...7.6.5.4.3.2.1. We're all counting down the days to graduation, the day where we can finally heave a really big sigh because we're free from all the hassles, the blues and the problems that is High-school. But no matter how ecstatic we might be, how happy we might seem, it is still undeniable that leaving LLCI would break a little piece of our hearts. After all, it's not easy accepting that the four beautiful years of being together will become a memory in no less than two weeks. But still, we can't help but count our days down...


We counted down the days since we were freshmen. Since the afternoon we recited "Money" in English class to the late afternoon practices for the Ifugao dance. we laughed with our friends until one of us could barely breathe. We told our crushes among ourselves, weaving small conspicuous blushes as we talk about waffy stuff. We brought our cameras and took pictures of ourselves while holding the broomsticks we used for cleaning our Area of Responsibility. We caught little green lizards and wielded them around to scare each other off. We held the children within us and slowly, together, we let them go.

We counted down the days when we were sophomores. When we got closer in Math class and eager to cut open a frog in Biology. When we couldn't care less about everybody else because we don't have anything to worry about. When we ate every afternoon and went home late talking. When all our days were carefree, when we wouldn't have to be insecured, when we started to realize we were growing up. When we did Ramayana and spent the whole night laughing and practicing. We had all the time in the world because either everything was too light or too heavy. We remember Palompon and our one-shot attempt to discover the world underneath. We also remember the time when we got really scared because it was getting dark and there was a coming storm. We started to encounter courage and responsibility and prepared to make it a part of who we are.

We counted down our Junior days. The time when we were all nervous during first meeting of Chemistry but found out that it was in fact a really fun subject. The time in Advisory class when Mr. Pacayra first told us about Prom and half of the class flipped. Everything got serious since then. We formed enmities between ourselves and found ways to renew our friendships. We fell in love almost everyday and asked our friends for advices. We kept our last-minute attitude and brought ourselves closer to our adviser. We stayed until midnight to build our ship and practice our speech. We screamed "Sail On" and together tasted victory. We allowed our pride to swell and quarreled with each other. But through it all, we still managed to laugh together. We practiced our cotillion and blushed when we held or when we were held. We imagined the perfect Prom and we planned it well. We got dressed in grandiose gowns and handsome suits and danced all night. We were so happy that we couldn't help but cry. We loathed our Junior days but we couldn't help but smile when we remember them. They were stressful and busy and insane and we love them and loathe them at the same time.

Eagerly, we counted our days down of being seniors. The time when all our jaws dropped when the heterogenous sectioning news came out. We made erroneous assumptions about how this was going to be the worst year of high-school. Funny how wrong yet right we were. We remember the afternoons we spent singing in the classroom, playing "truth or dare" in the grassy area and talking about how well our day went. We made groups that divided us and we talked about each other behind each other's backs. We made silly jokes and strangled each other. We drove each other crazy. We told each other our secrets and soaked ourselves in the rain. We played hide-and-seek and wrote stories. Together, we faced reality and decorated it with our dreams. We learned to understand each others' depth, accept each other's mistakes and hoped that nothing ever changes. We made pressumptions that caused us trouble and our tears fell together. We took each others' hand and assured that everything would turn out fine. We smiled together and asked each other to dance. We gave definition to friendship with colorful words. We opened our hearts to let everything sink in. We forced each other to believe this isn't the end but somehow we all know that it is. We all recognize the people we have become, the changes that have taken over us and the different pathways we know we have to travel apart. We'll all hold on to our insanity for a little while longer and when we're finally ready, we'll close our eyes together, smile and break free.


...7.6.5.4.3.2.1. We're all counting down the days to graduation, the day where we can all be glamourous in our togas with smiles that say "I finally made it happen". High-school has been a dream that we all believed in and have survived through. But after all the tears, the heartaches,the anger and the laughter, it's not necessary to count the days anymore. We'll all just have to live in it, savor it and treasure it as it still lasts.