Chiara
"Tita, don't forget to smile, okay? Ayaw ni Sabel na makitang malungkot ang Mommy niya, be strong for her." I said, encouraging Tita Lea to smile as I gave her a thumbs up.
Kanina pa siya iyak ng iyak, of course, who am I to blame her? Anak niya ang nawala at alam ko kung gaano kasakit mawalan ng mahal sa buhay.
"Hindi talaga ako nagkamali sa'yo, Chiara. You really do have a good heart." wika niya and of course, I was really flattered by that.
Kung alam niya lang kung ano ang mga nakasulat na vandalisms sa girl's comfort room doon sa paaralan ko, hindi niya iisipin na mabuti ang kalooban ko.
She's just seeing the side that I never show to other people, not even to my own family. It's the side that I want her to see. Guess who's wearing her halo all the time? Me.
But don't get me wrong-- kahit na may masamang budhi ako, lahat ng mga pinapakita at sinasabi ko kay Tita Lea, totoo lahat iyon.
Bumuntong hininga ako at sumulyap sa lapida ni Sabel. She was born on August 14, 2000. What a coincidence! Same year, month and date! I was also born on August 14, 2000.
"You know what, Tita? Sabel and I are birthday twinnies, mag-kapareho po kami ng birthday!" pagkwento ko kay Tita Lea.
Tita glance at me with amusement, "Talaga?" 'di makapaniwalang tanong nito kaya kaagad naman akong tumango.
"Yes po, in fact, we're in the same age." I said happily and again, the thought of me wishing that I want to be Sabel if she's alive crossed my mind.
Oh c'mon, Chiara! Get over it, will you? You'll never be Sabel-- that's impossible.
"Tuwing kaarawan niya, sinisigurado ko talaga na wala akong ginagawa. All my schedules are cleared up during that day. I always go here so that we can spend her special day together." kwento ni Tita Lea as she knelt down and caressed Sabel's gravestone using her palms.
"Hi baby, Mom's sorry because ngayon lang ulit siya nakadalaw. I'm always busy with my commitments lalo't na we're taping for our upcoming movie this year," mapait na ngiti ang nakapinta sa labi ni Tita habang kinakausap niya si Sabel, one thing's for sure, never ruin a mother and a daughter's moment.
"I miss you baby.. I really do. Kung sana inalagaan lang kita ng mabuti noon? Things could've been way better. Hindi sana ako mag-isa, hindi sana ako malungkot." tahimik lang ako habang nakikinig sa mga sinasabi niya.
Ano ba ang nangyari kay Sabel? Bakit siya namatay?
"Pero alam mo, there's this person that definitely reminds me of you. She's beautiful, just like you." ani nito, uhm, is she referring to me? Huwag feeler, Chia.
You can't blame me, okay?
"Naalala mo pa ba iyong babaeng kine-kwento ko sa'yo noon? Well, she's here with me! Kinulit niya ako na ipakilala raw kita sa kanya kaya sinama ko siya rito.." dagdag pa niya, okay... She's obviously talking about me.
Tita Lea faced me and motioned me to come nearer, I hesitantly nodded my head as I sat at the bermuda grass right beside her.
"You can talk to her.." bulong ni Tita sa'kin, at ano naman ang sasabihin ko?
Of course, I must greet her first and the rest will be history! Stupid Chiara!
"Hi Sabel!" bati ko rito, from my peripheral vision, I can see Tita Lea smiling.
"I really don't know what to say," paninimula ko, "Wait, I have something to say pala. Well, can you please tell your Mom not to cry again? Kasi 'di ba, magiging malungkot ka kapag umiiyak siya kaya dapat, huwag na siyang umiyak." I said while starring at Tita Lea, mukhang nagulat naman siya dahil sa sinabi ko pero agad ding nakabawi.
"Nagkampihan pa talaga kayo?" she asked, I shrugged my shoulders and giggled.
"Tita, ayaw lang namin ni Sabel na makita kang malungkot, 'di ba, Sabel?" tanong ko and as if on a cue, tila sumagot si Sabel nang biglang humangin nang malakas kaya kaagad naman akong napayakap sa sarili ko dahil sa lamig na dala nito.
I can feel the chills, really Sabel? Alam kong mabait ka kagaya ng Mommy mo kaya utang na loob, walang takutan!
"I'll try, if not necessary. I'll do this for the both of you, you girls are my babies." sambit ni Tita at tuwang-tuwa naman ang puso't isip ko dahil sa narinig.
"Anyway, looks like rain is about to fall. Let's go na, Chia?" pag-aya ni Tita habang nakatingala sa langit, I nodded my head in response as I stood up.
Tita Lea caressed Sabel's gravestone once more,
"Baby, Mommy's leaving. I'll visit you anytime soon and I promise, I'll stay here longer the next time around. I love you, au revoir, Sabel!"
Au Revoir means 'goodbye, till we meet again' in French. She knows how to speak that language? Ang galing. She sounded really fluent while saying those words.
Wait, ba't ba naman ako nagtataka? Duh Chiara, duh! She's Lea Salonga at malamang sa malamang, alam niya iyon. She's multi talented, in case you forgot.
"Bye, Sabel.." bulong ko sa hangin as I took a last glance at Sabel's gravestone.
Nang makapasok na kami, Tita Lea immediately started the engine of her car and the ride way back to my house seemed like forever, lalo't na at mukhang may na aksidente sa dinadaanan namin kaya ang ending, here we are, stuck in traffic.
To ease my boredom, I started a topic nang mabura ang nakakabinging katahimikan dito sa sasakyan.
"You know how to speak French po, Tita?" I asked her kaya kaagad naman siyang napasulyap sa'kin-- nodding her head.
"I only know the common words." sagot nito.
"That's so cool, Tita! May alam din po akong French words pero kagaya niyo po, common ones lang din." wika ko, I had online French classes when I was in grade school.
"Really? Give it a try nga, give me a sample."
"Tu es tres belle, Tita Lea." ngumiti si Tita dahil sa sinabi ko so I bet, alam niya ang ibig sabihin 'nun. {You are beautiful, Tita Lea.}
"Merci Chiara, merci!" sagot nito, stating the obvious. Talagang maganda naman si Tita so, she doesn't need to thank me anyway. {Thank you Chiara, thank you.}
"Ang galing niyo po talaga, Tita! I love your accent!" puri ko sa kanya, umiling lang siya as she pinched my cheeks which she usually and practically, loves to do.
"You too, you're actually good." a lot of people say that they like my French accent pero, kay Tita Lea lang talaga ako na flatter ng husto. Biased naman ako masyado.
I smiled shyly. "Hindi naman po.."
— ✽ —
Lea
"Lea? You're here?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Aga nang madatnan niya akong nakaupo rito sa sala ng bahay niya.
It's raining cats and dogs outside, it'll be dangerous if I drive my way home according to Chiara so she asked if I can stay here at their house for awhile and wait for the rain to stop, I gladly said yes.
Tumayo ako upang makipag-beso kay Aga, both of us have this strong connection back then but here I am, acting normal when I'm with him. It's all in the past.
"Yes, I was with Chiara earlier, I dropped her by and then the rain started to pour endlessly," I explained, "I hope you don't mind if I stay here for awhile?"
"Of course, I won't mind at all! You really should stay here, delikado ang daan sa labas lalo't na bumabaha sa ibang areas dito." he said, teka-- baha?
"May bagyo ba?" I asked him, I'm not updated sa mga pangyayari sa mundong ginagalawan ko and here I am, totally clueless in situations like this.
He chuckled upon hearing my question, "Same old Lea, hindi ka pa rin nanonoud ng balita, ano?" tanong nito at natigilan ako dahil sa narinig.
Same old Lea..
Same old Lea..
Same old Lea..
May naalala pa rin pala siya tungkol sa'kin? I don't know what to feel by that.
"I don't watch the news," sagot ko at umiling, "So, may bagyo nga?" dagdag ko pa-- bringing back the topic that we had earlier.
"Wala, sadyang malakas lang ang ulan." he uttered plainly at tila nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag dahil doon.
Anyway, ba't ba ang tagal ni Chiara doon sa kusina? Nakatulog na ba siya sa pagtitimpla ng juice?
"If you'll excuse me, I need to go. Mag- bibihis lang ako sa taas then I'll be back immediately, mag-usap tayo." aniya.
Tumango lang ako at ngumiti ng tipid, tumalikod na siya at akmang uupo na ako but before I can do that, I was frozen in my spot when Aga went closer to my direction and without saying anything, he kissed me.
Nagulantang ako kung kaya't 'di ko siya naitulak kaagad dahil sa ginawa niya but fortunately, siya na mismo ang bumitaw; wearing a sly grin on his face.
"How I missed your lips, Lei. I cannot resist not to kiss you." he said na parang walang nangyari at tuluyan nang tumalikod upang umakyat na sa taas.
When I finally gathered back my senses, doon ko lang na-realize ang lahat..
Aga Muhlach kissed me for Pete's sake! Oh God, that pervert guy, humanda siya sa'kin!
"Walang hiya ka, Muhlach!" sigaw ko, wala na akong pakialam kung marinig man iyon ni Chiara.
Napaupo sa couch at napahawak sa labi ko. Para saan iyon?
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