Braylee
I carefully slipped myself into my teddy bear costume while constantly stealing glances at Piper, just to make sure that she's still asleep. Holding the head piece of my costume, I grabbed my phone and wallet and snuck out of our room.
Once I got out of the dorm through the kitchen window, I ran towards Denver's car. He's already in the driver's seat and the door in the front seat is already open.
As soon as I got in, I slammed the door shut and placed the head piece of my costume on my lap. I faced Denver, this time his head is no longer covered with his costume. I can see the smile in his face clearly. "Seatbelt," he reminded and I hurriedly obliged.
"Why are you wearing your teddy bear costume?" I asked.
He cranks up the engine of his car and looks at me through the rear-view mirror. "People could recognize me. Rumors spread like wildfire these days. You can't be caught in a rumor with me, you have enough problems to deal with," he says, making me smile.
"Why are you wearing your costume?" Denver turned the question around.
"Because you're wearing yours," I answered. As simple as that.
"Where to, teddy?" Denver chuckled.
"18!" I said with pride.
"Where's that?" Denver asked curiously.
"What's 7 plus 11?" I asked and giggled.
Denver shouts in frustration, making me laugh.
****
"Ma'am, sir, pakitanggal ng maskara," the guard stops us before we could even enter the store. Denver turns to look at me and that's when I took off the head piece of his costume.
"Sigurado ka?" tanong ni Denver. Pawisan na ang mukha niya at basa narin ang buhok niya kaya nagkaroon tuloy siya ng basang bangs ng wala sa oras.
Tinanggal ko naman ang sa akin sabay ayos ng buhok ko. "It's midnight and we're no longer in campus. Wala naman sigurong makakakilala sa atin dito, tingnan mo oh, wala rin halos customer," giit ko sabay turo sa mga matatandang nagkakape sa loob.
***
"Masarap?" I asked, excited to see his reaction after getting a taste of his first ice cream sandwich. Denver nods as he chews, making me smile even more.
We talked just about anything while enjoying our ice cream sandwiches. We threw random questions to each other which was pretty fun since I got to know him more.
"Favorite movie?" I asked Denver.
"The Crow!" Denver says with pride as he devoured his third ice cream sandwich.
"Favorite TV show?" Denver asks.
"Teletubbies!" I screamed happily.
"What the crap?" Denver laughs, as if he can't believe what I had just said.
"Why? There's nothing wrong with Tinky Winky, Lala, Dipsy, and Po," I raised my eyebrow before he could even say a thing about my favorite tv show.
"Favorite book?" I asked.
"Lord of the flies! That shit was the best!" Denver nods and smirks with his head held high.
"Is it a fable about flies?" tanong ko dahilan para agad mapangiwi si Denver.
"It's about how hell broke lose to a group of boys who got stranded on a deserted island," pagtatama ni Denver kaya tumango na lamang ako.
"Favorite Movie?" It was Denver's turn to ask.
"The bad seed, 1956," I said and clapped.
Denver's eyes widened and he leaned closer to the table as if he's surprised. "Yan ba yung tungkol sa batang pumapatay?"
"Yeah! Wait you know that film too?" tanong ko. "Rhoda Penmark was absolutely creepy and I loved it! Better than Orphan! The bad seed relied more on psychological terror rather than gore and it's perfect!" giit ko at nakita ko ang gulat sa mukha ni Denver.
"Hindi ko inasahang nanood ka pala ng horror films," Denver says, amused. He even clapped.
"My brother loves those kind of films and I kinda got hooked. We watch classic horror films together but it's always him who chooses what to watch. Kahit pagdating sa movies, protective parin siya sa akin," pag-amin ko.
"Panoorin natin yung--"
"I promised my brother i'll only watch horror movies with him," I giggled and raised a peace sign.
"You seem really close to your brother," Denver muses.
"Yup and I miss him every second of the day," My smile faints no matter how hard I try to strengthen it. "I've never really told anyone about my brother... Sana wala kang ibang pagsasabihan," dagdag ko pa. The mood of our conversation turned gloomy the moment we talked about my brother.
"Hindi ba alam ng mga kaibigan mo ang tungkol sa kapatid mo?" tanong ni Denver.
"They know he's sick but I didn't tell them that it's ALS. I mean, i'm scared it would just trigger their own bad memories," I smiled and took a bite out of my ice cream sandwich.
"Do they have sick relatives too?" Denver asks.
"I'm going to tell you another secret. Promise you won't tell okay?" Giit ko at tumango naman agad si Denver.
Huminga ako ng malalim at napasandal sa kinauupuan habang nakatitig sa mesa. "Marami akong na-realize nang ma-diagnose si Kuya ng ALS. Isa na dun ang katotohanang hindi lang ang pasyente ang nagdurusa dahil sa kanyang sakit, kundi pati narin ang pamilya niya. Doctors and medicines try to heal the patient, but who heals the suffering family members and friends?"
"So you wanted to heal others huh?" Denver asked. I looked up at him and saw that his smile was already nowhere to be found. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes.
I nodded. "When I enrolled to Filimon Heights, I kinda asked the guidance counselor for a favor. I asked to have a roommate with a sick relative... The guidance counselor told me about Piper... how she had a younger sister who suffered with cerebral palsy and died... Piper was diagnosed with depression because of her death so I convinced the nurse to make Piper and I roommates. From that moment I promised myself that I will be a sister to Piper. iI want to fill the gap left in her heart. And I honestly want to feel what its like having a sister. It's a win-win situation for us."
"So that's why she's treating you like a baby? Because you remind her of her sister," Denver says as if he's reached a conclusion from what I just said.
"I guess? But she's not really treating me like a baby... just a dumb younger sister," I chuckled and took a bite of my ice cream sandwich. "The guidance counselor then told me about Riley... Riley's Mom died from cancer and his dad is military man who keeps beating him up because he's gay. She told me that Riley was just bottling up his sadness by constantly faking smiles."
"Let me guess?" sarcastic na sambit ni Denver. "Kinaibigan mo siya kasi gusto mo siyang tulungan? Eh si Warren, paano kayo nagkakilala?" tanong pa niya.
"I was in the cafeteria once tapos wala akong ibang nakitang table na bakante. Nakita ko si Warren na nag-iisa sa table kaya naki-share ako sa kanya. Warren was really nice to me so we instantly became friends. Nung una hindi pa close si Warren kay Piper kahit marami silang classes na pareho. Si Warren naman parang uncomfortable sa mga titig ni Riley. Pero hindi nagtagal, sumasama-sama na lagi si Warren sa amin." Hindi ko napigilang matawa habang inaalala ang nakaraan. We weren't really close before.
"Hindi mo alam ang family background ni Warren?" tanong ni Denver. Halatang interesadong-interesado sa kwento ko. Nakakatuwa. Minsan kasi pakiramdam ko yung mga friends ko parang ayaw pakinggan ang mga kwento ko. Except for Warren, good listener ang isang yun.
"I got curious with Warren pero si Warren kasi yung tipo ng tao na hindi mahilig magkwento o magbahagi ng tungkol sa sarili niya. Mas sanay siyang nakikinig kesa siya ang pinapakinggan. I asked the guidance counselor about Warren and she told me that Warren was an orphan but lumaki siya sa puder ng lolo at lola niya, yun lang," paliwanag ko at tumango-tango naman si Denver. Nilibot ni Denver ang paningin sa paligid. Naiilang ba siyang pag-usapan si Warren?
"Sino nga ulit yung isa mo pang kaibigan? Yung muntik makakita sa atin?" tanong ni Denver.
"Ah, si Lucho," napangiti ako. "Naging roommates sina Lucho at Warren kaya yun, naging kaibigan narin namin si Lucho," paliwanag ko.
"Namatayan din ba siya?" tanong ni Denver.
Umiling ako. "Lucho's parents are still alive. Sabi ni Lucho nakatira raw sa province ang mga magulang niya. Sheltered at Spoiled daw si Lucho ng mga magulang niya kasi only child lang siya kaya napagdesisyunan niyang mag-aral dito sa Filimon Heights para maranasang maging independent. Lucho's pretty close to his grandpa so when he died, pinamana nito sa kanyang sasakyan niya. Lucho says tanggap na niya ang pagkawala ng lolo niya but despite of that, I always assume na tinatago niya lang ang sadness niya."
"Siya ang pinakamaloko sa inyo?" tanong ni Denver kaya natawa ako at tumango-tango.
"He's the goofiest and cutest! He's like this little brother and I love messing around with him. He always rejects my affections but I know he likes it. We're like this unofficial siblings," biro ko. Denver suddenly grabs his phone and begins texting.
"Pangit ang mga kaibigan mo," sabi ni Denver habang nagte-text kaya agad naglaho ang ngiti sa mukha ko't agad akong napasimangot.
"Hey, that's mean," giit ko.
"Teletubbies is lame. What are you? Five years old?!" sabi pa ni Denver habang nagte-text parin gamit ang cellphone niya.
"There's nothing wrong with it!" hindi ko napigilang magtaas ng boses. Denver is usually nice. Did I say something wrong to him? Did I offend him to treat me like this?!
"Gusto mo akong mag-sorry? Eh hindi naman kita masusuntok kung hindi ka nakialam," Denver says coldly, without even looking at me.
Parang bumagal ang tibok ng puso ko at nanlamig ang pakiramdam ko sa mga kamay ko. Bakit niya ako inaaway? May ginawa ba akong mali? Anong kasalanan ko? Ayoko ng ganito, ayokong may kaaway.
Biglang napatingin si Denver sa cellphone ko na nasa mesa lang rin kaya napatingin din ako rito. Ngayon ko lang pansin na umiilaw ito at may mga unread messages na. Parang may ipinapahiwatig ang mga mata ni Denver kaya naman kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at binsa ang mga ito.
Denver:
Tumingin ka lang sa cellphone mo. Wag kang lumingon, andito si Lucho.
Nakatingin siya sa atin, binabantayan niya tayo habang nagtatago sa likod ng hotdog stand
Wag kang lilingon, wag mong ipahalata na alam nating nandito siya
Sumimangot ka lang wag kang ngumiti
Imbes na makahinga nang maluwa dahil hindi naman pala galit si Denver, mas lalo akong kinabahan kasi andito si Lucho. Lagot ako nito! Ayokong magalit siya sa akin! Ayokong mag-away kami! I don't want to disappoint anyone!
"It was your fault!" sigaw ko habang nakatitig parin sa cellphone ko.
You:
It was not your fault!!!
Don't believe me!
I mean believe me but
"Ahhh!" Hindi ko napigilang mapasigaw sa sobrang kaba at lito.
"Go find another table," Denver says coldly, this time he looks at me, expressionless.
"Nauna ako dito!" sigaw ko sa kanya
You:
I didn't mean to raise my voice!
sorry!
Denver:
Insult me
look at me and insult me
Huminga ako nang malalim at nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Denver. Tiningnan ako ni Denver sa mga mata, para bang pinapalakas ang loob ko. Bahagya siyang tumango na para bang pinapahintulutan ako.
"Y-you're average looking!" sigaw ko
"Mukha ba akong may pakialam?" walang kaemo-emosyong sambit ni Denver at sumandal siya sa kinauupuan at parang bored na tiningna ang cellphone niya.
Denver:
Meaner
"You're bad at basketball!" sigaw ko at nilakihan ko pa ang mga mata ko para galit kuno kaso walang imik si Denver. Nakatingin lang siya sa cellphone niya habang nagta-type. Muling nagliwanag ang cellphone ko kaya mabilis kong binasa ang bago niyang message.
Denver:
Meaner
Don't hold back
Parang nagsusuntukan na ang mga kulot sa utak ko, mas pinangungunahan ako ng taranta. "Mukha kang utot na nagkatawang tao!" sigaw ko pero wala paring imik si Denver at nakaharap parin siya sa cellphone niya. Muli akong nakatanggap ng text.
Denver:
Wtf teddy!
MEANER!!!!
Para na akong masisiraan ng bait. Kinakabahan ako, para nang sasabog ang puso ko. Ang utak ko naman parang nagkanda buhol-buhol na sa sobrang taranta. Napahampas ako sa mesa at napatayo.
"Hindi ka mahal ng nanay mo!" Dinuro ko si Denver at sumigaw ako nang pagkalakas-lakas habang nanlilisik ang mga mata. Agad na napaangat si Denver ng tingin sa akin na para bang gulat sa sinabi ko. Sa puntong yon, pakiramdam ko nakatingin sa akin ang lahat ng tao sa 7/11.
Hiningal ako pero sa kabila nito ay nakaturo parin ang nanginginig kong daliri kay Denver. Ilang sandali akong nanatiling nakatayo sa ganung kalagayan hanggang sa bigla na lamang may pumalakpak.
"Akala niyo ba mauuto niyo ako?" narinig ko ang boses ni Lucho kaya otomatiko akong napalingon. Nakita ko si Lucho na nakasuot pa ng terno niyang pantulog; yellow na t-shirt at pajama na tadtad ng mukha ni Pikachu. Nakapamewang si Lucho kahit may hawak pa siyang mga potato chips. Mukha siyang galit. Patay!
Gusto kong magpaliwanag kaso walang salitang lumalabas mula sa bibig ko. Mabilis na lumapit si Lucho at hinigit ako dahilan para mapahakbang ako palayo kay Denver. "'Wag mong idadamay si Braylee sa away niyo ni Warren!"
"T-teka Lucho makinig ka muna," nataranta ako.
Tiningnan ako ni Lucho, parang galit siya sa akin. "Akala ko noong una may balak kang gumanti pero nakikipagkaibigan ka pala sa kanya?! Braylee naman! Inuuto ka lang niyan!" giit ni Lucho sabay turo kay Denver. Si Denver naman walang imik, nakatingin lang siya na para bang tinatanggap ang lahat ng sinasabi ni Lucho.
"But Lucho, mabait si Denver. Please naman--"
"Hoy Hawthorn, maghanap ka ng ibang pagdidikskitahan! Ginagamit mo pa si Braylee para galitin si Warren!" giit ni Lucho.
Dali-dali akong lumapit kay Lucho at napahawak sa braso niya. Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, lumapit sa amin ang guwardya at pinalabas kami mula sa establismento. Ginawaran ni Lucho ng masamang tingin si Denver saka lumabas, mabibigat ang hakbang at nakabusangot.
"Hoy bayaran mo muna yan!" sigaw ng guwardya kay Lucho.
"Oo na!" sigaw pabalik ni Lucho saka umikot patungo sa cashier.
Habang hinihintay ang cashier, hindi ako bumibitaw sa braso ni Lucho. "Lu, wag ka namang magalit oh? Denver's nice and all of this is just one big misunderstanding. Please, can you just listen to me?" pakiusap ko.
"Hindi mo siya kilala, Bray," pagmamatigas ni Lucho at muling lumingon kay Denver at sinamaan ito ng tingin. Si Denver naman para lang estatwang nakatingin sa amin. Para siyang walang pakialam kahit masama na ang tingin ng lahat sa kanya. Wala ba siyang gagawin?! Hindi naman siya masama ah?!
"But Lucho, can't you just trust me? If you can't trust Denver, then trust me when I say that Denver's weird but he's a good person. And maybe misunderstanding lang din ang away nila ni Warren?" I pleaded as I kept tugging Lucho's shirt.
"Was it still a misunderstanding when he punched you?" Lucho sarcastically retorted as he pays for his food.
"Yes!" giit ko. "It was an accident! Dumapa si Warren kaya ako ang tinamaan! It was my fault kasi nakialam ako!" I insisted but Lucho answered me with silence. "Lucho why can't you believe me?! Why won't you just trust my judgment?"
"Because you're dumb!" Lucho screamed angrily, looking straight into my eyes.
My heart dropped. I couldn't speak or move, all I could do was look at Lucho. It felt as if all my strength got drained. This is the first time that Lucho got angry at me, that he said something like this to me. I've been called dumb before and it didn't hurt. But right now, it does...
The look on Lucho's face suddenly softened. He avoided my eyes hastily as his lips trembled. "S-sorry, I mean, I--" Lucho suddenly walks straight out the door and leaves without even looking back. All I could do was stare at him.
"Okay ka lang?" I heard Denver's voice. I turned around to see him already standing behind me. He looked worried so I nodded and smiled. I felt my hands shake so I clenched my fist.
"Oo naman," I assured him. "But can we go home now? I really want to go home now," I asked, still with a smile on my face.
END OF CHAPTER 25!
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