Chapter 15: Sadness and Happiness
Soundtrack: Kiss It All Better – He Is We
I woke up to the sound of two people talking. I could feel that the world outside was already bathed in morning light but my eyes refused to open. Ipinasya kong manatiling nakapikit at ipagpatuloy ang pakikinig sa usapan nila.
"I don't think she's going to school." Boses ng isang binatilyo. School. It was very irresponsible of someone not to go to school. He might miss lots of big things in just one day.
"She needs to rest longer. Mukhang pagod na pagod sya nang dumating kagabi," sagot naman ng isa pang boses na pagmamay-ari malamang ng mas nakatatanda pang lalaki.
I was starting to realize my surrounding now and the images from last night were beginning to flash on my mind in order. I couldn't believe that I slept here in the tree house with a stranger.
"Then there's no way I'm going to school. I'm so tired, too. I've been dealing with my stupid seatmate and boring teacher for a very long time now."
That was when I decided to open my eyes and sat up on the bed facing the two. One was sitting on the floor and the other one was on the desk, probably writing.
"Good morning, Hetta," bati agad ni Wycliffe. He was a handsome young man in his school uniform.
"Anong oras na?" Seryoso kong tanong.
Sabay-sabay kaming lumingon sa wall clock na nasa taas ng pintuan ng tree house. 8:30 in the morning. I was supposed to be at school by seven o clock. How could I be so irresponsible? Ibinaling ko ang paningin ko kay Wycliffe. It was 8:30 in the morning. Why was this little devil still here in the tree house?
"Does this tree house look like a school to you?" Tanong ko. His smile was still plastered on his face.
"I know what you're thinking. It's not what you think it is. I have good grades. I'm one of the top students in my class. Not the first but who cares?" He said defensively.
"You're supposed to be in your class right at this hour," wika ko. Subalit suot niya ang kanyang uniporme. Maybe he wasn't feeling okay. "May sakit ka ba?" Mabilis akong tumayo mula sa higaan at lumapit sa kanya. Sinipat ko ang kanyang noo at nakahinga nang maluwag nang masiguro kong normal ang kanyang temperatura.
"I can't find any reason for you not to attend the class today," I finally told him.
Tumingin siya sa taong nasa desk na tahimik lang na nanonood sa amin at saka muling ibinaling sa akin ang kanyang paningin. "Well, you're not attending school today, too," wika ni Cliffe.
Yeah right. I missed school today. I could stand here and talk to him about some things he shouldn't follow about me but I decided not to. Bumalik na lang ako sa higaan, umupo at tiningnan siya. Ilang minutong nanatili sa amin ang katahimikan hanggang sa magsalita ang tao na nasa desk. Pinapanuod niya lang kami all this time and I couldn't read what he was thinking.
"I think today is the perfect day for you guys to rest or do something you want to do that's not related to school or – other things." I looked straight at him on his last couple of words. Wycliffe had no idea of the things I was doing outside my normal life. I would never be risky when it came to him.
"And that's definitely not staying at home. Let's go out for few hours." Tila nabuhayan si Wycliffe sa sariling ideya.
"Yes. You can go out together, watch a movie or go shopping. Don't let this day go wasted," sang-ayon ni Ethan. But I was very skeptic about this idea. I shouldn't just take this for granted. I still had a mission. Well, that could wait until tonight.
"Only the two of us together? That would make this day entirely and extremely boring!" Pabiro at tumatawang sagot ni Wycliffe. I know he meant it as a joke but that still made me want to break some bones in my brother's body.
"Or I can just drive you to school right now," seryoso kong sabi. His jolly expression turned troubled.
"Oh, please Hetta! I've never been absent in my whole school life. I think I'm going to transform into one of the desks there if I'm not gonna take a break. Let's just go out today. Let's bring Elric." I frowned at the name and then I realized that was how I introduced Ethan to him. Elric, my writer friend. But bringing this so called friend outside would definitely be a bad idea. It was like lighting a cigarette in a gasoline station. Lalo pa at gumugulo pa rin sa isip ko ang nangyari kaninang madaling araw.
I didn't know how Wycliffe got me behind the wheels, drove my Mercedes Benz G500 across the lawn to the back of the mansion. I was tapping my fingers as I waited for them to climb down from the tree house. I was actually thinking of backing out but the disappointment on Wycliffe's face made it difficult to do. Nang sa wakas ay bumaba na sila, napagdesisyunan kong ituloy na lang ang plano sa ngayon. Apparently, my parents went out early today kung kaya't nagawa ni Wycliffe na hindi pumasok ng school. Pumuwesto agad ang kapatid ko sa likuran ng sasakyan kung kaya't sa passenger seat umupo si Ethan. It was better. I could grab him if ever he tried jumping off the car. Hindi tumigil si Wycliffe sa pag-iexpress ng kanyang excitement habang nasa daan kami. Ethan seemed to be amused by it. Mukhang nagkakasundo na talaga sila.
We ended up in an Amusement Park. It wasn't the first time we've been in an amusement park. It was both our second time actually. Hindi ko matandaan ang eksaktong panahon ng huling pagpunta ko sa lugar na tulad nito sapagkat bata pa ako nun and the only thing I remember I could ride was Carousel. And I was sure Wycliffe could't remember it.
This boy was already itching to get on the first booth he saw. Basketball shooting. Sumunod kami sa kanya at pinanuod ang pawisang manlalaro na pilit inaabot ang nais na score upang makuha ang premyo. The price? It was a big, white teddy bear. Mukhang maraming oras at salapi na rin ang iginugol niya makamit lang ito.
"I'm gonna try this," desididong wika ni Wycliffe.
I looked at him and said, "It's a waste of time. We can just go to a mall and buy a bigger teddy bear," wika ko. I didn't want him to end up like that guy who was still shooting hoops despite of the exhaustion.
"But that's the reason why we're here, right? To waste our time," tumatawang wika ni Wycliffe habang patuloy na pinapanuod ang lalaking naglalaro. He was right. We were wasting our time here. I had a lot of things to do and they were all hanging on the air just because I was in a chaotic, noisy and crowded place like this.
Sa wakas ay sumuko na ang lalaking naglalaro ng basketball. He picked up his things and walked out. He was probably going to another booth. Yayayain ko na sanang maglakad si Wycliffe nang makita ko syang pumuwesto sa gitna. He was getting ready to play. He had three throws and he needed to shoot them all to get the prize. I looked at the teddy bear. Why would he want that? It was supposed to be easy if it was just some usual arcade game. But the distance between the ring and the player was like throwing a three-point shot. My brother didn't like playing sports actively. He preferred reading or anything that had to do with computers. He wouldn't make this game.
"I'm waiting to see him fail," komento ko habang pinapanuod ko sya. Isa lamang iyong personal na komentaryo subalit sumagot pa rin ang taong kasama kong nanunuod.
"I'm seeing it in a different way. Sa tingin ko makakapuntos sya," wika ni Ethan. I looked at him, showing that my recent comments didn't need an answer. At saka ko ibinalik ang aking paningin kay Wycliffe. Naghahanda na sya sa una niyang pagshoot ng bola. Nang i-angat niya ang kanyang mga braso at iangat niya ang bola sa ere ay alam ko nang hindi niyon magagawang umabot sa ring. He missed the first shot. He received unpleasant jokes from the watchers. Ayokong maranasan niya ang mapahiya. It was almost easy for me to pull out my gun and show it to them protectively while my brother was taking shots. Subalit mukhang hindi iyon iniinda ni Wycliffe. Sa halip ay tumatawa siyang naghanda para sa susunod na tira.
"I hope you can have a chance to be like him." Narinig kong muli ang boses ni Ethan.
Kunot-noo akong lumingon sa kanya. "What do you mean?" Seryoso kong tanong.
"Hindi mo ba nakikita yung kapatid mo? Sobrang laki ng pinagkaiba niyo." Hindi ako sumagot. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa kanya na habang ipinagpapatuloy niya ang nais sabihin. "He's free, you're caged. He's full of life while you bring death. He has the happiest face, you got the saddest one. I wonder how come you live in the same place together but grew up differently."
Ilang segundo akong natahimik at hindi alam ang isasagot sa kanya. It was not like I plan to engage in a conversation with him on a topic like this. His words, however, demanded an answer. It didn't matter if I would utter it loudly or keep it to myself. It just needed an answer. And that answer was something I didn't have this moment.
Wycliffe saved me by throwing his second shot so my gaze returned to him. He missed again but this time, he was able to reach the ring. He was really determined as he prepared for his last shot. I watched the ball as it soared high through the air and without a miss, passed through the metal ring.
Hindi niya makukuha ang premyo subalit tila nanalo sya ng isang napakalaking bagay dahil sa ginawa niyang paglundag at pagtawa.
"There are things sadness would never understand. We would never understand him. And I wish we do," wika ni Ethan bago tuluyang lumapit kay Wycliffe. I looked at them as they laughed cheerfully about the last shot. Wycliffe was so happy. He was just so happy that I could not go near him. It was like going near to him would fade the colors of happiness from him.
Kung kaya't sa halip na lumapit sa kanila ay pumunta ako sa taong nagbabantay sa booth. Tumingin sya sa akin na tila wala syang ideya sa kung anumang dahilan ng paglapit ko sa kanya. "I will play," tipid kong sabi. Mukhang hindi niya inaasahan na ang babaeng katulad ko ay maglalaro ng tulad nito.
"Three consecutive shoots para makuha po ang teddy bear," paalala niya sa akin habang kinukuha ang bayad ko. Tila sinisiguro niya na alam ko ang ginagawa ko. Tumango ako sa kanya at saka naglakad sa kinaroroonan nina Wycliffe.
"Hmm, Hetta?" Nagtatakang wika ni Wycliffe nang mapansin niyang hawak ko ang bola. Naintindihan naman iyon ni Ethan kung kaya't iginiya niya si Wycliffe sa tabi.
I raised my arms with the ball and slightly bended my knees like I always do during practice and threw it. I watched it as it made the first score. Tila nakuha ko ang atensyon ng mga manunuod dahil napansin kong dumami ang tao sa paligid.
"Yeah! That's my cool girlfriend over there!" Sigaw ni Wycliffe. Tiningnan ko sya at saka umiling. Wycliffe would never be him without cups of naughtiness. Muli kong inihanda ang aking sarili para sa sunod na tira. It was easier this time since I got used to the distance. I heard some 'Ooooohhhh' from the crowded as I made a perfect shot.
Nakita kong lumapit sa counter si Wycliffe upang hingin ang teddy bear habang naghahanda ako sa huli kong pag-shoot. That was one good and scary thing about him. He believed in me so much. I saw him reaching to the bear as I made my last shot. I made it. Everyone was cheering loudly and Wycliffe happily received the teddy bear.
"See, I told you I could get the prize." He smirked at me as we stroll to the next booth. I sighed. Did my brother just used me to get the bear?