Ystillo Teatro

“𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒”
𝚐𝚠𝙸𝙲𝙴𝚢𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚑
𝚃𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝
𝙱𝚂𝙸𝚃 𝟺-𝟸0𝟻

“𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦! 𝘐’𝘮 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦. 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶!”

I can still remember the time when I entered my first class. I was invisible. Sa unahan ako naupo, sa tabi ng pintuan. Walang naupo sa tabi ko o sa likuran ko. Wala ring nagbalak na kausapin ako.

Yet all was fine.

Come on, who doesn’t like silence and peace?

Speaking as an introvert, that was definitely my ideal every day. Hindi ko kinailangang gamitin ang social battery ko. Ibig sabihin—marami akong energy na matitira pagkauwi sa bahay. Hindi ako paplakda kaagad sa higaan.

However, despite that being an introvert’s ideal every day—

I wished not to live that.

Na-mi-miss ko ‘yong mga kaklase ko noong senior at junior high. Sure, I know that we are connected despite our distances from each other. Pero kahit na ganoon, hindi pa rin naman maiwasang ma-miss ko sila.

So, during break time, I sat under a tree and closed my eyes. Ang tahimik kong hiling ay tinangay na lamang ng hanging nagpasasayaw rin sa mga dahon.

-

A week through my quiet second year, I was hopping around three sections as an irregular student. For every subject in each section, I introduced myself using that same script.

Then, habang nakatayo ako sa labas ng classroom at naghihintay na magsialisan ‘yong mga estudyanteng nasa loob, may lumapit sa ‘kin.

“Uy! 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 ba ‘yan?” He noticed the print on my shirt. It was a symbol based on a Thai series.

Ayan na nga ba’ng sinasabi ko. Dapat yata hindi iyon ang sinuot ko.

But that’s when and where it all began.

Nawala ang katahimikan ng second year ko.

As someone who finds it hard to communicate with people, hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba akong may kumakausap na sa akin o hindi.

He introduced me to his friend, and then that friend also introduced another person. Hanggang sa naging pito na kaming magkakakilala.

Out of my three sections, only in that one did I feel… 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯. Like I am where I’m meant to be. That 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 classroom was the right place to be.

And it’s all because of that one person. Just one, who weaved the path that connected me with the whole class. We even formed a circle. We became friends.

Hindi naman maitatanggi. Ayon ay isa sa mga hirap ng pagiging irregular student.

Sa dami ng magiging section mo, hindi mawawala ‘yong feeling na 𝘰𝘶𝘵-𝘰𝘧-𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 ka sa ganito o ganyang class. Pero syempre, hindi rin mawawala ‘yong isa—or dalawang sections na hindi mo inaakalang magiging pamilya mo pala.

All it took was one person; one small conversation—and it led to hundreds of stories and thousands of laughter.

Tama nga ‘yong nadaanan kong meme sa socmed. Mga extrovert talaga ang humuhukay ng mga introvert na nakabaon sa lupa.

-

A year later, I’m still hopping around three sections—might even be four next semester. Pero, sa lahat ng school days ko, ang mga araw na may schedule ako sa section nila ang pinakahinihintay ko.

Call it corny or even cheesy—pero para sa ‘kin, ayon kasi ang mga araw na espesyal.

I will be listening to the professors with them, going to the cafeteria with them, chatting in the gazebo with them, playing card games with them, and many more things . . . with them.

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.

Minsan, napapatanong na lang ako. Kung sakaling hindi ako shiftee sa course nila, will we ever be connected? Will there be someone who would weave us a path to meet?

Maybe yes.

Maybe no.

Walang nakaaalam ng sagot.

But for all I know, I am happy being in the same circle with them.

I am happy to walk this path with them.

-

And so, I wished once again—still under the same tree and summer skies.

That for this year and many more… may all my cherished memories be carried by the Anemo Archon’s gentle wind and never let me forget them.

Na sa bawat pag-ihip ng hangin ay maalala kong may mga taong nagbigay-kulay sa aking mundo.

At nawa’y hanggang sa dulo, manatiling matibay itong taling nagbubugkos sa amin.

The maARTEs' showcase this week paved the way. And now, we're getting ready for the second wave! 🎭✨

Check out next week's lineup of poetry and short story submissions—to be posted daily, from April 20 (Monday) to 24 (Friday).

April 20: 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃𝐒 by gwICEyneth
April 21: 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 by Samantha Irish G. Seno
April 22: 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄 by Zariah Karishma Zafirah V. Cruz
April 23: 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 by gwICEyneth
April 24: 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐁𝐎 𝐒𝐀 𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐒 by Max_giee07

Submissions are still open for ALL Ystillo Teatro members, past and present. Refer to the previous posts for the mechanics/guidelines.

✍🏻 𝑰𝑳𝑨𝑾𝑨𝑵 𝑺𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑨
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17ZHQcNEiD/

📃 𝑽𝑶𝑰𝑪𝑬𝑺 𝑰𝑵 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑺𝑬
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