Reclaiming the Stars (Agustin Series #1)

Kabanata 3

Okay?

"Wow..." I exclaimed, completely in daze upon seeing such magical place. It's not your ordinary library, the one in front of me right now is very ancient. Most of the designs are old since the shelves are colored with dusty brown paint. The walls are covered with the contracting shades of dirty white and pale yellow.

At napakaraming libro!

"Nasa langit na ba ako?" bulong ko sa sarili ko bago ipalandas ang kamay sa mga libro. It smells nice.

Sa gitna ng library ay mayroong malaking lamesa samantalang ang mga upuan naman ay nakatabi sa isang bahagi. There's also a doorway near the corner. Dumiretso ako doon, nakasunod lang si Lorenzo sa akin.

It's a veranda! Mayroon ding lamesa sa labas at ilang halamang nakasabit sa barandilya. Kitang-kita mula sa kinatatayuan ko ang dagat. This is the best spot to watch the waves. I inhaled the salty breeze and relaxed myself.

"Ang ganda naman dito!"

"You know you're not here for a field trip, right?" nakatayo lang siya sa may pintuan at nakasandal patagilid. His arms are crossed on his chest.

"Walang pakisama," nakanguso akong pumasok sa loob at humila ng isang upuan.

Si Lorenzo naman ay nagpapatas ng mga gamit sa malaking lamesa. May inilabas s'yang isang supot kaya binuksan ko iyon.

I pursed my lips when I saw broken and small fragments inside. Sigurado akong ito yung mga natira sa nasirang dollhouse. Nagkunwari akong hindi ko binuksan ang supot at ibinalik ko sa may gilid.

Tahimik lang s'yang naglalabas ng mga gamit. There are also bags of cement, woods, wires, some metals, paints, brushes, the furnitures, glass and all of them are tiny!

Lahat ng gamit ay maliliit at kasya silang lahat sa palad ko. "Ang cute!"

Hindi naman ako pinansin ni Lorenzo. He went towards the shelves and went back with a drawing storage tube. He then opened it and unrolled the tracing paper inside.

"Ganito ka ba talaga ka-tahimik?" unang tingin ko pa lang sa kanya ay alam kong s'ya yung tipo ng tao na hindi masyado pala-salita. But I wasn't expecting him to be this silent.

"Ayoko ng maingay," he said without looking at me. Naalala kong sinabi ko rin iyon kay Sid kahapon.

He proceeded arranging all the stuffs that we will be needing. Pinanood ko lamang siyang gawin iyon. Nang matapos ay nag-angat siya ng tingin.

"Let's start," he formally said before sitting in front of me.

"Agad-agad?" reklamo ko sa kanya.

"Bakit? Ano bang pinunta mo dito?" masungit na sabi n'ya.

"Hindi ba pwedeng getting to know each other muna tayo?" I suggested. Pinagtaasan n'ya ako ng kilay. "Before working with your colleagues, you should at least know each other's basics to be able to work comfortably."

"I am comfortable," sabi n'ya. Completely declining my suggestion.

"I am not!" I said, still pushing my proposition and he just sighed.

"Good morning, Mr. Agustin. I am Priyanka Guevarra, 17. I can clean. I can cook. I can do the laundry. I can live. I can love. I can reach the heavens above," panimula ko at inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa kanya. He looked at me as if I'm the biggest joke that ever existed.

Lumaki ang ngiti ko nang akmang aabutin n'ya ang kamay ko. But so much to my dismay, he didn't reach for my hand but did the most unreasonable thing any human could do.

Using his hand, which I thought would shake mine, he pointed the edge of the paper on the table.

Ibinababa ko ang kamay ko at dismayadong tiningnan ang tinuturo n'ya. What's written at the bottom of the paper is his name.

"Lorenzo Viren Agustin," I whispered his name.

"You're an engineering student, right?" tanong ko kahit pa alam ko na ang sagot. Tumango naman s'ya.

"I also wanted to be one but I figured out that architecture suits me more," pagkukwento ko. "Mahilig kasi ako magdesign tsaka mag-drawing paminsan-minsan," kalaunan ay naikwento ko na sa kanya ang buong talambuhay ko.

"Ouch," I massaged my back using my hand. Binitawan n'ya ang mga hawak n'yang gamit at ibinigay sa akin ang atensyon.

"What's wrong?" pagtatanong niya.

"Ang sakit na ng likod ko kabubuhat ng usapan na'tin."

He didn't said a word and just proceeded on working. I have met a few men and had mutual understandings but they weren't like him. Let's say, the boys I've met are easier to deal with, while he's...

He's difficult to figure out.

Which makes it more exciting.

"Hi, babe!" masiglang bati ni Sid. S'ya pala ang kasama ni Kael buong araw kaya hindi nakapagtrabaho si Sid. Maghapon silang naglaro ng kung ano-anong video games.

Pauwi na kami at inaantay nalang ang pag-out ni Papa sa trabaho. Halos wala akong naitulong kay Lorenzo kanina kundi puro daldal. Naisip ko kasi na kapag madaling natapos, mawawalan ako ng rason na bumalik dito.

"How's your first day?" tanong ni Sid.

"Napaos yata ako," I coughed hard and said random words to test my voice. "Magdadala ako bukas ng Abakada."

"What? Why? Hindi ba strepsils dapat?" takang tanong niya.

"Your brother doesn't know how to speak. I think I should teach him the basics," humagalpak ng tawa si Sid, fully agreeing with my sentiment.

Dumating naman si Papa kaya nagyaya na kaming umuwi. On our way home, I was listing something in my head. Iniisip ko kung anong pwede kong gawin kay Lorenzo.

"Nak, bakit damit ko ang suot mo?" puna ni Papa nang mapansin ang ayos ko. Katatapos lang namin kumain.

I took a nice bath before going to sleep. Hinila ko kay Kael ang manipis na kumot na pinaghahatian naming dalawa. Bigla namang kumatok si Papa.

I opened the door for him. Nagtataka ako nang tingnan ko si Papa. Then he handed me something. He handed me money, it's not that much but it meant the world to me.

"Maagang nagbubukas ang tiangge sa bayan. Isama mo si Kael at mamili kayo ng mga gamit."

Namuo ang luha sa gilid ng mata ko. Niyakap ko naman si Papa. He's just so thoughtful.

"Thank you, Pa! Love you!"

I may not have the life of a princess but my father surely treats me like one.