Meeting My Dad
I am still on a shock state, I couldn't process how did my father learned English when I didn't even hear him speaking it with us. How did he keep it from us that he can speak English? Susunod na ba ang Tagalog? Maiintindihan niya na ba kami? So many questions in my head that I couldn't figure out.
"Who are you?" My Father starts to interrogate him, sa isang matigas na Ingles. He's still not good on pronountiation but he can fire a question just like that.
I am familiar with this kind of situation. Ngayon nga lang ay si Stephen naman ang nasa hot seat. Katapat ko si Stephen at katabi ko naman si Rouge na katabi ni Dad. It's like Stephen seating alone at wala pang katabi at kakampi.
"My name is Stephen Kennedy. I was born—"
"Are you pursuing my daughter?"
"I am about to start tomorrow." Stephen say honestly.
"Are you not in a relationship?" Paglilinaw ni Dad.
"Yes, we're not."
"What do you like about my daughter?"
"At first, I notice her because she was the champion in Taekwondo tournament back in Paris two years ago. But right now, I don't what I like about her. I completely just like her. I like everything she have whether good or bad." Narinig ko na ito nang paulit-ulit pero bakit yung pakiramdam na nasa tabi ko si Dad nang magsabi siya nang ganito ay bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko?
"I know that your answer is good," Syempre praktisado niya na sa akin iyon, lihim akong napangiti sa aking isip "but still I won't approve you to pursue my daughter. You're not allowed to be near her, to talk to her or even approach her."
"Dad—" Singit ko dahil gusto kong sabihin na si Stephen ay partner ko sa Special training.
"Not until she graduates and find her own job."
"I understand, Sir. I will not pursue her for the mean time. But sir, I have a request." Nakikita ko sa mga mata ni Stephen na nagdidiwang siya pasimple akong umirap sa kanya.
"What is it?"
"Please allow me to be her instructor and partner in our special training." Paliwanag ni Stephen sa isang seryosong histura.
"If that's the case, I will test your strength and endurance. Rouge will kick you a hundred times—"
"Dad!" Halos pasigaw ko nang sabi.
"I can do this."
"And you shouldn't defense yourself."
"Dad." Tumingin ako kay Dad nang may paawa sa mukha ko.
"Okay. Make it only fifty kicks but hard and real." Akala ko magiging madali na lang ito dahil nag-Iingles naman si Dad pero hindi ko akalaing torturin niya talaga si Stephen.
Nagsimula na si Rouge nasipain siya sa labas ng dining area namin na kung saan may damuhan doon. Iyon kasi ang pinagsasampayan namin. Hindi ko magawang tumingin sa kanya kaya tumalikod ako sa kanila. Tahimik at walang reaksyon mula kay Stephen pero sa bawat pagsipa ni Rouge ay maririnig ang malutong natunog galing doon at sa pagtama nito sa katawan ni Stephen.
"That's for breaking my rule, kid." Sambit ni Dad matapos ang pagsipa ni Rouge. Humarap na ako sa kanila. I quickly check on Stephen's body but its just relax. Marahang umupo na si Stephen sa upuan at ganun na rin kami. "That's what you've paid to be her instructor. I now allow you to be her instructor."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."
"I have an eye on you Mr. Kennedy." Banta ni Dad at tinuro si Rouge.
"Yes, I am willing to do everything to protect my cousin. She was once in a danger and like what Marthim did, I will protect her with my life. Kaya hindi kami natanggap ng kung sinu-sino lang. Mahalaga si Française Ruella Marseille para sa amin." Nakakunot na ang noo ni Dad sa tinuran ni Rouge.
"If I caught you still pursuing her. You'll get your real punishment and you can neither be her instructor nor her future boyfriend. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir. I'll behave."
Pagkatapos ng seryosong usapan ay nagsimula na ring ihain ang mga putaheng pang-Pilipino at pang-Pranses. I so love the ratatouille na niluto ni Mom. Sa kabaliktaran I really hate it because it has too many vegetables. But I Adobo really catches my heary, kaya iyon ang nilantakan ko at ang desert na madelaine. I didn't get to eat the biko kasi busog na agad ako sa adobo at madelaine.
As I look at Stephen, he looks happy while eating Ratatouille. Guiltiness spread through my being as I watch him. We are not in a relationship but he got tortured for nothing. If Stephen didn't brought me home, he wouldn't experience this mess. I'm such a useless friend for him, he shouldn't wait for me because I am not deserving for his feelings. Yet, he's the one who can make me laugh until my stomach hurts o yung maglulupasay na sa lupa kakatawa. Dahil ganun siya kapag kasama ko siya.
It was one time when taekwondo training got cancelled. I was super excited about it that when I hear na hindi yun matutuloy ay lumungkot bigla ang mundo ko. It felt like black and white only. Napaupo na lang ako sa hagdanan ng corridor ng aming building.
"Stephen, what are you doing?" I ask as I look up with a man dressed up as a clown. He looks funny with curly hair circling his head. Pinaghalo iyon na kulay blue, green at yellow. He even had a red nose and white mouth covered with red lipstick. He wears a half yellow and red costume na parang pang-McDo. He also wears a big red pair of shoes. Hindi ko na napigilan ang hagalpak ng tawa ko habang hawak hawak ang aking tiyan. I never imagine a cute guy like him will wear a clown costume.
Music have started as well as Stephen's budot dance which obviously doesn't suit with his costume. Marami nang estudyante ang nakapalibot sa amin at pini-picture-an at bini-video-han si Stephen. Hindi pa rin tumitigil si Stephen sa paggiling ng kanyang katawan at sa paghataw ng kanyang paa at kamay. I can't hide my laugh anymore kahit na nga ang dami ng taong nakapalibot sa amin. My stomach hurts already but still he continue dancing like there's no tomorrow.
Huminto na siya sa pagsayaw at lumapit sa akin. Tilian ang nagmula sa mga schoolmates ko.
"Ang gwapo niyang clown noh? Ang swerte ni girl."
"Sana lahat may nagka-clown para lang mapasaya." Ilan lamang sa mga usap-usapan na naririnig ko mula sa mga babae.
"I am glad I made you laugh. Are you happy now?"
"Yeah. It's the first time that you didn't annoyed me." Nakangiti kong sagot.
Napatingin ako sa gawi ni Stephen. He looks ecstatic kahit na tinorture siya. Stephen caught me staring at him, he smiles sheepishly and resumes from eating Ratatouille at hinaluan niya pa ng adobo at tambak ang kanyang kanin. With he's figure hindi halata na malakas siyang kumain. Natawa ako sa iniisip ko sa kanya kaya lahat sila ay nakatingin na sa akin.
I remember it all too well when Marsan stood me up from going home together and I waited for him till clouds became gray in the waiting shed. At wala din akong sundo noon dahil maysakit si Dad at nasa bakasyon naman si Rouge. But Stephen was there to make me feel delighted.
It's raining cats and dogs and I forgot to bring umbrella because I know kasabay ko si Marsan pag-uwi at wala pang tricycle man lang na dumadating. Sumugod na ako sa ulan and I covered my head using my leather backpack pero dahil sa isang malaking payong na itim ay hindi ako tuluyang nabasa.
"Thanks," I mutter under my breath.
"I have a joke." Tumingin ako sa kanya na may pagkadisgusto.
"We're in the middle of the street while it's raining. Stop with that lame joke." I warn.
"Wow, you gave me two sentences. This is an achievement." Napangiti na lang ako ng ikuyom niya ang kanyang kamay at itinaas at binaba iyon at umaktong parang nagwagi. "You smiled, too." He says proudly. "Don't you wanna hear it?"
"Ok."
"You like me."
"Where's joke in that?" Gulat na gulat kong tanong habang ang laki laki naman ng ngiting niyang abot hanggang langit.
"That would be a joke, if someday you will say to me that you like me too. How I wish it would be real."
The rain stops, sinara na rin ni Stephen ang kanyang payong kaya napatingin na lang ako sa langit na maaliwalas na.
"Look, there's the rainbow." Turo niya sa kalangitan. "I know Marsan didn't came but I am always by your side to make you smile." He says as I focus my eyes on the beautiful rainbow. In french it is called 'arc-en-ciel', literally means an arc on the sky. It is not sad to hear unlike the English word 'rainbow' and one of my most favorite french words. "There's always a rainbow after a rain. I am your rainbow, Française."
I nod my head and smiled to him.
"Iyah, are you sure you like him too?" My father ask.
"Huh?" What did I have done?
"If that's the case, then I won't stop or be a hindrance in your relationship in the future but right now I forbid you to be with him for you own good. I'll protect you and keep you safe, together with your guards Marsan and Rouge." Hindi ko na alam kung anong sinasabi ni Dad kaya tumango na lang ulit ako.
"Kanina ka pa nakatitig kay Stephen kaya tinanong ka ng Dad mo if you like him too at tumango ka naman." Rouge whisphers at nung liningon ko siya, he smirk at me . Ngiting ngiti naman si Stephen sa akin at titig na titig na siya sa akin.
"This would be hard for me, Sir knowing that our feelings are mutual." Sa sinabing iyon ni Stephen ay muntik na akong masamid sa iniinom kong orange juice. "But I'll try my best not pursue her for the mean time. I'll just wait for her to graduate and have a stable job just like you've said and I can't see no reason to disagree with you because you are right, Sir." Naglahad ng kamay si Stephen kay Dad at kung kanina ay hindi iyon tinanggap ni Dad, ngayon ay nakikipagkamay na siya kay Stephen Kennedy.
We are all done eating our dinner when Stephen and my Dad shaked their hands. Tumayo na kaming lahat at nagpaalam naman ako kay Dad na ihahatid ko si Stephen sa labas.
"I just wanted to make things clear, dad. A while ago, you misinterpreted my nod. I don't like him and it would be unfair if he would forever misinterpret it." Dad taps my shoulder and smiles at me. He nods.
"Merci beacoup Dad. You're the best. Je t'aime."
"Stephen, hatid na kita sa labas."
"Sure."
Nang nasa tapat na kami ng kanyang sasakyan ay kumuha muna ako ng napakaraming hangin bago ako nagsimulang magpaliwanag sa kanya.
"Stephen, I don't want to be unfair to you. Just so you know, you make me smile but that doesn't mean you make my heart smile, too. I just want to be honest and fair to you and didn't want to embarassed you earlier. Kaya ngayon palang ako magpapaliwanag sayo. You misunderstood my nod when my father asked me if I like you. I was thinking of something that I didn't know I nod."
"You say words that are too long when you want to turn me down. But that's why I like you, you don't want others to be deceived even it'll make them happy. Remember the joke I said last year. You like me." He says as numerous tears fall on his cheeks down on his lips and chin.
I don't know why my words and actions doesn't agree. I just see myself hugging him when he started crying. Para kasing may kirot akong naramdamang sa bandang kaliwa ng dibdib ko kaya niyakap ko siya nung nakita ko siyang umiyak. I just couldn't bare seeing him cry. It brakes me.
I could feel his hard chest on my soft chest and his stone-like abs on my stomach. My filthy hands are on his sleek back, caressing it. This is why in France, hug is romantic. There's no way it would be a friendly hug!
Ginantihan niya rin ang yakap ko at hinaplos ang aking buhok. "France, I really like you. I'll wait for you because you're worthy of my time." Stephen whisphers. Kumalas na ako sa yakap at nakuha ko pa siyang tingnan. He surely is handsome, with those almond-shaped eyes, pointed nose and v-shaped jaws. If I didn't met Marsan, I could've like this guy.
What am I thinking? What am I doing? Mabilis akong pinamulahan ng mukha ng sumagi sa utak ko na nakakahiya ako pa ang unang yumakap sa kaniya. Ni hindi nga nagtetake advantage sa akin si Stephen.
"Friendly hug." I just say at mabilis na tumalikod sa kanya. I hear him closing his door at ang pag-alis ng kanyang sasakyan. Napapapikit na lang ako sa kahihiyan. Ngunit ang sumalubong sa akin ay ang masamang tingin ni Marsan. I completely forgot about him.
"Are you alright?" I ask worriedly when I came to my neutral state. "Bigla ka na lang nawala. Anong nangyari?" Hindi ko na matago ang pag-aalala.
"Kayo na ba ni Stephen?" Walang kaemo-emosyong tanong ni Marsan.
"Ofcourse not!" Mabilis kong sagot.
"You were hugging him tightly and I bet he've met your father." Marsan in his strict voice.
"It's just friendly hug and my father interrogated him and when my father knew that Stephen will be instructor he ordered Rouge to kick Stephen fifty time. At wait, do you know that my dad can speak in English now?"
Tango lang ang sinagot ni Marsan at tumalikod na sa akin upang umuwi na sa kanila. I did realized after a few seconds na hindi pa pala siya nakakauwi sa kanila at napadaan lang siya sa amin. Sa tingin ko naglakad lang si Marsan dahil wala namang tricycle na huminto. Hinabol ko agad siya at pinantayan ang lakad niya.
"Naglakad ka lang ba? Ano ba talagang nangyari? Bakit di ka nagpaalam sa akin... sa amin pala?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong.
Marsan face me with a serious mode on on his face while I am super worried about him.
"Iyah, you're not my girlfriend to report my whereabouts to you." Isang sentence lang ang kanyang sinabi at nilampasan na niya ako. I just stand watching him walking away from me. I am not wanting to follow him anymore or even to move an inch.
He's right. I'm not his girlfriend. Sa isipin palang iyon ay parang nababasag na ang puso ko. It breaks because of more than just his kicks. He's action are saying he likes me, he cares for me and he gave me his attention to him. He said I am his responsibility. He said I am important to him. He sung a song for me. He waited for me on my last class para makasabay ako sa pag-uwi. Sinasamahan niya ako during my library time. Magkasabay kaming kumain ng lunch. He wants me to avoid Stephen and yet I am not his girlfriend. He even kiss my cheeks two times. He didn't protest when I kissed him two years ago. He helped me to get recover from my past, Marthim. I am really not his girlfriend. For the second time around he made me cry again, my tears escape from my eyes and starts to stream down my cheeks and chin.
YongRine