Chiara
Dinala ako ng mga paa ko sa park ng subdivision namin. I'm always here whenever I'm feeling lonely, and sad.
I didn't disturb their whatever you may call it scene, instead, kaagad akong dumiretso dito sa park with my uniform on and I still have my backpack with me.
I felt really disgusted right now. Out of all people, ba't si Tita Lea pa? And the latter, ba't si Daddy pa kung gano'ng alam nito na may asawa at anak na siya? Alam kong may past sila based on the rumors that I've heard pero, iba eh.. We're in a new era.
For once, I think I hate Tita Lea-- no, let me rephrase that-- I loathe her. Akala ko mabait siya, akala ko kung sinong santa pero 'yon pala, impostora naman.
Ano ba ang tawag sa mga katulad niya? Ah, mistress, kabit, kerida, ahas. That suits her well.
'Di ko namalayan at tumutulo na pala ang mga luha ko. Ayan na naman, umiiyak naman ako. Ano ba, Chiara? Kailan ka ba mauubusan ng luha? Ang hina-hina mo naman eh!
I was about to get my hanky which is located at my pocket but I stopped midway nang may naglahad ng panyo sa harap ko, a girl is standing in front of me at kaagad na nandilim ang paningin ko nang makilala ko kung sino ito. Well, it's the girl I bumped into earlier. Iba nga lang at 'di na siya nakasuot ng uniform ngayon, she's wearing pyjamas like seriously? This time of the day? She's really weird.
"It's you! Hindi pa tayo tapos!" I exclaimed na ikina-gulat niya at kaagad na umiling.
"A--ako? Hala, hala! Ate, wala po akong kasalanan sa inyo!" wika nito, why do I feel like I'm talking to a whole different person this time?
Ang kaninang nabangga ko, she has this dark aura and this one, has a light and bubbly one. And the way she speaks, iba rin eh.
"Anong walang kasalanan? Pagkatapos mo akong banggain kanina at takbuhan, you'll say na wala kang kasalanan? I'll sue you, my butt hurts because of you!" lintaya ko at tinuro-turo pa siya, natahimik siya and the next thing I knew, tumatawa na siya.
"HAHAHA!" she bursted out laughing na parang wala ako sa harap niya, again, she's really weird.
I glared at her at napansin niya atang masama ang tingin ko sa kanya kaya kaagad naman siyang tumigil as she composed herself and raised her fingers, indicating a peace sign.
"Pasensya na po Ate, pang-ilan ka na po ba sa mga taong pinagkakamalan ako bilang kakambal ko?" sabi niya na ikinagulat ko, kambal? "Ate, ang nakabangga niyo po kanina, 'di po ako 'yon! Kakambal ko po 'yon, kung ano man po ang nagawa niya sa inyo, ako na po ang humihingi ng dispensa." dagdag pa niya, now I get it..
Kaya pala iba, she have a twin and heck, ibang-iba ang ugali nila pero they have the exact same face! Napayuko na lang ako, I felt ashamed for blaming someone over something that she didn't even do.
"Ate, umiiyak ka naman ba?" I heard her asked tsaka umupo siya sa tabi ko, I'm sitting at the bench na naka-pwesto sa mapunong bahagi ng park na ito.
"Tama na po 'yan, ang ganda niyo pa naman po! Dapat po kasi, 'di kayo umiiyak at sige ka, papangit ka niyan!" wika niya at nilahad ulit ang panyo niya sa 'kin the second time around, I didn't hesitate at agad ko rin iyong tinanggap, wiping my tears away.
"Thank you.." I said softly, from my peripheral vision, nakita kong napangiti siya upon hearing what I said.
"Alam niyo po, Ate? Kung ano man ang problemang hinaharap mo ngayon, manalig ka lang at matatapos din iyan. Pagsubok lang iyan eh, sinusubok lang po ni Papa Jesus kung hanggang saan ang kaya mo kaya huwag na huwag po kayong susuko at paghinaan ng loob. Fighting lang Ate ganda, aja!" she added making me smile, a little. She's good at comforting people, eh?
"Ayieeh, ngumiti na siya! Ngiti lang po kayo palagi Ate ganda, mas gumaganda kayo lalo eh!" sambit niya, she kept on calling me Ate pero I think, magka-edad lang kami.
"Chiara. My name's Chiara, what's yours?" pagpakilala at tanong ko. You see, I'm really not the friendly type. Sa school nga, tanging si Kallie lang ang kinakausap ko palagi pero this one's different, ang gaan ng loob ko sa kanya. She's harmless, I think?
Ngumiti siya, exposing her cute dimples, "Hi po, Ate Chiara! Taglamig, 'yan po ang pangalan ko!" she answered, the fuck? If her sister is Taginit then, she's...Taglamig? Pinagloloko ba nila ako?
"Uhm, are you serious? Taglamig nga ba ang pangalan mo?" I asked trying; my best not to sound insulting in her ears, tumango naman siya.
"Opo Ate, seryoso ako! Kung nahahabaan po kayo sa Taglamig, then you can call me Kulay po!" sagot niya, making my jaw drop, so seryoso nga siya? Kulay? Taglamig?
Andaming pangalan sa mundo and then there's the two of them..
"Oh.." iyan na lang ang naisambit ko, nadako ang paningin niya sa relo ko at kaagad na nanlaki ang mga mata niya upon seeing the time.
"Waaah Ate 5:00 pm na, kailangan ko na pong umuwi! Lagot ako kay Umaga nito
Bye po Ate Chiara, see you around!" she exclaimed at tumakbo na palayo sa 'kin, I stood up para sana ibigay sa kanya ang panyo niya pero nakalayo na siya.
Napatingin ako sa panyo and I think, this one is personalized at may nakaukit na pangalan dito.
"Amber.." basa ko, bakit Amber? Akala ko ba, Taglamig ang pangalan niya? Naah, maybe she's just fooling around.
Nevertheless, napangiti na lang ako upon remembering the things that she told me earlier, somehow, nakalimutan ko ang problema ko sa bahay because of her..
Malayo pa lang, natatanaw ko na ang ngiti ni Daddy as I went inside our house. Nakaupo siya sa couch dito sa salas and I tried to ignore him but unfortunately, he saw me making me stop from walking.
"Chia? San ka galing?" he asked, I shrugged my shoulders in response. He's acting like everything's normal but actually, it isn't.
"D'yan lang po sa tabi-tabi.." I answered, avoiding to have an eye contact with him. Who knows? Baka maiyak na lang ako bigla dito.
"Oh.. Go upstairs na, change your clothes and we'll eat dinner." he ordered, tumango lang ako at umakyat na patungo sa kwarto ko sa taas. Upon arriving inside, I immediately locked the door as I jump at my bed, crying.
I don't know why am I even crying. Maybe I feel betrayed. Dad's the last person in the world whom I thought will never change my Mom's position even tho she's not here in his life. I'm wrong, afterall, maybe, I don't know him yet.
Umiyak lang ako nang umiyak until I cried myself to sleep and deep slumber..
I woke up nang maramdaman ko ang vibration ng cellphone ko and I can also hear my ringtone, someone's probably calling. I'm still in my uniform kaya agad ko munang hinubad ang sapatos ko as I fixed myself first before grabbing my phone which is inside my pocket.
I took a glance at the clock right on top of my bedside table, 11:23 pm. Woah, gano'n ako katagal natulog? And, who in the right mind would call at this time of the day?
Without hesitation, I answered the call nang hindi tumitingin kung sino ang tumatawag.
"Hello?" tanong ko sa kabilang linya.
"Chiara, baby?" my eyes widened when the person who called me answered, bumilis bigla ang tibok ng puso ko at feeling ko, pinagpapawisan ako kahit na air-conditioned naman 'tong kwarto ko.
The voice... I haven't heard it for years and now?
"Mo... mommy?" I said, almost out of voice, my voice is shaking and I'm stuttering for I don't even know why either.
"Chiara! God, I miss you! How are you na? Are you doing fine there? Inaalagaan ka ba ng Daddy mo?" sunod-sunod niyang tanong as I bit my lower lip, now I'm crying, again but this time, tears of joy na 'to! I missed my Mom so, so, so, much!
"Mommy.." 'yan lang ang naisabi ko, I'm speechless.
"You're crying, don't you? Mommy taught you to be strong 'di ba so baby, stop crying na.." she said calmly, as much as I want to hug her right now, I can't. Maybe, I can tell her my problems? She's my Mom after all.
"Ma.. asan ka ba? I.. missed you. Uwi ka na, please? I need you.. really." wika ko.
"Miss na miss na rin kita baby, kayo ng Daddy mo. Tell me, may problema ba d'yan?" she asked.
I took a deep breathe first before answering her question, "Mommy, I... I saw Dad kissing Tita Lea earlier." I admitted and silence eloped for a minute or so. Natahimik siya.
"Ma.. still there?"
"Oh yes, I'm still here. You saw what? Don't worry 'nak, Mommy's on her way at kung ano man ang nakita mo, forget it, okay? Hindi maagaw ng Lea na 'yan ang Daddy mo, I promised. Uuwi na ako to bring back our family again. I'm on my way.." she said with a stern voice. Napangiti na lang ako, I can sense war..
Mom and I will be Tita Lea's worst nightmare.
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