La Cuevas #3: Beautiful Scars

Chapter 33

"Sino raw?"

Nagkibit balikat ako at naghila ng sariling upoan, nang magtanong na naman siya.

"Ang kuya mo?"

Inginuso ko ang second floor. "Nag-iingay sa taas."

"Won't he join us for dinner?" Ate Celine asked.

"He's with his band mates." tipid na sagot ko at umupo. Naupo si kuya Loren sa kabisera. Sa gilid ay si ate Celine katabi si Cohen. At dahil gusto kong mapalapit sa bata, ay tumabi na rin ako sa kaniya.

Gulat na lumingon sa akin ang bata kaya nginitian ko siya. Nag-iwas naman ito ng tingin at nanahimik sa kaniyang puwesto.

"Then let's ask them all to eat with us. 8:30 na rin, oh." Dagdag pa ni ate kaya natigilan ako. Alanganin akong lumingon sa kanila, at nagtama ang mga mata namin ni Kuya Loren.

He looked at me worriedly and held the hand of his wife to signal her. "Let's just let them practice. Bababa naman ang mga iyon kung gutom na sila—"

"I'll call them." Sabi ko at tumayo.

"No, it's okay. We can eat now and just ask the maid to take their foods upstairs." Sabi ni kuya Loren at tumingin ulit sa akin.

Si ate Celine naman ay natahimik at kinagat ang sariling labi bago nahihiyang tumingin sa akin. I chuckled at them.

"You think I can't face him?" diretsong tanong ko kaya naman pareho silang umiling.

"No, no, that's not what we meant—"

"Then I'll call them now. They might not notice the time, but I'm sure they're all hungry. They will all eat with us tonight." Pinal na sabi ko at ngumiti sa kanila bago nagpaalam na aakyat.

Aaminin ko na may kaba pa rin sa tuwing naririnig ko ang pangalan niya. May kung ano pa rin sa akin ang nabubuhay sa tuwing kaharap ko siya. Pero kumpara noon, ay sobrang laki na ng pinagbago ng nararamdaman ko para sa kaniya.

I still consider him as the only man that I truly loved even with just the short period of time that we've spent together. But that should just remain that way. He should just remain to be the person that protected me and has been my home. Because the only person that I should focus on, is myself and no one else. I am my own protector. I am my own home.

Umakyat ako patungo sa second floor at diretsong nagtungo sa studio. Sa labas pa lamang ay dumadagungdong na ang mga insturmentong ginagamit nila. May kumakanta, pero hindi iyon kaisng lakas ng mga instruments kaya hindi ko rin maintindihan.

Kumatok ako ng tatlong beses at hinintay silang magbukas, pero siguro, sa sobrang ingay ay hindi na nila narinig. Hindi na ako muling kumatok pa. Hinawakan ko ang door handle at kusang binuksan ng kaunti dahil hindi naman iyon naka lock.

"She's fly effortlessly
And she move like a boss
Do what a boss do
She got me thinkin' about gettin' involved
That's the kind of girl I need, oh.."

Sinalubong ako ng nakahahalinang boses ng lalaki. I stopped and kept my hold on the door handle to listen, and it took me seconds to realize that it was Luke's voice singing inside.

"She got her own thing
That's why I love her
Miss Independent
Won't you come and spend a little time?
She got her own thing
That's why I love her
Miss Independent
Ooh the way we shine, Miss Independent, yeah."