Invisible Strings

6

CHAPTER 6: RUN

May mga panahon talaga na gigising ka tapos magiging tulala ka lang. Yung nakaupo ka, blangko ang utak mo at nakatanga ka lang sa isang bagay o direksyon. Ang ginagawa mo lang ay mag-exist at huminga.

 I unconsciously smiled as the object of my blank daydreaming cocked a smile.

"You stare too much, Bella"

Hindi ko nalang siya pinansin pa. I know he'll tease me. Wala pa ako sa mood na magsalita dahil wala pa ako sa ulirat.

"Babe, why don't you go to bed? You seem rather sleepy." Umiling ako sakaniya. Ayokong mawala siya sa paningin ko. I want to remember every part of him because I feel like we won't see each other again.

"Where are we going, Doc?" Wala parin sa sarili na tanong ko. I slowly opened my window and let the wind kiss my face. Medyo sumusilip na ang araw at  makikita mo na ang dagat sa banda ko.

"We're near, Qofte." Tumango ako sakaniya at dinama nalang ang pagtama ng hangin sa mukha ko. This feels freeing. Roadtrip sa hindi alam na destinasyon with a poging stranger.

"Stephen, where's your family?" I suddenly asked. Hindi ko rin alam bakit pero kelangan kong labanan ang antok ko. I will wait for him to sleep beside me. I want to lie in his arms.

"Qofte" tunog mapang-asar niyang tawag. "You want to meet them already?"

"Gago ka, wag mokong niloloko naalimpungatan ako" mapagbanta kong sabi sakaniya. He laughed hard at me. Now I really feel shit.

"Babe, your hoarse voice makes me feel like you're cursing me." Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata ko. Too much for praying for a foreigner partner in life. Paano nga naman communication namin? Mag-eenglish ba ako forever? Ako mag-aadjust?

But this guy knows Tagalog! Just not fluent.

Bago pa ako makabwelta ay nagsimula na siyang magkwento. Stephen was an adopted child as well as his brother, the engineer Sebastian. His adoptive parents were theatrical actors which made them stay in different places and let them meet various people. Kaya pala wala akong mahanap na accent sakaniya.

I couldn't help but be proud at what they've become. Ang isa naging doktor at ang isa naman ay naging engineer. It's so amazing. I could only imagine their hardwork.

"Does your Nëna have a biological child?" Tukoy ko sa Mama niya. Nëna is mother in their language, he said.

"Nope. They weren't blessed. That's why they pick up every lost kid they could." Natatawa siyang umiiling habang nagkukwento.

"Oh gosh, don't tell me it's not just you and engineer?" Nakangiti kong tanong sakaniya.

"You've guessed it babe" nabalot kami ng tawanan. I don't even know what's funny anymore. His delivery? Yung pagiging chill niya? I mean.. I salute his parents for doing that. Imagine rearing a stranger? Only the pure ones can do that.

"Was it hard.. living with a stranger in your house as time goes by?"

"They're family, babe. We might not share the same bloodlines but we all need a family and we could be one for each other. Well that's what I've learned from that old couple"

"Ang swerte mo naman sa nag-ampon sayo." Nakapikit kong bulong sa hangin.  Halata namang maganda ang pagpapalaki nila sa kupal na to. Sana all.

I looked at his direction when he suddenly grunted. "I will fucking study Tagalog and be fluent with it so you can't curse me or what."

"Babe, just speak in your language if you're that frustrated" natatawa kong panunuya sa frustration niya.