Chapter 8

Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Alvares Lopez POV

My phone vibrates kaya naman agad ko itong kinuha sa bulsa ko. I was here in my room, it was saturday today so I don't have class. I opened my phone at may nag pop na message it was from ate.  Yeah matagal niya ng pinakealaman ang phone ko. Nag sama pa talaga sila ni Yana

Ate

Nasa baba na kami. Where are you?. Mamayang 1 ang alis natin. We are going to celebrate Allisha's birthday in Baguio.

I look at my watch and it was currently 12:30 hindi parin pala ako kumain. I just bring a medium size backpack and nilagyan ito ng mga gamit. After that bumaba na rin ako at naabutan kong nakaupo silang dalawa sa couch. What the hell? Sino ang nag sabi na mag dala ng bisita dito?

"Oh you're here na pala, hindi ka pa kumakain" Ate said at tinitigan ko lang siya at hindi na nag salita pa

I told her not to bring anyone here in my house but guess what she's with Prof Alvares and sa bahay ko talaga. Minsan sumasagi sa isip ko na baka deeper connection ang meron sila. Bestfriend? Laging magkasama?

"Nanang told me na di ka pa kumakain simula kaninang breakfast. May food sa table "  she said with a smile, hindi ba siya napapagod ngitian ako?

" K " - tanging sagot ko

Pumunta nako sa kitchen para kumain. After I ate, umalis na rin kami.

" You're so quiet " - biglang sabi ni ate na nasa tabi ko. I'm busy driving kaya di na rin ako sumagot

Nakarating kami sa Baguio ng ligtas. Malamang. Kidding, hindi ko na lang talaga alam sasabihin ko. Tinatamad na rin akong mag kwento. Pwede bang ibang POV naman?

(A/N: tinatamad na rin ako)

Agad namang bumaba sila Ate pagkapark ko at sumunod rin ako. Malamang alangan namang mag paiwan ako dito diba. Nakakapagtaka nga lang kasi kaminh tatlo lang? I mean where's Prof Alvares family? Hindi ba dapat they should be here?

Pero ano bang pake ko don. I mean labas nako sa usaping yan. Pero still makes me wonder. Pumasok na kami sa isang hotel is a very good looking and luxurious hotel.

" Hotel? Dito mag ce-celebrate?" - I suddenly asked, fvkc what I was thinking kusa nalang siyang lumabas sa bibig ko no. Don't blame me I was curious

" Parang ganon na parang hindi " - sagot ni ate na mas lalong nag paconfuse sakin.

I didn't bother asking again at sumunod nalang sakanila. Pumasok kami sa iisang room?! Don't tell me iisang room lang kami? Kung wala silang pambayad they should've told me. Hindi yung kukuha sila nang iisang room for us--- gosh stop being paranoid.

"Ali? You're spacing out. Pumasok kana." - Ate said kaya bumalik ako sa katinuan

Pag kapasok ko agad na bumungad saakin ang tatlong bed. Oh that's why.... OA lang talaga ako kanina. Agad akong nahiga sa pinakadulong bed at pinikit ang mata. Hindi naman ako napagod sa pag drive sadyang gusto ko lang makaramdam ng kapayapaan

"Where are the other people? Didn't you invite them?" - I said but nakapikit parin ako. Ewan ko pati ata pagdilat ay kinakatamaran ko na rin.Nakapikit ako yes pero nararamdaman ko ang pag titig nila sakin.

"They're on their way. Later pag dating nila we'll start the celebration" sagot ng ate ko

I didn't answer

" You can sleep if you want gigising nalang kita mamaya" - dagdag niya pa

"No need I'm not sleepy at all kagigising ko lang kaninang 12" I said at bumangon, what should I do now? Maybe mag iikot nalang ako sa place?

" Oh okay "

"I'm just going outside"- sabi ko at kinuha ang sling bag ko. Wala lang baka kasi may magustuhan akong bilhin no. I know na may possibility na hindi dito tumatanggap ng card so I withdraw kahapon nung nasa mall kami

" We-wait" - nauutal na sabi ni Ate Allisha

Wow nag sasalita pa pala siya. I thought she was muted like forever. I look at her waiting for what she's going to say

" Pwede bang su-sumama?"- she said while stuttering

Hindi niya naman kelangang kabahan sakin. I'm not going to bite her. Hindi rin naman ako nakaka-intimidate tignan sa ganda kong to

" Okay" - I said and she smiled at me

" Ikaw ate? You wanna go with us?" - I asked her

"Thanks Ali but no may gagawin pa ako. Enjoy you too and keep her safe Ali, she's always been the center of attraction" - ate said at tinignan ang katabi ko. Hindi ko namalayang nandito na pala siya sa tabi ko. I just nodded at her at lumabas na rin kami

I like how I was being comfortable with talking to her, but not fully comfortable.

Tahimik lang kaming nag lalakad well andito kami ngayon sa parang park. Maraming tao, hindi rin mainit, the temperature is just sakto lang. Well hindi ako nakajacket pero may dala ako incase. Naka suot ako ng wide leg denim short and a simple black shirt. Sino bang mag lalakas ng loob na mag suot ng short sa Baguio? Syempre ako. Sanay ako sa malamig na temperature is nothing compared to the temperature in US

" I-I want that"- sabi ng katabi ko kaya naman napatingin ako sakanya at tinignan ko rin ang tinuturo niya. What's that?

"O-okay"- I said at nag lakad na papunta doon I know na nasa likuran ko siya I feel her presence

"Isa nga po kuya" - she happily said at binuksan naman ni kuya ang lagayan he put a small jelly circle, a white jelly thing and a black sauce? What the fuck is that? Is that even a food? but seriously it looks like dessert. Is that a pudding?

I just look at her while buying. She's really beautiful indeed kaya siguro nasabi ni ate na she's always the center of attraction. Her chinky eyes are attractive even though she has an eye glass, her pointed nose that matches her medium thin lips and a beautiful smile that highlights her beautiful chinky black eyes but most of all are her long straight hair. Sino bang hindi mapapatingin pag dumaan to?

"Gusto mo?"- it's her first time talking to me na hindi nag stutter. I like her confidence now, pag kain lang pala makakapag pastraight sakanya mag salita. Pero akala ko ba isa lang? Bakit dalawa na hawak niya?

"What kind of food is that?"- I asked at kinuha ang inooffer niya saakin. I didn't know what the fvck it was but hindi ko siya magawang tanggihan.

"Taho. Nakalimutan mo na ba?" - she said while busy sa pag kain ng taho?

Nakalimutan? This is my first time seeing and eating this food. Well it tastes good and the flavors are complementary. It tastes better than pudding, I think the black sauce is the sweet kasi when I taste the white pudding it doesn't have any sweetness

"Nakalimutan? This is my first time eating this food"- I said but I'm still confused. Kasi parang she's very sure with what she said na nakalimutan ko na ito?

" Ah eh oo nga pala. I forgot it was Yana pala" - sabi niya at nag patuloy nalang sa pag lalakad habang kinakain niya yung taho

I followed her, sabi nga ni ate bantayan ko daw diba. Masunurin kaya ako.

"Ali, halika don dali"- she happily said at hinila ako. Agad naman kaming nakarating sa parang lake may mga nakalutang rin na malaking duck? I don't know what it is basta naririnig ko kanina Burnham Park daw

Nakita ko naman itong kasama ko na tuwang tuwa, ano ba siya?. She's acting like a child na ngayon lang nakaranas ipasyal ng magulang. She happily held my hand and lumapit kami don maraming tao ang nakasakay sa parang boat. Don't tell me she's planning to ride that?

"Sakay tayo. Dali!!!" - she excitedly said wala naman akong nagawa kundi ang samahan siya. Hindi ko rin alam ang nangyayari she's suddenly comfortable with me. See, mabait naman ako.

___

After naming mag ikot ikot ay naupo na muna kami sa bench. I didn't know that she's so hyper. Ako yung napapagod para sakanya kung san san niya rin ako hinila. She's now eating ice cream sa tabi ko. Asan yung professor na kilala ng estudyante sa GEU bilang isang formal, mahinhin and ginagalang?. She's so different from the professor version of her, now she's very makulit, childish and she's always smiling and I hate it, nakakahawa kasi. It's making me smile mentally at onti nalang I will smiled at her. Gosh those dimples she has that I forgot that I have too.

"You're childish you know" - my mouth suddenly said kaya naman napatingin ito saakin and she smiled. Argh that smile again why so familiar

"Yeah, I know and I'm sorry about it. It's just that ngayon ko lang to naranasan, masaya pala"- she said, she tried to smile but I can sense sadness in her voice and especially in her eyes

I can't look at her eyes. Hindi ko kayang makita ang lungkot sa mata nito, hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ganto nalang ang nararamdaman ko.

" Why?"- kahit ako ay nagugulat sa lumalabas sa bibig ko

Masyado nakong nagiging madaldal. Hindi na ako to this is getting out if control. Para bang may sariling utak ang bibig ko at kusa itong nag sasalita. Gosh my impulsive thoughts are winning against me

"Kasi hindi ko naranasang maging bata. I was born to be an adult." - she said in a low tone. Mahina ang pagkakasabi niya pero sapat na para marinig ko iyon

I look at her with confusion in my eyes. How? She was born to be an adult?. Wait, don't tell me.... that's why....

I know her parents. She's the first born so the pressure was always on her but I didn't expect that it was too much that she grew up fast. It's sad to know that...she was forced to act like an adult. I can't blame her for acting a child kanina.

" We should go back to the hotel. Baka kanina pa si Ate nag hihintay doon. Nag didilim narin ang paligid. I'm sure your visitors are there na rin. I hope you enjoy this day"-I said at nag lakad na. Naramdaman ko namang sumunod siya saakin

Mabilis kamimg nakarating sa hotel as expected nandito na ang mga hinihintay nilang bisita. Gosh, I know that they rent this hotel for this day they can't deny it. You wanna know kung pano ko nalaman? it's too obvious. Walang tao except saamin kanina pa at first I thought it was normal but I suddenly noticed something fishy so I realized what they did. Easy as that, for privacy narin siguro kaya buong hotel na ang nirent. Weak kung ako yon binili ko ang hotel na to

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISHA!!" - sigaw nilang lahat

Nakakarindi ang ingay ng mga tao dito. Nandito lang ako sa tabi ng bar counter, drinking peacefully. Ayoko rin kasing makipag socialize sa kanila ngayon. Naubos na ang social battery ko kanina. Hindi ko naman inexpect na jolly yon si allisha no. Nakakapagod pero masaya siya kasama. Atleast she made me happy for this day. I didn't expect na magiging masaya ulit ako sa presence niya.

"Mag isa ka nanaman dito" - oh hulaan niyo sino yan. Oh di niyo kilala no Tagalog kasi mag salita. Kidding it was Yana

Di ko rin alam bakit lumapit yan dito. Muka ba akong lonely? sanay naman akong mag isa no. Hindi big deal sakin ang pagiging mag isa, actually it give me peace pa nga eh

"I like to be alone"- I answered to her

She look at me na parang hindi convinced sa sinabe ko pero hindi nalang siya nag salita at umupo sa chair na katabi ng inuupuan ko.

"You're drinking? Paano ka pinayagan?"- kunot noo niyang tanong habang nakatingin sa shot glass na hawak ko.

" Who said na nag paalam ako?"- I sarcastically said but for real hindi talaga ako nag paalam na uminom. Wala rin namang mag babawal eh lucky and unlucky me.

Hindi ko na rin matandaan kung kelan ako natuto sa mga gantong bagay but I know that I was closer to being a legal age naman na non kaya siguro Lolo didn't mind it. Besides he always told me that it was my decision and I should face the consequences of my actions. So yeah hanggang ngayon ay lagi parin nakatatak sa utak ko ang mga sinasabe niya saakin. I've learned a lot from that old man

"So hindi to alam ni Lolo?"

Gosh, it's too obvious. As far as I know walang bobo sa mga Lopez. Siguro sa Alvares niya namana yan.

"I said hindi ako nag paalam. I didn't said that he doesn't know. Besides hindi naman mahilig mangelam ng buhay si tanda"

She nooded and tinitigan ang hawak ko. Don't tell me that she's thinking to try it. I know na nasa tamang edad na siya but sorry for her hindi ako nakikishare especially when it comes to this. Tsaka I'm very sure na hindi siya papayagan ni dad na subukan to baka ako rin ang madehado sa huli

"Pwe--"- I cut her off bago niya pa matuloy ang sasabihin niya dahil ineexpect ko na talaga to

"No. If you want this, go to the table of dad at doon ka kumuha mismo sa harap niya"- I coldly said

Nakita ko naman na napasimangot siya at tinanaw sila daw na ngayon ay nagkukwento kasama ang dad ni Prof Alvares. Speaking of her, naalala ko yung gift ko sakanya na nasa kotse ko pa rin hanggang ngayon.

Agad akong tumayo para pumunta sa kotse ko, narinig ko pang tinanong ako ni Yana but I didn't respond. Hindi naman ako nag tagal at bumalik rin agad ako.

Natanaw ko na si Prof Alvares, she's busy talking to her father's friend with his father. Lumapit ako sa pwesto nila at nakita ko namang nakatingin ito sakin. Good, para hindi ko narin siya tatawagin.

I gave her the three paper bag na dala ko and she was surprised. Gosh, she doesn't have to be surprise it was her birthday not unless....kaya pala walang mga present ang mga taong nandito. Oh so this is her first time having a gift? Gosh I almost forgot I came from different world how would I know na hindi uso sakanila ang regalo.

Pagkabigay ko ay umalis narin agad ako. So awkward.

"You gave her a gift?"- bungad ni Yana saakin ng makabalik ako sa pwesto ko kanina

I know that I shouldn't but fuck hindi ko alam na hindi pala sila sanay mag bigayan ng regalo. Hindi ko naman pinag sisisihan na binigyan ko siya

"Obviously"

Hayst

I'm acting weird this past few days. I know that everyone notice it, even me.