CHAPTER 25
“Who’s Hector?” Ramcel asked while washing her hands on the sink. Nasa restroom sila ng school at katatapos lang nilang maglinis ng classroom.
Napatingin muna sya sa reflection ni Ramcel sa salamin. Nakatuon pa rin ang tingin nito sa mga kamay. “He’s the Governor’s son. Magkapartido ang Dad nya at si Daddy. During the campaign, tumulong sya sa aming mangampanya. It’s like showing everyone that the Sebastians are supporting my Dad as the next Governor.”
“Sya yung naghatid sayo pabalik ng Manila right? Sya yung kasama mo sa coffee shop?” Nagkatinginan sila sa salamin.
Victoria nodded. Hindi nya mabasa si Ramcel. Her wife was good at hiding her feelings. Ipapakita lang nito ang nararamdaman kapag gusto nito.
“Are you close to him?”
“I can’t exactly say that. Siguro. Nakakabiruan ko sya at nakakakwentuhan. Lagi kaming magkasama during the campaign. He’s very nice. My father adored him. He got this quiet charisma that draw people to him…” Natigilan sya sa sinabi nya. She checked Ramcel’s expression but as always her wife was poker faced.
“Is he going to follow on his father’s footsteps?” Marahang winisik ni Ramcel ang mga kamay nito saka kumuha ng tissue.
“Hector is a businessman. Sabi nya, wala syang balak pumasok sa pulitika. But who knows, maybe in the future he would change his mind. Politics run in his blood,” sagot nya. “Why are you asking? Don’t tell me you’re crushing on him?” She teased.
“Baka ikaw ang may crush sa kanya, Vi.” Victoria’s heart almost stopped. Ramcel looked serious. Her grayish eyes were piercing into hers, penetrating her heart and soul. “You even forgot me when you saw him.”
“W-What are you talking about, Ram?” Sinikap ni Victoria na huwag magpakita nang kaba rito. Was she implying she liked Hector? Of course not! Iisa lang ang nagmamay-ari ng puso nya.
“I love you, Victoria more than anything or anyone else in this world,” she whispered looking away from Victoria. Her eyes’ softened, she suddenly looked vulnerable. Then her eyes’s expression changed into something Victoria couldn’t exactly describe. Determination? Possessiveness? She wasn’t sure. “I wont let you go that easy. I won’t let just anyone take you away from me.”
“Ram, what are you saying?”
Ramcel’s face darkened. Hinarap sya nito at mataman syang tinignan sa mga mata nya. “What I’m saying is that I don’t want you getting close to Hector. I don’t like him at all.”
“Are you jealous of him?” Of course, Ramcel was jealous, pagalit nyang sabi sa sarili. Hindi ito sumagot. Victoria gently caressed her wife’s face. “Kabigan ko lang si Hector. Wala kang dapat ipagselos dahil mahal kita.” Kinabig nya ito saka ginawaran ng halik sa labi. Ramcel was stiffed at first then responded eventually. “I love you, Baby.”
“I love you too.” Ngumiti na ito.
“Babalik ka sa Friday ha,” Victoria reminded Ramcel bago ito umalis kasama ni Olivia. Mananatili ang ibang volunteers ng The 11 Foundation sa Batangas. May nirentahan ang mga itong bahay na tutuluyan para hindi na magpabalik-balik from Manila to San Vicente ang mga ito araw-araw.
“I’ll see you on Friday.” Mukhang gusto syang halikan ni Ramcel sa labi pero nagkasya na lang itong bumeso sa kanya. Ngumiti rin ito kay Maristela na noo’y nasa likuran nya at hinihintay sya, bago pumasok sa kotse ni Olivia.
She suddenly had the urge to stop Ramcel from going and ask her to stay with her. Pakiramdam nya kailangan pa rin nilang mag-usap pagkatapos nang conversation nila sa restr room kanina. She might have appeased Ramcel earlier but she thought it wasn’t enough.
“Kung hindi ka lang mas nakakatanda sakin, kanina pa kita sinabunutan,” medyo inis na sabi ni Maristela nang tuluyang mawala na sa paningin ni Vi ang sasakyan ni Olivia.
“Ha? Bakit?” Naalarma nyang tanong.
Nakasimangot sa kanya si Maristela. “Ngayon ko lang na-realize kung sino ang bestfriend mo. She’s R.M Villarances right?” Her younger sister was glaring at her. Victoria nodded and Maristela sighed frustratedly. “I’m her fan. Nakakainis ka. Sana pala nagpa-autograph ako.” Pumadyak pa itong parang bata kaya natawa sya.
“Don’t worry. She’ll be back on Friday,” Victoria assured her sister, who finally smiled. May konting kaba sya na kilala ng kapatid si Ramcel but she ignored it. Bakit nga ba sya natatakot na malaman ng mga ito kung sino si Ramcel? Wala namang masama kung alam nilang matalik nya itong kaibigan.
“You better get me her autograph,” banta ni Maristela. “So, is it true na magaling din syang theater actress?” Victoria nodded smiling. “After I watched her short film, I became a fan. Ang galing kasi ng pagkakagawa. Napaka-realistic and at the same time artistic. Hindi ako fan ng rom-com but I watched Sa Puso ko Ikaw Lang because of her and I didn’t regret it. She’s really something. At hindi nga nagsisinungaling ang mga articles and posts ng mga netizens, she’s really hot. I’m not into girls but for a woman’s perspective, your bestfriend is really smoking.”
Nangingiti na lang sya kay Maristela, na mukhang ultimate fan ni Ramcel at alam nito ang mga facts about her wife including her gender preference. Medyo na-tense sya nang banggitin iyon ng kapatid but she relaxed dahil parang wala lang ito kay Maristela. Ni hindi ito nagtanong kung may girlfriend ba si Ramcel.
“She’s the same one who wrote Hiwaga Sa Dako Pa Roon di ba?” Tuloy pa rin si Maristela hanggang sa lulan sila ng kotse nito pauwi sa bahay.
“Yes,” Victoria confirmed. Napangiti sya nang maalala ang original notebook na binigay sa kanya ni Ramcel kung saan nito sinulat ang maikling kwento. Nasa kanya pa rin yun at iniingatan nyang itago. She loved that story too.
“Sana gawin nilang movie in the future. I’m sure magiging maganda yun. Sa mga CGIs at revolutionary visual effects ngayon, posible na syang gawing live action,” patuloy na komento nito. Kung kanina mukha na itong pagod at tila wala nang lakas kahit maglakad, ngayon napakadaldal ng kapatid nya. Natutuwa lang syang makinig rito. Habang tumatagal, nakikilala nya ito. Mas napapalapit ang loob nya rito. Si Conrad naman, napaka-pormal lagi. Aakalain mong mas panganay ito kay Maristela. “Alam kong sinulat nya iyon bata pa lang sya. Ang ganda ng moral story. It’s simple, don’t judge the book by its cover. It’s a simple message but people find it hard to understand. Hirap ang karamihan gawin at i-apply sa pang araw-araw na buhay.”
Habang tumatagal, mas nakikita nya ang pagkatao ng kapatid. Madalas ipinapakita nitong walang pakialam sa paligid na hindi ito willing magparticipate sa mga bagay-bagay but Maristela was a deep person. Mas nasorpresa sya sa sunod na sinabi nito.
“R.M wrote that because at a very young age, she already knew who she was and she knew how judgemental people can be. She’s hoping that people would understand and accept her for who she is. Na hindi sya husgahan base sa kanyang gender preference.”
Maristela was spot on. Ramcel never revealed her reason for writing that story. Sa kanya lang sinabi ni Ramcel ang dahilan noong minsang naka-snuggle sila sa apartment nito sa New York. She was amazed that her sister could understand Ramcel.
Natahimik ito nang pumasok ang kotse sa malaking gate ng bahay. Maristela turned to her when she finished parking the car inside the garage. Seryoso itong tumitig sa mga mata nya. “Don’t tell Dad about you and her. Siguradong paghihiwalayin kayo nun.” Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Victoria sa narinig. “Don’t try to deny it, Ate. Obvious naman sa kwento na ikaw si Mayumi.” She was referring to one of Ramcel’s characters in Hiwaga Sa Dako Pa Roon. “Parehong matalik na kaibigan ni Reena sina Mayumi at Renata. But it was evident that she was more affectionate with Mayumi.”
Victoria was speechless because her sister was right. Ramcel admitted that she wrote the short story because of her. The message of the story was intended for her. That Ramcel was hoping Victoria would accept who she really was.
“Hindi ba ako matatanggap ni Daddy kapag nalaman nya to?” Hindi na nag-deny pa si Victoria.
“My Dad…our Dad may look friendly, fatherly and affectionate, but he’s conservative. Alam ko nakikita mo sya as a very understanding person but he’s not. Don’t let him fool you. Kung ako sayo, I won’t attach myself to this family.” Maristela rolled her eyes. “But seriously, Vi. Don’t tell Dad about your relationship. It’s okay to tell him she’s your bestfriend. Basta mag-ingat na lang kayo sa mga kilos nyo.”
“So you wont tell him then?” Nacu-curious sya rito. “Okay lang sayong ganito ako?”
“Ate, 2010 na. Wala na tayo sa panahon ni Maria Clara. Malay mo, lesbian din pala si Maria Clara hindi lang nya maamin dahil alam nyang huhusgahan sya. Kung kaya mo ngang mahalin ang pet mo, ang kalikasan, ang mundo, ang buhay, bakit hindi ang kaparehong gender mo?” Maristela looked at her kindly. “Wala akong pakialam kahit sino pa ang mahalin mo. I don’t mind.”
Victoria was suddenly worried about her Dad. Malamang na madi-disappoint ito sa kanya. Totoo nga kayang hindi sya maiintindihan nito? Dapat ba syang maniwala sa kapatid? Nagpapasalamat syang tanggap nito kung ano sya at na-appreciate nyang concern ito sa kanya pero dapat ba talagang ilihim nya ang tungkol kay Ramcel?
Mabait sa kanya si Maristela pero alam nyang pasaway rin ito. Ayon kay Conrad, laging magkakontra ang ate nito at ang Daddy nila. Lagi kasing umuuwing lasing si Maristela at lagi itong nakairap kapag may inuutos ang parents nito. Naiintindihan nya kung bakit strict ang Dad nya sa kapatid. Ingat na ingat ang Dad nya sa reputasyon ng pamilya nila.
She didn’t have to keep Ramcel a secret to her Dad. Hindi rin pwedeng manatiling lihim lang nya ang asawa. Her Dad would someday question her closeness with Ramcel. She could tell her Dad about her wife. Ang importante lang naman ay malaman nito. Hindi na kailangan pang malaman ng public.
In the next few days, Victoria spent her time cleaning with her fellow volunteers in school. Mas naging malapit sila ni Maristela, na nagleave the whole week para sa Brigada. Dalawang araw lang dapat itong tutulong pero mukha itong nag-e-enjoy lalo na kapag kabiruan nito ang mga bata.
“Pangarap ko kasi talagang maging teacher,” amin ni Maristela minsang nagpapahinga sila nito sa lilim ng isang malaking puno. Hindi na nausisa pa ni Victoria kung bakit hindi nito pinursue ang gusto nang mapatitig sya sa napadaang si Hector.
Kitang-kita kasi ang kakisigan nito habang nagtutulak ng wheel barrow na may mga lamang junks. Wala kasi itong damit pantaas. Tanging ang tight jeans at boots nito ang suot. His perfect six pack abs were visible kaya hindi lamang si Victoria ang napatingin rito.
“Kung hindi ko lang alam na si R.M ang karelasyon mo, iisipin kong may gusto ka kay Hector,” tukso ni Maris na dahilan para magkaroon ng kaba si Victoria.
“Hindi ah.” Tanggi nya at nag-init ang kanyang mukha.
“I can’t blame you because he’s hot,” komento ni Maristela. “Walang masamang magustuhan mo sya kung harmless crush lang naman. Di ba?”
“You think I have a crush on him?”
Nanunuksong ngiti ang sumilay sa labi ng kapatid. “Yes.” Natigilan si Victoria. “Bakit? Hindi ba?”
“Paano mo naman nasabi yan?” Napakunot ang noo ni Victoria.
“Kasi hindi mo mapigilang mapatitig sa kanya everytime you see him.”
Napaisip si Victoria. Yun din ba ang nakita ni Ramcel kung bakit threatened ito kay Hector? May gusto nga ba sya sa lalaki? Wala namang masama kung magka-crush sya rito di ba? It was a harmless crush just like Maristela said.
“Harmless? Are you sure?” Her own mind said mockingly but she ignored it.
“Huwag mong masamain ate. It’s just a question.” Maristela looked thoughtful. “Do you think your love for Ramcel is strong? Do think you won’t fall in love with someone else? Na sya na talaga ang mamahalin mo habam-buhay?”
Natigilan si Victoria. For some reason, she was unable to answer.
“Never mind. You don’t have to answer that. Those questions are stupid anyway.” Biglang bawi ng kapatid nya. “Halika na. Umpisahan na nating pinturahan yung mga dingding.”