maayong buntag sa tanan... hhmmm... dili man jud ko maayo mo hubad ug storya pero here it is:
My Own Love Story
It all started when i was freshman in college. We were required to choose between CWTS and MTS (formerly ROTC) ug didto jud ko sa MTS kay nabitin ko sa CAT sa high school. I was the EX-O of the Bravo Company in high school but la jud mi kasuway ug handle ug kadete mga nakahukom nga ipadayon akong pagka officer sa college despite the Psy War we got during the first day of recruitment...
As the training went by, we were trained to live by certain codes of conduct. Mostly repeated jud ng, camaraderie among our batchmates: igsoon ra mi tanan, way biyaay, way uyabay...
Our Acceptance which will mark the transition from being trainees to 4th Class Officers was held on the 2nd Saturday of October '03. On the night before, on our Hell Night, we we're introduced to our batchmates from our sister unit. But there was not much of an introduction really, we know they are there but we really didn't get to know them, even their names because we were mostly running, doing exercises, following whatever orders our senior officers told us. Morning came, and we were off to our Acceptance Venue, Dominguez Beach in Panglao.
After the usual rites: Naval Dozen, stationing, and the awarding of Diplomas and medals, everything turned into a beach party with the observance of Military Discipline...
Still, we, me and my female batchmates, didn't really mingled with our batchmates from our sister unit. We were enjoying the day with our seniors and batchmates and also probably because they were all men. However, our Batch President and the President of our sister unit's batch have arranged to have a beach outing, just us without our seniors, the following Saturday.
Through a series of text messages and short meetings of which i was never able to attend due to certain school activities, we were able to come up with a decent outing. We planned to meet at the Panglao terminal that afternoon and take a jeepney to BBC. We arrived ahead of our batchmates from PMI. When they came, they told us that we will change venue because their 1st Class Seniors have also decided to have a beach outing that day and in the same venue.
Although i felt their sentiments, personally i was a bit disappointed because i have a big crush on one of their 1st Class Seniors! But still, i was happy with the change because i do want to get to know our other batchmates. Although it turned out that the venue were transferring to was on the side of our first option and have bad cottage and lighting, we were having an overnight, that we decided to return to our first option, and ended inviting our seniors to join us, there were only four of them.
At around midnight, we were already acquainted, most of our batchmates were already drunk and i was kilig all over because Red, my crush, was there. Despite the situation we remained wholesome, and no sweetums whatsoever. We've been dry for a while, so all of us decided to went back to swimming and play tag. After a while some went back to the cottage while a few of us remained on the water, me, Dolly (close friend nku), Jason (batchmate namo sa PMI), and Robert (President sa PMI)...
We were talking about our experiences during the training and other school stuff, when out of the blue, Robert told me nga, "Batch, andam nku isakripisyo akong pagka-4th Class para nimo". I was shocked! Still, composed as ever I replied, "Hmmm, hubog na jud ka batch!" And forget about it. I was flattered by his statement but since xa ang gasulti so wala lang, i consider all my batchmates as my brothers and his no exception. Ingana ko ka affected sa akong training, i always observe Military Discipline, even until now, but in the appropriate way. Usa pa sad, busy kog kakilig sa akong crush.. Heheheh...
The following morning, as we were to part ways, Jason told Robert if he remembered what he said to me the night before, la xa mitubag dayon, tan aw lang xa nku, then he said shyly "Tininuod baya to..." And la lang ko, "Diha ka, la pa man cguro ka huwasi!" As in, deadma jud ka sa iyang pa sweet sweet effect, because para nku sayop jud nga tubayan nku xa, Batch gud mi!
After the outing, medyo na suod namo among batch sa PMI, laag mi sa BQ but mostly, mag stambay na mi sa Bilyaran nila Jason after MTS formation on Saturdays. Daghan sad mi mangadto, mga 6 or seven sa among batch. I really didn't know how to play billiards then, and since si Robert ang always, either dili mag-duwa or walay makontra, siya ang nahimo nakong mentor.. Hmmm, medyo tsansing gamay, pero dili man sad invasive.. I kept telling him its useless to teach me but he's insistent, so in the end, i consented. And after sometime, I came to like the game. But still, la gihapon ko na develope niya, para nku sayop jud na.
During the Second Semester, Robert was not able to enroll, and so nahug nga nabiyaan xa namo in terms of ranks. End of School Year 04-05, we were busy preparing for our training for the Advanced Officership in Cebu that summer. He was not able to join us because there was a 10 person quota, and the active 4th Class were prioritized.
On our way to Cebu, Jason gave me a letter from Robert. And I was just laughing very hard when i read it, actually, nothing's really funny in the letter, in fact, it was serious. Pero baw ngano, gakatawa jud ko pag-ayo, gabasa sa iyang letter.
Our training in Cebu lasted for two months, approximately. And we got very homesick at times... We only went home for 4 times all throughout the duration of our training. His letter really helped me through my depressing moments during the training.
After the training, we came back to Bohol and classes resumed. During the Acquaintance Party, we meet again and gi-suna ko niya about sa letter. Well by then, i started to reconsider his application... hmmm, Since, technically, dili na mi batch and i've started to see him in a different view.
We started going out and after sometime i considered telling him yes, but, galibog ko kay hay, nabuang pa jud ko sa akong crush at that time. I didn't want to go into a relationship nga laing taw akong huna-hunaon... So, gi-klaro sa nku akong kaugalingon..
At the start of August, he informed me that he will be leaving for Mindanao, and that he don't know when he'll be back.. He asked about us, and it just dawned on me that, although, i don't feel those feelings i have for Red in him, Robert is more of a man than Red (certified playboy xa). So ako syang gi ingnan nga kung unsa xa kadugayon mo stay sa Mindanao, mao sad ang kadugayon nga huwaton niya inig balik niya dri sa Bohol before naku xa sugton.
We parted ways, on the day of his departure, he asked me to accompany him at the pier. And since it's within walking distance from where i live, i agreed to be there. We just talked about general things and as he was about to board ship, i gave him a letter with my pic(which he's been asking for a long time). In my letter, i told him how his letter helped me through the training and that i hope when he feels homesick, he'll remember home when he reads my letter. I also wrote, "Absence does to love what the wind does to fire, it feeds the strong and extinguishes the weak." as a footnote.
He stayed there for two weeks and after two weeks, on the 4th of September '04, I said "Ok, yes! Uyab na ta." And since then, until now uyab gihapon mi... with a one-year old daughter and plans to be married in the future, after he finish his studies.
***THE END***
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