Achilles

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Achilles

"GOODBYE, England."

Nasa eroplano ako at nakatingin sa labas ng bintana. Kani-kanina lang ay nagtalo kami ni Mama dahil sa gusto niyang mangyari.

Kung pasaway man ako, isisi niyo 'yan sa Mama ko. Sa kanya ako nagmana, ayaw niya lang aminin. Kung pinapasakit ko ulo niya, pinapasakit niya rin ang ulo ko. Iba siya. Ibang-iba ang Mama ko. I literally fear her. Kapag nagbitiw siya ng salita ay tiyak niyang tutuparin, lumuhod, magmakaawa o lumuha man ako ng dugo. But despite all her stubbornness and fearsome attitude, I love her so much because she had given me the fiercest name a son can have.

My mother named me Achilles Perseus from two famous Greek myth heroes. Malamang nang banggitin ko si Achilles ay si Brad Pitt ang iniisip ninyo. Bagay nga naman kay Brad Pitt ang role niya bilang Achilles sa isang movie. Just a reminder though: I am more handsome than Brad Pitt. Achilles in the myth was brave, handsome and strong but like the rest of the myth heroes, he had a flaw. His heel. Kaya nga na-imbento ang mga salitang 'Achilles' Heel'.

As for Perseus, malamang ang isipin niyo naman ay si Sam Worthington sa Clash and Wrath of the Titans. Mas gwapo pa rin ako sa artistang iyon. Why am I so confident? Masisisi niyo ba ako kung ipinanganak talaga akong nuknukan ng gwapo? I was born handsome at 'di ko 'yon ginusto pero 'di ko rin pwedeng sabihing ayaw ko. Thanks to my parents' genes.

Hindi ako nagyayabang. Seryoso ako. But I will not tell you further about Achilles or Perseus dahil hindi naman ito research paper. I'll tell you something about Keeper. Me.

Ako ang pangatlong anak ni Andromache Abueva-Connors kay Michael Sebastian

Bradford. I was only two years old when my dad died. After two years, nag-asawa ulit si Mama. Si Aaron Philippe Haven or simply Uncle Aaron. Mabait siya. May anak sila ni Mama named Atalanta. Apat kaming magkakapatid.

Aurora Iris or Roiri is my witch-sister. Adonis Narcissus or Donnar is my angel-brother. My little sister Atalanta or Lan is our family treasure. Me? I am the Jester. Ako raw kasi ang pinakapalangiti sa aming magkakapatid. Ako raw ang mukhang masaya parati. Mukha raw akong walang problema. Unfortunately, they're wrong.

"Forgive me, Mama. Hindi kita mapagbibigyan ngayon."

Sumandal ako sa kinauupuan ko. I need to go somewhere else para makapag-isip. Not in England. I need somewhere else peaceful. Somewhere I know my Mama will never try to go. Sa kabila ng frozen back accounts ko, Donnar was so kind enough na pautangin ako. Somehow, alam kong ayaw niya rin sa plano ni Mama. I really love that brother of mine. He has his own love problem yet 'di niya pa rin napapapabayaan ang ibang bagay.

As I closed my eyes, memories were flooding like I'm watching a movie. And the main lead role? Me.

"ONCE upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Aurora. She was so beautiful that many princes wanted to get her hand for marriage –"

"But Princess Aurora doesn't like a prince. She wants to be the prince!"

Nagtawanan ang mga kaklase ko. I smiled with contentment. Nakakunot-noo naman ang teacher namin at binalingan ako.

"Teacher, my sister Aurora is so beautiful yet boyish," sabi ko nang nakangisi.

"And your brother is beautiful too!" sabad ng isa kong kaklase. Agad kong binalingan

ang kaklase kong lalaki na nagsabi no'n. "Your sister is a prince and your brother is a princess. You're the beast!"

And in a snap, isang batang lalaki ang umiyak dahil binato ko ng sapatos. GOAL! That's three points for Beast Keeper.