The Etiequite Club

Chapter 1: The End Of The Story

CARSON

STARING blankly at the screen of my laptop is what Im doing now. Masakit sa mata, I know. But whats in it shook my world.

I got a message from my father and he is blaming me in what happened to him. Hindi ko alam pero nalulungkot ako at nasasakatan. The funny thing is that my tears aren't falling. I mean, for those people when they are hurt, they cry. One of the things mere human express their feeling. But I guess Im different. Again, Im just staring blankly at the screen of my laptop and its like the center of my world.

I heard a knock but I ignored it. There's only one person to do that anyway.

He sat beside me and looked at my laptop. Later on, he hugged me. He kept whispering encouraging words to cheer me up but it did the opposite. Parang feeling ko ay sinasabi nya iyun para mapagaan ang nararamdaman ko which for mean for me is tinotolerate nya ang kung anumang ginawa ko by doing this.

"How are you feeling Cars?" he then asked.

Bago lang ako sumagot nang binitawan nya na ang pagyakap sa akin. "Im fine kuya", I said to him. He caressed my hair and looked at me in the eye.

"I dont think your lying."

Tumango naman ako. "Of course kuya, I did not avoided your gaze and my pulse rate is still normal. Hindi rin ako pinapawisan kung ano so that means that I am not lying Kuya, am I right?"

This time sya naman ang tumango. "Yeah you did not lie to me."

Napangiti naman ako wishing its the truth. Pero the fact na nahospital si Dad nang dahil sa akin ay nasa isip ko pa rin. I know na inosente ako pero his words have impact on me. Para bang may tinamaan sya kung saan sa pagkatao ko. At ang existence ko yun.

"Kuya, I made up my mind" I bravely said.

"No! You are still a child, hindi mo pa kaya yan. Hindi mo pa kaya ang mag isa!"

"I will not be a child forever Kuya"

"Pero para sa akin oo!"

"Then magkaiba tayo ng paniniwala."

Tumayo na ako at naglakad patungong closet ko.

"Carson you listen to me."

"I always listen to you kuya. So can you listen to me?"

Napatigil sya sa narinig nya. I am not expecting this kind of reaction from him but he gave it anyway.

Inilabas ko ang maleta ko na kanina pa nakahanda. May mga damit, electronics at ano pang mga bagay.

"Are you...sure about this?" mahinang bulong nya na tinugunan ko naman ng isang pursigidong tango. 

"Thank you for everything kuya."

"Hindi ka welcome" he jokingly said na tinawanan naming dalawa.

One down, two to go.

Sinamahan ako ni kuya hanggang sa kwarto ni Dad. Nasa hospital sya at si Mama ang bantay. This is the time that Im going to talk to them...and probably the last...for now.