I'm not really good at writing stories, labaw nag straight bisaya kay medyo mixed gyud akong inistoryahan...conyo bay tawag ana? Kaya pasensya na if makalibog gamay. Call me Elle. I'm not from UC but my friend was, munang familiar ko ani nga page. Idk nganong gisend pa nako diri akong story siguro way lang nako ni para magawas akong gibati.
I have a sister nga 10 months ra among age gap munang magclassmate gyud mi sige. Katong 6 years old pako wala mi gaipon ug puyo sakong sister nga si Eve kay si mommy na promote dayon na assign sa province while si daddy naa ras city. Since malonely man si mommy niana sya nga ako may dal-on niya sa province, tig ulian raman pod si mama sa weekends para muvisit nilang daddy ug eve munang ok ra ni daddy kay kasabot sya for work purposes raman pod and besides 3 hrs raman pod ang byahe by car. While ga work si mommy naa rapoy gabantay nako nga yaya. One time, nigawas ko sa among apartment sa province kuyog sakong yaya while ga work si mommy. Naa koy nabantayan nga bata nga laki, silingan diay to namo. Akong tawag niya kay Junjun. Yagit gyud kaayo sya para nako pero since sya ray bata nga kaila nako didto, kami ragyuy sigeg dula after ato. One day gailog mi atong stuffed toy kay lagi daw iyaa to bisag akoa biya to. Galagot kaayo sya, iyaa kong gibuno ug bato sa agtang baling dugo sakong ulo ato uy. Sakit gyud kaayo bali nakong iyak. Mao rajud to akong nahinumdoman. Kahinumdom pod ko giistorya ni mommy ang parents ni Junjun agi ato.
After ato wala na dayon ko nakigplay niya ani*al gyud kaayong bataa wala gani nag sorry. Shortly after, nagpaassign na si mommy sa city kay wa na sya kaagwanta, gimingaw nadaw syang daddy ug eve. I never spoke to junjun again after that. I didn't even say goodbye when we moved out. It's understable man pod kay bata pami ato pero bilib pod ko sakong self grabe ko magdumot for my age.
I lived with Eve again and since elementary, classmate ragyud mi sige. I noticed some subtle changes between us sa high school. People began comparing us. "Igsuon gyud na sila? Lahi ra lagi silag batasan." "Mas sexy pa si Eve." "Si Elle no kay bright pero hilomon layo ra kaayong Eve." Samokan gyud ko makadungog ana. To be honest para nako pareho rajud mig nawong ni Eve maalaan gani ming twins kay kaheight rami dayon same pod mig shape sa face dayon pution pero mas manotice si Eve kay nice syag kilay... I guess murag ka Andrea Brillantes nga pagkabaga? And sige syag perform sa stage sa school kay dancer biya sya and stylish gyud kaayo sya, ako kay I guess pang manang kaayo ko mudress. Eve was very popular. I had my own charms too, I often participated in quiz bees pero I guess puro ra academic akong gipang apilan. I guess I'm quite shallow for getting a bit jealous pero I never let it get between us. 1st year to second year, classmates mi. She always asked help from me especially sa math but helpful rapod sya nga sister kay tabangan ko niya ug design sakong mga project hahaha. Daghan nagyung nanguyab ni Eve since 1st year pero wala syay gisugot kay taas syag standards. Daghag mga laki niduol nako para mangayog tips para ma close ni Eve pero as always, wala gyud koy gitabangan. Luoya nako way ganahan. Hahaha charot ok ra nako mura pog nangita kog uyab. Goal biya nako ma valedictorian, lisod kaayo if madistract ko. Fast forward 3rd year nami, wala nami nagclassmate ni Eve kay dili na sya first section kay agi sigurog practice sa dance troupe na affect iyang grades. Naguol kaayo ko pero wala koy mabuhat. At least magkita ra gihapon mis balay. 1st day of school naay transferees tulo kabuok. Ang eyes gyud sa tanan kay naa ato ni Jonathan.
J: Hi I'm Jonathan *****. I came from ****** high school sa province. You can call me Nathan.
Mao na iyang introduction. Halata ra kaayo nga ganahan ang mga girls niya kay tall, fair and handsome man sya. Hawd sad muenglish. Taas pod syag ilong. Ang reason daw nganong nibalhin sya kay gitagaan syag scholarship sa school kay anad man sya mudulag basketball. After ato kay kami tanan gaintroduce mi samong self kay first day of school pagud munang walay tarong nga klase. Ag katong nag introduce ko sakong self kay natingala ko baling tutok ni Nathan nako. After nilingkod ko kay wala na dayon ko kabantay ni Nathan kay sa likod sya nako naglingkod. Recess nato dayon akong gipangita si Eve pero wala gyud nako sya nakit an sa canteen, siguro wala syay plano magsnack, busy sigurog chika sa iyang mga new classmates. Naglinya ko sa canteen para mupalit ug snack, nagpalit kog buko juice ug bread dayon nabanggaan nako si Nathan. Haha I know cliche kaayo pero wala nayabo uy naay taklob. Nagsorry si Nathan nako bisag ako biyang sala kay gadali ko. Nagsorry pod ko. Sa dihang nilingkod nako nitapad si Nathan nako.
N: Nganong ikaw raman usa?"
Ako: Wala lang.
Bisag gamay nalang time nabilin sa recess mangita pagyud kog kauban? Nihilom sya dayon nangutana sya kung asa ang CR then after that wala namiy tingganay for a week. Nag tingganay ra mi atong nagkagroup mi para sa usa ka report. After mi gi assign ug unsa among ireport si Nathan nangutana sya nakog kalit,
N: Nakapuyo kag *******(lugar na skl haha) sauna?
Ako: Kabalo lagi ka?
Nisiga iyang mata.
N: Na lagi ikaw lagi to akong gibunog bato.
Ako: Junjun?!
Nikatawa si Nathan.
N: Sauna raman nako na nga nickname tawga lagi kog Nathan. Grabe wa pa diay ko nimo nalimtan?
Pacute kaayo si dodong.
E: Kaayo.
I showed him my forehead. Naay ulat nga gamay pero dili maklaro kay naa koy bangs. His smile disappeared.
N: I'm so sorry. Naulat pagyud.
Ako: Sauna raman to oy move on nata.
After all these years nakastorya najud ko ni Junjun after the incident. Daghan kaayog na change. Dili na sya tung yagit nga bata akong nailhan. I still wondered nganong nailhan ko niya and he said agi sa akong apilyedo. Kaila gud iyang parents ug si mommy so it was easy to recognize me. After ato sige na syag start ug conversation nako. I guess nagkafriends mi since duol ramig bangko sa school. Ganahan pod syag Inuyasha ug Dragon ball and surprisingly mutan aw pod syag Sailor moon munang naa miy topic sige. Nakabantay sya nga dili kaayo ko tabian sa classroom unlike him pero naa rapod koy friends, dili lang gyud ko pareho niya ug ni Eve nga bisag kinsa ray storyahon. There was one time nga naa syay kastorya sa gawas sa room nga laki from a different section, kauban niya sa basketball. Nilabay ko dayon iya kong gibira.
N: Si Elle diay childhood friend nako.
Iyang friend: Kaila man ko niya igsuon man silang Eve, first honor man sya last year. Hi Elle
Ako: Hi...
I was very uncomfortable. Extroverts really know how to push introverts out of their comfort zone.
N: Naa diay kay igsuon?
Iyang friend: Naa gwapa gani kaayo.
So I guess bisag karon it's all about Eve.
N: Ingna bi makig ila ila ko niya hahaha
Na annoy ko so nihawa rakog kalit after saying "Sunod na Junjun." I could hear his friend laughing after that.
Pag uli nako sa balay natingala si Eve.
E: Ate nganong gisapot man ka?
Akong giingon niya ang tanan dayon nikatawa ra sya. Hays utro pod sya, nafunnyhan gyud sako. Anyway kasabot raman pod ko cause I love her. Maluoy pod ko niya kay although loved kaayo sya sa school, sometimes icompare sya nako sa balay kay lagi daw it seems like she's not doing her best enough kay dili sya consistent honor student like me. Pirmi gyud na syang kasab an samong parents. Sometimes ganahan ko magpagamay ug grado para equal ming duha but as selfish as it sounds, it's the only edge I have against her. If she's talented then it won't hurt if I try to excel at school right?
It was family day so finally nagkita gyud akong mommy ug ang parents ni Nathan. Gachika chika sila uy dayon gaipon mig table. That was the first time Nathan and Eve first saw each other pero nagsmile smile ra sila kay naa man among parents.
Tingklase nato dayon niduol napod si Nathan nako.
N: Igsuon gyud mong Eve.
Ako: Ngano man?
N: Kay pareho mog nawong.
Ako: Ah mao diay.
N: Wala lang syay bangs.
Ako: Ikaw rabay agi ani Junjun!
Nikatawa dayon sya. It was a shock for me. Usahay ra kaayo mi ingnan ug parehog nawong. After sa iyang giingon nigaan akong loob niya, di na kayko ma annoy niya. Weird no? Pero ayg pataka diha wa ko naibog niya ato.
4th year nami ato and sadly wala gihapon mi nagclassmate ni Eve. When daddy found out nga dili napod honor section si Eve iyaa napong gi kasab an sya. I still remember her running to her room crying that day. First day of school to. Wala sya nisulod. Kabalo ka unsay gibuhat ni mommy? Gikasab an napod sya. Nisamot na nuon. After nahuman ang class nidiritso dayon ko sa room ni Eve ako dayon syang gi comfort.
E: Thank you ate. Ikaw rajuy kasabot nako.
After ato gi hug nako sya.
Things have changed for me sa 4th year. Gamay rapod pero I realized na dali rako maka approach ug tawo. Agi dagway ni ni Nathan, sige man ko niyag iintroduce ug tawo. Wala na nako namalayan, daghan nakog kaila bisag sa laing section. It wasn't bad. The feeling was new but it felt like my insecurities were gone. Sige pod ko niyag surahon about my forehead bisag siya may sala ato. Annoying pero I never held it against him.
Every time naay occasion sa balay like fiesta, present gyud ang family ni Nathan ug siya sa among balay. Sometimes if naa miy mga roleplay didto sila magpractice sa balay kay daghan lagi daw ug space. Didto sila nagkaclose ni Eve. Pareho man silag batasan tbh munang dali ra kaayo sila naclose. I guess barkada na sila pero they always wanted me to be with them ambot ngano. Aw lagi part nako sa ilang barkada.
Sa tunga tunga sa school year nisamot ug ka sad si Eve regarding sa academics kay 4th year na sya and nimubo gyug ayo iyang grades so na bad ang mood sakong parents kay importante kaayo ng grades para makasulod syag maayo nga college. Sige nagug cry si Eve magabii. I felt bad for her so nishare ko ni Nathan bahin ato and automatically he comforted her. He always wanted to cheer her up and I was glad for her.
Fast forward, naa toy graduation ball and kami may gipapili samong partner. Nangutana nako akong teacher if muapil ko and I said no. Natingala ang uban giingan pako sakong classmate "Why? Kas a raka ma high school, basig magmahay ka kay wa ka niapil. Ang memories ba Elle." I won't lie, I wanted to join pero as funny as it sounds maulaw ko makigdance with a boy haha.
N: Apil nalang. Akoy partner nimo para dili ka maulaw.
Ako: Hilom diha pagpartner nalang sa uban uy malipay pa imong ma partner.
N: Ikaw? Di diay ka malipay?
Ako: Corny. Di lang jud ko.
N: Bahala ka, di ka kabalibad nako.
Tingala ko sa saturday, pagmata nako nakit an nako si Nathan giistorya niya akong parents.
N: Uy musugot daw sila nga partner ta paapilon daw ka nila.
Ako: Hoy wala man kay consent nako!
Mommy: Apil nalang gud, alangan rag si Eve muapil.
Daddy: Sige na langga naa bitaw si Nathan.
Ako: Sige nagud.
Wala nagyud ko kabalibad kay ako nagung parents may nanghangyo. Nismile si Eve murag gikilig.
E: Go sister. Good luck sa imong future uyab.
Ako: Shut up. I'll never like him.
E: So pwede akoa na sya?
Ako: Diba naa naman kay partner?
E: Joke raman gud.
Who knew those words had a little bit of truth in them.
Ball nato dayon na amaze kayko kay it felt amazing to dress up, the food was good too pero it was very memorable because that day, I realized something. Pagsulod palang nako sa venue I noticed Nathan staring at me. Sya lang gyud ang dugay kaayo nitutok. Nismile sya and iya kong giduol. While ga dance mi kay medyo clumsy ko but he always knew what to do para di ko ma off balance. It was magical, it felt like it was just us two that night. Gikilig gyud ko for the first time. While nag eat mi ni ask ko niya nganong nakig partner sya nako.
Ako: Nganong ako man imong gipili nga mapartner?
N: Because I like you.
Ako: What do you mean?
N: Crush tika. I love you.
Wow while gakaon pagyud mi niconfess sya. I didn't know what to say, I just stayed silent pero gablush ko mga sis.
N: Natingala ka ngano no? Ambot kung kanus a ni gasugod. Maybe ag katong gibuno tika?
Ako: Buang
N: I just noticed you're very hardworking and very considerate ka labaw na sa imong sister. You're beautiful but you don't seem to believe that. Although sapoton ka nako, I know buutan ka and that's why I like you a lot.
I was very flattered but at the same time di ko katuo.
Ako: Di ko kabalo unsay iistorya
N: Haha crush raman gud wa man ko nanguyab nimo. Pagkacollege na.
Ako: Buang ekis ka sa ako.
Bisag joke rato mura syag nalain. He just left the table and I followed him.
Ako: Wait! It's not that I don't like you, just give me some time to think.
Ang buang kay nismile.
N: Effective ba akong acting? Sunod lagi ka.
That jerk. I got so embarrassed ako syang gisagpa. Di rapod kusog... I think
Ako: Sorry! Wala nako gituyo!
And again he just laughed and hugged me really tight. Daghag nakakita and after sa ball daghan dayog nangutana if uyab mi. Nangutana pod si Eve pero I denied everything, saying he was just my friend.
The next day, I was looking for my book that Eve borrowed from me sa iyang kwarto. Nacurious ko kay kakita kog notebook nga pinaflowerflower kaayog cover, pag open nako diary man diay niya. At first di jud nako ganahan basahon pero naa akong pangalan so akong gibasa and I found out nga in love sya ni Nathan. First love pagyud and ang dream biya niya kay makasal sa iyang first love munang careful kaayo sya mamilig uyab. She cried when she saw him hugging me. Ang part nga pinaka di nako malimtan kay "Elle always had everything that I lacked." Omg sis same ta tbh pero naguol ko. I guess we were jealous of each other. Dili na sya katong very cheerful nga sister nako during that time pero it was always a different story if kauban niya si Nathan. I guess it's because he was always there whenever my sister was sad. Magtawganay gud na sila sa phone sige kaya dili big mystery nako. Tig text ra si Nathan nako kay di ko kaayo mutubag sa iyang mga calls. Ever since that night sa ball, sige nag visit si Nathan sa balay, murag nanguyab lol pero ana sya it's his way of showing me that he's really in love with me. He wants me to fall in love with him daw kay gahuna huna sya I don't like him at all. Of course I did. Siguro dugay nako na in love niya pero narealize lang nako atong grad ball. We often went out to eat, I often told him dili to date, ako ra syang gikuyugan kay friends mi (hahaha mapride).
Shortly, I found out na nakapasar ko sa usa ka big nga university sa Manila pero gaduha duha ko if dayunon nako kay nagplano biya ming tulo ni Nathan ug eve nga mag USC mi but nagkadugay ang days nakarealize ko nga if I stay longer with Nathan di nagyud nako kaya syang buhian. I know Eve loves him, I don't want to take her first love away from her so I decided nga mudayon ko. At first wala nalipay si Nathan pero supportive kaayo akong parents sa akong decision. I left without saying goodbye to Nathan and I never responded to his calls. I kept crying sa airport because I didn't really want to leave him. He promised biya nga panguyabon ko niyag tarong sa college but wala gyud nako sya gihulat.
Bag o pako sa University kay sige pag text ug call si Nathan nako but I never answered. Natingala nalang ko sa sembreak kay naa sya sa gawas sa akong dorm. We talked for awhile but I still pushed him away by saying "You deserve better, kabalo nako walay chance makita. Go home please." He just replied with "I understand." Nag effort syag apas nako pero ako rang gibalewala. I know grabe ko ka cruel pero I know I don't deserve to be happy if ang kapalit kay maguol akong sister. He was still kind enough to hug me before leaving pero after that wala na sya nicontact nako. There were some nights nga muiyak ko kay medyo nagmahay ko pero ako maning tinuyuan. Pagka 4th year nako, my sister called me. It turns out that they're dating now. I left Nathan with no assurance that he'd end up with Eve so I got really surprised when I heard the news. Nafeel gyud nako ang sakit sakong dughan kay I knew I still had feelings for Nathan, but still, I congratulated my sister. Without my presence, mas nagkaclose sila. They were there for each other. It's only fitting that sila ang magkadayon. Meanwhile I was the coward who left without allowing anyone to know my true feelings. I was sad but I was still happy for her because I knew she was in the right hands.
While nag college ko I met a lot of guys, handsome guys, kind guys, funny guys, but none of them were like Nathan. 4 years later he proposed to her, naa nako sa Manila nag work while sila naa somewhere in Visayas. Wala pay exact date sa ilang kasal agis covid but I know they're both happy now. Maybe mura kog bulok because I pushed someone who truly loved me away but I'll always treasure the beautiful memories he gave me, I will forever be grateful nga niapil kos graduation ball. I have many regrets in life but if I had the liberty to turn back time, I'd still make the same decisions, because my love for my sister is greater than my love for Nathan.
-Elle
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