My Other Half

8

“Where do you want to go?” A male voice asked. He is now holding my hand so tightly as if he doesn’t want to let me go. I stared at him. Black hair. Green eyes. It’s him, as always.

We are sitting on a sofa. Everything is white. From the wall to the floor to the furnitures. It feels like heaven.

“Anywhere with you.” I answered.

“There is no place called that.” He smiled at me. “Unless you mean my heart?”He added jokingly which made me smile.

Inaantay ko na si Mama sa labas ng train station. I’ve been waiting for half an hour at sabi niya sa akin half an hour ago na darating siya in five minutes. Biglang may humintong kotse sa harapan ko. Bumaba ang window ng passesnger seat and I saw my mother. Ang akala ko si Ryan ang nag-ddrive pero hindi pala. It’s a different guy.

“Anak come in!” Sabi ni Mama. Binuksan ko ang door sa back seat at pumasok ako.

“Anak, I miss you so much! Bakit hindi mo ako tinawagan for the past 3 months?”

“Busy po ako sa school ma.”

“Oh by the way, this is William. My live in boyfriend.” My mom introduced and the guy called William smiled at me.

“Anong nangyari kay Ryan ma?” I asked.

“Break na kami.” Her faced formed a scowl and she turned away from me. Nag drive na si William paalis ng train station.

“Nak, do you want to eat to Nandos before we go home?”

“No ma. Busog po ako and I’m tired. Uwi nalang po tayo.” Excited pa naman akong umuwi dahil na miss ko na rin si mama pero she has a different guy again which annoyed me. Ilang lalaki na ang nakaka live in boyfriend niya since nag hiwalay sila ni Dad.

“Ma kailan po pupunta si Dad dito?” Tanong ko sa kanya at sinuot ko ang seat belt ko which I forgot to wear earlier.

“I haven’t talked to him. Akala ko kayo ang nag uusap?”Inis na tugon ni mama. Mas lalo akong nainis sa inasta niya. It has been a year since they divorced and it feels like pareho silang walang pakealam sa akin. Ang akala ko pa naman pupunta si Dad galing Pinas.

Tahimik lang ako sa buong byahe at panay ang landian nina mama at William. I hate this. Why can’t my mom stay single? Nag away kami dati dahil ayaw niyang lumipat kasama ko sa Exeter so I had to live in dorms.

Pagdating namin sa bahay, lumabas ako agad ng kotse habang dala dala ang bag ko. Hindi na ako nag dala ng maleta because I know I still have some clothes in here. Kinuha ko ang susi sa bag ko at pumasok na agad at umakyat sa kwarto ko. I just hope this Christmas won’t suck.

Humiga ako sa kama ko at kinuha ang phone ko. I was so tempted to call Dale pero I stopped myself. It’s too early to call him. Biglang bumukas ang pintuan ko and William entered. Bakit siya pumasok without knocking?

“Lyra, your mother wants to see you downstairs.” He said. Nakatitig ang mga mata niya sa katawan ko and I didn’t like the way he looks at me.

“Okay. I’ll go down in a bit.”

He smiled at me one last time before leaving. William is British and I swear my mom has  a thing for British guys. Hinubad ko na ang coat ko at bumaba still holding my phone. Dale might call kaya I don’t want to miss it.

Pagdating ko sa sala, I noticed a lot of things has changed. It feels like it’s not my home anymore maliban sa kwarto ko which remained untouched since I left.

“Lyra. Call your dad and ask him kung pupunta ba siya dito.” Utos ni mama.

“Now na?”

“Yes.”

I sighed but I followed  her order. Hindi rin nagtagal ay sinagot ni Dad and phone.

“Hello Dad!” I missed him.

“Oh my Gaze! Musta na ang anak ko?” Gaze ang tawag niya sa akin.Lyra Gaze Wang ang full name ko. He wanted to name me Gaze and my mom wanted Lyra and they came to a conclusion na both nalang ang name ko.

“Dad, pupunta ka ba dito for Christmas?”

Narinig ko ang singhap ni Dad. “Sorry anak. I can’t, marami pa kasing dapat asikasuhin sa business dito. Your Lola has been hard on me to handle the business. Alam mo naman? Your Tita Candice moved to America kaya walang tutulong sa Lola mo.” Dalawang anak lang sila Dad at Tita Candice. We have a business sa Pilipinas at Tita Candice had been the one to handling it. Pero ever since nag divorce and parents ko at umuwi si Dad sa Pinas, she left Philippines. Pero hindi sumama sa kanya si Claud si Ate Crystle lang daw.

“It’s okay Dad. I understand.” I lied. I really wanted to see him.

“Sorry Gaze. We sent presents for Christmas and your birthday. Hopefully, dumating diyan before Christmas. And I’ll call you sa birthday mo.”

“Okay. I love you Dad.”

“I love you too Gaze.”

I ended the call and looked at mom sadly.

“He can’t go daw.”

“It’s fine Lyra. We’ll celebrate Christmas and your birthday together. You can invite some of your friends too.”

“My friends live in Plymouth ma. At birthday rin nila sa 26.”

“Me and William are here. Don’t worry.”

“Vega is right Lyra. We’ll make it special.” William smiled at me. He has a weird smile. I don’t want to assume anything pero his smile makes me feel uncomfortable.

 I smiled at him and left the living room para umakyat ulit sa kwarto ko. Maybe it’s American Horror Story marathon I guess? I looked at my phone. Tatawag ba siya ngayon?

Kinuha ko na ang iPad ko. No! I can’t like Dale. He’s my friend and a precious friend at that. Hindi ako pweding mahulog sa kahit na sino sa kanila. I can’t ruin the friendship.

I clicked Netflix on my iPad and I realised, my mom didn’t even hug me.