BOTHERED

CHAPTER TWELVE: Who are you?

Nayeli

I am trembling as I walk pabalik sa simbahan ng Quiapo. I wipe away some tears that are falling down my eyes. Madame Loring took a peek inside of me and she brought out images that I am trying to repress.

Ilang taon na ba since nangyari yun? It's been three years already but the fear is still as fresh as it was before.

I stop and look at the charm bracelet on my arm. It is made up of different beads and crystals. It serves as my protection against them.

Madame Loring said that I am connected with that ghost I am with and it makes perfect sense. I can sense what he feels, have a peek of what he thinks and we even share the same dream.

Nakakatawa coz I thought finding my soulmate will be magical like what others say but there is nothing magical in finding out that my soulmate is a ghost.

I was about to walk again when he appeared  right in front of me. His handsome face appeared so close to mine I have to step back from him.

He still found me! Grrrrr!!!!!

Umiwas ako sa kanya but hinarangan nya ako. Umiwas ulit ako but he still blocked my way. If he is a typical ghost I will just have to walk right pass through him but he is not just some typical ghost.

"Can't you just leave me alone?! I've done my part kaya lubayan mo na ako!" I shouted making other people look at me and then they started murmuring. I don't give a damn! Bahala na kung isipin nila na may tililing ako basta I had enough of this!

"Hindi mo ba narinig yung sinabi kanina ni Madame Loring? Ikaw lang daw ang makakatulong sa akin. Just help me get back to my body." The ghost said.

"Body? You don't even know if buhay ka pa nga talaga diba?" I exclaimed.

"Miss okay ka lang?" One bystander asks me and I just shoo him away. I heard him saying 'baliw' habang naglalakad papalayo.

I returned my attention to the ghost in front of me. "Diba nga she said that I could still be alive because I can dream?" The ghost said.

"It was my dream. The red flowers, white butterflies and the vast field that was mine and since we are 'connected' you probably dreamt of it too."

Biglang nalungkot yung expression nya. I don't want him to have high hopes tapos in the end madisappoint lang sya.

"Mahirap umasa at maniwala sa isang bagay tapos sa bandang huli kabaligtaran pala ng inaasahan mo ang sasalubong sayo." I said.

"But I still want to give it a try. So please Nayeli help me." He pleaded.

I let out a sigh. What's the point of running away if this ghost will always find me no matter where I go?

"Panagako if it turns out dangerous for you ako na mismo ang magpapahinto sayo sa pagtulong." He added.

Tyler

I don't know what made her say yes. Siguro naawa at nakulitan na naman sa akin but I am glad she's here to help.

I stare at a two storey house in front of me. Sakto lang ang laki nito but what's striking about it was its decorations. There were lots if different crystals or ornaments hanging outside the house.

"My mom isn't here right now but my younger sister is. Don't wander around the house basta sumunod ka na lang sa akin." Nayeli said so I just followed her.

Pagpasok namin ng kwarto nya mas nagulat ako kasi napaka daming nakasabit na bagay sa may kisame ng kwarto nya.

"What are these things?" I ask her.

"Dreamcatchers ang tawag dyan." She said while opening her computer.

"Are you collecting them?" I curiously ask her.

"Nope." Matipid nyang sagot.

"Then why do you have so many of them?"

"They are here to filter out the bad dreams. It is an old native indian belief." Nayeli replied then I heard her typing.

I stare at the different dreamcatchers hanging on the roof. They come from different shapes and sizes.

"You must be having terrible nightmares to be needing a lot of these things." I said then Nayeli stopped typing.

"May mga bagay tungkol sa akin na hindi mo na kailangan pang malaman ghost." She said then she started typing again.

Ang sungit ha! (-___-)

"Let's focus on the things that you can remember first." She said then she turns her chair around and looks at me.

I tried to recall kung ano yung mga bagay na naaalala ko.

"I remember driving a car, my mom's voice a guy named Rick." I said.

"Yun lang? How about your mother's name?"

I shook my head. I recognized her voice but I still can't remember her name. Nagkamot ng ulo si Nayeli then she grunted. "How can we find out who you are if yung lang ang mga bagay na naaala mo? Hindi mo pa ba naaalala ang pangalan mo?"

I shook my head again. Simpleng pangalan nga lang di ko pa matandaan. How will I ever return to my body in this condition? Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Ate? May kasama ka ba dyan?" Someone ask from behind the door.

"W-wala Tony! Nag-sasaulo lang ako ng lessons. Matulog ka na." Nayeli replied.

"Sigurado ka ba dyan? I feel something weird coming from inside your room parang may kasama ka dyan." Sabi ulit nung boses.

"I'm fine Tony matulog ka na!" Nayeli said then we heard footsteps going away. Nayeli looks at me again.

"Alam mo aabutin tayo ng ten years dito kung ganito lang kaunti ang naaalala mo." She said.

"Why don't you try to give me names? Malay mo bigla kong maaala as we go through them." I suggested.

So we started from A down to the letter R but nothing still rings a bell.

"This is pointless! Napaka daming pangalan. Suntok sa buwan if makukuha natin yung name mo using this style." Angal ni Nayeli.

Alam ko naman din yun but I am still not losing any hope.

"Ate Nayeli pahiram pala ako bukas ng tie mo! May cosplay kasi kami sa org." Sigaw nung kapatid ni Nayeli behind the door once again. Suddenly the word tie rings a bell for me.

"Bukas ko na ibibigay Tony!" Nayeli replied then she looks back at me. "Bukas na lang natin ituloy ito. Pagod na ako." She said then she stands up from the computer desk.

"Wait! I think my name has a word tie in it." I exclaimed.

"Tie?" Kunot noong tanong ni Nayeli sa akin.

"Yes!"

"Tyrone? Tyrese?"

"Hindi eh. Can you give me more names?" I said but Nayeli grunted then she jumps inside her bed.

"Antok na ako kaya mabuti pa bumalik ka na lang bukas okay Tyrone, Tyrese or Tyler whatever your name is." She said then nagtalukbong na sya ng kumot.

My eyes widened with recognition. "That's it!" I shouted. "Nayeli wake up! I think I know what my name is already!"

Nayeli sits up and looks at me with a smug face. "Ano?" She asks.

"My name is Tyler and my friends call me Ty." I said with a huge smile on my face.

Sa wakas we are up to something already.