'Di Madama

• Last Chapter (Part One) •

Sinampal ko sarili ko. Ano ba?! Para namang ewan, inuutusan na nga ako at binibigyan ng dagdag gawain, kinikilig pa ako?! Parang tanga lang, Anya.

anyanez: Sure. Okay lang naman. Small thing. Hehe

rean.x: Will I see you in the morning?

Wala na. Namula na talaga ako ng sobra sa tanong niya kahit wala namang malisya! Nakakainis naman, ang rupok rupok ko pala, akalain mo 'yun!

Syempre mabait ako, nakipagkita ako sa kanya.

"So, hey..." he said scratching the back of his neck like he was ashamed of me or something. "Here's the USB."

Ngumiti ako sa kanya bago ko tinanggap ang USB niya. "Uhm, dalahin ko na lang mamayang hapon sa gym. May training naman kayo, 'di ba?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll see you," he smiled as he sent off a salute before turning his back away from me.

Buong araw gusto ko na lang na maghapon na para makita ko na ulit siya. Nag-liptint pa ako at pulbo, at nagsuklay pa ng buhok bago pumunta sa gymnasium ng school.

Ngiting-ngiti pa ako, pero kaagad din nawala 'yon nang makita ko siya sa gym na pinupunasan ni Miss Face of the University ng pawis.

Totoo pala 'yon, minsan talaga mapapa-awts gege ka na lang at saka, Lord, when kaya? Ganoon 'yung feeling habang pinapanood ko silang dalawa na maging relationship goals.

"Anya?"

"A-alesso," I said as I smiled nervously at him. Baka mamaya nahuli niya kong nakatingin sa ka-team niya. Mahirap na. "Uh... ano, pwedeng pabigay nito kay Rean?"

"Rean?" he asked.

Tumango ako. "Hiningi niya kasi pictures niya nung championship. Ikaw, gusto mo rin ba?" I asked him.

Umiling lang siya bago niya tinanggap 'yung USB. "Just send me my pictures with Arena, is that okay?" he asked.

"Sure," I smiled at him. Most of the time, I envy his family. Kasi buo sila. Kasi hindi sila kailangan itago ni Tita. Proud silang anak nila sina Alesso at Arena, hindi katulad ng Papa ko. Na kahit mga kapatid ko, hindi ako pwedeng makilala. Kaya tuwing may gathering sa part ng family nila at invited ako, ako lang palagi 'yung kakilala lang o hindi kaya pamangkin ng kung sino.

"Una na ako, i-hi mo na lang ako kay Tita, ah?" I said before waving him goodbye and leaving the gym.

* * *

I smiled looking at my grandfather sitting on his rocking chair by the window while he's looking at my grandmother's portrait.

Kakauwi ko lang mula sa school at sila agad ang nakita ko. Ibinaba ko ang bag ko at nilapitan siya. "Someday, I wish to meet a man just like you..." I told him.

Someone who would love me truly and purely. Someone who would love me even if I'm already gone. Someone who would stay by my side through good times and bad times.

Isang taong mamahalin ako ng buo at walang pag-aalinlangan. Isang taong hindi ako iiwanan.

Kinuha niya ang kamay ko. "I'm sure you will, hija..." he said that night.

And I believed in him.

I hoped that one day, someone would come into my life and love me like how my grandfather loved my grandmother.

And then he came.

I looked up at the guy offering me his handkerchief.

"Condolence," he said.