Dominique's POV
"Ito na po" Inilagay ni Karlir ang carpet sa bermuda grass, dala dala nito ang malamig na tubig at kaunting pagkain.
I layed down first and staired at the stars twinkling above us. She smiled and layed down next to me.
I heard her sigh so loud.
I know she was waiting for me to speak. For me to tell a story, and to be honest I am not a story teller because I don't have much story to tell.
I don't wanna slip any word that's why I stayed silent.
"Ikaw ba Maam?" Panimula niya.
"Hmmm?"
"Anong kwento mo?" She seriously said kaya napalunok ako.
"W-Wala naman"
I saw her looked at me seriously and waiting for me to just spill the bad blood I have towards my life.
She was staring at me!
"What?," I ask her out dahil parang nagbabadya siyanv makipag-away. "I don't have any story to tell you Karlie. How about you ask your classmates, they know me more than I to myself."
"Kung wala kang kwento bakit ka narating sa estado ng buhay mo ngayon?"
I left out a big sigh and looked at her and smiled
"Well, I was born a gifted child." I said ssriously. "When I was 13 I am already in college and graduated 17 yrs. Old at 18 I took up my masteral and after that I took up my doctofal in history. I am a leading students when I studied in NU did my masters in Psychology there, and hopefull by next year makakapag-aral na ako sa Standford with my doctoral degree in Psychology."
"Maam?"
"Yes?"
"Nag-aaral ba kayo buong buhay niyo?" She ask innocently.
I decided to light up a cigarette and blow a smoke in the air.
Is she serious right now?
"Unfortunately, I am," I said to her seriously. "Why? Does it bother you?"
"H-Hindi naman po. Hindi ko lang ma imagine yung sarili ko sa sitwasyon mo. Ang sipag mong mag-aral" Saad ni Karlie at tila proud pa ito sa mga achievements ko.
"Hindi ako masipag, pinilit ako" I smiled bitterly.
"Ha?"
"Both my parents gave me the best education, sobrang the best halos iilang lessons na ang inaral ko. Aral doon aral dito, I never get to be myself when I'm with them, " I stared at her. She was listening so descretely causing me to continue. "In weekdays I have my home school, in the evening I was with my tutors, in Saturdays and Sundays I was in my piano, and flute lessons. I never really have the luxury of time to be with myself just for once. "
Nakita kong napalunok siya at tumingin kaagad sa mga bituin.
I can tell she don't have any words to say.
"At an early age, naalala ko pa noon I can't even cry because anng mga kasabayan ko ay College students all I have to do is cope up with them, learn the way they think. Kaya siguro ganon nalang ako ka cold ngayon, walang pakealam sa mga tao."
Napatingin siya bahagya sakin.
"Maam, naisip niyo ba na ang swerte niyo?" She suddenly said.
Napakunot ang noo ko.
"Why would you say that?"
"Ang swerte mo dahil sobrang talino mo, ang yaman mo, may rumerespesto sayo, hindi mo na kailangan pang maghirap basahin at intindihin ang libro dahil sa isang tingin ko lang yata ay kaya mo ng maalala lahat" She said smiling.
"Oh please" I said to her sarcastically, that is all an exaggeration.
Ano ako? May kakayahang makita ko lang ang libro ay maalala ko na lahat?
I also get to read, and fortunately I get fascinated and mabilis na naiintindihan ang mga context kaya siguro ganito.
"Totoo nga!," She said giggling. "Hindi ka kagaya namin na kailangan pang gumastos, basahin ang mga libro halos sampung beses para maalala at maintindihan ang libro, at maghirap ng halos 16 years para makapagtapos tapos iisang diploma lang ang makukuha namon"
"A diploma is worth all your achievements, and hardships. I never ever looked down on 16 years of education Karlie"
"Kaya nga, ang swerte mo" She always insisted that I'm lucky.
I was never lucky.
I was put on a cage and forced feed by my parents to just bloat my head to achieve their unachieve dreams and goals.
I let out a big sigh.
"Iba nga yung Ate mo sayo," Napatnig ang tenga ko.
"Paano mo nasabi?" Napatnig ang tenga ko sa kanya.
"Yung Ate mo napaka simpleng babae, ang daling pakisamahan, marespeto, at ang bait,"
Tangina ka talaga Ate!
Pati ba naman si Karlie at nakukuha niya na ang loob? Jusko! Ano bang meron yang si Ate at parang I get to be compared by her all the time. Nanahimik lang naman ako and tried my best not to be compared.
"Siguro ang close niyo? Sabay ba kayong nag-aral?"
I looked at her seriously.
She was praising my sister! Edi ano ang maisasagot ko sa mga pinagsasabi niya? I don't wanna bad mouth my sister because it is all true!
My sister was beautiful, kind, madaling pakisamahan, at marespeto.
My Ate was awesome.
"No we didn't" I said honestly. "She was in 3rd year high school when I am at my first year as a college student"
"Grabe! Ang galing mo talaga no?" She said praising me.
"Ako? Magaling?"
Bwesit! Nakakadiri na talaga tong mga pa humble effect ko. Diyos ko! Ano bang nangyayari sakin?
"Kasi biruin mo, nakapagcollege ka kaagad at nalagpasan mo pa yung Ate mo." She said praising me. I can see that she is so amaze about every achievement I have.
Ngayon ko lang yata naramdaman ang fulfillment sa buhay ko.
"Yes I can see that," I said to her.
She was so amaze na halos tulala na siyang nakatingin sa mga bituin. Kaya napatawa ako bahagya.
"Ikaw ba? Anong pangarap mo?" I continuosly ask.
"Ang makapunta ng America" Tila nagulat ako. I never heard someone said na pangarap nila ang makapunta sa Amerika, maybe because most of my colleagues, classmates and peers wento to America occasionally.
"Bakit?"
"Kasi nandon na yata lahat." I mean, is that reasonable enough? There's something deeper than that.
"That's possible Karlie. Kung magpupursigi ka lang, makakapunta at makakapunta ka." I said to her.
I never thought she would dream like that
She would dream an American dream.
I never like America at all.
I never get to like the America where I get to forget Callie.
---
Hey guys, sorry for the delay.
I've been living in a fucked up life lately. College life is not easy as I thought, it was damn hard! Animal! Lisod kaayo!
Anyways, my chemistry is, ahmm what should I say, about to fall in the fucking london bridge! It was damn hard, I was crying after the exams and then there I realize that "simula pa lang to, pano pa kaya sa susunod na taon o sem"
I am starting to doubt myself, and to feel depress.
I am not like this before, now I am living a dark dungeons together with some poisonous ass scorpions.
Again, sorry.
To be continued..