I blew the decorative candles with the shape of 19.
Every year I blow that fire from my candles, the fire in my heart also dies away. Akalain mo 'yon? Buhay pa ako. Sayang.
We had a private family celebration here at Dad's favorite cuisine, the VIP room. Walang emosyong akong umupo sa silya at ngumiti ng pilit.
Kuya Ian is busy chatting with Ate Lyn under the table, Zephanie is playing her food boredly, Mommu is facing her iPad, and Daddy... he is looking at me? Nilukaban ako ng kaba at nagbaba ng tingin. Is he mad?
I saw how his lips pursed and commanded. "Let's eat." Tahimik na kaming kumain, sinipa ko sa ilalim ng lamesa si Kuya.
"Problema mo?" Bulong niya.
"Walang forever," tukoy ko sakanila ni Ate Lyn. Inirapan niya ako.
"Kulugo mo meron."
"Aba't-" Natigil ako nang tumikhim si Daddy.
"Margarett," tawag niya na agad kong tinaas ng tingin.
"P-Po?"
"Follow me." Nakakatakot ang boses ni Dad, kaya kahit 'di ko alam kung anong meron ay sumunod ako, nilingon ko si Kuya na nakakunot ang noo.
"Anong meron?" I mouthed, pero inasar ako nito ng ngisi.
"Chismisan mo akong papalayasin kana, hahanap kita papa de asukal sa BGC."
"Marites!" Bulong ko pabalik.
"Tanga, supportive nga ako eh. Bobo nito."
Tinalikuran ko na siya. Sumakay si Dad sa elevator at 'yon din ang ginawa ko. The presence of Dad is enough to kill me in this state.
Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pag-iisip nang dahil sa kabang nararamdaman, bumukas na ang elevator, diretsong lumabas si Dad, and that's when I realize, rooftop. Tahimik akong sumunod, agad sumungaba ang malakas na hangin ng gabi, sabayan mo pa 'yong mga bituin.
Lumapit ako kay Dad sa may railing, nakapamulsa siya at sinusubaybayan ang city lights. Huminga muna ako ng malalim at nagsalita na. "Yes, Dad?"
"You're nineteen, surpass the legal age." Tumango ako nang marahan. What does he even mean? The overwhelming fear made my thoughts cloudy for me to analyze.
"Yes..." I push my self to sound unswayed.
"You're not getting any younger. You're facing the real world now, a bigger life. A dedicated and devoted heart must be your foundation." Bakit nararamdaman kong... ang sarap sa pakiramdam na sabihin niya 'to? "And, you want to prove something, right?"
"Yes po..."
"A better future." Lumanghap siya ng hangin at nagpamulsa. "That must be your destination. And you can't do it by yourself." I... can't? I can't understand him. "That's why, I made up my mind to have a partnership with the CEO of the world's biggest medical developer team."
My heart pound as its about to explode. Theory on my mind started building up. "Sorry po. H-Hindi ko po kayo maintindihan."
BINABASA MO ANG
Falling Series #1: The Rhymes in Our Fall
RomanceRaise from a discrimination called 'illegitimate child', Margarett Monteriano is forced to face the fact that she have to be perfect, neat, clean, quiet... and secretly in pain. All her life she have to do everything out of her rhyme in able to be a...
