We were young and Ateneo was the only place
we ever wanted to go to.
Even though most of our time were spent in class,
and most of our classes were spent in that huge classroom
called Ateneo Avenue,
and most of our theories were declared on that enormous rostrom
called Four Pillars.

We were young and Ateneo was the only place
we ever wanted to go to.
We are old and Ateneo is the only place
we ever want to go to.

Our shoes track mud as we walk through the football field behind the Ateneo building, having snuck past the silhouette of a security guard who spent a few too many minutes checking on his beat up motorcycle.

Her flats are probably ruined. While my sneakers are littered with earth which my parents will notice later, asking, “where on earth did you go?”, though in reply I know I will only be able to smile, still unpracticed as I am in white lies.

But I don’t worry. Worry is the last thing on my mind as we make that long stretch from the track and field oval to the clearing which overlooks the Marikina skyline. We could have taken the long way and skirted past the grass, but part of me is glad that we are here instead, footsteps sloshing through wet soil which reminds me of the downpour that arrived only hours ago.

There’s a thunderstorm nearby, and the clouds have formed a grey and lonely ring around the field. Out in the evening she points out a lightning strike, and I notice how those bursts of light bring out the features of a muddled sky. With every muted roar I note a previously unnoticed cloud, whose outlines become clear for short moments.

I point out a small **** in the soil, and make a cautious jump to the other side, ungraceful as I am. She’s nimbler and makes it across first, laughing as I fumble with my footsteps, more leftover rain seeping into my socks. And then, like that, we’ve made it to the football field’s far end; it’s quiet, save the occasional rumble of thunder, and I steal a glance at her, still taking it all in.

The Ateneo football field ends on an unfenced promontory, with brambles and crooked trees marking an entry into wilderness, the track and field oval a cautious boundary. This land, she says, is traced out by a faultline, the leap between the overlooking soil and skyscrapers below a memorial to a previous quake. The branches of trees frame our view with leaves that block out dim stars.

Out of her sling bag, she pulls out a towel, and stretches it onto the damp asphalt. We sit down on the cloth and stare over the cliff, wondering at how we arrived here. My reason is still catching up to my heartbeat, and all these spare and separate details seem to come together in sharp clarity — the aftermath of monsoon rains, the low glow of a night sky, the clouds which gather around us in smoky pillars and open up into the crescent moon, her voice.

Wreathed as it is in shadows I can still catch the small shape of her smile.

With much pride, honor, and dignity,
We look back to our antiquity
We were once young seeds that cultivate
To become the best and ultimate

If we were once budding, blooming, and blossoming,
What more can you and I expect from what’s coming?
Paths are crossed once more to recognize and witness
The start from which we’re all of grace and wittiness

From Darwin, we have built the foundation of our dreams
Oh! Everything was exactly the way that it seems!
As I turned my vision to my left and to my right,
I saw a stunning sight which brought much joy and delight

Darwin is again number one!
A big banner read as I ran
It is a great honor for a Darwinian like me
For all these praises and recognitions I see

I clearly remember my best friend from the past
a woman with wisdom that is wide and vast
Anjealhet is now a famous disc jockey!
With outstanding skills, there’s no doubt she will be

She nurtured her skills in University of Santo Tomas
Graduated with flying colors and an A+
I knew that she will, I knew that she could
That in being a disc jockey, she would be good

Another guy, I know so well
In the field of medicine, he didn’t dwell
Instead, Henry became a computer engineer
His accolades gave him praises and cheer

He is now famous for his work
His love for computers does have a great perk
University of the Philippines helped him to achieve
He could be even greater, I believe

The best entrepreneur in town is Lance!
From University of Santo Tomas he received his diploma
He could market anything and everything
He is resilient from whatever the world can bring

He knows how to take risks and communicate well
Anything you give him, he could sell
He has a way with his words that is essential
And that is his biggest credential

Cyjay is a man with dignity and chivalry
And now, he is a medical doctor in military
In University of Santo Tomas, his skills were enhanced
From a doctor to a man of the country, he advanced

Being a military doctor shouldn’t be taken for granted
Because this is what he really wanted
His contribution to the community is significant
Because being in a war is a predicament

An entrepreneur is what Cheska decided to be
In Ateneo de Manila, she received her degree
She is known for the best market strategies
Methods, systems, and analogies

Her dedication for work is incomparable
Her conviction and determination is admirable
All around the world, she is known for being a tycoon
Surely she’ll become better, we’ll stay in tune

Jason is a man with fervor enthusiasm and eloquence
Who advocates that peace is the world’s essence
He is a strong individual who seeks for justice and integrity
Which drove him to become an ambassador who fights for equality

He graduated from Ateneo with multiple degrees
He’ll become even greater, I foresee
His dream of becoming the head of the UN General Assembly
Is a fantasy turned to reality

With my eagerness to become even greater
De La Salle University helped me to become better
I, Angeline, am now an accountant
In terms of money, I can become your consultant

With my skills in literature and finance,
Being an accountant and a writer, I have to balance
Now, I want to venture into teaching
For in my life, I want to find more meaning

AT NIGHT, THIS PLACE

IS YELLOW-LIT AND DESERTED,

A STRANGE COMFORT FOR THE PENSIVE,

FOLLY FOR THE HAUNTED.

YOUR NAME

IS ETCHED AT THE BACK

OF MY HEAD,

HIDDEN, IN A GRID,

WHERE MIERZWIAK WOULDN’T

FIND YOU.

AT NIGHT, ATENEO AVENUE

IS YELLOW-LIT AND DESERTED,

I REMEMBER:

"THIS IS WHERE I SAW YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME."


I FLICK MY CIGARETTE AND MAKE UP

A GOODBYE,

LIKE JOEL TO CLEMENTINE,

AND HEAD BACK

TO WHERE

THESE YELLOW LIGHTS

CAN’T FIND ME.