"Kristin." napaiwas ako ng tingin nang ngumiti si Antonio. Tumakbo siya palapit sakin, "Tulungan na kita."
I looked at him when he held my arm, "Ha? 'W-wag na. K-kaya ko naman."
Umiling siya, "Dapat hindi ka masyadong naglalakad baka mas lalong bumukas ang sugat sa iyong binti."
Remember, Kristin. It's in his nature to be so caring. Don't put any meaning to it. But how could I not? After what Corazon said, of course hindi maiiwasan na bigyan ko ng kahulugan ang pagiging maalalahanin niya.
Hinayaan ko nalang siya kahit na halos tumalon na ang puso ko palabas ng dibdib ko. He led me to the wooden bench kung saan naglalaro ang mga bata. Corazon said that this was Tandang Sora's house.
So this is what my brother was talking about.
I looked at the kids. They were chasing each other, laughing like there's no war outside the fences of this house.
"Kumusta ang iyong pakiramdam? May masakit pa ba sa'yo?" he asked nang makaupo kami.
I cleared my throat, "M-masakit pa rin 'yung sugat sa binti ko, pero ayos na ko." I smiled.
He didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the cut on my cheek. I touched the wound at agad naman niyang iniwas ang tingin mula rito.
"Pasensya na. Kung dumating sana ako ng mas maaga, hindi ka naskatan." he uttered, looking at his feet like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
Another thing I learned about Antonio, he doesn't like to blame others. He blames himself instead. Unlike me, all I know is how to put the blame on others.
"Ayos lang."
"Pagkalabas mo ng bahay kagabi, dumating si Rafael dala ang masamang balita. Paparating na raw ang mga kastila at dadakpin ang mga tumutuligsa sa Espanya. Unang tumakas sina Lola at nagpaiwan ako upang hanapin ka nang mapansin kong wala ka sa bakuran. Hinahanap kita sa buong baryo ngunit hindi kita nahanap. Hanggang sa dumating ang mga kastila," he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration saka napahilamos ng mukha. "Labis ang kabang nadama ko. Pangalawang beses na nakadama ako ng labis na takot."
I swallowed the bump on my throat.
"Pero hinanap pa rin kita maging sa bayan. Mabuti na nga lang at may batang lumapit sa akin at sinabi ang iyong kinaroroonan at," I saw how his jaw clenched and the sudden change of emotion in his eyes. "N-nakita kong sinasaktan ka ng lalaking 'yun."
His eyes was filled with anger. But, something inside me stirred when I saw fear and worry in his eyes. I haven't seen him this angry at the same time scared and worried. I don't like seeing that pained expression of his but it also made me happy knowing that it was for me.
Nobody has ever cared that much for me.
"Maraming salamat." he turned his head to look at me. "Salamat at dumating ka. Kung hindi ka dumating, hindi ko na alam kung anong nangyari sakin. Kaya 'wag mong sisihin ang sarili mo."
Matagal niya akong tinitigan bago lumitaw ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. Then, I felt the butterflies in my stomach again. Pero hindi tulad ng dati, I didn't feel uneasy.
It makes me wonder..
I stared at the sky, "Antonio, umibig ka na ba?"
It was too late for me to realize what I said. Naramdaman kong natigilan siya.
Gusto kong lamunin na ako ng lupa. Siguro pagtatawanan ako ng mga estudyante sa University 'pag nalaman nilang tinanong ko ang tanong na yun. The Kristin asking a guy if he had fallen in love? Oh god, this is embarrasing.
Napahawak siya sa kanyang batok, "H-hindi pa siguro."
Napapitik naman ang ulo ko sa direksyon niya, "Eh? T-talaga?"
He nodded.
Unbelievable. He's twenty at 'di pa siya naiinlove?
"Bakit?"
"Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pakiramdam ng isang umiibig." he answered. Kahit na moreno siya kitang kita mo pa rin ang pamumula ng tenga niya.
I stiffled a laugh, "Wow. You never get to met a man who haven't fallen in love in his twenty years of existence everyday."
He looked at me, confused. I shook my head, "Nabasa ko sa mga aklat na kapag mahal mo na daw ang isang tao, halos palagi mo siyang iniisip. Halos hindi ka na makatulog kakaisip sa kanya. At kapag naiisip mo siya, nararamdaman mo ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso mo," That's right. Ganun ang kapag kasama ko siya. "Gusto mo, palagi mo siyang nakikita. Nasasaktan ka kapag nakikita mo siyang nasasaktan. Masaya ka kapag nakikita mo siyang masaya. Nalulungkot ka kapag nakikita mo siyang malungkot." I smiled when I thought of the last one. "At gagawin mo ang lahat mapasaya lang siya."
It's funny that these words are coming from a person like me.
I looked at Antonio, his eyes was glued to the ground with a smile palstered on his face. He brought his hands on his chest, "Kung ganun, umiibig na pala ako."
The wind blew, the strands of my hair dance with it. Parang nablangko ang utak ko. I could hear the children laughing, , the sound of leaves as it dances with the wind. I could neven hear my heart racing. Then, nagsink-in sakin ang sinabi niya.
I was taken aback. I don't know what to say, what to feel. Half of me was expecting, the other half was figuring out who the girl is.
Pumasok sa isip ko si Burandai.
Siya nga siguro. They're childhood friends. Imposible nang hindi soya magkagusto rito. Isang araw ko palang na nakasama si Burandai. All I know is, she's a talkative and clumsy girl na hindi marunong mag-ayos. Siguro may nakita sa kanya si Antonio kaya siya nito minahal.
This isn't me.
I laughed but it didn't reach my eyes, "Kung ganun, congrats."
Nagtataka siyang napalingon sakin, "Kongrats?"
"Masaya lang ako malaman na tao ka pala." biro ko.
-
Takip-silim na nung bumalik kami sa loob ng bahay. Nadatnan naming nakapalibot sa isang malaking mesa ang mga kasamahan ni Antonio. They were having with cup of drinks in their hands.
I leaned closer to Antonio and whispered, "Anong meron?"
"Kaarawan ni Jose." nakangiting sagot nito.
Rafael noticed us, "Narito na pala so Antonio at Kristin!" Dahil may kalakasan ang boses nito, napalingon samin ang iba. Napansin ko si Aling Isay na inihahain ang mga pagkain sa mesa habang si Mang Nestor naman ay nakaupo katabi ni Rafael.
Pareho silang ngumiti sakin.
"Lumapit kayo rito at sumali sa kasiyahan." the old fat guy said with a smile on his face.
Tumango si Antonio at inalalayan ako palapit sa mesa, he even helped me sit on the chair. They offered me a drink and I accepted it. I cringed because of the smell. It's color is red and it doesn't smell good.
"Is this-?" I muttered. Antonio gave me a questioning look. I faked a cough, "A-ano 'to?"
"Tuba. Mula sa puno ng niyog." sagot nito saka ininom ang baso ng tuba.
So I was right. This is a palm wine. I remembered one of our housemades brought one on Christmas.
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa basong hawak ko. I don't want to drink this. But it'll be disrespectful if I do not.
-
Habang nagkakasiyahan ang lahat sa loob, napagdesisyunan kong lumabas muna upang magpahangin. They were all having fun despite of all the happenings. Well, I agree. Porke't nasa gitna sila ng laban hindi ibig sabihin na hindi na sila pwedeng magsaya. Life is short. Better live it to the fullest.
Naupo ako sa bangkong inupuan namin kanina ni Antonio. Tahimik na ang lugar, wala ng tao. In the present, ganito din ang buhay sa probinsya. Living in this kond of envidonment is healthy. No radiation from televesions, smartphones and other gadgets. Their light spurce at night is the moon and torches of fire. May mga lampara din. No hustle sounds from vehicles and noise from people. No polluted air.
Some houses have their own backyard wherein they can take good care of animals and grow vegetables.
I find it dull and boring at first, because I'm a city girl and I came from the future, but its peaceful and relaxing.
I shivered when the cold breeze kissed my skin. I looked up and saw the milky way. Nakakamangya. I've always been fascinated by the night sky. Aside from designing dresses, I love observing the sky thdough a telescope.
Nung palagi ng nakakulong sa kwarto si kuya Kevin, I would always stare at the night sky on my bedroom's terrace. This is a really great chance for me to see the milky way with my naked eyes.
I sighed. Naalala ko ang sinabi sakin ni Antonio. May lumapit daw sa kanyang bata at sinabi ang kinaroroonan ko kagabi. I guees it was Karlos since he kept on insisting that if it wasn't for him, Antonio wouldn't have found me. I feel bad for being rude to the kid. He gets on my nerves most of the time, but he's just a kid-
"Wait. I'm forgetting something." Karlos told something not so long ago.
What was it?
Ah. That's right. The nine hundred years age gap. For a thousand years old deity, he's so immature. I wonde what would happen if he fall in love. That'd be the worst pedophilia case in history.
Natigil ako sa inisip ko ng maramdaman kong may umupo sa tabi ko. I looked at the person. It was Burandai.
Nakaayos siya ngayon. Her hair was tied in a tight bun. She was wearing a collarless chemise na hanggang sa bewang lang and a brown skirt with a length that begins from the waist reaching the floor.
The air was filled with silence. I don't know what to say. Should I even start a conversation with her? I don't even know if she wanted to talk to me. Everything became awkward when I found out she likes Antonio and when I found out I have feelings for the guy.
"Nabalitaan ko ang nangyari sa iyo." she said breaking the ice. "Ayos ka na ba?"
I nodded. I feel uneasy talking to her. Not just because of her relationship with Antonio. Siguro siya rin 'yung tinutukoy ni Antonio kanina. They've been together eversince they were young, inposibleng hindi sila magkagusto sa isa't isa.
"Hindi ka ba hinahanap ng pamilya mo?" I looked at the burning torch at the entrance of the house's backyard.
"Ba't mo naman natanong?"
I heard her sigh, "Napag-alaman kong tatlong buwan ka ng nasa poder nina Antonio. Napakabait nila upang papasukin ka sa kanilang pamilya," she paused and I noticed fom my peripheral vision how her emotions changed. "kahit na hindi nila alam kung sino ka." I felt her gaze landed on me, "At kung saan ka galing."
I was taken aback. Hindi ko alam kung anong pinupunto niya, but she must've sense that I'm different. The tone she used, it's obvious that she's starting to be suspicious of me.
I sighed at tinignan siya, "May problema ka dun?" I asked, my bitch side starting to rip out of its shell.
"Wala naman. Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit mukhang wala ka ng balak na bumalik." Oh, believe me. I've been itching to go back home.
I chuckled, turning my head to a different direction. "Hindi ko alam kung paano makabalik. Nagmula ako sa isang lugar na hindi mo mararating kahit na ano pang uri ng sasakyan ang sakyan mo." I came from the future. It's a hundred and twenty years away.
She laughed, pero hindi tulad nung kay Corazon. Hers was more demure. Mahinhin. Malayong-malayo sa damsel-in-distress, mukhang basahan na Burandai. She's more like a strong woman now. A self-sufficing one.
A two-faced bitch.
I didn't know that the likes of her exist in this period.
"Sinasabi mo bang ika'y isang anghel." she mocked.
A grin appeared on my lips, "I'm too dark to be an angel." She threw me a confused look and I shook my head. "Wala."
Nilamon kuli kami ng panandaliang katahimikan bago siya muling nagsalita. "Noong dumating ang mga gwardya sibil sa barrio, imbes na sumama samin ay nagpaiwan si Antonio upang hanapin ka. Nagtataka ako kung bakit niya ipapahamak ang sarili niya para sa isang babaeng tatlong buwan pa lamang niyang nakikilala. At kagabi, nalaman ko kung bakit." she stood up at nagumpisang maglakad.
Pero bago pa sita makalayo ay himinto siya, "Aalis na ako pabalik ng San Juan bukas. Gustuhin ko mang manatili sa tabi ni Antonio ay hindi maaari." She looked at ke over her shoulder, "Kung maaari ay bumalik ka na sa iyong pinanggalingan. Pakidamdam ko'y kapahamakan lang ang iyong dulot kay Antonio."
With that she left leaving me stoned to the ground.
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Next update- January 1, 2017
Sorry sa typos.
Sino papadedicate?
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