On twenty-sixth of December, Dylan's parents came home. They invited me to celebrate new year's eve with them. I couldn't say "no" although I knew that Mom and Dad would freak out if they would ever know about this. Now we were waiting for twelve o'clock to come.
"Did Storm behave?" Tita Thalia asked me while I was helping her out to prepare the food on the table.
I let out a chuckle before I responded, "Yes, Tita."
"Good. I trust you both." She smiled at me.
Dylan and Tito Travis came to the kitchen while announcing "Happy new year!" Tita Thalia and I greeted them back and then we hugged each other. We all ate together while having a joyful conversation. After that, Tita Thalia invited me to sleep in their house so she led me to their guest room.
"Thank you so much, Tita. I really appreciate your invitation and company," sabi ko sa kanya nang nasa tapat na kami ng pintuan.
"You're welcome, hija. It's my pleasure because I've been wanting a daughter," she sweetly said.
I smiled at her and hugged her before I said "good night" and walked into the room.
Kakahiga ko pa lang sa kama nang marinig kong may kumatok sa pintuan. Kaya, tumayo ako at pinagbuksan iyon. I was surprised that it was Dylan.
"Hey," sabi ko sa kanya at tiningnan ko siya nang may pagtatanong.
"Are you going to sleep now?" he asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"I just want to see if you're okay here. I'm sorry if my mom is so demanding."
Napangiti ako. "It's fine. I love your mom."
"I think she loves you so." He smiled a little bit. "I should go now. Buenas noches," paalam niya.
"Buenas noches," sabi ko rin.
"And I love you," pahabol niya.
Napangisi ako. "I know."
Napangiti lang siya at umiling-iling bago naglakad paalis at kumaway sa akin nang hindi ako nililingon. "Happy new year again," huling bati niya.
"Don't you want to hear my 'I love you?' " pahabol ko.
"No need to. I already know it, too," sagot niya bago siya tuluyang nakalayo sa akin.
I just giggled.
***
Back to school again! Here I was in my dormitory, waiting for Dylan. He texted me that he would pick me up here and so that we would go to the university together. I felt so nervous because we would surely surprise the campus.
Lumabas ako ng dorm at sa labas na lang ako ng gusali naghintay. Ilang minuto lamang ay dumating si Storm, dala ang kotse niya. Tinahak namin ang daan patungong university nang nanlalamig ng kaunti ang mga kamay ko dahil sa kaba. He parked the car in the parking lot of the university.
"Do we need to hold each other's hand?" I asked him while we were walking, heading the building of the school. Magkahawak-kamay kasi kami.
"Yes, of course."
Nagsimulang kumabog ang dibdib ko nang makasalubong na namin ang madaming estudyante sa pathway. Halos lahat sila ay napapatingin sa amin. Halata ang pagtataka at pagkakagulat sa mga mukha nila. Some took a picture of us. Halos pagkaguluhan nila kami. I tensed up because of what they were acting.
"Siya ba 'yon?" dinig kong bulungan nila.
"Sa una lang 'yan. Masasanay din sila," Dylan told me. I just nodded my head although I felt uncomfortable.
Pumasok kami sa building ng mga medical students at hinatid niya ako sa room namin. Pinagtinginan din kami ng mga estudyante roon. Ang iba ay lumabas pa talaga ng room para lang makita kami.
"I'll fetch you later. Text me, okay?" bilin niya nang makarating kami sa tapat ng room namin.
"Okay. Thanks!"
Tumalikod na siya at naglakad palayo. Nang pumasok ako sa room namin, nagsilapitan sa akin ang mga babaeng kaklase ko at sinabi:
"Demi! OMG! Confirmed! You are what Storm was talking about on his tweet! You're so lucky!"
"Oh my god! Hindi kami makapaniwala na classmate namin ang girlfriend ni Storm!"
"Paano naging kayo?"
Kahit na sunod-sunod ang tanong nila sa akin, dahil nakita kong tuwang-tuwa sila sa relasyon namin ni Storm, nawala ang pag-aalala na nararamdaman ko kanina. I explained everything to them, and they were all amused. They told me that they would support us. I was so happy.
After the class, napagpasyahan namin ni Dylan na magkita sa garden kaya doon ang tungo ko ngayon. Napakapresko ng garden ng school dahil malinis doon at berde na berde ang paligid dahil sa mga puno at halaman na naroon. Halos bilang ko lang sa daliri ko ang mga estudyanteng naroon.
I sat on one of the benches there. Habang nagmumuni-muni ako may narinig akong mga nagkakantahan malapit sa kinaroroon ko. I couldn't help but be curious. Tumayo ako at naglakad-lakad hanggang sa mapunta ako sa medyo bandang sulok na parte ng garden. Nakita ko roon ang limang estudyante, isang lalaki at apat na babae na kapwa-nakaupo sa damuhan at nagkakantahan nang may kasamang pagpalakpak. Who got my attention the most was the guy who was playing guitar and the girl with curly hair who had a nice voice.
"God is so good
God is so good
God is so good
He's so good to me . . ."
I listened to their song and it was a religious song. It wasn't familiar to me.
"Demi."
Napalingon ako sa tumawag sa akin, at si Dylan iyon. Napangiti ako nang makita ko siya.
"What are you looking at?"
"Just this group of students who are singing together," I told him.
He looked at them and his eyes blinked. "That girl who has a curly hair is my classmate, and she's a Christian. They are always doing that gathering once a week to talk about their God."
"I see. Religious people are just wasting their time for that," I said and heaved a sigh.
"I cannot agree with you more. They are doing that to increase the number of members of their religion. There's a competition between religions, and they are all fighting because of a God or gods that they are promoting. How ridiculous is that? They can't love and respect each other because of their religion."
Napailing-iling lang ako at inalis ang tingin sa mga estudyanteng iyon. "No God, no fighting. Respect and freedom is what this world needs."
"Yeah," he said.
As I grew older, Dylan and I both agreed on that principle and gradually we were being more convinced by what we were seeing in this cruel world.
"Let's go home," yaya ko na sa kanya.
He nodded his head and held my hand. We left the place.
***
"How's your day?" Mommy asked me through video call.
"It was good. I've missed my classmates," I replied.
"Oh, invite them to your debut. Ano palang gusto mong theme ng party mo?" nakangiting sabi niya. Malapit na nga pala ang birthday ko. Next month, on February 2.
"I want to see a lot of red roses there, Mommy," nakangiting sabi ko rin.
"Okay, I'm gonna list it." Nakita kong tumayo siya at may kinuhang notebook at ballpen. "What more?"
"I want a red gown," I said. I remembered the red gown that I wore on our Prom Night. It was so beautiful. "I want a chocolate cake and a chocolate fountain . . ." I told her everything I wanted to see on the party.
"All right. Ikaw rin ang gusto kong pumili ng mga taong gusto mong ilagay sa 18 candles, 18 roses, 18 gifts, 18 treasures, and 18 bills. List them all and then PM me, okay?"
"Okay."
"How about sa magiging escort mo? Gusto sana namin ng Daddy mo na si Yue na lang ang maging escort mo dahil napagkasunduan namin 'yon ni Kumareng Elvy." She was talking about their godchild, Yue Cano. And since when I was a kid I always heard from them that they wanted me and Yue to get married someday. On the other hand, they were arranging us.
Medyo natahimik ako dahil tutol ang sa suhestiyon niya. Hindi ko naman kasi masyadong kaclose si Yue dahil tulad nina Mommy at Daddy, sa ibang bansa sila nakatira.
"Is it okay with you?"
"Pwede bang si Daddy na lang, Mommy?" sabi ko rito.
"Why? Yue is a nice guy."
"No, Mommy. We're not even close to each other. It's gonna be awkward, you know?" I complained.
She heaved a sigh. "Okay. I'll tell it to your Dad."
Mapait na ngumiti lang ako. "Thank you."
Kung pwede lang sana si Dylan, I thought. I felt sadness because I knew that I couldn't invite Dylan to my party. He couldn't come, and that made my heart ache. Imbes na ma-excite tuloy ako, medyo nawalan ako ng gana.
It was very unfair to Dylan, because his family was so good to me, while my family was so cruel to him.
***
"Are you okay?" Dylan asked me while we were eating together in a restaurant. It was a date. "You look gloomy." I knew that he would notice it because I was so obvious. Tahimik ako simula pa kanina.
I took a deep breath and looked at him with sadness before I spoke, "I'm not okay because . . . I won't see you on my eighteenth birthday. I can't invite you because . . ." I stopped because I started to sob and tears formed in my eyes. "I'm really sorry, Dylan."
He was staring at me plainly with brows furrowed a little bit. "It's just okay with me," he said.
"No, it's not okay. It's so unfair to you. Your family has been so good to me."
He heaved a sigh. "Yeah, and I'm not asking for an exchange. Just seeing you happy with me is enough for me. You don't need to worry about me," he said in a soft voice, and then he smiled a little bit. "I'm already used to it. Palagi naman akong hindi invited sa birthday mo."
"But this one is different. It's my special day. A-and I want you to be my escort. I w-want you to be there." My voice shivered because I couldn't stop crying.
Instead of replying, he stood up and sat beside me. The chair was a double sofa and good for two persons. He caressed my face so my eyes locked on him. "Shh . . . If you want to see me, then let's meet after the party," malambing na sabi niya. Medyo tumahan ako dahil doon.
"How? Mom and Dad won't let me go outside the house at night, and if I would escape, I'm scared to be caught."
He thought for a while. "Yeah, it's going to be difficult. I still want you to you to be in a good situation. Therefore, if your chance to escape is less, you better stop. Just don't continue."
I nodded my head. "But I'll try best."
"Okay." He smiled and gently pinched my cheek. "I'll be waiting for you in the park."
***
The time flew so fast. Mom and Dad would come back to Philippines because my birthday was coming soon.
Sinalubong ko ng matamis na ngiti sina Mommy at Daddy nang sa wakas ay matanaw ko ang mga ito. Kanina pa akong umaga rito sa airport para salubungin ang pagdating nila. I didn't attend my class just to see them.
"I've missed you so much, My, Dy!" I told them while hugging them with so much joy.
"We've missed you too," they told me and hugged me back.
Nang makalabas kami ng airport nag-abang kami ng taxi at doon sumakay. I felt so happy because this was my favorite part every year, my parents' come back to town, at nangyayari lamang iyon tuwing nalalapit ang kaarawan ko. We had been preparing for my birthday, and now it was really coming! Bukas ng gabi na ito magaganap.
Nagkaroon muli ng sigla ang tahanan namin nang makarating kami sa bahay at nagsalo-salo sa hapag-kainan, masayang nagkukuwentuhan.
"Mommy, pasok lang ako sa kwarto ko saglit," paalam ko kay Mommy habang nagliligpit siya ng pinag-kainan namin. Tumango lang siya.
Pagkapasok ko sa kwarto ko, ang cellphone ko kaagad ang hinanap ko, at nakita ko iyon sa kama. Hinanap ko ang pangalan ni Kirby sa contacts ko at tinawagan siya.
"Hello?"
"Kirby!" masayang bungad ko sa kanya. "What's up? Makakapunta ka ba?"
"Yes, for you. See you tomorrow."
"Okay! Thank you! Take care!"
"Thanks!"
I ended the call and I hissed, "Yes!" I was excited to see Kirby again because I would also tell him about me and Dylan. I was sure that he would be surprised.
***
I posted my invitation on my wall on facebook to inform my relatives, classmates and friends about the party, while Mommy invited some of our neighbors. The party would happen in a resort.
"Pikit ka, ganda," Kuya Kris, the gay make-up artist, instructed me; I closed my eyes. "Siguradong bongga ang entrance mo mamaya! Ang ganda-ganda mo oh! Pak na pak!" magiliw na sabi niya habang nilalagyan ako ng eyeshadow. Napatawa lang ako ng mahina.
I waited for him to be done. I felt the brush touched my face before he told me that I could open my eyes then. He put a red lipstick on my lips. While I was staring at myself on the mirror, I couldn't help but be amazed by my own beauty. I wore my gown already.
He sprayed something on my face as the final step. "Done!" he exclaimed and let me see myself.
Sakto naman na pumasok si Mommy sa room. Lumapit siya sa akin at nakangiting tiningnan ako. "Dalaga na ang baby ko," aniya sa akin. "May nanliligaw na ba sa 'yo, sweetheart?" Bigla naman akong kinabahan sa tanong niya.
"Sigurado, mars. Ano ka ba? Ang ganda-ganda ni Demi. Maganda pa ang katawan. Pwedeng magbeauty queen 'yan!"
"Mana sa Mommy," pagsakay ni Mommy rito. Nagtawanan sila. "Ipakilala mo sa amin ng Daddy mo ang mga manliligaw mo, ha?" sabi niya sa akin.
"Opo, My," sagot ko at pilit na ngumiti.
Bigla kong naalala si Dylan. Nasaan kaya siya ngayon? Nasa park na kaya siya at naghihintay?
Lumabas kami ng kwarto nang tawagin ako ng organizer dahil mag-uumpisa na ang program. Halos nasa venue na ang lahat ng bisita at naghihintay. Kagaya ng mga hiniling ko kay Mommy, 'yon ang mga nakita ko sa event. Punong-puno ng red roses ang venue, lalo na sa stage.
***
The party ended at eleven in the evening, and I'd been waiting for that time to come. Ako lang ata ang celebrant na excited matapos kaagad ang party. Si Dylan kasi ang laman ng isip ko.
We just arrived at the house and I've been looking for my phone but I couldn't find it. I misplaced it. My goodness! I needed to connect with Dylan. Hindi ko alam kung nasa park pa rin siya.
Kumuha ako ng jacket sa cabinet at sinuot iyon. Nang makalabas ako ng kwarto, wala na sila mama sa sala. Pumunta ako sa tapat ng kwarto nila at dinikit ang tainga ko sa pinto para malaman ko kung gising pa sila. Nang wala akong narinig na kahit ano, dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang pintuan para makasiguro ako. I saw them lying in bed and sleeping peacefully. A smile formed on my lips as I shut the door and swiftly went to the backdoor to get my bicycle in the backyard. Nilabas ko iyon at sinakyan nang makalabas na ako ng gate. I pedalled it so fast.
Halos wala nang tao sa park nang makarating ako doon. I knew that Dylan usually stayed at the part of the park where he could see the view of the bay, so I went there. But, I saw no one. No one was there. Napahinto ako at nilibot ang tingin sa lugar. Napakatahimik ng paligid. Ngunit may napansin akong isang bagay sa isa sa mga benches doon. Bumaba ako mula sa bisikleta at hiniga ito sa lapag. Nilapitan ko ang bouquet ng pulang rosas sa bench. Nakita ko ang tag na naroon at nabasa ang nakalagay roon:
Happy birthday! - Storm Dylan Hunt
Nanghihinang napaupo lang ako sa bench at napatitig sa bagay na 'yon. I felt sadness because I didn't catch up with him. I was late. I just pressed my lips together when I felt my eyes become warm.