EMchanted Hub

I heard it even in the silence. I felt it until my way home. I saw it with the colorful bright lights on. We were in love. It was true love. 

That feeling made my ball memorable last February 19.  Everyone was at their best mask that night hiding the blues and giving off pleasure. From their sneaking eyes, I saw how grand and fascinating the event was. It gave me joy and made me feel the real love, not that romantic type of love but rather a more genuine one of which I knew will cause me much pain after 25 days. 

My senior high school life has given me a new taste of delight and with Zeus on it, it is incomparable. It hurts me so much thinking that someday they will only be traces of my history and that I will never get the chance to get back and experience them again. The screams and shouts, laughter and tears, the jams and chitchats, the room of memories, the teachers, and those beautiful faces of reality and hope – I will miss all of them. Now that we’re near to the end, it seems like a year is not enough for me. 

I was smiling and laughing that night but deep within, I was already feeling the sadness of losing them. I guess it’s always like that when you really are in love. I love my senior high life; I love Zeus, which is why my heart was pricked.

The night was even more momentous when I read the class prophecy I made for us, well not just made but deeply envisioned for us.  I owe my co-students a big part of the wonders and success of my life so I didn’t let the chance of speaking for their dreams to slip away. That prediction of mine to our future is my way of showing them my support and I belief that they can reach their goals and be that someone they dream of. 

Through their claps, yells, laughs, and even silence, together with the shimmering lights, I experienced the real cheer of life and love even when the show was over and I’m already on my way home. That was really “amore” back there. We were definitely in love. 

My dreams never left my mind each passing day of my ever challenging life and I know, same thing goes on with everyone of you (na bisan unsa pa man imong ginasagubang makahunahuna ka sa imong mga gusto someday). We live for our dreams of which that fuel us to get up every day despite the hardships. And for me, being here today is already a great blessing knowing that finally hapit najud ko maabot sa Yehey part of my life.

Well earlier, memories has taken back and for this moment, let our dreams take us forward. Let’s set our time travel machine to 2028 and see how things go after the ten long years.

I was awaken by the loudest and annoying scream of my nephew playing his mobile game of which he kept saying was the coolest of all times. He always said it was cool and hopes to make one soon in the future just like his idol Kim Raya did, the maker of his game. I stretched up and turned on my spotify playing the song of Merrymie Gellipa on the playlist of Top Hits Philippines 2028. Yes! It’s 2028, and today is February 19, ten years after the ever historical Graduation Ball.

Many things have changed into our lives since that moment and I witnessed those changes as I go to school and work every day passing the busy roads of Nabunturan City. After some moments of preparing myself, I went to the kitchen and read the stacks of magazine at the table while eating breakfast. The first magazine was the “Philipine Primer” of which featured my favorite cakes, dishes, and yummy everything from “Kusina ni Ameathon” owned by the chefs Jhea Gallentes, Janzeane Marie Nanali, Jeddediah Alcantara, Judy Gacus, and Lorrien Beldera. The mag also presented the recipes of the famous one, Chef Kaye Lorelie Batar. The next pages made me crave for the yummy treats so I transferred to the next magazine which covered Ruben Tablina, one of Asia’s top models, who is at the same time an author having the best seller book which I saw at the National Bookstore lately. The content surprised me when I saw a lovely kiddo, the daughter of Shannen Kate Logronio and Al Dexter Quiban, as she nailed the world in her performance at the “Little Big Shots PH”.

I was about half of my plate when my phone rang. It was a call from Kizel Marie Lumantas, a classmate and now a teacher of our dearest NNCHS. She invited me as a guest speaker for the ribbon cutting and inauguration of the school’s new building which was designed by Architect Jill Eden Faye Humol and worked by Engineer Cris King Senagan. Teacher Kizel also noted me that we will be meeting at the school’s gymnasium of which she is proud to say “nahuman na jud after all these years” and that’s thanks to Engineer Justine Bryle Macaso.  After she hung up, she said that we will be meeting everyone so I should be there and so I did said yes.

When I finished my morning routine, I said goodbye to my dogs and reminded my Mother that the puppies will be having their check up with Doctor Philip Ronnin Sibayan at 10 AM. I drove my nephew to school who is still playing his game so I told his teachers, Ms. Aliah Nowein Buchan for English, Mr. Jun Anthony Navales for Math, Mr. Robert  Casil for Science, Ms. Jennyvev Tancio for Filipino, and Mr. Roi Vincent Tayco for MAPEH, to get his phone and make him sing and dance as awesome as they do in front of the class when caught playing his game. On my way to work, something went wrong to my beebee car so I checked it and saw that the wheels are not good. Luckily, there is a shop nearby (so wala kaayo ko nagstruggle) owned by Benjamin Hermosura, well it is not just a small simple shop but a huge and progressive one. A staff told me that successful co-technicians settling from different parts of the world worked together with Mr. Hermosura such as Mr. Johnfe Alasa-as from Manila, Mr. Johnjale Cabatlao from Dubai, and Mr. Christian Joe Lupiba from Singapore, Mr. Jake Mark Abapo from Japan, and Mr. Dexter Dumile from London.

The aura was somehow busy when I reached work. I was walking down the hallway when I heard someone calling “Hey Doc!” I turned back and said “AGURAAA!” teasing. It was Marjay Loren Agura R.N carrying a patient’s chart with somewhat an urgent matter. When she left, I continued walking to my office and passed by the nurse station. I saw Nurse Helen May Lebron catering the patient admissions and Megan Reyes, the head nurse, accommodating endorsements at the table. I bumped into the ever blooming head pharmacist of the hospital Erica Ann Abao and the funny one, Pharmacist Jayra Juab “It’s going to be busy a day dude!” And yes, duties filled my whole day. Well, I’m used to it. It’s always like that when you’re the Resident Doctor on duty and it would be even more stressful if Doc Clyde Jayson Cosadio would go on a vacation with her adventurous wife (adventurous because she’s a geologist), Twilight Mahilum.

Before I drove home, I went shopping some groceries at Romero’s, a supermarket by the highway near Km 90 owned by a close friend, Crischel Ann Romero. I didn’t saw her there because she was in Manila for a business trip together with Venus Narvacan. Venus is a model and also an owner of about 18 beauty salons and boutiques in ComVal. They both shared their overwhelming experience on their flight as they heard a familiar voice on the PA, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board to the Philippine Airlines flight PR – 143 to Manila. This is Capt. Kent Raya and with me is my co-pilot Kurt Justine Revelo…” They were both startled and wondered if the pilot was our classmate, then someone tapped Venus. "Ma'am we're about to take off. Please fasten your seatbelt," said the familiar voice which was Angelica Tan's, a flight attendant.

As I finished buying the essentials, I remembered that my mother gave a list of things to buy at the hardware so I went to the store where I usually go for such things; I saw a familiar face of which I remembered a former classmate in elementary, Mr. Joemarie Amor, who is now a professional in electrical installation and maintenance. When we finished the little talks, I suddenly remembered my nephew who is probably straining his eyes in an internet café. I went to Raylar Bulaco’s Raysheen Internet Café at Purok 4 but he was not there, to Clarice Jane Camarin’s KentaJean Net Café at Purok 13 but still no sign of my nephew, and finally to Dodong.com, one of the 50 internet cafes Kiziah Abenoja owns in the whole Davao Region, where I heard the shout of my nephew and where I dragged him out. I suspected that things might go wrong with my nephew’s eyes if he would continue to abuse them so before we went home, I brought him to Doc Stephen Abenales’ clinic for some check up and to find an eyewear fit for him.

We were driving along the downtown road and everything was quite different, from what it was 10 years ago, with all those gigantic billboards. Huge pictures of Joshua Pinojermoso endorsing “Master, sekreto ng mga gwapo” caught my attention. On the other side was Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Jien Ryle Patunob modeling the Zeus Corporation, the top construction and civil engineering company in the Philippines which owned by Eng. Patunob herself, Eng. Emmanuel Carancho, Eng. AC Lumasag, Eng. Jovanie Cabanig, Eng. Yolando Serjas, Eng. Abbyl Balangan, and Eng. John Paul Pamaylaon and Eng. Justhine John Monton.

It was indeed a stressful day so after dinner I hurriedly went to my room to rest and somehow prepare my speech for tomorrow’s event. To let my nerve chill, I read my favorite stress reliever book written by Psychologist Jessabyl Balangan. She just never fails to give the best advice to everyone. After that, I prayed, thanked for the great blessings and asked for forgiveness, called it a day.

The day of the ribbon cutting came and I was very excited because I would finally see my second home for 11 years and the faces that once made my life the best. The alumni from different batches arrived little by little at the event. The celebrities, Daphne Chan Poliquit and Kint Dave Panon were the most awaited, specially their fans. I was surprised when Ma’am Princes Cherrymae Llacuna, the head teacher of science department, introduced me to their new principal, Ms. Bea Phoemella Taray, Ed.D. I also met my former classmates who are finally geodetic engineers just like what they’ve hoped for, Eng. Anro Fabe Dagohoy and Eng. Rosie Mae Atibor. On the way to the comfort room, I met my neighbors Therese Joy Inso who now works at the Provincial Capitol as a computer programmer and Victor Manalili Jr. who is currently a registered nurse and is planning to enter military. Upon hearing Victor being an R.N., Therese remembered Chiara Sofia Nicolas who can’t come to the event because of her busy schedule being a nurse abroad. Among the VIPs who arrived was the General Gezzan Dave Urbano, the PNP Chief Secretary, who is accompanied by Colonel Verenice Dianne Fuentes, the DOST’s Secretary Vincent Marmito,  and Vinje Joshua Sumile, the Chairman and CEO of Philippine Red Cross.

The program was about to end when my phone rang. It was a call from my mother telling me that I have to go home because of an emergency. I felt very nervous and hurriedly bid farewells to everyone saying that we'll see each other again next week for the real reunion. When I got home, something seems strange. I went inside and was super shocked when I saw that funny smile of my ex-boyfriend meeting me by the door. So this was the emergency my mother was telling about, my husband, Justine Rome Ardepuela coming home after years of long distance relationship (that's because he chose his career abroad over me so LDR) hahahaha. 

The short time we spent together during the event was amazing and astonishing, getting to see some old friends and heard good news about the others. I reminisced and just realized that my Alma Mater was indeed like a huge factory of leaders and great individuals. Moreover, I am proud to be one of them.

Well, there will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits. I say to you, my co-students, that everything may seem unreachable but if we will keep on fighting for it with a brave heart, every single word will come true.

Good luck to each and everyone and may the prophecy come to reality.

"Let this lovely night inspire you, the love you feel guide you, the smile in your face move you, and the love of God show you the way."

God bless us all! 😇