Entwining our Frayed Strings (Strings #1)

Chapter 12

I woke up in the passenger's seat of the car. Hindi ko na-recognize agad kung kaninong kotse iyon dahil nahihilo pa rin ako ng kaunti. We were hitting the road fast, I coukd feel it even my vision was kinda' blurry.

I rubbed my eyes at luminaw ng bahagya ang mga mata ko. We were on an express road, hindi ko lang mawari kung saan. I turned to my left to see Ralph driving the car with his right hand on the steering wheel while the other was handing me a bottle of water.

I immediately grabbed the bottle from his hand kasi napaka-uhaw ko na. Matapos kong maubos ang bote sa isang lagukan lamang, I turned to my back. It was empty. Kaming dalawa lang ang bumabyahe.

"Saan tayo papunta?" tanong ko sa kanya habang tinitignan ko ang sarili ko gamit ang screen ng cellphone ko.

I wonder kung saan kami pupunta. Kakabiyak pa lang ng bukang liwayway, medyo ma dilim pa ang paligid pero naaaninagan naman ang malawak na kalsada.

"Secret." Ngumisi s'ya sa'kin at kaagad ibinalik ang tuon sa daan. "By the way, nasa NLEX tayo."

Tinignan ko muli ang repleksyon ko and I realized na ang pangit ko pala. Buhaghag ang buhok ko at may bakas pa ng laway sa pisngi ko. Shet naman kasi, bakit kasi ang aga-aga naming umalis.

I don't remember myself boarding this car, from the interior looks of it, kay kuya Lucas ito. I was puzzled kung paano nahiram ni Ralph 'to and when the hell did he learned to drive.

"Don't worry, nag-volounteer yung kuya mo na ipahiram 'to." He gave me an assuring smile as he continues to hit the road. "Binuhat nalang kita kanina, sayang naman ang araw kung tanghali na tayo makarating 'ron-"

"Wait, wait, wait. I need not an explaination ragarding that. 'Di ka p'wede mag-drive ah?! Baka mahuli tayo. Sana nag-bus nalang tayo. Ang shunga!" I panically exclaimed but he was still in his usual 'Mr. Sunshine' type of smile.

"Tsk. Chill, Cesca. I'm already 20." He chukled. "May license na ako since 18 pa."

"Saan ako maliligo n'yan?!" Pagrereklamo ko.

Pagbabase sa pagmumukha niya, naligo na s'ya. Fresh na fresh ang mukha niya habang mukha naman akong isdang nakalimutan ilagay sa freezer.

"May bahay kami. Bahay ng Mama ko." Pagpapaliwanag niya at napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya,

"I thought wala ka nang parents?! Eh ba't ngayon bigla biglang may nanay kana?!" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Biological mother, yes. Pero hindi ko s'ya kinikilalang nanay. Iniwan n'ya kami noong four years old palang ako just for some medyo mayamang lalaki. Ikinahiya niya si Papa kaya iniwan niya. Madali lang niyang nagawa 'yon kasi 'di sila kasal. I'm still mad at her pero pinilit n'ya akong umuwi para makita s'ya at mga kapatid ko." He explained at ngumingiti ng mahina.

"Wait. This is too much to process. May Mama ka, may mga kapatid ka pero mas pinili mong tumira at magtrabaho sa'min? Why?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

He was in a serious face and his eyes were dull. Nakikita ko 'yon kahit abala s'ya sa pagmamaneho ng kotse.

"Hindi ako gusto ng lalaking pinakasalan niya, hindi ko rin s'ya gusto. And my half-brothers think the same, ayaw rin nila ako. Noong namatay si Papa, sa kanila ako tumira for some days at maniwala ka o hindi, it was hell on earth. That's when your dad entered the story. 'Di pumayag ang pamilya ni Mama pero wala silang magagawa, I'm already 19 by that time." Pagpapaliwanag n'ya habang pilit s'yanb ngumingiti.

"Let's not talk about it Cesca, happy 19th birthday my princess." Saad niya ng may matimis na ngiti. I can't believe I still barely know the history of his life. "You're the sunshi—"