Breaking Clouds

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1.

Nilingon ko ngayon ang mga dumaraang mga matataas na istraktura ng syudad. It's funny how this was once a home, a comfort, ngunit nagbago lang sa isang iglap.

The asphalt road that now we're on makes me so sleepy, idagdag mo pa yung music sa headphones ko. Imbes na matulog, I want to watch the tall buildings and what makes the city, a city. Gusto ko pang makita ang mga nagdaraanang mga tanawin, even for the last time. But at the same time, I don't want to see what destroyed us, what destroyed me. I don't want to see this damn city that I thought was a safe place. Yun naman ata ang rason kung bakit kami naglalakbay ngayon.

"Matheo ijo, okay ka lang ba?" nagulat ako sa tanong ni Mang Ben. Mang Ben has been our driver since I was in elementary. Kapag matatapos na yung class ko everyday, siya yung nagtatanong kapag okay lang ba ang araw ko. He was the only one who always ask me the same question. And I too, have always said the same answer, 'Fine'.

But this time, it was different. I can't seem to make up the four letter word to say that I am doing fine. Nasanay na ako sa mga actingan. Ngunit ngayon, wala akong ibang paraang maisip. Hindi ko na kaya mag-sinungaling muli lalo na sa harap ni Mang Ben, the person that can read me like an open book. Wala akong magawa. All I can do now is to lower my head.

"Kakayanin mo yan," he nodded and focused at the road. I too, focused on the passing scenery once more. The buildings were getting lesser and lesser, and there were more trees than before.

Kaya? That's the question I also don't have the answer to.

I woke up to the sound of the back of the car door lightly slammed shut. Nandito na pala kami. I went out of the car and observed the scenery. Malayo. Malayong malayo sa siyudad na kinalakihan ko. Green was the dominant color in my eyes. Not like the city where always it has the colorful lights but had the hint of grayness and paleness. The wide land was full of grasses, it looked like a scene from a Ghibli movie. Something that you can't see in a city.

I went inside the house kung saan lumaki si Dad. The house was not the mansion type, ngunit malaki-laki na rin. Enough for an actor and politician family. Dito kami tutuloy habang magpapahinga dito sa rural. I don't even know kung ilang weeks kami dito. Baka aabutin pa nga ng ilang months, but hopefully not. Hindi sa pinag-mamaliit ko yung dito but I don't want my life to be stuck here. I'm just here to, relax. Spend time for myself at nila dad. I'm here to breathe normally again.

Pumasok ako and examined the architecture. The old like but unique framework of the building ang bumungad sa akin pagkapasok. Namangha ako kung gaano kadetalyado ang mga ukit, front door pa lang ito. Inakyat ko ang hagdan papuntang ikalawang palapag kung saan ko nakita galing si Mang Ben. Habang minasid-masid ko yung iba pang parte ng bahay, there was an opened door of a room that caught my attention.

Out of curiosity, I went inside the room yet I just saw something normal. A small room na may nagkalat na mga brown boxes sa sahig. There's also a window at maliit na balkonahe sa labas. A terrace, cool.

"Oh, Theo. Kamusta na?" Nilingon ko kung saan nangaling ang pamilyar na boses. Si dad. Sinalubong niya ako na may ngiti sa kaniyang labi.

"Mukhang napadami yung dinala ni Jiselle Dad ah," I said looking at the box that was piled up at the room we're now on. As much as possible, I'll avoid that question from now on.

"Didn't I tell you to stop calling her that? She's your mom," stepmom. "Anyways, may aayusin muna akong papers. Make yourself at home," he tapped my shoulder at tuluyan ng umalis. I don't even want to talk about her. Ayaw na ayaw ko. I just detest the fact na pinalitan nila Dad si mom. End of the story.

Pagdating ni Mang Ben galing sa paghatid kay dad napagkaalaman ko na kwarto ko pala to. I stayed here then for almost a year when I was maybe in 2nd grade ngunit wala na akong matandaan. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano yung kinain ko kanina.

But this room feels so nostalgic. I feel something of longing. Something na gusto kong gawin dito. Something na gusto kong balikan. This room feels like it holds a thousand of memories.

Pumunta ako sa balkonahe. The view was certainly pleasing. You can see the wide land full of grasses and also yung dagat. There are only a few houses but it feels lively. Ano kaya ang nasa town na ito?

Nagpaalam muna ako kay Mang Ben bago lumabas ng bahay. Mang Ben has been always the father figure of mine kahit hindi halata. Siya yung tao na sumasakay sa mga idiotic na bagay na ginagawa ko, he's the one who'll sign whenever may kailangan na permission from guardian since palaging wala si Dad.

Pagkalabas ko, the breeze of the cold wind ang sumalubong sa akin as I tried to fix my untidy hair. I followed the road that was not covered in grass. Hindi katulad sa lungsod na yung mga daan ay puro sementado, malawak, at normally busy. But here, it's just pure soil, narrow, and peaceful. Maswerte nga na this town's road is not rocky and muddy.

It was really peaceful hanggang sa umabot ako sa mukhang townsquare. There are a lot people, maraming sumisigaw habang naglalako at nagkuwe-kuwentuhan dito at doon.

What's nice is sa gilid ng townsquare may malaking map na nakalagay. A map of the whole town. Sa may taas ng mapa, nakaukit sa kahoy ang salitang Villa Juntos. Ah. I'm guessing ito ang pangalan ng lugar. Some flooring was in cobblestones at yung iba ay nakasemento o lupa lang talaga kaya ang cool tingnan.

I just remembered, Sunday pala ngayon. Baka yan ang reason kung bakit ang crowded dito. But isn't Sunday normally a family and relaxation time?

According sa mapa, the library didn't seem to be that far kaya nagsimula akong maglakbay muli. La Biblioteca. That's library in English right? Hindi uso ang taxi ngayon but Spanish words na?

Malaki yung library, that's for sure. Pagkapasok mo ay ang isang malaking chandelier na nakabitay sa kisame ang sasalubong sa iyo. I observed each detail na mayroon ang library na ito. How come hindi kilala to? For sure if this place is known, magiging famous ang whole town na ito. It seems like luma na ang estraktura ngunit matibay pa rin.

I went to the horror section. Hindi ito yung pangkaraniwang binabasa ko but I just want something to knock me off my feet. Ayoko ng drama ngayon. Ayaw na ayaw ko na may bagay na maaaring maikatulad sa nangyayari ng buhay ko right now so I'll stick with horror.

Pumunta ako kung saan nakapwesto ang mga mesa at upuan. Minabuti kong dito na lang sa gilid, malapit sa bintana para walang istorbo baka sakali man. But there weren't any person than me dito, I guess that won't be too possible.

Sa mesa, there was a journal and a book. Nakasarado ito maliban sa aklat at may dalawang pen na nakapatong dito. Naiwan yata. I wanted to leave it just at it is but there was a hint of curiousness that urged me to look and check it out. In aesthetic lettering, sa journal may nakasulat na Sora's.

When I was about to pick it up, may kamay na dumapo sa mga gamit. Tiningnan ko kung sino ang may-ari nito only to find a girl. She was wearing some flared jeans, worn out converse, and a gray sweater but her dark brown hair in low pigtails suited her and her outfit the most.

Wala akong kamalay-malay na this certain girl I'm now staring at right now will be the most important and crucial plot of my life.

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Pscyke's Note:

I hope that you guys will enjoy this book. I used Switzerland as the town's reference for the reason that it helps me, and hoping that you too, to visualise Villa Juntos better. And yes, lalaki po ang dumadala sa kuwento. Most books I have read ay puro babae kaya I wanted to challenge myself in terms of writing. I sincerely hope you will look forward to reading it as you get to know Matheo and his perspective. I truly hope you will enjoy seeing the world and her through his eyes.