I woke up so early dahil malayo pa ang school ko, higit kumulang isang oras na byahe. First day as a college student kaya dapat presentable. Sa school allowed pa kami for one month na mag civilian ang mga freshies. Nag suot na lang ako ng HW pants, at naka tuck in ang isang black Korean tee, sinuot ang nike na rubber shoes.

Nag lagay narin ako ng sunscreen, cheek tint, mascara and lip tint para mas mukhang presentable naman. Kinuha kona ang bag ko at dina ako nag paalam pa dahil tulog pa sila, nag iwan na lang ako ng note sa may table at umalis na papuntang sakanyan ng jeep.

"Good morning, Au." Bati sakin ni Ree kaibigan ko mula 1st year highschool. "Good morning din Ree, wala pa ba sila?" wala pa yung mga ibang naming kaibigan. "Good morning sorry late." Bati ng kambal si Keron, at Zero. "Okay lang tara na."

Habang nasa jeep diko maiwasang kabahan ng onti. Di parin kasi nag sisink ata sakin na college nako, parang kahapon kaka graduate ko lang ngayon eto papasok nako sa university.

"Au, orientation ngayong araw na to diba?" tanong si Keron. "Oo, bakit?" mukhang may binabalak itong isang to. "Yes, sa wakas makaka hanap ng bagong crush." Ayon, crush puro crush. "Ikaw Ke, tantanan mo ang crush crush nayan ha." Mataray na saad ko sa kanya.

"Ze, tayo lang pala ang magkasama nyan. Maghihiwalay tayo per course e." sabi ko kay Ze, kaming dalawa lang kami ang engineering saming apat. Si Ree, psychology. Si Keron, nursing. "Oo, pero magkakasama parin naman siguro tayo ng lunch." Sana nga.

Di nagtagal ay naka rating na kami sa school, Tarlac State University isa sa mga colleges dito sa Tarlac. Magaling ang pag tuturo, maganda ang standing ng school sa mga boards. Kaya dito kami nag aral, dream school narin kumbaga.

Sa gymnasium ang orientation ng lahat ng freshies. Madami ng tao nung pumasok kami and agad kaming nilapitan ng mga seniors para itanong kung anong course namin.

"Au bye dito ako sa may bleachers. See you mamaya, text me okay?" Si Ree, nag punta na siya sa may bleachers.

"Dude, Au dun ako sa may right side sa stage. Kita na lang tayo later." Sa right side ang nursing.

Kami naman ni Ze, hinahanap ang mga engineering. "Engineering po kayo ate?" tanong nung isang student, diko sure kung mas matanda samin or ka age naming. "Yes, saan banda ang mga engineering?" Si Ze, na ang sumagot. "Dito po kayo sa may court." Okay wow, ang dami rin pala naming. "Okay thanks."

Nakakita agad kami ng upuan ni Ze sa may bandang gitna okay na kami rin. Hindi rin naman naming trip ni Ze sa harap. Tumingin tingin ako sa paligid at nakitang pinagtitinginan kaming dalawa ni Ze. May dumi ba kami?

"Ze, nakatingin sila." Bulong ko kay Ze. "Wag mong pansinin." Sabi ni Ze, matapos lumingon din.

Gets ko naman kung bakit nag titinginan sila. Gwapo si Ze and matangkad, basketball player din ito kaya maganda ang katawan. Ako naman maganda, sakto lang ang hubog ng katawan pero sabi nila malakas ang dating. Oo alam ko naman na maganda ako, syempre ganda rin naman ng nanay ko. Panigurado, heartthrob nanaman si Ze.

"Hello po." Natigilan ako ng may bumati sakin na babae sa tabi ko. "Hello, hehe" I don't like talking to people I don't know but since it's the first day I'll let it pass. "Hi, I'm Celeste. Civil Engineering 1A. Ikaw?" well, she looks nice naman and kaklase kopa. "Hello Celeste, I'm Aurelie, but you can call me Au. I'm your classmate and so is my friend." Turo ko kay Ze. "Wow, that's nice at least I know someone already. Your friend is?" tanong niya with matching glimmering eyes. I know that look. "Si Zero, but you can call him Ze I guess." Nakipag shake hands naman si Ze.

Celeste and I were talking about our life just to ease the boredom while waiting for the orientation to start. Until the emcees went up to the stage. It's time to start. Sa wakas like hello ang init din naman kaya dito and ang daming tao.

"Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen welcome sa Freshies Orientation." energetic na bati nila. Nagsigawan naman ang iba sabay shake ng mga balloons. Mayroon kasing color coded balloons per courses, saamin maroon.

Nagsimula na ang program with the Prayer, then Philippine National Anthem, Awit ng Tarlac, and the University Hymn. "Okay now let us welcome our university president Ma'am Stella Q. Reyes for her welcome address." The president gave her speech very fast with me only remembering that she welcomes us here.

"Now freshies, ready naba kayo? It's time for the course cheer." Bago nag start kanina may mga lumapit na student council ng engineering samin and sinabi yung cheer ng College of Engineering and Technology. So nag start sila with CBA, CAFA, CCS, CASS, CPAG, COS, CHRM, CCJE, and last kami CET.

"Now let's hear it from our maroon sharks, the College of Engineering and Technology." We all stood, kahit na medyo tamad ako makisali. Simple lang naman ang amin e. May nag tambol na kaya go na.

"Maroon, black and white, maroon, maroon, maroon, black and white. MAROON SHARKS FIGHT." With matching hands pa yan. After nun umupo na kami and nagkinig na sa mga orientation about the school, some subjects, and rules and regulation, the clubs or orgs, and etc. Malapit na matapos almost 12 narin and gutom nako.

"Now let us welcome our Supreme Student Council President Mr. Chancellor Pierce Y. De Silva." That name, it sounds familiar to me. Kaya napatingin ako sa stage.

"Au?" Zero called me. "Yes?" I asked.

"Ree, texted and lets just wait for each other daw at the pathway." He informed me and I just nodded.

The Student Body President gave him speech and I was just looking at him when He caught my eyes. I almost got drown from his stares. It seems impossible that he caught my eyes when there's thousands of eyes looking at him.

"Welcome beautiful and handsome freshies to Tarlac State University if you have questions don't hesitate to ask me, or the student councils." With that he ended his speech and went down.

I don't know what happened, I just knew that it's already done and we can now have lunch, finally. We went out the gymnasium after a few people went out, we didn't want to join the crowd. As soon as we stepped out of the gates of the gym Celeste waved goodbye because she will meet her friends.

"Au, let's go?" Zero said as we walked. We saw a few people staring at us again. It didn't take that long until Ke and Ree showed up. We decided to just eat at the canteen, since we're all really hungry na, while the boys were ordering since they volunteered Ree and I went to look for seats because the canteen was packed with a lot of people.

"Au, there. Come on, let's go." Ree pointed out at the vacant table near the electric fan. "Au, ang daming gwapo kanina, tingin ako ng tingin kanina. Lalo na sa mga Engineering." Eto nananaman tayo sa mga gwapo gwapo. "Nako Ree, baka si Ze lang tinitigan mo ha?" mapangasar na sabi ko sa kanya. "Au, ano ba past is past." Nagkagusto kasi dati si Ree kay Ze noong highschool kami. "Wala akong nakitang gwapo kanina Ree." Diko naman kasi hinahanap yan.

"Hala ka ate, andaming gwapo tapos dika nag hanap. Pati nga yung student council Pres si Chancellor ba yun ang gwapo." Well gwapo nga naman siya pero wala akong panahon diyan. Di nako naka pag salita dahil bumalik na si Keron and Zero, at kumain na kami.

Naisipan naming tumambay lang muna saglit sa canteen at nag kwentuhan, itong si Ke ayun parang si Ree din, maganda daw mga nursing student. Nasa tamang course daw siya. Si Ze naman as usual nakikinig lang samin di rin naman kasi palakaibigan si Ze parang ako lang. Kaya naming dalawang magisa, maging independent, kaya madalas kami magkasundo nito.

Di nag tagal umalis na kami at lumabas at mag ikot muna dito sa main campus. Tinignan narin ang mga buildings and room, si Ree sa may SH building siya doon lang ang building niya dina lumipat unless PE. Kami naman ni Ze, meron sa Engineering Building, sa Main, and sa Lucinda Campus. Hiwalay ang building ng Engineering tumatawid pa ng daan. Ang Lucinda naman dun sa Ke sasakay pa ng shuttle, di na naming pupuntahan dahil nakaka pagod na.

Upo kami sa may mga study tables dito sa Main and nag pahinga. Masyado nakong pagod ngayon araw na to gusto ko ng umuwi pero may meet ups pa kami sa mga Orgs naming mamaya. Tumayo na kami dahil pupunta na kami sa mga kanya kanya naming org.

Habang nag lalakad sa may pathway di inaasang natanggal ang tali ng sapatos ko kaya tinali ko muna sinabihan ko naman si Ze na hintayin ako.

"Au, may dadaan." Nagmadali kong tinali ang sapatos ko at sa pag tayo ko diko inaakala na nasa harapan ko mismo si Chancellor.

"Your shoelace is still untied properly." Pagkasabi niya noon ay lumuhod siya at tinali yun. Di ako agad naka react kaya natali niya na. "Oh, no need kaya ko naman." I said stuttering a bit.

"I know you can Aurelie, nice to see you again. See you around Aurelie." With that he left and I stood there looking at him.

Love, Lara...

sorry for all the wrong spellings and grammar.

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