"One . . . two . . . three . . . smile!" Tita Thalia said, and we did what she said. We smiled at camera that she was holding, until we heard the shot sound of it. Dylan, Kirby and I were sitting on the green grasse and Tita Thalia took few shots of us there.
We had a picnic on the side of the falls nearby. We had gone there since early morning and we decided to go home when the sky was already losing its shine.
Habang bumibiyahe kami pauwi sa mansion ni Lolo Max, tahimik lang kami nina Kirby at Dylan sa sasakyan.
Dylan and I were still not talking to each other, still ignoring each other. Dylan looked at me when he noticed that I was staring at him, pero umismid lang ako at lumihis ng tingin.
***
"Goodbye, Lolo Max!" sabay na sabi namin ni Kirby habang nakasakay na kami sa loob ng sasakyan.
Nakangiting tumango si Lolo Max sa amin at kumaway-kaway kaya kumaway din kami rito bago tuluyang sumulong ang sasakyan namin. Sa kabilang banda ay naroon si Dylan sa likuran ni Lolo Max, nakamasid lang sa pag-alis namin. He would be left there because they would celebrate their noche-buena there, while I and Kirby were finally going home to celebrate our Christmas eve with our family.
"I want to go back there again," sabi ni Kirby na sa tabi ko. I didn't talk, but deep inside, I couldn't deny that I had fun there and absolutely wanted to go back there as well.
It was already evening when we got home. I pushed the door open tiredly. A clean living room was waiting for me. I sniffed the delicious aroma filling the house, and it was from the kitchen. I was sure that Auntie Rona was cooking. As I walked heading to the kitchen area, little by little I saw Auntie's back.
"I'm back, Auntie!" I said in a very cheerful voice.
She suddenly turned around to face me. I stopped when I noticed that something changed in her appearance, especially when I lifted up my gaze on her head. She was . . . bald.
As what I expected, she just looked at me plainly. "How's your vacation," she asked me. "Didn't they treat you bad?" she added.
Her question made me reminisced how Lolo max treated me. He was nice though he was very strict.
"Dylan's grandpa was nice to me."
She just nodded her head. Muli niyang binalik ang tuon niya sa niluluto niya. Nilapag ko sa isang upuan roon ang backpack ko at umupo ako sa katabi pa nitong upuan. Pinatong ko ang kamay ko sa lamesa.
"Uhm, Auntie, bakit nagpakalbo ka?" I asked while looking at her bald head.
"Because I was having a hair fall."
I pouted my lips. She looked ugly with that haircut.
When the night came, she prepared some food on the table for our noche-buena: ham, pastas, special sandwich, and fruit salad. They looked all delicious, so I ate them all.
Auntie handed me her phone. "Your mommy," she said.
"Hello, My! Merry Christmas!" I said while chewing the ham in my mouth.
"Merry Christmas, sweetheart. We'll send you our present tomorrow. I'm sure you will be happy kapag nakita mo 'yun." I stopped chewing when I heard that from her. I will be happy if you and Dad are with me tonight, I thought. "Sweetheart?" she said when I didn't react.
"Uh . . . thanks, My," I said, trying to be happy. "Where's Daddy?"
"Hon! Demi wants to talk to you!" I heard her call Daddy.
"How's my baby?" Daddy told me.
"I'm doing good with Auntie Rona, Dy. I miss you."
"We miss you too. Sorry if we can't go home this Christmas. Nag-iipon pa kasi kami ng mommy mo."
"It's okay." I smiled bitterly.
I heard him heave a sigh.
"Uh, Dy, kain muna ako ha? Bigay ko muna kay Auntie 'tong phone," pagpapaalam ko, kahit na ang totoo ay nagtatampo ako.
"Okay, baby. I love you."
"Love you too!" I said before I gave the phone to Auntie. I saw Auntie's meaningful stare at me.
***
"Uy, Demi! Ganda ng hair style ni Tita Rona ah! Kalbo!" sabi ni Kirby sabay hagalpak ng tawang.
I curled my lips. "Sige lang, Kirby. Marinig ka sana ni Auntie." Nasa labas lang kasi si Auntie Rona, kausap si Tita Helena, ang mama ni Kirby. We were in their house, eating Tita Helena's home-made ice cream while watching cartoons.
"Totoo namang kalbo siya eh!"
"Ewan ko sa 'yo." Umismid ako. Pero napatigil ako nang bigla kong maalala si Dylan. "Hindi pa ba uuwi si Dylan?" I asked. Sa pagkakaalam ko kasi, they were going home after Christmas. Christmas day just happened before yesterday.
"Kahapon pa sila nakauwi. I visited him earlier and told him to go here. Susunod nalang daw siya."
I just nodded at him.
"Are you still mad at him?" tanong niya habang ninanapnap ang tirang lasaw na ice-cream sa baso niya.
I shrugged my shoulders. "He's not saying 'sorry' to me."
"Ganun naman kasi talaga si Storm eh. 'Di ka na nasanay do'n!"
We both stop when we heard the main door creak open. Niluwa niyon si Dylan. Tuloy-tuloy itong lumapit sa amin at tumabi sa akin, kaya napapagitnaan nila akong dalawa.
"Storm, do you want an ice-cream?" Kirby asked him.
"No, I'm full," he said.
"Okay." Nilapag ni Kirby ang baso niya sa lamesita. "Oo nga pala, may sasabihin ako sa inyo."
I furrowed my brows a little bit, while Dylan just waited for him to continue.
"Mom and I will leave tomorrow. That is why I invited you guys to come here today," Kirby said in a sad tone.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"We're moving to Las Vegas."
Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Dylan. Hindi namin malaman kung anong dapat naming ireact sa sinabi ni Kirby. Pero bigla kong naalala na galit pala ako sa kanya kaya umismid ako at binalik muli ang tingin ko kay Kirby.
"You're leaving us?" Dylan asked him.
"Yes, at bukas na ang alis namin."
"What?"
"We're going to live there . . ." I felt sadness when he explained us why he needed to leave. It was because her mom would work there. He said "goodbye" to us, but he promised us that he would call and message us when he was already there.
Makalipas lamang ang ilang sandali, kinausap kami ni Tita Helena tungkol sa pag-alis nila. She told us that we shouldn't be sad because they would still visit Philippines once a year. But I thought it wasn't enough; it would be a long wait.
I would really miss Kirby.
***
Sumama kami ni Dylan sa paghatid kina Kirby sa airport kasama si Tita Thalia. Tears were welling on my cheeks while we were on our trip heading the airport. I could feel the heavy feeling in chest. The same feeling when Auntie Rona told me that my Mommy and Daddy had to leave me because they would be working in a far place.
"Goodbye, Kirby!" I shouted to Kirby between my sobs as he walked away together with Tita Helena. He waved back at us until he got lost in our sight.
Tita Thalia beckoned to us, indicating that we needed to leave now. Dylan and I walked after her until we got back in the car. We both sat in the back seat of the car.
I looked at Dylan. His face was also filled with sadness. He looked back at me with a comforting stare. I just looked away, though I secretly wished that Dylan wouldn't leave like what Kirby did.
The next day went okay, but it seemed quiet because there was no Kirby who was calling my name to invite me to go outside. Hindi rin nagpaparamdam si Dylan sa akin.
Hanggang sa dumating ang araw ng pasukan muli sa school pagkatapos ng napakalungkot kong Christmas vacation.
Napatigil ako sa pagkagat sa tinapay ko nang marinig kong tawagin ako ni Auntie Rona, "Demi, dalian mo riyan! May naghihintay sa 'yo sa labas!"
Napatayo ako at mabilis na kinuha ang bag ko sa lamesa. Naka-school uniform na ako at naayos na rin ni Auntie Rona ang buhok ko. Lumabas ako ng bahay at natanaw ko si Dylan sa labas ng gate, habang si Auntie Rona naman ay nagwawalis sa harap ng bahay, ngunit binitawan niya rin ang walis at pumasok sa loob ng bahay. Nilapitan ko si Dylan. Binuksan ko ang gate at mataman ko lang siyang tiningnan. Muling lumabas ng bahay si Auntie dala ang isang paper bag na naglalaman ng lunch box ko. Inabot niya iyon sa akin bago muling bumalik sa pagwawalis.
Tuluyan na akong lumabas ng gate. Walang kibuan na naghintay kami ni Dylan ng school bus sa mismong harapan ng bahay namin.
"Are you still mad at me?" he suddenly talked.
I didn't respond.
Biglang dumating ang school bus kaya mabilis na sumakay kami roon. Hindi kami magkatabi ng upuan dahil halos occupied na ang mga upuan na magkakatabi.
He was sitting on the front seat area of the school bus, so I saw how he take a look at me.
***
The next day, while I was watching television in the living room, I heard the tweet of the bird, which was the sound of our doorbell. Auntie Rona was sleeping in her bed room, so I was the one who checked the visitor outside. I was surprised when I saw Dylan riding a bicycle.
"Demi, let's go to the park," he said when I opened the gate. Bumaba siya mula sa bisikleta niya at inabot sa akin ang limang pirasong white roses. Kinuha ko naman iyon. "Are we okay now?"
I thought for a while before I heaved a sigh and said, "Fine."
"Then get your bicyle now."
Mabilis na tumakbo ako papuntang backyard at kinuha ang bisikleta ko roon. We left the place riding our own bicycle.
"We need to go back before Auntie wakes up," I said. I pedaled my bicycle faster.
"Alright."
When we finally reached the park, we went straight to the stall of shake. I had no money, so he treated me. Then we stayed at the place where we could see the nice view of the bay.
"Why are you being so nice to me now?" I asked him after I took a sip of my shake.
He didn't talk. As always, he was quiet.
"Ah, alam ko na. Kasi wala na yung bestfriend mong si Kirby, 'no? You have no choice but to be nice to me, kasi wala ka nang ibang pwedeng gawing friend kundi ako." I didn't know why suddenly I felt like I wanted to cry, kasi naalala ko nanaman yung pang-aaway niya sa akin sa hacienda. Pati na rin yung pambubully nilang dalawa ni Kirby sa akin.
"Yeah."
Nagulat ako sa naging sagot niya kaya mabilis na napatingin ako sa kanya nang hindi makapaniwala. "Ang sama talaga ng ugali mo!"
"Tss! Buti nga gusto pa kitang maging kaibigan eh."
Inirapan ko lang siya at ngumuso. "Kahit hindi kita maging friend, madami akong friends sa school. Ikaw kasi suplado ka, tapos ang pangit pa ng ugali mo kaya wala kang friends," bulong ko.
"I know." Naibalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya nang sabihin niya iyon. There was no emotion on his face and his eyes were just focused on the bay.
Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako at naalala ko ang sinabi ni Kirby tungkol kay Dylan: "Ganun naman kasi talaga si Storm eh. 'Di ka na nasanay do'n!"
Pinagmasdan ko si Dylan na ngayon ay sumisipsip ng shake niya. Kirby was right. Maybe, this is really him, I thought. Dylan was still nice sometimes, though most the time he was cold and snob.
"Uh, Dylan," tawag ko sa kanya.
"Hmm?" Sumulyap siya sa akin.
"Anong gusto mong maging paglaki mo?"
A half smile formed on his lips. "I want to be a great drummer."
Napaisip ako sa sinabi niya. Parang kakaiba naman ata ang pangarap niya. 'Di ba dapat doctor, pulis, bumbero, o kaya sundalo ang maging pangarap niya?
"Magaling ka naman magplay ng drums, 'di ba?" May drum set pa nga siya sa kwarto niya.
"I mean . . . I want to play hard pieces like what Kuya Wesley plays." He was referring to his music mentor. "Or maybe to be a drummer of a popular band."
"Don't you want to be a singer. You have a very nice voice."
"Yeah, that one also."
"That's possible, Dylan." I smiled at him.
"How about you?" he asked me this time.
"I don't know." I curled my lips. I really didn't know what I wanted to be.
"You should know, Demi."
"Maybe someday . . ."
"Tell me right away when you already know what you want to be."
"I will."
Nabigla ako nang kuhanin niya ang shake ko na wala nang laman at tinungo niya ang pinakamalapit na trashcan na nasa tabi ng isang puno. Pagkatapos ay tinungo niya ang bisikleta niya at sinakyan iyon.
"Let's go home," he said. Sumunod naman ako at sinakyan na rin ang bisikleta ko.
Nang makarating kami sa harap ng bahay nila huminto ako saglit at kumaway sa kanya. "See you again tomorrow, Dylan!"
I was surprised when he smiled at me before he finally entered their gate.
***
Join our FB Group: MoldedMind Stories if you want to be updated.