The summer of `02 is definitely one of the best times a had in UPLB, in my whole life, even. I moved out of the dorm to my own apartment with Berong and Van. No curfews, no rules and regulations, no GUARDIANS. It was total freedom for the very first time.
I took History II and Math 26 [which I failed the previous semester because of excessive absences]. Van took Math 17 and Comm II. Beron was working on his thesis on agricultural landscape. Astro wasn't registered but he visisted me at least once a week [sweet shit].
Van and I became inseparable - the dynamic duo, the partners-in-crime. Sex, weeds and alcohol were the ingredients of our daily routine. We attended our classes, of course. [I got a 2.25 in History and 1.75 in Math] We arranged for the same schedule, 8:30 to 11:30 AM and 1:00 to 4:00 PM. We had so much time for extracurriculars.
One rare sober night, while eating our staple food SPAM, Lucky Me Chicken Noodles with egg and rice, our mature selves surfaced and we found ourselves discussing the consequences of our actions and how we would react.
A woman becomes pregnant when a baby develops inside her. Babies come from the fertilization of a sperm cell and an egg cell. A sperm cell and an egg cell becomes acquainted when a male inserts his genitalia to a female genitalia. The insertion occurs during sexual intercouse, more commonly tagged as sex.
"What if we get pregnant? What would we do?"
I remember answering without batting an eye, "Pretend it never happened, of course. We CAN'T get pregnant. We'll find a way to solve the situation." Van agreed without hesitation.
September that same year, we weren't seeing each other that much anymore. After summer, she moved out to live with her best friend Mabel and Anna moved in. Summer was a temporary arrangement since both Mabel and Anna didn't take summer classes.
Van has just celebrated her 18th birthday with a drinking frenzy at our niche Leandro's when she came rushing to me. Her pregnancy test showed two lines.
I was working at Panicles Bar that time so I didn't have the time to accompany her to an OB-GYN. Luckily, Van's ninang and my kinakapatid/soulmate Rozl did. One trip to the doctor confirmed our worst fears. Van was pregnant.
She was almost two months on the way and she was on alcohol and cigarettes prior to the discovery.
"If you push through with the pregnancy, the baby might suffer from the effects of your gimiks."
But no, Van refused to address "it" as THE baby anymore. "It" was HER baby and months later, "it" became a she. Van said she felt an indescribable motherly bond with her baby and she didn't have the heart to get rid of her.
I still couldn't understand what Van claimed she felt but whenever I see how happy she is now, I sense an inkling. I wouldn't be introduced to that feeling anytime soon, though. How can I be a hundred percent certain?
Abstinence, pare. Only St. Anne was capable of Immaculate Conception.
*.* as if! @ 6:22:00 PM • • RBJ
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