Not a story

by: Neil Urian Secretaria Mabulay

          I was from the canteen walking across the lobby when I first met this girl. She was my classmate's younger sister - Kathleen May. It was my classmate - her brother, who introduced her to me. I could never forget how she went out of her classroom and how she smiled at me that day.

              One warm afternoon just a few days after I met her, we talked for the first time. It started when she lend me her diary - I mean her sketchpad. When I noticed that it wasn't just an ordinary sketchpad, I began to ask questions; and then she began to talk. She told me a lot of things, like who she is and what she do. She told me almost everything there was to tell about herself. We were sitting there in the canteen exchanging stories for several hours and then I started to wonder. I thought she was just another common girl. But then I was wrong - totally wrong.

            I didn't know it then, but after that day everything changed. how long has it been since the last time that I talked that much? I can hardly remember. Maybe she's just too interesting that she made me talk that much. Perhaps I should get close to her. How close? Well as close as I can be, I guess.

             November the 9th, 2011 the class for the second semester started. I went school very excited as I was expecting to see her again. But that day, she never showed up. when I arrived home I sent her a message asking why she wasn't around and she answered me. She said she had to stop going to school; then she told me the reasons - they were sad. At that time, she said all she could think about was to believe that it will all be alright. I appreciated the fact that she was trying to cheer herself up. Every time I see her, she's always smiling but in fact, deep down she's crashed. I know she's crashed, I can feel it. But I can't even cheer her up, and I don't know why. That time, I was hesitating but I really wanted to cheer her up.

             Right now, I still don't know much about this girl. All I know is that, she's one of a kind. but as days go by, I am getting to know her more and more. Every night before I sleep, I always ask myself one strange question. "What made me curious about this girl?" Maybe I could find the answers soon. For now, all I could think of is to write her a story. A story that would remind her about the day when I was on my happiest. That day when we talked for the first time.

The Priest, The Lawyer, And The Physicist

by Neil Zayn


               Over 200 years ago we had the great French revolution, and one day there were three gentlemen about to lose their heads to the gelatin. There was a priest, a lawyer, and a theoretical physicist about their heads cut off. So they put the priest's head on the chopping block and they ask him "do have any last words before we cut your priestly head off?" and the priest said yes. He said "God from above, He shall certainly set me free." While all eyes run the blade, they raised the blade. The blade came down and it stopped right before it hit the neck of the priest. Well the mob have never seen this before. They were shocked, they said "God has spoken! Let the priest go." And now its the lawyer's turn. They put the lawyer's head on the chopping block and they asked him, "do you have any last words before we cut your lawyerly head off?" and he said yes. He said "Maybe the spirit of justice and mercy shall set me free." Then they raised the blade. The blade came down and it stopped right before it hit the neck of the lawyer. This time the crowd went crazy, they said "Let there be a national holiday! Today justice and mercy has spoken." And now its the theoretical physicist's turn. They put the physicist's head on the chopping block and they asked him, "do you have any last words before we cut your head off?" and he said "yes, I got some last words. I don't know too much about God and I know even less about the law. But I do know one thing. If you look up you'll see that the rope is stuck on the pulley. If you remove the rope, the blade should come down real good." Well they did what the physicist told them, the rope came down, the blade came down and the poor physicist's head came down too. Moral of the story? Sometimes physicists should know when to keep their mouth shut.

TETRIS BATTLE

DRAWN BY ME^^

I always sleep late at night and I've got nothing to do but just to play with TETRIS, an application in FB which is really in vogue right now. Previously, when I got bored, Chatting is the only thing I do because I was never interested in tetris before...then time comes that I've got no other choice but to play with it, I was then addicted to it and as time passes by I realized there's this guy whom I always play with which I never expected him to treat me like this Because he got a girlfriend and to be Honest he was the guy whom I find cool when I saw him in school, I don't think he's that handsome. Maybe I was just attracted to him because he got the things I like on a guy like he's a tall guy, a thin one and a white guy. :)))))))))))

By the times that we're chatting I din't let him feel my likeness to him because I know my place in talking to a committed person who I admire. We enjoyed calling stupid nicknames with each other, talking , teasing and laughing, sharing secrets, funny memories and what so ever until the time comes that her GF got jealous with me, he told me what happened and he was just like..."nahh! Don’t mind her!, we're not doing anything" and I was like..ohw? it seems like he enjoyed talking to me" and I'm so glad knowing it but I know how girls feel when their Boys are like that so I minimize my time chatting with him because I also notices that lately our topic was all about their misunderstandings with her GF. The way he shared to me the happenings of their status seems like their relationship is going down but I still see sweet greetings on his wall so because of it I kinda feel that they're going stronger and they're just fighting the times we are chatting.

Every time we're chatting we always come up to their relationship and that he's talking to me like he's broken or cheated by his girl, I feel pity for him because he's like a martyr guy to his girl. Then..

After a few days of ignoring him, I was playing with tetris when he challenge me to play with him so I accepted it, I thought we'll be playing but we were just chatting on the chat box at the lower left side of the application. I don't notice the time because I really had fun talking to him and also with our topic which is already all about us. This is the cycle we do every time we are chatting...and I think I like him each and every day which I know is going to LOVE and I think this is very WRONG! why? because he was just having fun while talking to me and that means that he was just playing with me so why would I long for the one who's not even in love with me when there's a guy who will truly love me? Soo I'd rather be the girl he runs to when he's broken than to be the girl who broke his heart.

A LETTER FOR GUYS

Finding perfect girls? nahh! there's no such perfect girl in this world! only that guys find perfect girls in accepting who they really are in any way. Guys call her INSECURE,

SENSITIVE, EMOTIONAL AND ANNOYING but don't you know She's afraid loosing you in her life? that I'm sure she's proud having you in her life. She holds on to you like she's never letting you go, Like this is her way of expressing how lucky she is to have you. She calls you the sweetest name because this is her way of saying how special you are to her but then she heard you calling other girls names just as how you would call her, and she gets totally disappointed and you don't even care! She calls up on you, making sure you made home safely like it's her way of showing how she thinks about you and that she worries about you cause she cares so much and why can't you do the same? You call her sensitive, over reacting when she cries when you do or say something wrong when crying is her way of telling you that it hurts especially when you were the one saying that to her and you can't even understand it. She just love you more than you do. This is just her way of dealing with the fact that your relationship wasn't like the way it used to be before AND THEN YOU CALL HER DRAMA QUEEN! SENSITIVE!ANNOYING! well, go ahead!... Leave the insecure,Over reacting, sensitive, annoying girl. She will soon be much happier in the arms of someone who actually deserves her.


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ALMOST DESTINY

by Neil Urian Seretaria Mabulay 

            It was 12 midnight when I fell asleep; nakipag chat pa kasi ako sa Tita ko from India. Natulog ako ng mahimbing at sa pagtulog ko, I had a dream, it was a very beautiful dream. Nasa isang lugar daw ako at may isang babae; puti ang kanyang suot, abot hanggang balikat ang kanyang buhok, maputi siya, slim at sexy. Maganda siya in other words at mas matangkad siya sakin ng konte. Nilapitan niya ako at sinabing, “ngayon lang kita nakita rito, bago ka lang ano?” Tinitigan ko ang maganda niyang mga mata at sinabing, “hindi kasi ako taga rito. We’re just having a stop over. Aalis din kami agad–agad.”

         Napangiti siya sa sagot kong yun. Tinitigan ko siya ulit at napansin ko ang nunal sa ibabaw ng kanyang ilong na lalong nagpapaganda sa kanya. Nag–usap kami ng nag–usap at sa maikling panahon ay umibig ako sa kanya. Niyaya niya akong mamasyal at pumayag naman ako. Nilibot namin ang buong lugar na magkahawak ang amiing mga kamay. Ang sabi niya’y nakatira daw siya sa may simbahan. Nung kailangan ko nang umalis, hiningi ko ang kanyang phone number. Niyakap niya ako at dumampi sa labi ko ang matamis niyang halik. Hindi ko alam kung anung ibig sabihin ng panaginip kong yun at hindi ko rin kilala kung sino yung babaeng yun. Ang tanging alam ko lang ay, ang nangyari ay isang magandang panaginip.

         Two days later, my family and I have decided to go to Camotes for a vacation. Pag dating namin sa pier, nag overload yung barkong sana ay sasakyan namin papunta dun, kaya napilitan kaming lumipat ng barkong masasakyan, dun sa kabilang pier. Pagtungtong namin sa kabilang barko, nagulat ako nung Makita ko yung babaeng napanaginipan ko. Puti rin ang kanyang suot gaya ng nasa panaginip ko and she was sitting on a seat a little ahead of me, sa may bandang kanan. Tinitigan ko siya at alam kong napansin niya yun.

         Couple of hours later, lumabas ako para bumili ng noodles. Pagkatapos kong bumili, I went on the rear side of the boat para kainin yung noodles ko. Habang kumakain ako, bigla siyang dumating. May dala siyang isang camera and she stood next to me. She's a photographer pala at pumunta siya dun para kunan ng letrato ang bilog na buwan. at kinunan niya ng letrato ang bilog na buwan. Habang kumukuha siya ng letrato, nabunggo niya ako ng di niya sinasadya at nag sorry siya sakin. It was very romantic knowing na kaming dalawa lang yung nandoon and we were under the bright moonlight. We stayed there for quite a long time hanggang sa dumaong na yung barkong sinasakyan namin. Nauna siyang bumaba at magmula nun ay hindi ko na siya nakita.

          Sa pag alis niya, nakaramdam ako ng panghihinayang. Nung pababa na ako ng barko, napa-isip ako habang naglalakad palabas. I was wondering if, anu kaya ang nangyari kung nag "Hi" ako sa kanya? Siguro yung "Hi" kong yun, might change my whole future. It was at that moment when I realized, that destiny pala is composed of two things – the chance and the choice. God gives us the chance but still nasa atin parin yung choice; and the choices that we made can open a chance to other people. Ang nangyari sakin ay isang magandang halimbawa. It was her choice na pumunta dun para kunan ng letrato ang buwan at sa choice niyang yun, nabigyan ako ng chance para lapitan siya at kausapin siyam but I chose not to do it. Kung kinausap ko lang sana siya nun ay maaaring magkatotoo yung panaginip ko. But I never did. Sayang!

INSANE DRAWING

by Neil Urian Secretaria Mabulay 

               My pencil suddenly fell on the floor as my eyes were blinded by the rays of sunlight. It was when I realized that the time was running out. The clock continued to tick and the time continued to run. I made a series of sharp picking up the pencil under my seat. I swiped my hand on the paper without looking. I never knew what I have exactly drawn but I’m very sure it was a curve. The bell rang and I passed my paper with a quivering heart.

               February the 20th 1991, I was born in the hospital near our village. My father was a driver and my mother was an accounting clerk. Since I was young, my parents knew that I have an eye for art so they brought me to a painting school. Like my mentor, I am also left handed. I was six years old when I won my first painting contest. That was the first time that I joined a competition and I won a gold medal. It was an immense victory knowing that my opponents were graders.

               Now I am here in a painting contest, sitting inattentively and having no idea what to draw. I looked at the other contestants and they were busy rubbing their paper with a wet brush. I placed my right hand under my cheek and took a deep sigh. The clock continued to tick and the time continued to run. By that moment I knew that I have no chance of winning. I nearly lost my hope but I never gave up. I transferred on the next seat near the window, I tried to think several times but still I have no idea what to draw.

            My pencil suddenly fell on the floor as my eyes were blinded by the rays of sunlight. It was when I realized that the time was running out. The clock continued to tick and the time continued to run. I made a series of sharp picking up the pencil under my seat. I swiped my hand on the paper without looking. I never knew what I have exactly drawn but I’m very sure it was a curve. The bell rang and I passed my paper with a quivering heart.

            I felt a deep shame when I noticed that the judges were tittering at my insanity. I felt a strange feeling towards myself for being that careless. Everyone was silent when I went downstairs with teary eyes. But as I took the last step, I suddenly heard a loud voice saying that the entry number–seven is excellent and the crowd began to clap. I was stunned of what I have heard knowing that the entry was mine. I ran upstairs with embarrassment. I asked them why it was excellent and they answered me, “We measured it thoroughly and proved it. What you have drawn was a perfect circle! It is excellent because no one can ever draw a perfect circle in freehand; but you did it as if it was very easy for you. This is a phenomenon and therefore you are amazing.”

              I took my insane drawing and saw it. I faced the crowd with humbleness and said; “Ladies and gentlemen, this circle was insanely and accidentally drawn. Honestly I had no idea what to draw until I ran out of time. But I kept on thinking; I would rather lose than to give up. My optimism brought me this victory. I never neglected any trivial possibility of winning; because there might be a lot of difficult things in this world. But nothing is impossible.” That day, I learned a lesson.

ANG ESTORYA NI BENJO

By Neil Urian Secretaria Mabulay

     Usa ka mainit nga adlaw ang mipukaw kang Benjo. Wala pa gani makabuka and iyang mga mata, mitulo na ang luha nga gimugna sa naghingapos niyang pagbati mahitungod sa adlawng milabay. Kini si Benjo usa ka ambungan nga lalaki. Anak sa inilang pamilya dinhi sa Sugbo, talentado ug buotan. Tungod sa ilahang pagka adunahan, nakatungha siya sa maayo ug desente nga eskwelahan.

              Sa iyang inadlaw – adlaw nga pag tungha iyang nakaila si Kyla, usa ka maanyag nga babae. Sa una palang nilang panaghimamat, naka – angay na si Benjo sa matintalon niining kabus–ok ug sa makalilisang niining pahiyom. Usa ka adlaw niana, kalit lang miturok ang gugma sa iyang kasing–kasing nga daw sunog nga miulbo nga walay kinsang bombero ang makagahum sa pagpalong. “Husto, tinuod kini, gihigugma ko gayud si Kyla.” Sa walay pagduha – duha nasulti kini ni Benjo sa iyang kaugalingon samtang nag atubang sa liki nga samin.

         Desidido gayud siya nga isugilon kang Kyla ang iyang nagdilaab nga pagbati apan sa dihang magkaabot na ang ilang mga panan – aw, kalit lang mahugdaw nga daw sorbetes nga gibutang taliwala sa disyerto ang iyang determinasyon sa pagsulti niini. “Gusto ko gayud unta nga isulti sa iyaha ang akong pagbati apan mahadlok ako. Di ko gusting masakitan, basin maboang lamang ako sa iyang tubag.” Matud pa ni Benjo.

           Sa dasun nga adlaw, gisugilon ni Benjo ang iyang suliran ngadto sa iyang higala nga si Elly. Sa ilang panagpulong, gitambagan siya ni Elly isip usa ka higala. Gututukan ni Elly ang inosenteng mga mata ni Benjo ug gigunitan niya ang walang bahin sa bukton niini. Kalit lang mitindog ang dunggan ug mga balahibo ni Benjo sa dihang gihunghungan siya ni Elly sa malumo niining tingog. “Higala, nganong mahadlok ka man nga isugilon ang imung gugma ngadto kaniya? Tungod lang ba kay mahadlok ka sa iyang tubag? Unsaon man nimu pagkahibalo kung dili ka musulay? Unsa may apan niana? Lalaki gud, babae siya. Wala kay trato ug mao usab siya. Timan–e kini Benjo, mas magulang ka pa kaniya. Giduyan palang si Kyla, nagtuon kana sa paglakaw.” Wala makatingog si Benjo sa gisulti ni Elly. Miduko na lamang siya ug gipaak ang ubos nga bahin sa nagkurog niyang ngabil.

             Tungod sa maong sulti sa higala, nakabaton ug kusog si Benjo. Gihagad niya dayun pagsuroy si Kyla sa mall ug sa ilang panagsuroy, nikalit lamang pag “brownout.” Nalisang si Benjo sa maong panghitabo. Wala siya kahibalo kung unsay angay niyang buhaton tungod sa kangitngit. Naulaw siya kang Kyla ug matud pa niya “badshot” kadtong adlawa.

           Milabay ang mga adlaw ug sa wala hibaw-e, pasko na usab. Magul–anon ang pasko ni Benjo dili lang tungod kay hilayo siya sa iyang pamilya apan tungod usab kang Kyla. Naglaom siya nga muabot ang adlaw nga masulti niya ang iyang gibati ngadto sa dalaga. Usa ka gabie niana, tugnaw ang palibot. Kalit nga nakita ni Benjo si Kyla nga nagbarog sa iyang atubangan. Basa sa luha ang mga aping niini ug nagpula ang mga mata. “Kyla may problema kaba? Nganung nagmasulub–on kaman?” Pangutana ni Benjo. Mibakho si Kyla ug mitubag kang Benjo. “Ayaw hulata nga maulahi na ang tanan.” Wala makasabot si Benjo kung unsay buot nga ipasabot sa dalaga. Gusto niya kining pangutan-on apan dili siya makagahum sa pagpangutana niini. Misyagit na lang si Benjo ug gipugos pagbuka ang duha niya ka mata.

           “Damgo ra diay kadto!” ni Benjo nga naghangos ibabaw sa iyang kama. Mitulo ang iyang luha ug nasukmagan niya ang puti niya nga unlan. Natumba usab ang lamesa sa kusog niyang sikad. “Nganong nakamata paman ako?! Bahala na unta ug uromon ko basta kauban ko lang si Kyla.” Tungod sa maong damgo, nabalaka siya sa kahimtang ni Kyla. Gisusi niya kini sa paagi nga dili kini makamatikod. Gihatagan niya kini ug mahalon nga “Teddy Bear” isip usa ka pinaskuhan.

              Milabay na usab ang mga adlaw ug nagkaduol na ang Valentine’s Day. Lima na ka bulan ang milabay sukad nga nagkaila sila ni Kyla. Tataw pa sa iyang panumduman nga sa sulod sa lima ka bulan kanus–a wala siya makabaton ug igong kusog para isugilon sa dalaga ang iyang pagbati. Karon, desidido na gayud si Benjo nga manguyab kang Kyla tungod kay gusto niya nga magmabulukon ang iyang Valentine’s Day.

           Giduaw niya si kyla sa library ug didto iyang gisugilon ang tanan. Nagkurog man tuod ang iyang baba ug nagkayungit ang iyang sinultihan tungod sa kakulba apan dili kini rason para dili niya masulti ang iyang gibati ngadto kang Kyla. And duha ka oras nilang panagstoryahanay daw duha lamang kini ka segundo para kang Benjo. Apan kalit lang mihunong ang pagpitik sa orasan sa dihang miingon si Kyla kaniya, “pasensya kayo Benjo, apan dili ko pwedeng dawaton ang imung gugma. Kahibalo Kaman siguro nga aduna na akoy trato. Gihigugma ko siya pag-ayo ug ingon usab siya diri kanako.” Nahikurat si Benjo sa iyang nasayran. Wala siya magdahom nga naa na diay hinigugma si Kyla. Naunhan na diay siya sa uban. “Pila naman mo ka bulan sa imong uyab?” ni Benjo nga nagluha ang mga mata. “Mag upat na sa sunod semana.” Tubag ni Kyla. Ug didto natapos ang ilang panag-estorya.

           Sa paglakaw ni Benjo, gisugat dayun siya sa iyang mga higala. Gigakos niya si Carlos ug mitulo ang iyang luha. Mibalos pag gakos si Carlos kaniya ug gihapuhap ang iyang likod. Sakit para kang Benjo ang nahitabo apan wala siyay mabuhat batok niini. Miduol ako kaniya kauban kang Elly ug giingnan ko siya. “Walay nawagtang kanimo Benjo. Nasulti mo na ang tanan, ug makatulog kana gayud ug tarong sa gabie. Di ba gaan ang paminaw mo?” miyango si Benjo ug misinggit ug taman. “Wuhooooooohh… kaanyag sa nabati ko karon!” gitawag ko ang uban pa namong higala ug nag saulog kami sa kalampusan ni Benjo.