"You alone V? Where are the others?" papalapit na tanong sakin ni Atticus dito sa palagi naming tinatambayan nina Ian
"Nasa practice si Gav, si Ian naman kasama ng kapatid mo" at inalok ko to ng Nova nang tabihan nya ako "Ikaw? San ka punta?"
"I am on my way home when I saw you here. Tinapos ko lang kasi yung research ko sa library" at dumukot siya sa inalok ko "so you're waiting for them here?"
"Kay Gav oo. Si Ian e hindi ko alam kelan isosoli ni Astrid. Pakaclingy ng kapatid mo na yan e, kala mo tuko o linta"
Bahagya tong natawa "Annoying na ba?"
"Oo. Nakakairita na" sagot ko "Kamusta na ba kayo? Sabay na ba kayo lagi kumakain sa bahay nyo?"
Sumandal to at inistretch yung mga hita niya bago sumagot "It has been better. We talk more and do spend more time together. Kahit si Gali natutuwa na kasabay na namin lagi kumain ang ate niya, kahit sa hapunan man lang"
"Maigi naman" comment ko sabay subo ng Nova
"All thanks to you V" at nakangiting muling dumukot si Atticus sa hawak ko
"Apaka arte mo lang kasi. Hindi naman na bata yang si Astrid no. Tamo nga, ikaw lang tong umiyak, sya e siyang siya"
"V, she is with X.F., ofcourse my dear sister will not cry. You practically gave her a Christmas present that night"
"Ay onga pala" at umismid ako bago uli sumubo ng Nova. Pumayag nga pala ako na doon kami matulog sakanila. Napakakulit kasi netong si Atticus, tapos emote pa ng emote "Abot gang tengga nga un ngiti kinabukasan ng kapatid mo na yan at katabi nya si Ian. Sarap isilid sa sako. Samantalang ako e buong gabing nagpatahan ng baby" at sinamaan ko to ng tingin
Hindi ko alam kung inamin na ni Astrid sa Kuya nya un tungkol sakanila ni Ian, kasi parang me idea na to. Kaso ayaw ko namang magtanong at mahirap na
Bahagya uli tong natawa bago isinubo yung natitirang Nova sa palad niya "I was just overwhelmed with emotions V. I am just so happy na finally my dear sister and I can reconnect. Ilang taon ko ding inaccept yung galit niya sa akin as a consequence of what I did"
"Sus" at muli akong sumubo ng Nova "para sakanya din naman ang lahat ng yun"
"I know. Pero malaking responsibilidad pa din yung pinasa ko sakaniya. Normal lang sa edad niya ang magalit. I was supposed to be her older brother, but what did I do diba? Kahit para sakaniya pa yun"
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako "Napakacomplicated kasi ng pamilya nyo Atticus. Mayaman din naman sina Gav, pero hindi ganyan"
Dumukot to uli ng Nova at nilagay yun sa palad niya "For a lineage as old as ours V. Legacy, continuity and appearance will always be paramount. Secondary na yung emotions. You have to give up one, in order to obtain the other"
"Masaya ka naman ba?" tanong ko habang nanguya
Tumingin to sa akin at ngumiti "In a way. I am, yes. Hindi mo naman kasi macocontrol kaninong pamilya ka ipapanganak, nor the cards you are dealt with in life. You just have to accept it and make the most out of it. Kasi even if you have no control over your origin. In the end you are still responsible for your life"
"Sabagay" pagsangayon ko "Hindi mo pede ikatwiran na nagrebelde ka kasi ganito ganyan no?"
"Yes. You just have to be stronger to compensate para sa kulang. It's hard, but you got to do what you got to do. That is why it is very important that you mingle with people who can somehow ease the pain, instead of exacerbating it" sumubo to bago uli nagsalita "Kaya maswerte ako na nakilala ko kayo ni X.F"
BINABASA MO ANG
Looking Up Into Heaven (Chapter 15 Under Revision)
Random"Part of me aches at the thought of her being so close yet untouchable, but her story and mine are different now. I have been inlove with her since we were eleven and it wasn't easy for me to accept this simple truth, because there was a time when o...
