Chiara
I was silent the entire ride although I admit, I'm really curious to ask Tita Lea about Sabel.
Why am I thinking about it anyway? Ano naman ang pakialam ko sa Sabel na iyan? Why do I even make a big deal about it?
Just get back to your senses, Chiara!
I tried to shrug my thoughts away and think about other stuff instead pero, hindi talaga maalis sa isipan ko ang tungkol kay Sabel.
I secretly took a glance at Tita, diretso lang ang tingin niya sa daan. Well, it's now or never, Chiara! Go ask her.
I heaved a deep breath first before throwing her a question, "Tita, can I ask you something?" paninimula ko.
Tumingin siya sa'kin at ngumiti bago niya ibinalik muli ang tingin niya sa daan.
"Sure. About what?"
"I hope you don't get offended," paninimula ko, "Pero, sino po si Sabel?" dagdag na tanong ko and the moment I said that, biglang nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya at tila ba napalitan ito ng lungkot.
Okay, something is not right. Hindi nakasagot si Tita Lea, napakamot naman ako ng ulo ko. It's like I triggered a memory by asking that question, which is rude of me now that I figured it out.
"Sorry Tita for asking you that, nakita ko lang po kasi ang charm bracelet na nakasabit d'yan kaya nagtaka ako kung sino si Sabel. Okay lang naman po kung huwag niyo nang sagutin ang tanong ko, I understand naman po." I explained kahit na labag sa loob ko.
Gusto ko mang alamin kung sino si Sabel, huwag na lang at mukhang na-offend pa si Tita Lea.
I'm not really the type of person na babawiin pa ang mga nasabi niya but, guess what? I just did.
Tita Lea flashed a small smile, a pale and a bitter one. Hindi kagaya noong iba niyang mga ngiti na puno ng sincerity.
What's with Sabel? Bakit parang ang laki talaga ng impact niya sa buhay ni Tita Lea?
"You really want to know her?" tanong niya, kaagad naman akong tumango.
"Soon, sumama ka sa'kin. We'll visit her. Huwag muna ngayon because I want to spend this day with you." she said at feeling ko, namula ang buong mukha ko dahil doon.
What an honor. I'm flattered, really.
Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at natameme ako sa mga pinagsasabi niya. Bakit ba feeling ko, napaka-special ko tuwing kasama ko siya?
Maybe, sa kanya ko lang nakita ang malasakit para sa sarili ko na matagal ko ng gustong maramdaman.
Napangiti ako ng mapakla as I faced the car's window instead. My Dad, he's always too busy doing his job and other paraphernalias, ni hindi nga niya ako maatupag.
Hindi naman siya ganyan dati, eh. When I was 11 and below? Super close namin, I'm a certified Daddy's girl, ika nga nila. Spoiled ako sa kanya, sobra.
But, everything changed. Ewan ko kung bakit at paano pero isang araw, nagising na lang ako, tila nagbago na ang ihip ng hangin. Nagbago na ang lahat.
Dad became a workaholic, maaga siyang dadating, gabi siya uuwi. Kahit weekends at dapat family time namin, may trabaho siyang inaatupag.
I can't help not to feel bad about it. There's one time nga na may parangal kami sa school ko and I was one of the star students of the month, I was waiting for him to come pero ni anino niya, hindi dumating. He promised me that he will come but he didn't. Iyak ako nang iyak noon, buti na lang at nandoon sina Tita Kate upang patahanin ako.
Umuwi kami sa bahay dala-dala ang anim na medalyang nasungkit ko and, I was greeted by such unpleasant surprise upon my arrival.
Kaya pala 'di nakapunta sa paaralan ko dahil nandoon siya sa bahay, nakikipaglandian sa ibang babae. I asked him kung ba't 'di siya dumating, he said that he was busy but since nature ko na ang pagiging pranka, nasagot ko siya na 'Ano? Busy makipaglandian?' — and for the first time, my cheeks met my Dad's hands.
Sa murang edad, nagawa na akong sampalin ni Daddy. What a privilege I had there!
Magmula nong araw na iyon, doon ako nagising sa katotohanan na wala na. Wala ng pag-asa na maibalik pa ang dating ugnayan namin.
Hindi lang siya nagbago, pati ako mismo, nagbago na rin. I distant myself from other people, I became rebellious just to what? Earn my Dad's attention but still, he didn't give a single crap about me.
Guess I'm alone in this world. No one cares for me. No one loves me. It's just, me. It's just myself that I can lean on. It's just Chiara.
Natigil ang pag muni-muni ko when Tita Lea's car stopped, nasa parking area na pala kami ng condominium kung saan siya nakatira.
I've been here before, this is one of the most luxurious condominiums in town.
"Nandito na tayo, let's go?" Tita Lea said. I nodded my head as I unbuckled my seatbelt and then made my way out of her car.
Up until now, basa pa rin ako at malagkit ang uniform ko. Dala-dala ko pa rin ang bag ko at ang mga paper bags na naglalaman ng mga pinamili ko kanina. I bought a lot of clothes so probably, I can go change later.
Pumasok na kami sa lobby, naunang maglakad si Tita at nakasunod lang ako sa kanya. We entered the elevator as she tapped some buttons, 8th floor.
*Ting!* napatingin ako kay Tita then she smiled at me at tumango, we both went out of the elevator at tinahak ang mahabang hallway.
She stopped infront of a door, so did I, binuksan niya ito gamit ang isang card at 'di ko maiwasan ang 'di mamangha nang bumukas na ang pinto ng condo niya, it looks like any other apartment but her's was neatly organized. Painted with cream colors, ang gara tignan. It looks pretty much comforting.
"Umupo ka muna d'yan, I'll go get you some clothes nang makapag-palit ka na." she instructed me at tinuro ang sofa, tumango lang ako as Tita Lea went inside a room, kwarto niya siguro? Ewan.
Just like what she said, naupo nga muna ako. Nilapag ko ang mga dala ko sa ibabaw ng center table as I roam my eyes around the whole area.
May living room, may kitchen at sa gitna naman, there's like a halllway leading to the rooms, maybe? May glass door rin patungong balcony, ang suwerte ko talaga at nakapasok ako rito.
Worth it ang pag-cutting classes ko even thou, lagot ako sa oras na malaman ni Daddy ang ginawa ko.
"Here, you can use the bathroom, maligo ka na lang muna. For sure, ang lagkit na ng pakiramdam mo ngayon." sambit ni Tita Lea na kakarating lang, she handed me a towel at naka-roll sa loob nito ang isang damit.
Alanganin ko naman itong tinanggap, "Tita, you don't have to lend me some clothes. Meron naman po akong binili kanina, perhaps I can use one of those."
"Don't, hindi pa iyan nalalabhan kaya kakati lang ang katawan mo if you wear those." she crossed her arms, I was about to protest but she stopped me. "My house, my rules. Sa ayaw at sa gusto mo, go take a bath, Chia." her voice is full of authority so I decided to surrender without a fight.
I giggled as I made my way towards the bathroom, "Oo na po Ms. Salonga, maliligo na po ako."
"Take your time. I'll be here at the kitchen!"
Pumasok na ako sa loob ng banyo at isa-isa nang hinubad ang uniform ko, including my lingeries. Maliligo na nga lang ako as what she instructed me to do so, half bath lang as I put my hair into a tight bun.
I went to the shower and good thing, kompleto ang mga gamit dito, I used the shower gel and after a couple of minutes, natapos na rin ako. Of course binilisan ko, nakakahiya naman at hindi ko bahay 'to.
I wiped the liquid in my skin using the towel she gave me earlier, sinout ko na rin ang mga hinubad ko na lingeries kanina as I stared at the dress she gave me.
It's a simple white off shoulder dress na hula ko, hanggang tuhod ko lang, really? I hate wearing white clothes sapagkat napakainosente ko kayng tignan, I look like an angel according to some which is so not me.
Pero dahil pinahiram lang sa'kin 'to, aarte pa ba ako? Well, hindi ba magagalit si Sabel nito at pinahiram sa'kin ni Tita ang damit niya? Pero ang tanong, kay Sabel nga ba ito?
After changing and fixing myself, lumabas na ako ng banyo at dumiretso sa kusina kung nasaan si Tita na ngayon ay nagluluto.
"You look good, bagay sa'yo ang damit na iyan. You can have that, 'wag mo nang ibalik sa'kin." Tita Lea said when she saw me, flashing a sweet smile. Umupo ako sa counter at pinagmasdan siya.
"Ha? Baka po magalit si Sabel nito." bigla na lang iyang lumabas sa bibig ko. Seriously, Chiara? Napaangat ng tingin sa'kin si Tita at pansamantalang napatigil sa ginagawa niya.
"Ba't naman siya magagalit? That's not her's." wika niya, napatango na lang ako at alanganin na napangiti.
"So Chiara, tell me about yourself."
Gusto kong matawa sa narinig, what would she want to know about me? Ang boring kaya ng buhay ko.
"I'm Chiara Isabel Muhlach. I'm 17 and I'm currently on my 4th year of highschool." I replied shortly.
Ngayon ko lang na-realize na may 'Sabel' din pala sa pangalan ko. What a coincidence.
Ngumiti si Tita, "Ano ang mga hilig mo? Your hobbies?"
"I love to play the piano when I'm bored."
True enough, I do play the piano but no one knows about it except for the people in my household. It's my secret agenda.
"Oh. Well then, how about your parents? How's Aga as a father?" she asked again and for the second time, gusto ko ulit matawa sa tanong niya.
How am I suppose to answer that question?
"Hmm.. he's good." iyan na lang ang tanging naisagot ko.
"How about your Mom? Hindi ko siya nakita sa bahay niyo when we went there." she added. Napaupo ako ng tuwid when she mentioned my Mom.
Hindi pa niya alam? Hindi ba naikwento ni Daddy sa kanila?
"She.... she left us when I was 11." I answered and surprise is written all over her face upon hearing it.
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