"Yes... Opo, kuya. Okay... Bye. Ingat," and she turned off her cellphone. Thay was his brother and only sibling, Andrew who is currently in a business summit in Canada, checking out on her.
"Buti pa sa kuya, pa-Canada-Canada na lang," she just laughed at that thought.
Suddenly, a gust of wind passed by. Immediately, she closed her eyes to fully feel its presence. When she opened her eyes, she felt herself like floating because it seems that all her burdens were cast away.
Shucks ... drama.
Nakakarelax kasi talaga ang lugar na kinanaroroonan niya. She's somewhere far behind the main buliding; forest-like area, calm and great place for studying, meditating and other related stuffs. Tamang-tama kasi at may mga cottages dito ... o study kiosks. Yeah, that's the right term.
After joining a marathon just this morning, -blame the 10:30 am class- she was grace under fire! Akalain mo, wala pa pala silang klase.
Frustrated, stressed out ... she looked for a place to unload and reload.
Hindi naman c.r. ang hinahanap niya kanina.
Kanina habang sa kanyang ala Dora the Explorer exploration sa lugar, biglang napatawag ang kanyang pinakamamahal na kuya. Dahil sa mahaba-mahabang kwentuhan, ngumustahan, bangayan at ka-epalan na 'di na bago sa kanilang dalawang magkapatid, 'di niya napansin kung saang lugar na siya napadpad. Ng may makitang mauupuan sa isang shady area, agad niya itong inangkin -- inupuan lang pala. Saka lang niya na-realize kung nasaan na talaga siya. She didn't exactly know where she is but she's sure for one thing, she's still in their school campus.
She looked around her and was awed by the beauty of the place. Mga kahoy at bulaklak, classic wrought iron chair, ang beauty niya (he he) ... kulang na lang talaga ang knight in shing armor niya ... at magiging picture perfect na.
She just laughed.
Another wave of the gentle breeze passed by. She closed her eyes again. For the second time, she felt its refreshing power. Smiling, she slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by the face of that man she wished to see at this particular moment but she never though that heavens would grant it.
Disbelief is painted in her face ... she stared.
He straightened his back and smiled. "Hi, Alexa!"
-no answer-
"Hmm... Alexa?" pinitik-pitik pa nito ang mga daliri sa harapan niya.
Good thing, natauhan si Alex. "K-Khen?"
"Yes," he chuckled.
"A-Ah... Sorry."
"Ba't ka naman magso-sorry? Pwedeng makiupo?"
Dahil 'di alam ang gagawin, napatango-tango na lang siya. Imagine, she's just a few inches from him. Kung kanina feeling niya ay nasa mala-fairytale at enchanting forest siya; ngayon, pakiramdam niya nasa gitna siya ng isang gyera.
"Ahm, sorry kung nagulat kita," Khen turned to her and smiled.
She took a deep breath. "A-Ah ... Wala 'yun. Okay lang naman ako."
Sumandal ito sa upuan. "Wala naman sigurong sasapak sa akin kung makikiupo ako rito, di ba?"
"Huh?" nagtatakang tanong ni Alex.
He chuckled. "Ah. Wala. Just forget it."
Tumango lang siya.
Parang biglang may naalala ito. May kinuha ito sa sariling bag at inabot sa kanya. "Here. For you, Alexa. Thanks for the brownies this morning in the cafeteria." It was a box of brownies.
"Ah.. eh. 'Wag na, Khen. Ang dami naman niyan. Dalawa lang naman 'yun kanina," tanggi niya sa offer.
"Hindi. Para sa'yo talaga 'to. Sort of payment na rin namin ni Paul kasi nakikain kami," kinuha nito ang kanyang kamay at inilagay doon ang kahon ng brownies. "There. 'Wag mo nang tanggihan. Sayang naman kung itatapon lang."
Walang nagawa si Alex kundi tanggapin na lang ang mag 'yun.
"Ah. Maraming Salamat," ang di-makatingin ng diretso na pasasalamat ni Alex. Kunwari'y tinitingnan niya ang mga brownies para may distraction 'kuno'.
"Pangit ba ako?" tanong bigla ni Khen.
Napalingon tuloy si Alex ng wala sa oras dahil sa narinig. "HIndi no!"
"O, 'yan. Nilingon mo na rin ako."
Biglang nagbawi ng tingin si Alex.
"Yan ka na naman! Napapangitan nga ka sa akin," pagmamaktol nito.
"Hindi nga talaga!" angal ni Alex na di pa rin makatingin.
"Eh, ba't hindi ka makatingin? Kung hindi nga ako pangit, lingon ka nga," panghahamon nito.
Alex turned to him. "O. Ayan."
For a few seconds, Alex was able to meet Khen's eyes and her heart beats faster and faster.
"Kung ganun, gwapo pala ako," Khen said and smiled.
"Hala! Kapal nito!" react agad ni Alex para matago ang totoong nararamdaman. Nasapak tuloy niya ito bigla.
Nagulat si Alex sa nagawa pero mas nagulat siya nang biglang kunin ni Khen ang kanyang mga kamay at hinawakan.
Anon'g nangyayari?
May ipagtatapat na ba ito sa kanya.
She just stared.
Khen smiled and shake hands with her.
"Hi! I'm Khen Claude Martinez but you can call me Khen. Friends?"
Ahh ... 'yung lang pala. Teka, 'di ba magkaibigan na kami dati pa? KAIBIGAN?
"Yeah, sure. Alexa Sallega here. Alex for short. Just Alex," and she gave him her genuine friendly smile -- her smile without any trace of her personal feelings.
Slowly, they let go of each other's hands.
"Ayan. Formally, magkakilala na tayo. So, 'wag ka nang mahihiya o maiilang sa akin. Okay, Alexa?"
"Alex lang," pagtatama niya.
"Yeah, right. Alex. Just Alex. Weird but cute."
She's flattered, of course. Pero 'di rin niya ipinahalata.
"Uie, mas wierd sa'yo. Jejemon style. May nasingit pa kasing H," biro niya.
And they both laughed.
"Ano ba 'to? Parang 'di tayo naging magkaklase dati? Tapos nagkasama pa tayo sa SC," sabi bigla ni Khen.
Ngumiti lang si Alex.
Buti naman at naaalala pa niya.
Ahh ... Alex, 'di siya makakalimuting tao... HELLER!
Biglang may naalala si Alex.
"Ah! Oo nga pala!"
"Ano?"
Tumayo na si Alex. "Mauna na pala ako. May dadaanan pa kasi ako, eh."
As much as she would like to extend this moment of them but she couldn't anymore. Mas importante ang magiging dinner niyang mamayang gabi.
Tumayo na rin si Khen. "Ah, ganun ba? Sa'n ka? Sasamahan na kita."
Such a gentleman ...
"Ah. Hindi na. Aalis na ako."
"Abroad?"
Natawa na lang siya. "Hindi no. Uuwi na ako sa bahay pero may dadaanan muna akong importante," paliwanag niya.
"Ah. Wala ka ng klase?"
Ano 'to? Interrogation? Uie, concerned siya sa akin. Naks, ang ganda pakinggan. Ha ha.
"Wala na."
"Ganun ba? Sige, bye-bye. Ingat."
"Okay. Salamat pala sa brownies," she waved goodbye and walked away.
Nakakailang hakbang pa lang siya, nilingon niya si Khen. Checking if he's still there. He's still there looking at her. She waved and smiled at him. And he did the same, too. Muntik pa siyang madapa buti na lang 'di natuloy. Agad siyang bumaling kay Khen na naglalakad na papalapit sa kanya.
"I'm fine! Just fine! Promise!" she shouted.
Khen stopped. "Mag-iingat ka kasi."
"Opo!" she waved her final goodbye.
"Pahalata naman masyado," she secretly smiled. "Huu, todo na 'to!"
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"Kapagod!" ang nahahapong sabi ni Alex habang inilalapag ang dalang dalawang grocery bags sa dining table. Uminom muna siya ng tubig. "Wuu!" sabay lapag ng baso sa mesa.
Hands on her hips, she checked the two plastic bags. "Okay! Mission accomplished," she said. "Hmm, ano ban'g gagawin ko sa inyo?" Nag-isip-isip siya at napagdesisyunang ...
"Mamaya ko na lang kayo ilalagay sa dapat niyong paglagyan, ha?" sabi niya sa mga grocery items. "Hindi niyo naman siguro ako tatakasan. Okay! Mabuti nang magkaintindihan tayo," sabay talikod at naglakad patungong sala.
"Hello everyone!" bati ni Alex sa lahat. She slumped lazily on the sofa.
"Hello sofi," referring to the sofa where she is seated. Tinapik-tapik pa niya ito sabay hablot ng isang throw pillow at yinakap-yakap pa ito. "I miss you TP." Natawa na lang siya sa kanyang mga pinagsasabi.
Hirap talaga 'pag nag-iisa ka lang. Kahit ano kinakausap na lang.
Yes, she's alone -- LIVING ALONE.
Graduating with honors and passing EWU's exam with exeptional score were the keys to her very own HOME SWEET HOME and FREEDOM.
Matagal na niya itong proposal sa papa niya na magsasarili siya pagtungtong niya sa college. Rason niya: kahit papano ay matuto na maging independent.
She wants to learn to live on her own. Her father agreed but as a true-blooded businessman, two conditions were given. So, Alex did her best. After enduring and fulfilling everything, she got what she wanted. But there's another factor which pushed her to choose to be independent.
"Since, minsan na lang umuuwi si Daddy. Wala na rin si Mommy. Si kuya naman ay laging busy. I'll have my own house, then," were her words when she's still in first year high school. At 'dun nagsimula ang lahat.
Simula nang mamatay ang mama niya, mas naging busy ang papa niya na naiintindihan naman niya. Ang kuya naman niya ay naging busy din dahil gra-graduate na ito and eventually tutulong na sa daddy nila.
Madrama rin pala naging buhay ko.
Natawa na lang siya. Sumandal siya sa sofa at ipinikit ang kanyang mga mata nang may maalala bigla.
"Brownies!" sabi niya sabay kuha sa bag ang kahon.
And there ... her very own box of brownies. At bigay pa talaga niya. Kinilig tuloy siya bigla. Naalala tuloy niya ang mga pangyayari kanina.
They formally knew each other.
Magkaklase nga sila at officers ng Students' Council for three years pero hindi naman masasabi na close talaga sila dati. Mas pinili niyang dumistansya na lang para walang gulo. He he
"Buti na lang wala walang nangyari sa inyo," sabi niya sa mga brownies. "12 brownies for 12 months."
She doubt it. Sayang ang mga brownies ang sasarap tingnan, eh. Okay, uubusin niya ang mga brownies pero ang ang lalagyan ay mananatili forever -- kung pwede.
Inilagay muna niya sa loob ng ref ang mga brownies dahil magbibihis muna siya.
"La, la... Brownies," she hummed while walking upstairs to her room.
Pagbukas pa lang ng pintuan sa kanyang kwarto, nahagip agad ng mga mata niya ang naiwang laptop sa ibabaw ng study table. Nilapitan niya ito tsaka ini-on. Habang hinihintay na ma-fully access ito nagbihis muna siya. Matapos makabihis, agad niya hinarap ang laptop. May clinick at ni-run.
In just a few minutes, a pop-up window appeared asking for the right password.
Password: *********** and she hits enter.
And there her own website - a LAN-based one or an offline website. Ano 'yun? 'Yung ini-incode lang sa C++ then i-run though Local Area Network. Ah, basta!
All about Alex is the main theme of her website -- her daily thoughts and journals which dates back 4 years ago. Yeah, her laptop acts as her "electronic personal diary" or EPD (just an invented word). In fact, Toppy knew all her deepest and darkest secrets. More dangerous than those CIA and FBI's classified files.
Noong una wala siyang alam kung ano ang magiging purpose nito sa buhay niya since may personal computer naman sila.
But after asking that question to her brother, everything changes. Her brother became an instant tutor. But he only taught him the basic. His brother's reason: Find out and learn it for yourself."
At first, nagtampo talaga siya pero kalaunan, na-realize din niya na tama ang kuya niya.
Sabi nga niya:
"Life can't spoon-feed everything to me no matter who and what I am. Sometimes, I have to look for it and learn it for myself."
After writing those words, the world gave her a standing ovation. Shucks. Gusto tuloy niya maiyak.
She just grinned then clicked something.
Magusulat na naman siya at isi-share ang mga nangyari sa kanya ngayon.
Smiling, she started typing.
Bigla siyang napahinto at may naalala.
"June 6..." she muttered. Yeah, exactly the same date 4 years ago. The day where it all started. She continued typing. While doing her daily journal, she can't avoid herself from reminiscing her high school life's happening.
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*Aisatsu Corner*
Yey! Natapos na rin! Thanks God! Akala ko talaga 'di ko 'to matatapos. Huu~ Pa'no na lang kaya ang Cupid ♥ T.W.O.? Well, good luck na lang sa akin. he he.
Anyway, gusto kong mag thank you sa lahat ng mga classmates ko na nagbigay ng tulong at suporta! Salamat guys. *teary eyed* Lalo na kina Pearl, Jessa, Mikko, Jay, Hanah, Charina, Kristina, Agnes, Adonis, Richard ... hmm... sino pa 'ba? Kung nakalimutan kita, pakisapak ako... Hehe Pero 'wag 'yung masyadong malakas ha. (^.~v)
At sa lahat ng mga nagtiyagang magbasa, (harsh naman XD) SALAMAT! Your effort is very appreciated. Sana susubaybayan niyo ang kwentong ito at pasensya na kung matagal ang labas ng bawat chapters. Sorry. Busy lang. (^.~v)
Again, thanks for everything. TC . GBU .
-ChocoAppleULyk-