Chapter 19

Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez

Happy birthday

Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday Ulan namin!

Happy birthday Ali and Yana!!!

Sabay sabay na sabi ng lahat. Birthday ko na ngayon—namin pala at simula nung last week ay hindi ko na tinigilan si Miss Presley. I love teasing her especially when I'm making her fuming mad to the point that her face is turning red.

We are currently celebrating my birthday here at our Villa. Nung una ayoko talagang mag celebrate but at the end of the day umagree nalang ako. Masyadong mapilit si Ate at hindi niya ako tinigilan hanggang sa pumayag ako.

I remember what she said

"Pumayag kana kasi Ali! It's your birthday. Birthday niyong dalawa ni Yana. Panget naman kung hindi ka pupunta but you're here in your house. We just want to celebrate your birthday with you. Can you please give this one Ali. Eto lang"- Ate said pleasing me to agree. Kanina pa siya pilit ng pilit at kahit saan ako pumunta sunod siya ng sunod. Naiisip kong pumayag nalang para tigilan niya ako

"No ate. I have other plans for my birthday. I'm not going"

"Can you just reschedule it, gawin mo nalang yan after your birthday"- pamimilit niya parin, ayaw niya talagang tumigil

"No Ate. I'm not going and that's for sure"

"Is that your final answer?"- she said with a smirk on her face. Gosh she's creepy as hell

"Ye-" hindi ko pa natatapos ang sasabihin ko ng sumingit siya

"Then I guess I have to kidnap you for this party"- she said leaving me in shock. Kaya niya talagang gawin yon?. Now I know kanino ako nag mana

"Fine! Fine! Oo na"- I said that made her smile at me genuinely and hugged me very tight, muntik nako madurog.

Hanggang ngayon naalala ko parin kung paano niya ako napapayag. Well simple lang naman tong celebration namin. Nandito ang buong angkan ng Lopez but sa Alvares si Mom at Prof Alvares lang ang nandito. My friends, Yana's friend and Ate's friend are all here.

"Happy birthday Apo" bati ni Lolo saakin na ngayon ay nasa tabi ko. He gave me a small box. I'm not expecting any gifts today. Kasi meron na ako ng lahat-except sa lovelife. Asan na ba si cupid?

"Open it" and by that I opened the small box with a 2 key on it yung isa alam kong sa kotse pero yung isa hindi ko alam kung para saan

"Another car?"

"Yes apo, it's for you. The other key is for a lot. Ikaw na bahalang mag patayo ng bahay"- he said while smiling at me, wala siyang dimple. Now I'm confused where did I get this dimples.

"Thank you Lolo"- I hugged him, the man who took care of me for a very long time

"Oh siya, I'm going to Yana"- he said at umalis na.

"Shot tayo Ulan!"- sigaw ni Amrielle na nasa wet bar, tambay talaga siya sa mga alak.

Pinuntahan ko rin naman siya at kumuha ng isang bote—isang baso muna mamaya naman yung isang bote.

"Your family are kind Ulan. Why don't you try to be with them" turan niya, alam kong hindi pa siya lasing kaya seryoso siya sa mga sinabi niya. Why don't I try? Maybe because I'm afraid.....I have so many issues with myself that I can't solve.

I keep my silence.

"See them, they look happy. See how they enjoy everyone's company but there's one thing na napansin ko ni isa sa kanila walang may dimple. Is that even possible " she said which is the same question in my mind but I can't even think of that kasi baka possible naman talaga

Gosh napapailing ako how her topics suddenly change.

"I don't know. Maybe it's possible" maikli kong sagot

Bakit nga ba ako lang ang meron?

I don't want to think na adopted ako kasi I have my twin sister. Kahawig ko rin si Ate it's a no talaga.

Maybe coincidence?

"You know what Ulan, I'll be happy seeing you with them"- lintaya ng katabi

Kanina pa niya ako pinoprovoke na pumunta don. .

"And I'm happy being alone"- dugtong ko sa sinabi nya

"Seryoso ako Ulan. Why don't you try being with them, baka magustuhan mo ang pakiramdam. You know it's happy being with family iba yung comfort niya. You can never find that in us. Open your heart Ulan. Matagal na nangyari ang lahat"- I let a deep sign

Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Amrielle. Knowing this girl minsan lang siya mag seryoso at nagkataon pa na birthday ko. I don't know what she's planning. This is very unusual.

"Happy birthday Ulan. That's my wish for you. Sana you'll be with them"- sabi niya saakin sabay abot ng isang maliit na box at nag lakad siya papunta kela Rayla at Jenaiah. Naiwan naman akong mag isa dito sa wet bar. Siguro dito nalang muna ako, as I said I'm happy being alone.

"Hindi ka ba lalapit sakanila?" someone said behind me, nang lingunin ko ito it was Prof Alvares. Kanina andon lang siya ah. Bakit nandito na siya bigla?

"I'm fine being alone here Prof Alvares"

"Ate Allisha" she said that make me look at her.

"If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine," she said, her smile breaking across her face like dawn, revealing the sweet dimples that deepened with her warmth. Her eyes sparkled with understanding, as if she knew exactly how to ease the weight of my hesitation.

Sa lahat ng tao na nandito kaming dalawa lang ang may dimple it's just so weird kasi wala man lang kahit isa sa mga kapamilya ko ang meron nito, pero ako meron. Even Yana doesn't have it. Well yes we're twins but madali lang i-figure out ang pag kakaiba ng features namin. Yana has a chinky eyes na wala rin niisa sa pamilya namin ang meron. We all have almond eyes except Yana's who has a chinky eyes. Then her eyes are hazel brown same as our family but again ako nanaman ang naiiba cause my eyes are black. See it's easy to identify who's who.

"Happy Birthday" turan ng katabi ko nandito pa pala siya

"Thank you" I mumbled

She gave me a small box. I opened it at nakita ko ang bracelet that seems so familiar. I unconsciously open the locket pendant, I don't know what pushes me to do that.

"Are you okay?" tanong niya marahil ay naramdaman niya ang pagkagulat ko ng makita ko kung ano ang nasa locket pendant, it's me a baby picture of me. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit meron siya nito.

"W-why do you have this?"

Many thoughts are rushing in to my mind. Hindi ko maisaayos ang mga thoughts ko. I'm overthinking and it's making my head hurt.

"Hi-hiningi ko yang picture mo kay Ate Melanie" nauutal niyang sagot

I don't understand why mom would give her this pic.

"Hindi mo ba nagustuhan? I'm so--" I cut her off "I like it I'm just surprise, this bracelet is very familiar though. Kagaya nung necklace na binigay mo rin" I suddenly mumbled

"Ahm Ali Can I request something to you?" putol niya sa katahimikan

"What?"

"Can I hug you" she said but I didn't respond........

After 5 minutes

"I-it's fine if you didn't want t-" I cut her off again

"Sure, Ate Allisha" I answered that make her shocked. I slowly moved to hug her.

This hug feels so familiar, a comfort, a love, a home. I don't know how describe it. Para bang ito yung yakap na matagal kong hinanap. Yung yakap na matagal ko nang gusto maranasan. I'm happy, my heart is happy.

It's indeed a Happy Birthday.

I think I found what I'm longing for, and that's her....her hug seems so familiar my heart is responding to her as if I know her more than I could expect

____

Tapos na ang celebration at ang lahat ay nasa kanya kanya na nilang kwarto. Nadito ako ngayon sa tapat ng dagat nakaupo sa buhangin habang hawak ang bote ng alak na iniinom ko. Kanina pa ako dito pero hindi parin ako nalalasing, I wonder why.

"It's getting late, wala ka bang balak mag pahinga?"

"It's late pero nandito pa kayo" sagot ko dito

"Because I was looking for you" sagot niya at umupo sa tabi ko

"And why is that Miss?"

"Hindi ko pa nabibigay ang regalo ko sayo" sabay abot saakin ng isang maliit na box. Puro maliliit na box lang natanggap ko ah. Uso ba yon?

I opened the box at bumungad saakin ang isang singsing. Great, halos kompleto na ako ng jewelry. It's a gold ring with a small three diamond on it at sa ilalim ng sing sing it has sa CCP. Code ba yon?

"Wear it" utos ng katabi ko

Makautos

"Ayaw"

"Why? Because you liked Allisha's gift kesa sa gift ko?" turan niya na siyang kinakunot ng noo ko. Anong connect nung bracelet sa ring?

"Huh?"

"I saw you hugging her. You look happy" a bitter tone

"Because she requested it. Selos ka Miss? Pwede naman kitang yakapin magdamag if you want" pagbibiro ko pero mukang mali ng timing ang biro ko

"Okay then let's go" sagot niya at tumayo at hinawakan ang kamay ko para hilahin ako. Nagbibiro lang ako! Pero I like this.... hindi ko nga magawang pumalag at pigilan siya. Damn this body of mine, nagiging sunod sunuran pagdating sakanya.

"Hey Miss you have your own room!" bulalas ko ng bigla siyang pumasok sa room ko habang hawak parin ang kamay ko

"Tsk. You said that you'll hug me all night diba?"

"I was just joking!" Depensa ko pero matigas talaga siya

"I'm not accepting any of your jokes Lopez. Now face the consequences of your joke"

I was hopeless

Sana buhay pa ako bukas

Sana talaga

"Edi wag" sagot ko dito at umupo sa couch. Bahala siya don siya sa kama ako sa couch. I'd rather sleep here than to slept with her.

"What do you think your doing?" taas kilay niyang tanong. Bakit ba kasi siya pumasok sa room ko?. Nakakainis

"Uupo?" patanga kong tanong

Uupo naman talaga ako ah

"I know stupid!" bulyaw niya

"Oh bakit niyo pa........po tinatanong alam niyo naman........po pala" paputol putol kong sabi halata sa muka niya ang pag kainis

"Come here" she said with full of authority. Kahit sino mapapasunod niya pero dahil I'm stubborn I didn't move at nahiga sa couch kasabay ng pag pikit ng mata ko.

Naramdaman ko ang paglapit niya at tumabi saakin, the fuck is she doing?. Napamulat ako ng mata at nakita ko kung gaano siya kalapit kasabay ng pagtibok ng puso ko nang mabilis. Fuck this heart.

"M-miss layo onti, you're too close" hirap kong bigkas

"Oh really? I wouldn't mind it" pang aasar niya pa. Fuck hindi nya ba alam na she's making me feel uncomfortable, I think I'm gonna have an asthma.

"Hug me" utos niya na siyang kinabalisa ko. Seryoso ba siya? Kasi yung akin ay biro lang

"It's a joke"

"I don't accept joke"

"Then don-" bago ko pa matapos ang sasabihin ko ay hinila niya na ako at niyakap. Wjwikwkwsjejejejejejwoowwmsbdheu yung heartbeat ko. Am I having a heart disease or what?

___

"Lopez" tawag niya saakin

We're currently here in my bed, yes lumipat na kami at kanina pa siya nakayakap saakin. For God sake! my heartbeat wouldn't stop from beating fast.

"What miss?"

"Your necklace....." she said na para bang nag he-hesitate kung itutuloy niya ba o hindi

"What about it?"

"It's same with Allisha.....a-are you guys something?"

Something? Are she out of her mind? Why would she think that way! Professor Allisha Alvares is an Ate to me!. Siguro ang tinutukoy niyang kwintas ay ang kwintas na binigay ko sakanya noong birthday ni Ate Allisha

"No"

"Then why do you have the same necklace?" she curiously said, bakit ba siya interesado?

"I just gave her those. Why do seem so interested Miss?"

"Then bakit pareho kayo?" asik niya na may halong inis, bipolar

"Because It's pair. Wala akong mapagbigyan and sumakto sa Birthday niya kaya I decided to give it to her nalang " paliwanag ko dito

"Tsk. You should remove it. Baka kung ano ang isipin ng tao pag nakit nilang you have the same necklace with her" komento nito at inalis ang pag kakayakap saakin, what a relief

"Then let them think whatever they want to think. I'm not born in this world to deal with their issues about me" rebat ko dito

"Tsk. You really are unbelievable Lopez" huling sinabi niya bago tuluyang lumabas ng kwarto ko. Finally she stopped mending with my business.

...........