya ang lahat ng nangyayari today. Ang malas malas! While drinking alone, napatingin ako sa phone ko. Agad kong kinuha iyon nang nakitang may message. GIRL! Our professor wants to see YOU. GET BACK IN HERE NOW! Gosh, I thought it's from home na. I just rolled my eyes and kept on drinking. Akala ba niya matatakot niya ako? Psh. Isang tawag ko lang kay dad, ARGH! Pero 'di nga sila sumasagot! Idinabog ko ang phone ko sa lamesa. A lot of people turned their heads to me but I don't care. Ilang inom pa at umalis na ako doon. "Hey miss, is this yours?" Tamad akong lumingon sa nagsalita. It's my freaking phone! I immediately stood up. He's already at the freaking door! I walked towards a guy that seems like... well, he wears a hood and looks like in his mid-20s. "Give me back my phone," I said while looking directly into his eyes. "Let me buy you a drink first, my lady." He said as he licked his lips. Well, his age is totally my type but... I already drank a while ago. He is with two more guys that are around his age as well. Nope. They're just messing with me. I need my phone so I won't go with them. Ano ako? Gosh. "Okay, just one more step— o- oh! Dang it, lady! Keep yoself togedah!" He shouted while escorting me out of the restaurant. Everything is now a blurr. Yeah and my head feels light. I held unto him for support. I need him for tonight! He have to help me! Ayokong matulog sa labas! I can just spend the night with him at least. "Hey, since we got here, let's—mmp!" I held my mouth to stop the oncoming vomit. Argh! I can't! Nag-squat ako sa floor sa harapan ng restaurant. I can feel my stomach turning like hell! Gosh! Naramdaman kong hinawakan niya ako at tumingin sa akin, "Uh... sorry lady, can't deal with yo mess right now. I guess, good luck?" Ha? Kainis 'to ah. Lapit-lapit sa'kin kanina, nilibre pa 'ko tapos he'll leave me? Unbelievable! His blurry figure starts to walk away from me. Is he seriously leaving me? A woman? Here in the streets? I slowly stood up and I stumble upon a figure. Hawak ng malakas niyang mga kamay ang balikat ko. "Don't worry miss, our friend just needed to do something. We've got you. Come on?" He asks. I can't really see anything now... I mean, blurred lahat! I feel nauseous pa! Hinawakan ko rin siya para di ako matumba, "Will you give me a home, then?" I asked. They both looked at each other. The other guy beside the one holding smiles weirdly... Okay, now, I just need them so that— "Girl what the?!" Sa isang mabilis na pangyayari ay naaninag ko ang pagngiwi ng lalaking nakahawak sa akin kanina. My mess is everywhere... Oops. He pushed me so hard na napaupo ako sa sahig. Thank God at sobrang lasing ako kundi, hmp! He doesn't know who I am! "Disgusting. Come on, I need to clean this off." Narinig ko pang sabi nung lalaki bago sila lumakad paalis. Gosh... Where am I supposed to be now? Pinilit kong tumayo at ginamit na support ang mga pader. Slowly but surely, I walked wherever the hell I feel I can seek help. It's already getting dark and harder to see where I am going. Sinusundan ko lang yung light na nakikita ko malapit. Nang nakalapit na ako sa gate nito, napatingin ako sa pangalan ng lugar na ito. OMG. Syracuse University? I'm back here again? Wait... I can just lie on one of their benches I guess? I really need the bed right now... Nang nakalapit pa ay may figure akong napansin sa gilid. It's a guard! Agad kong inayos ang buhok ko at pinalo-palo ng mahina ang magkabilang-pisngi ko. Okay, this will work just fine. I need to get inside! "Please? Just let me in? I- I needed...to..hik!" Napatakip ako sa bibig ko. Sinisinok na ako! Argh! "Look, madam, you are clearly drunk. You've got the wrong place. Why don't you call your friends or anyone to pick you up?" Kanina pa ako nakikiusap dito sa guard and ayaw naman niyang maniwala! Sinabi ko nang kailangan eh! Saan ako niyan? "You don't even look like someone who studies here... plus, you look too young to be alone? Did you ran away from your home? Tsk." sambit niya pa. Nahilo ako ng kaunti at biglang na out of balance. Napaupo ako sa sahig. Again. "E-excuse me, madam! Please stand up." Lumapit pa siya sa akin. "No!" tinaboy ko yung kamay niya. "My home ran away from me." I said. I started yelling and crying out my family's name. Don't they care? Do they love what's happening to me right now? I mean, surely my stepmom does but dad? Is he teaching me a lesson? I AM SO FREAKING TIRED OF THIS! "M-madam, please calm down..." "What's happening there sir? Everything al— woah." Isang pamilyar na boses ang narinig ko. Wala akong pake. "I want to get inside!" I shouted once again. Naramdaman kong may humawak sa balikat ko. He tapped my right shoulder. "Miss, please, don't start a scandal here. Where do you live? I'll call you a cab," sambit ng lalaki. Tiningala ko siya. His familiar ocean blue eyes met mine. Nope! Focus on the main goal! I need to get inside, I have nowhere else to go! "I-I don't, hik, need your help. I just, hik, need to get inside that building and—" Napatigil ako nang hinawakan niya ang braso ko at iniangat ako. His eyes bore into mine. For a brief moment, I felt like he can see right inside me. After niyang sumenyas sa guard ay hinila niya ako papasok ng campus. Is he going to help? Napansin kong mayroon pang mga ilang students pero kakaunti na lang. Dire-direstyo ang lakad namin at paminsan-minsan ay nadarapa ako. Marahas ang paghila niya sa akin tuwing natitigil kami. Harsh mo ah! Tumigil kami sa may mga outdoor faucet. Binitiwan na niya ako roon. "There. Clean yourself and call someone to pick you up," he says while looking at me with his authoritarian eyes. Naging harsh real quick. "I'm just, hik, going to sleep somewhere from here," Sambit ko at nagsimulang maghilamos. Medyo nagising ako roon. At... Bakit naman kasabay ng paghilamos ko ay pagbalik ng kahihiyan? ARGH! Kaninang umaga pa yun eh! Isa pa, bakit ba kasi 'to nandito pa? Hindi maipinta ang mukha niya kanina... Well, if I'm kissed like that I will fret! Naramdaman ko ang vibration ng phone ko sa loob ng bulsa ng lab coat ko. Gosh! Kanina pa ako mukhang baliw dito! Naka lab coat! "Hello?" "Daliah! Why didn't you come here earlier? Our professor is fuming mad! She demands to see you!" Sigaw ng kaibigan ko sa kabilang linya. I just rolled my eyes. As if. "She can't hik, do anything to me. My family can hik, handle this," I answered. Ha. Hintayin niya lang na makasagot na sila dad sa calls ko. "Really? Why do you think so?" Binalot agad ako ng kaba. Daliah! "A- ah it's—" "And are you drunk? Omg Lia! Get a hold of yourself! What's happening to you?" Alyssa just never stops. Again, I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay... hik! I need to... hik! Go..." Sagot ko at ibinaba na ang cellphone. That professor... Na late lang sila dad eh. Kung umasta naman akala mo... "Did you tell your friend to come here? 'Cause I can't be with you here." he said. "Then go." Sagot ko. Naglakad ako palayo sa kaniya. I don't need your ocean blue eyes calling me everytime! "You're my responsibility now. I let you in." "Whatever, hik!" These hiccups! I can really see my world turning. Kasama na doon ang stomach ko. I feel like I... All of a sudden, everything went black.