XVIII. Closure
᯾✵𖣘⍟۞✫᯽᯾
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Mom sat beside me. She looked at me seriously and then ngumiti siya. She was listening to everything that I told her. Alam kong kulang pa itong oras na ito, but I want to spend my time with her even more.
"I see. So you met this girl in the museum? Teka nga, how did you become an architecture student? You loved writing before!"
I just gulped at her, "I had reasons, Mom. I stopped admiring Philippine Mythology because of dad. Plus, I shift my course!"
I had no choice. From the Department of History, I shifted to the College of Architecture. Dahil kinamumuhian ko si Apolaki, I had some issues. And I can't lie to my mom. Kabisado niya ako.
She would always scan me as if I'm a hostage! Well, she's not a journalist for nothing. Mom is the best journalist at nakakuha rin siya ng maraming pangaral.
"You rebellious Demigod,"Mom shrugged at me.
"Mom, stop! You're making it look like I'm a bad guy. Even if I'm not.."Napakamot na lang ako sa ulo ko.
She and Serissa would really get along kung nakilala niya si Mama. Parehas na parehas sila, e!
Mom smiled at me,"This Serissa, is she pretty?"She began to ask me. My cheeks began to heat up when she asked me about it.
"Yes." I answered.
Tumingala ako at napatitig ako kay Mama habang tumulo ang mga luha ko at pinagmasdan ko siya,"It's too bad that you don't meet her. For sure, you'll get along with her."
"Oh, my baby.."
Lumapit si Mama and she got closer to me at hinawakan niya ang mga pisngi ko.
"Rebel, hindi mo kailangan sisihin ang sarili mo. What happened in the past...wala kang kasalanan don. It's not your fault. I know you want to save me back then, at naintindihan ko bakit ka mas pinili ni Dad. Because you're a Demigod."
Still, it's my fault.
I couldn't do anything for her. I have powers and I'm a Demigod pero yung isang babaeng dapat mas protektahan ko, hindi ko man lang siya naprotektahan!
I was so jealous to other kids, I even went to fight with them sa tuwing iinisin nila ako na walang nanay. How dare they say that!
Di nila alam yung pinagdadaanan ko. Yeah, I don't have any parents who I grew up with, not to mention that Apolaki just went to war and abandoned me!
Buong buhay ko, I have to deal with kids who keep on mocking me and my blonde hair. Like I don't even fucking care. They can say anything on my hair pero tungkol sa magulang ko, doon ako hindi makapagtimpi. It's because I grew up so alone. Walang ibang nagmahal sa'kin at nag-aruga kung hindi si Lolo.
Lolo Antonio took me in as if I'm his son. Siya lang yung tumanggap sa'kin. And he never leaves me. Even though he knew my dark side, trinato niya akong pamilya. Unlike my aunt who plotted to kill me for a long time, iba si Lolo.
Unlike my aunt, isa siya sa sumuporta sa'kin, even if I told him there's no need for him to pay for my expenses, he sends me an allowance even if he's busy with business. Simula noong mawala si Mama, ang laki ng naging epekto nito para sa'kin.
"Ma, I hate them.. I hated those dirty politicians. Dahil sa kanila, nawalan ako ng nanay!" Sigaw ko
"Anak..."
Pinunasan ko yung luha ko. Everytime I think about it, rage comes to my heart. Wala ako ibang maramdaman kung hindi galit.
"So, revenge is not the way to make them pay. Yes, we live in cruel world, unfortunately with the government we have, mas natatabunan ang tao ng kasinungalingan. But you don't need to be like them. Deep in that heart, I know that you're a sweet boy,"Mom pointed at my heart.
"Do you know why I named you Rebel? Not just because of being a rebellious Demigod. It was deep, if you ask me." Mom said.
"Mom!"Sigaw ko at namula na lang ako.
Hinawakan ni Mom yung mukha ko and then hinimas niya ang buo kong mukha and she stared at me, "I named you Rebel because you're creative. Your heart's desire is to become a leader. You dislike taking orders and want to be in charge – the boss figure.
Surprisingly, your creativity allows you to find new solutions to old problems. You can generate ideas on the fly, and want recognition for your efforts. You tend to avoid those who are needy and idle on their work. So when people hear the name Rebel, they perceive you as someone who is stimulating, idea generator, talkative, and charismatic.
You can attract, influence, and inspire people. You radiate a potential for success that attracts others to your cause.You have a deep well of feelings and an intense inner world. Energetic, thorough, kind-natured, and perfectionist are some of the words that can describe you."
I couldn't help but to smile. All I thought is that I was nothing but a rebellious kid just like what she's saying pero iba pa pala yung pagkakakilala ni Mama tungkol sa'kin. I never thought that it was deeper than that. And I like this name, it's because Mom named me.
It's because I was named by the top journalist, Rebecca Diamond Apoian. Kaya para sa'kin nag-iisa si Mama. She is the first woman that I ever loved there's no doubt.
"And I believe Rebel that you can become the hero that you wished to be." She smiled at me.
Ngumiti naman na si Mama at hinila niya ako, "Now, you need to go. You still have some job to do, right? Just hearing that you grown up into a fine man masasabi ko na napalaki ka ni Dad ng maayos."
She bit her lip at tinignan na lang niya ako at tumulo ang luha ni Mom. She covered her mouth and she couldn't stop herself.
"Parehas nga tayo. Iyakin ka rin, e!"Sigaw ko
"You're quite mean to your dead mother you know! It's just I feel like I don't want to let you go. Sana nakita kitang lumaki. Kapag umiiyak ka, sino ang magpapatahan sa'yo? Kapag nadapa ka, sino ang magagamot ng mga sugat mo?" She asked. Patuloy lang na umiiyak si Mama and she looked at me seriously.
"When you get rejected, who will console you? At sa pagbibinata ko, sinong sasama sa'yo kapag nagpatuli ka?"
"Mom! Fuck, I'm 20!" Halos mamula yung mukha ko dahil sa mga binanggit niya. Come on, I'm not a kid anymore.
"Oh, sush! You're still my baby and you will always be. At higit sa lahat, gusto ko na ako ang magsabit sa'yo ng medals mo sa graduation. I want to treat you on your birthdays and spend Christmas and Valentines with you. Anak, dami kong nasayang. Because I left this world too soon. Dahil aga kong nawala dahil sa pagkamatay ko sa kamay ng mga politicians." Mom said
"Mom.."
She got closer to me for the one last time, "Rebel, anak. Mahal na mahal kita. Hindi ako nagsisi na binuwis ko ang buhay ko para protektahan kita."
Alam kong ito na yung huli. But I am happy that I was able to talk to her like this. Kahit papaano yung bigat na nararamdaman ko sa puso ko nabawasan dahil sa nakita ko si Mama.
No one could ever explained how much happy that I am right now ngayon na kasama ko si Mama. I hated the fact that she was killed by those politicians, I really do. And sa totoo lang, ni hindi ko alam kung ano dapat maramdaman ko sa kanila. But Mom, she doesn't want me to be reckless. Ayaw niya na magalit ako sa kanila. It just shows how pure her heart is.
Pinunasan ko na lang yung luha ko. At tsaka ako lumapit ako sa kanya and Mom got closer to me at tinignan niya ako ng maigi, "You're really good looking, son. Sapat na ako dito. Sapat na ako na nakapagpaalam ng maayos sa'yo. So please remember our promise, okay? Wag ka na maghiganti para sa'kin. I want you to save people. To those people na inaatake ng mga Aswang at iba pang elemento, only you can stop this evil."
Ngayon na nakita ko si Mama, mas gumaan ang loob ko. Alam ko na sa pagbalik ko at pagharap doon sa Bakunawa na iyon, alam kong mas malakas na ako. Bago tuluyang maglaho si Mama, may mga bagay din siyang sinabi sa'kin. Something that involved my blood.
Ngumiti siya sa'kin at saka hinarap niya ako, "And son, if you want to control your blood, don't hate it. Don't hate your own blood, use that strong power by not using your emotions. Don't let it consume you."
"Mom, how can I do that when I hate where I came from?"
"You're his son. And you're my son. It's because you're the rebellious Demigod, walang sino man ang magkokontrol sa'yo even that blood. That's how I always taught you to fight, kaya kita tinuruan lumaban noon in street fighting. Do you remember that?"Tanong ni Mama sa'kin at halos nanlaki na lang ang mata ko.
FEW YEARS AGO
It was when I was still ten years old. I was still in Fourth Grade. Papabalik na ako sa bahay ng may biglaang humarang sa'kin.
"So here you are again, blondie! Where's your daddy? Hahahaha!"
"Fuck off." I raised my middle finger at nilapitan ko yung mga bullies na iyon at pinagbugbog ko sila. Hindi man lang ako nadaplisan sa labanan kanina.
Pinunasan ko na lang ang labi ko at nagsi-iyakan na lang yung mga bully na yon. Dinuro nila ako and I can feel how frustrated they were when they lost.
"Humanda ka sa susunod! Hindi ka na makakalaban!"
I raised my arms and I shrugged, "Wow, takot na takot naman ako. Sa susunod magdala pa kayo ng tao para hindi kayo napapatumba ng isang suntukan."
"Gago ka—"
Bago ako sugurin nung mga lalaki, may lalaking lumapit sa'kin at hinaltak niya na lang ang mga ito at pinagumpog. The man has captivating and alluring ginger hair. He got a couple of scars on his right face and he got a gold and red eyes, a different color of eyes just like mine. He looked handsome. Pero mas gwapo pa din ako.
Marami itong piercings sa kanyang kaliwang tenga. He got a fair skin at matangkad ito. Iyong masungit na hitsura nito, I could tell who it was. I hissed at him nung makita ko ito, "Kuya Ravio!? Pucha kaya ko naman patumabahin mga yan, e!"
"And then what? Pag-aalahanin mo pa si Ninang? Tangina Rebel, uuwi na kita! Kesa madagdag pa yung pasa mo!"He hissed at me.
"Ha! Yoko nga!"
"I knew you would say that."Dahil mas malaki sa akin si Kuya Ravio, dinampot na lang niya ako ng basta at saka binuhat. Damn him. Porket High school na siya. He is treating me as a kid like always.
He was adopted by my mom. He's Ravio Christiano Davino. He's already in 2nd year high school and he's 14 years old. Katulad ko, nag-training din siya kay Mom. Both of us were trained in street fighting by Mom.
At paguwi namin, agad kaming binungangaan ni Mom.
"Ravio, Rebel, kayo na naman ang bungad ng mga kapit-bahay! And especially you, Rebel! Ang sabi ko sa'yo magtimpi ka diyan sa anger issues mo! You realize you are Apolaki's son!"Sigaw ni Mama sa'kin
Parehas kaming nagkatinginan ni Kuya Ravio at ngumisi,"Hindi naman kami nadaplisan."
"Oh gosh. You boys are giving me a headache!"
All I could remember is how Mom trained me. To get used in the sun. As well as in my blood. Because she is preparing me. If ever the Gods and Goddess made their move, kailangan na maging handa ako. And I became a fighter because of my mom. She taught me how to survive.