CHAPTER THRITEEN
De Grande Town
My phone buzzed with a text from Zild.
Take care, Tam!
A smile flashed from my face. Look at this guy, lagi na lang akong pinapangiti.
Thanks! You too! Pakisabi kay tita bawi ako pagbalik.
I sent him my reply and then binalik ko na sa bag ko ang phone ko.
"This is it!" Brooklyn giggled. Marcus wrapped his arms around our shoulders as we entered the train. These two really are my friends.
Papunta kami ngayon sa De Grande Town. Marcus insisted on bringing his car but I stopped him. Gusto ko mag-commute para mas dama 'yong adventure, that's why we ended up taking the train.
I decided to spend my Christmas vacation with them, buti nga pinayagan ako ni Kuya Kylo. Usually, hindi pumapayag si Kuya sa mga lakad ko pero dahil ka-close niya na rin si Marcus at Brooklyn na laging nag-o-overnight sa amin, pinayagan niya ako.
We wanted to bring our boyfriends with us but Marcus strongly disagreed. Lugi raw siya dahil wala siyang girlfriend. So just the three of us ended up going to De Grande Town.
Inabot lang ng three hours ang biyahe namin and nakarating na rin agad kami sa De Grande Town. It's a famous town na talagang pinupuntahan ng lahat kahit malayo masyado. Unlike Vera City, tahimik ang buhay sa De Grande Town. Puro puno at kagubatan ang paligid at konti ang mga sasakyan.
"Thanks, Dang," Marcus said to the caretaker, flashing her a smile.
"Buti po napadalaw kayo dito," sabi naman no'ng caretaker. Mukha siyang mas bata sa 'min actually.
"Of course, this is my house, Dang," Marcus said while laughing.
"Sabi ko nga po. Enjoy your stay po," nakangiting sabi no'ng caretaker sa 'min.
We'll be staying at Marcus' rest house. The house is big, actually. And 'yong design niya is parang pa-tree house. Two storey siya na nasa tuktok pa ng kalsada. Eh 'yong kalsada dito pataas talaga. Kaya overlooking ang view mula dito sa rest house ni Marcus. Combination din ng wood and glass ang style ng bahay kaya ang ganda tingnan.
"I can see the lake from here!" I giggled, astonishment written all over my eyes.
"I should have brought my brother here with me," I said, pouting.
I tried to open my Messenger, pero hindi nakikisama ang signal. Ang bagal ng data dito. Wala rin naman daw WiFi ang rest house ni Marcus kasi 'yong caretaker lang naman daw ang naiiwan dito kapag wala siya.
My phone buzzed with another text from Zild kaya nagulat ako.
Kaya naman pala ng signal kahit text lang. Data lang talaga mabagal.
My mom says she's missing you already
Natawa ako ng mahina nang mabasa ko ang text niya.
Si tita ba talaga? Or ikaw?
I sent my reply and then pumasok na ako sa loob ng bahay.
"And we'll never be royals, royals. It don't run in our blood. That kind of lux just ain't for us. We crave a different kind of buzz," pagkanta ko ng Royals ni Lorde na pinapatugtog ni Brook with speakers while we're putting our things on the closet.
"Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B. And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule. Let me live that fantasy," she also sang. I really love this song. This year lang siya ni-release pero paulit ulit ko na talagang napapakinggan dahil kay Brook.
December 22, 2013. I'll mark this day as one of the happiest moments of my life.
I've never felt this free and excited. I've never felt this happy with my friends. Ngayon lang.
* * *
We went to the market para bumili ng mga lulutuin namin. Naghiwa-hiwalay kami para mabilis. Si Marcus sa grocery, ako sa wet market, tapos si Brook hindi ko alam kung saan nagpunta. Basta maghahanap daw siya ng mga kandila at kung ano-anong kaartehan na gagamitin daw namin.
"Hey," a voice behind me said.
Lumingon ako sa nagsalita at halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang makita ko si Ressler.
"W-What are you doing here?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Is this a coincidence? For real?
"I brought you your inhaler. Si Kylo dapat ang magdadala ng inhaler mo pero naka-duty siya so he asked me instead," he explained.
Oh. Sh*t. I forgot to bring my inhaler with me. May asthma kasi ako and kadalasan dala-dala ko 'yon dahil nagagalit sa 'kin si Kuya kapag hindi ko dinadala.
"Where's my inhaler?" I asked.
"In my car," he answered.
"You brought your car?" I said, my eyes widened.
"Yeah. Ulitin ko?" he answered with sarcasm. I rolled my eyes.
"Wait lang. Patapos na rin ako," sabi ko sa kanya and he just nodded.
Sinundan niya lang ako the entire time habang namamalengke ako.
"Akin na," bigla niyang sabi saka niya kinuha ang mga pinamalengke ko.
"T-Thanks," I said, trying to stop my heart from beating out loud and fast.
Lumabas na kami ng wet market at nakita ko na agad 'yong sasakyan niyang naka-park doon sa kabilang kalsada.
"Where are you staying at?" he asked me pagkatapos niyang ilagay sa compartment ng sasakyan niya ang mga pinamalengke ko. I glanced at my watch. 7:33 pm na pala.
"Sa rest house ni Marcus. Medyo malayo mula dito, eh. Nag-trike lang kasi kami kanina," sagot ko.
"Right. Your brother told me none of you brought a car," bigla niyang sabi na para bang bigla niya naalala na sinabi sa kanya 'yon ni Kuya.
"Call your friends," he said, handing me his phone. I looked at him with a big question mark on my eyes.
"Tell them we'll wait here. Hatid ko na kayo pabalik sa rest house," he commanded as if I'm a kid.
Really? Ressler offering to give us a ride? Did he hurt his head or something?
____
Tiana: Okaaaaay? What's wrong with you, Ressler? May paghatid pang nalalaman ha. >:)