"Papa!" I loudly said.
"Aalis na kayo?" Tanong ko.
"Oo, ihahatid na namin ang ate mo," wika ni Papa at bumaling na sa kotse.
Dahil college na si Ate, kinailangan niyang tumira sa isang dorm sa Maynila lalo na at nakapasok siya sa isang malaking unibersidad roon.
Malaking opportunity iyon, kapag nakapag-tapis siya ng kolehiyo ay matutulungan niya na sila Mama at Papa sa matrikula ko at sa mga bayarin sa bahay.
We are lacking of money that's why we sold our house and move in here. I remember crying while leaving the house because there's a lot of memories in it. We lived there for almost 12 years. Tapos bigla nalang mawawala.
Our business was bankrupt. That was a coffee bay near a big school. Palaging malaki ang sales at rates dahil maganda ang place at services. Plus the consistency of the foods there. But one day, because of lots of competitors, we lost costumers, we lost staffs, to the point that it became bankrupt.
At simula noon, kumonti ang income ng pamilya namin. Si Papa ay pumapasok sa isang kompanya at si Mama naman ay nagre-resell ng mga baked goodies. That's why we sold our house to buy a smaller one.
"Mami-miss kita," my sister hugged me.
"I'll miss you too, Ate. Galingan mo ha, our future accountant!" After that, she went outside and entered the car same as my mom.
It's almost 5pm kaya nag-saing muna ako.
I went upstairs after they left. I went to my room and opened my laptop to see some inspiration from Pinterest. I reached the end of the Pinterest ideas and suggestions but I never got inspired with them.
Gusto ko yung simple lang at hindi gaanong matrabaho pero maganda pa din tignan.
I am fan of arts and I have tons of art materials since when I was young.
These past few days we are having difficulties in earning money that's why I'm thinking of ways to earn my own money so that I can help them financially. Para din meron akong sariling pera at hindi ko na kailangan humingi pa sakanila.
Scrolling through my phone, checking some texts.
The Bluetooth device is connected successfully.
Nagulat ako roon. I was about to open my Facebook account when I heard the Bluetooth Speaker.
He's early today huh.
Mabilis akong tumayo at nagsuot ng tsinelas. Tumingin ako sa salamin upang tignan ang sarili, saglit ko lang hinawi ang buhok dahil hindi naman ito kaguluhan.
I open the sliding door of my balcony.
Our balcony.
"Nico, nico, ni!" Sigaw ko.
"Hi, Nico!" I greeted him and waved my hand.
In-off niya ang speaker at akmang babalik sa loob ngunit pinigilan ko siya.
"Huy! Aalis ka na agad? Nakaka-buryo ba talaga ung pagmumukha ko?"
"Tss." His lips twisted.
"Huy alam mo baka mag-lock 'yang panga mo dahil hindi ka nagsasalita." Pangungulit ko sakanya.
"Why are you here so earl today, huh?" He raised his eyebrow.
Kadalasan kasi ay pagka-kain na ng hapunan ako lumalabas ng balcony. Para lang tumambay, next month kasi ay pasukan na at balik aral na naman.
He's tall and his hair is growing long making it cover some parts of his eyebrow.
I noticed something on his ears.
"Nagpa-lagay ka ng hikaw?" Naka-kunot na tanong ko sakanya.
The ear piercing was just a small round shape but it makes him more attractive.
He blushed. Iniwas niya ang tingin at tinakpan ng buhok ang tainga.
It been 2 months when we moved in to this house and I had a really cute neighbor who lived the next door. And suddenly, our balconies were really close to each other, so like we can jump into each other's balconies but I'm not doing that, I don't want to invade his privacy anyways.
And I remember that whenever he comes out on his balcony, I'll go to my balcony too and we'd talk on the balcony every night. Tho he's not that kind of mapagsalita, ako lang yata ang madalas nagsasalita saamin dalawa.
The first time I met him was after dinner, my family is frustrating me so I run upstairs and went outside my balcony when I heard someone is strumming a guitar.
I greeted him and told my name. And that's how we met.
"Uhm... My parents aren't here by the way, hinatid nila si Ate sa Manila."
"And?" Sabi niya na para bang walang pakialam.
"Uhm... Nothing? That's just a little life update lol." Natatawa kong sabi kahit wala naman siyang paki roon.
"How about you?" I asked.
"Nothing. As usual," he said and look away.
"Back to school is nearing, where school will you enroll?"
"Laco. My dad enrolled me there. But, I'm a scholar so I have to maintain my grades."
"Good for you," dinilaan niya ang labi pagkatapos iyong sabihin.
"Okay... Uhm Im planning to have some sidelines so that it can help me parents since we are having difficulties of having money these days..." I told him my plan.
"You can't have side lines since you're a minor," singit niya. Nagulat pa ako dahil mabilis niyang sinabi iyon na para bang ayaw niya.
"What do you mean?" Naka-kunot noo na tanong ko.
"They wouldn't accept you because you're a minor."
He said while scrolling on his phone.
His veins are showing up while he's scrolling.
Ugh. Erase.
Owwww ... I'm a senior high student and still a minor. Yes, but that's not what I mean.
"I'm too lazy to be a staff at any convenience store. That's not what I mean. Wait, stay there. I'll just get something." I said and I went into my room to get my sketch pad.
Kinuha ko ang mga samples ng drawings ko. Pati na rin ang mga portraits.
And as I went back in the balcony, wala na siya ron.
Did he left? Siguro sawang sawa na sa boses ko.
Dismayado akong bumalik. I was about to enter my room again when I heard him call my name.
"Vernice," he softly said.
Napalingon ako ng makita ang dala dala niya.
"Hop in, so we can eat these." Our balcony has both chair and a small table.
At nilapag niya ang fries sa lamesa.
Hop in? Tulala akong nakatingin.
"Dude, stop it. Eye contact makes me go crazy."
I hopped in his balcony. Muntik pa akong madulas nakakaloka. Mabuti nalang at naka tshirt at panjama ako.
"Here, it eat." Ibinigay niya sa akin ang isang plato ng fried na may cheese dip.
"Mauubos mo 'yan?" I asked him.
"Yup." Tumango siya.
"Jeez, it has lots of oil!" Saway ko sakanya. Deadly foods ugh. "Don't eat a lot or just lessen your oil intake," I said.
"I'm the one who cooked that," turo niya sa fries na sinubo ko.
Ehem. I burst out laughing.
"Can't you see? It's too oily, make sure to lessen the oil whenever you fry something or use Coconut Oil or Olive."
"You don't like it?" Matamlay na sabi niya.
"Of course I do but I'm not fan of oily foods so..."
Tumango lang siya at unti unting kumain. Tahimik lang kaming kumain ng fries na niluto niya kuno.
We suddenly became quiet when we heard the blue sky's intro. Napa-ngisi pa ako ng maalalang dahil kay Papa ay nalaman ko iyong kanta na iyon. Sabi niya, favorite raw na kanta ni Mama iyon.
"The sky is so blue right?" His soft voice.
"Yup. It's so perfect whenever clouds touch them," nakangiti kong sabi habang pinagmamasdan ang itaas.
A blue sky waiting tomorrow. 🎶
Angganda ng langit. Kulay asul, kasama ng pagdapo sakanila ng mga ulap.
Waiting for tomorrow. 🎶
Na minsan kapag umuulan, ay napapalibutan ng makukulay na rainbow.
Maybe it's all we need. 🎶
Sinabayan ko ang kanta.
"You like Hale, huh?" He asked.
"Kind of," wika ko at uminom ng orange juice.
Tumango siya at ininom rin ang kanya.
"Did you smell that?" Tanong niya.
"Huh?" Anong amoy? Wala naman akong naamoy.
"Amoy sunog." It took me a while before I realized what's burning...
"I have to go," i said.
"Wait—" hindi na ko na siya pinatapos. I hopped in my balcony and run downstairs.