LA LUNA (ON GOING)

KAPITULO VEINTE Y SIETE

 

           ESPERANZA ALONG WITH her family and friends who just arrived near the Taal Lake and the Taal Volcano. Iba pa ang itsura nito dahil sa hindi pa nagaganap ang malakas na pagsabog ng Taal na siyang naitala sa mga librong pangkasaysayan na siyang tumagal ng isang taon mahigit.

            ‘This is Taal,’ Esperanza mumbled to herself while looking at the different view of Taal. Connor felt different and melancholic as he saw the sweet and different view of Taal and he wonders why. However, Connor’s heart deep inside of Connor seemed aching and he doesn’t like the feeling of it. ‘I never thought I would come back here with different purpose than playing the basketball game after four days from now’ he whispers to himself while staring at the beautiful view of Taal.

            He wasn’t mad to this place or even the people because he knew how good and kind the people here. He was just mad about the memories lingering in his mind for years that was reminiscing because of this place. Those memories can’t be forgotten by him and it feels imprisoned in his mind that can’t free by anything or anyone.

            ‘Isn’t it beautiful?’ someone asked from behind her and he saw someone who looked familiar to him. He felt like he saw him from somewhere in his real world. ‘It was nice to meet you again, Miss Esperanza’ he handed his palm in front of her but she just stared at it as Connor didn’t know Gregorio.

            Who’s this fucking man? He asked to himself while frowning. Do Esperanza knew this man? Is he a friend of Esperanza or just an acquaintance?

            ‘Pasensiya na kung ako’y nagsalita ng Ingles, binibini. Nalimutan ko na ika’y hindi pala marunong magsalita o umunawa ng salitang Ingles’ that made Connor in Esperanza’s body gaped as it was the first time he knew that Esperanza can’t speak and comprehend English language and still, he was using that language in this body of her. Fuck you Connor. He cursed himself. ‘Matagal na rin simula ng tayo’y magkita, at wala pa ring nagbabago sa iyo. Maganda ka pa rin’

            Esperanza hissed but Gregorio didn’t see it as he returned his gaze to the Taal Volcano. Esperanza shook her head while she rolled her eyes around. Really? They fucking think that this woman was beautiful? Fuck it. She was a Goddamn woman who keeps on having time with women in our university.

            ‘Ano kayang kinaganda ng babaeng ito?’ Esperanza asked to herself even Connor knew that Esperanza was indeed beautiful from the first time he saw her. He just don’t want to admit it. ‘Mas maganda pa nga si Thea, and she was cold and not famous unlike every time that I was in her body, maraming nanliligaw at nagkakagusto sa kaniya, kahit babae nga may gusto na sa kaniya, and it was because of me’ mahina niyang bulong sa kaniyang sarili kaya hindi malinaw na narinig ni Gregorio ang kaniyang mga sinabi.

            Ngunit napatingin naman ito sa kaniya at nagtataka ang mukha nito sa kaniya.

            ‘May sinasabi ka ba, binibini?’ tanong nito na nagpailing sa kaniya habang nakangiti ng hindi maipaliwanag.

            ‘Wala naman, siguro… guni-guni mo lang iyon’ sagot ni Esperanza habang nakangiti at napakurap-kurap si Gregorio dahil sa kakaibang mga inaakto nito. ‘Alam mo—’

            ‘Aking kapatid, hindi mo man lamang ba sasamahan ang iyong kaibigan at ipakikilala sa ating mga kaibigan?’ kumunot ang nuo ni Esperanza ng makita ang isang babaeng pumukaw sa atensiyon ni Gregorio. Tila kamukhang-kamukha ni Gregorio ito at pakiramdam niya ay magkadugo ang dalawa.

            Isa pa ay mukha itong kaedad ni Esperanza at mukhang mabait ito kung itsura din naman ang pagbabasehan. Who is this woman? Is this a friend of Esperanza? Or is she a sister or cousin of this man who approached me? Nagtataka siya at sumasabay na lamang siya sa mga ito dahil hindi naman niya sigurado kung kaibigan ba ni Esperanza ito kaya naman hindi siya gaanong nagtitiwala sa mga ito.