Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 2

Transition from high school to co-education college was fairly smooth for Jessie. The first school chum that he had was his seatmate Al, a laid-back, soft-spoken kinda guy. Hence in the recent days, lunch was longer just eating per se. Though apparently quite, Al was always inclined to the interest in girls. In one of their first rather intimate conversations, Al had to be curious.

"Bud, (short for "buddy") let me ask you something. How many girlfriends have you had?"

Jessie let out a smirk and replied, "What interest is it to you? Are you up to something, man?"

"Nah, I'm just curious. Someone like your stature, your wit and guts... you must have played them all haven't you" Al jokingly said.

"You know, this may sound arrogant, but I've never been to a woman... well except my mom." both gentlemen laughed. "I've never really been in love, you know. I think I'm too young to be in love. There's just so much more things important than that love thing. I have my priorities and certainly girls? hah! They're not on top of my list." Al just nodded along with pouting lips.

Silence breath by. Then Jessie uttered "Well what about you, man? You look like your the silent-but-deadly type of guy. How many hearts have you broken?" Jessie said with a taunting smile.

"I've been to one...who's not my mom by the way. *hehe* But that was not l-o-v-e. It was one of those 'I wonder what if's' things I did back then. Nothing serious."

It was a few tics away before their next class. They forget to check the time amidst their conversation.

"Are you gonna eat that? Finish up already. We're gonna be late again, man." says Jessie.

"Come on, lighten up a bit. It's okay to be late in the next class, you know.... Hey! look! Look!" Al whispered. "Now that girl, that's gotta be wife material. You can tell."

"You're 16 years old. You're already talking about wife? What are you talking about??"

"You got me all wrong, bud. See," Al transferred and sat beside Jessie and placed his arm around Jessie's shoulder, "What I meant was, if you have someone like her, you're guaranteed a broken heart, a steady flow of tears or infidelity would never come near you."

"Maybe you're right. Hey I've seen that girl in my first day here. She loves to drink iced tea, too."

Al looked at him funny. "You're stalking her? You're a stalker ma' black man??"

"What?! Of course not. On my first few days here I've been doing more observing than conversing you now. So I see people and I see what they do, what they eat, what they wear... Look, look... see that big guy over there with an arm band? He's actually trying to hide a tattoo... And he's gay by the way."

"That guy? That guy who always gives me the eye when we cross paths?"

"Yyyyuupp.... He's a she. Saw him totally checking out a classmate of mine.... YOU!" Jessie let out a huge laugh.

"Shut up!" Al smirked.

"I'm not kidding. I'm certain."

"Whatever man. Lunch's done for me. Let's just go."

The two went up to there next class.

Jessie teased Al all the way to class.

It was a good day.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 1

The morning alarm from his small clock beside his table went off, bringing defeat to a long lazy sleep. Jessie just tap the snooze button asking for a stretched five more minutes. But before the alarm clock could set off again, the door swung open and a loud spank to his thigh swept all the sleeping dust away. "Get up sleepy head! You're supposed to be having breakfast by now. Get up! *spank!* Get up!" "Five more minutes, mom, please..."

After the morning rituals, Jessie rushed off to school. He was nervous yet anxious for the first day of school. It seemed like only a month was spent for his entire high school. This is his first time in four years to be studying in a co-education. This thought alone kept him uneasy driving all the way to school.

Parking was trial and tow-away. He was unsure if it was legal to park in a n inviting space. He was already running late, "oh, what the heck." So he did left his car there.

First days are always like a guessing game. You don't know what kind of peers you will have, or if some will play you an outcast, or if the class bully would fave you. Anyhow Jessie just set all those frowns away and kept telling himself "you are here to learn. Period", just to make himself feel lighter. The school was flowing colors in and out of the campus. everything and everyone was new. He was still searching for a familiar face in vain. "Hey dude!" a guy's voice caught his attention. When he turned his head, he thought that was for him". So he just brisk walk to find his class. "Room 203.... room 203..... oh, there it is." He stood in front of the door, took in one deep breath and looked around a bit. A pretty face stood amongst the crowd in a moment, then became one with the crowd. Well that certainly brought Jessie's nervousness to a low gear. One more breath then he enters the room. You could tell it was school's first day. Not very conversations going on, people are seated in intervals and everyone is obviously not themselves. He finds a seat at the back row, his favorite spot in a classroom.

Lunch time was fairly quiet for Jessie. Around his table, the only sound heard was his spoon and fork against the plastic plate. Just about 4 tables to his off hand, he saw a fresh familiar face. She was drinking iced tea, Jessie's favorite beverage. This prompted him to buy one for himself. After a quick time check, Jessie got off to his next class.

The first day turned out to be unexpectedly smooth. His classmates were generally warm to everyone. "Well I guess this spot was okay.", Jessie thought to himself as he turned on the ignition to catch up with the afternoon rush hour on his way home.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky

Just for fun, I'm starting out a sort of short story series in here in my blog. I'll be sorting my postings for this by chapter. I'm hoping when I end this story it would be sufficient enough to make a short story book, if compiled all together. So I'll title this "Under The Same Grey Sky". Just to give a preview, it'll basically be a love story, but I'll imagine my hardest to make this a unique love story and not just one of those I've-heard -this-story-before kinda romance. Anyways, I hope you'll indulge in it and be entertained somehow. I'm suggesting you listen to a mellow, white-noise, soft music while you read my story, just to bring you inside the story and make you feel part of the plot. Enjoy=')

Bata bata ang saya-saya

Yesterday as I was on my way to my patient's house, I happen to pass by these group of children, about 6 of them somewhere between 4-5 years old. Judging from their uniforms, I'd say some of them were fresh off from school, while the rest of them donned on their less than casual clothing. They were joyously playing with a bicycle, complete with it's training wheels. Each of them were very busy playing with their chum, so to speak. They never even bothered to give me an eye as I pass by them just a breath away. They were all "in their game" oblivious to the things around them, at the moment.

Looking at them brought me back to what it was like back in the days. I realized childhood is supposed to be the best times of our life. It may not be the best chapter, but hey, it stands out. When we were young, all we ever worry about is play. Everyday we step into our make believe world, playing with toys in ways not even mentioned in the instructions printed in the box. We don't need to work, instead we play. We don't need money, just a playmate or a toy. Basically a child does 3 things: sleep-eat-play. No worries, no problems. Well if we did have a problem, we always have the magic word - "mama" or "papa". We let them carry our burden for us. In a child's life, you live to play.

After over an hour I finally finished treating my patient. I said my goodbye to my dear patient and went outside their residence as I waited for my pay. I still see the kids playing. Forgetting about time, even forgetting to put down their bags from school. I just cant help but give off a grin.

As I garner more years to my life's resume, I came to appreciate more the sweetness and innocence of childhood, a stage in each of our lives where we once thought life is easy. I cant even remember the last time I hold a toy. Somebody once told me that it is unhealthy if we don't let the child in us out once in a while. We were once children. As we age, that child didn't die. It is still in us. Problem is some people take life seriously. So serious that they refuse to let the child in them breath again. They didn't know that they are slowly killing a certain part of themselves. I guess I'll end this post by saying, let the children remind us who we are and who we should not forget.

Peace out!
=')