Some Cup Of Eudaimonia [TO BE PUBLISH UNDER PII]

Ang Wakas

"Since I was 8 year-old, I become the bank of the family," she said and chuckled. The crowd laughed a little like they got Adira's point. "I was jealous of others who's just simple doing things they love and enjoying life by spending their money as much as they want. It made me think, maybe I am the most pitty child on earth because I lived as Adira–a girl who has nothing and just breathing," patuloy niya. 

Napalingon naman ako sa'king gilid nang mapansin kong umiiyak na ang kaniyang ina. Agad naman siyang pinatahan ni Anna at Eya na parehong nasa kaniyang tabi. 

Ibinalik ko ang aking paningin sa harapan kung saan nakatayo si Adira. I saw how she sighed hard before talking again. 

"Life is unfair. Iyon bang ikaw na nga iyong nagpakahirap hindi pa kampi sa'yo ang panahon para abutin ang mga bagay na iyong pinapangarap. I became a hopeless one when I reached 18, doon na simulang mas lumala ang mundo ko. Hindi ko na maintindihan, ang daming dapat pagdaanan, ipaglaban para lang mabuhay." I clenched my fist by hearing it. Hearing her story made me want to hate life but I can't. "I'm asking myself, hindi naman ako sundalo pero bakit tila pakikipagdigmaan ako sa mundo para maisalba ang sarili ko? Ang buhay ng mga taong minahal ko?" tanong niya sa kaniyang sarili. Ang boses niyang normal ay naging garalgal. 

Minsan nasa kaniya ang aking tingin, minsan ay mapayuko ako dahil 'di ko siya kayang tingnan na nasasaktan. 

I've never witnessed all of her dawnfall days kasi inaamin kung iniwan ko siya sa mga panahong iyon. I can still remember when I have received a call from my mother that my father was in jail dahil nagpadala ito sa presento sa ginawa niyang mali. At oo, tama si Adira, my dad stabbed his father. Noong una hindi ko matanggap, pero iyon ang katotohanan at wala na akong magagawa roon maliban sa... igante siya para malaman niyang minsa'y naging patas din ang mundo sa kaniya. 

When my dad surrendered to the police because of what he did, inamin kong nasaktan ako at hindi ko nakayanan. Natakot akong harapin si Adira kaya ako hindi nagpapakita sa loob ng ilang buwan. Paano ko haharapin ang taong minsan ko ng pinangakuang ako ang magsisilbing kanlungan niya kung sinaksak ng ama ko ang ama niya? Not until... I discovered the truth because my father tells me everything and he said it according to what happened. Walang labis, walang kulang. Puro at walang kasinungalingan. 

I slowly faced her again when I heard her talking. "I wanted to jumped the story to the most painful battle that I've experienced. It was a long tiring day for me, after our exam... I'm with my special human during that time. He invited me to the bookstore to buy me some books that I wanted to have. I was happy yeah... super. Kasi unang beses kong nararamdaman na mahalaga ako at may taong handang magparamdam no'n para sa akin. That was Jepoy, the man who wore an olive green polo, sitting on the chair on my front," mahaba niyang sabi. Naramdaman ko naman ang tingin ng mga tao sa akin. 

I saw how she gives me a genuine smile that made me melts inside. Before she avoided her looks on me, nagawa ko na siyang ngitian ng matamis. 

"That man is my safe haven way back then till now... He did the responsible that my parents should be the one to do. I don't know, I just met him unexpectedly in our class and then he became my sugar daddy." Nang masabi niya iyon ay napuno ng tawanan ang loob ng simbahan. Miski ako ay natawa na rin sa kaniyang sinabi, pero nanatili siyang seryoso. "I'm just kidding. But yeah, he became my life support. He let me borrow his money for me to take the exam. He let me lay on his bed to rest without any malice, he is really a gentleman–a respective one." Napalunok ako ng paulit-ulit sa kaniyang sinabi hanggang sa matagpuan ko na lamang ang aking sarili na naging emosyonal. 

I got my handkerchief in my pocket and wiped my tears that were about to crash on my cheek. Until now, she really knows my weakness–that was her.