Chapter 3: Chapter Two
One.
Two.
Three.
Binuhos niya ang kanyang lakas upang buhatin ang isang sakong palay upang ihatid sa nagmamay–ari ng kanilang palayan na inuupahan. Sobrang layo ng kanilang nilalakaran, at nabibigatan na siya nito habang ang kanyang katawan ay paunti–unting sumuko. Pagkakita niya sa bahay ng mayamang negosyante ay gumaan naman ang kanyang kalooban dahil sa malapit na silang makarating.
Pagkarating nila sa may bandang gate ay namamangha siya nito sa napakalaking bahay. Halos nilibot na niya ang kanyang paningin at maligalig niyang pinagmamasdan ang desinyo ng bahay na ito.
"Gab, ang laki ng bahay ah!"
" 'Di ako bulag!" Pilosopong saad nito.
Pagkarating nila sa bodega ay agad nilang ibinaba ang
kanilang mga dala. Saka ipinatong nila ito sa iba, kapagkuwan ay nakikipag–usap naman ang kanilang matatandang kasama sa trabahador nito. Lumubas naman siya sa bodega at tumungo sa kinatatayuan ng kaibigan niya. Ito ang bahay na pinapangarap niya para sa kanyang mga magulang. Tiningnan naman niya ang gilid ng bahay at may napansin naman siyang isang malaking pool.
"Siguro hindi sila nauubusan ng pera"
"Malamang, e, may farm sila"
"Mmh, mukhang may tao do'n" Turo niya sa may bintana pagkatapos niyang may makitang dumudungaw sa kanila.
"Babae o lalaki?" Tanong ng kaibigan niya.
"Babae" Sagot niya sa kanyang kaibigan.
"Malamang e, babae lang naman ang anak ni sir na
nandito. Dahil wala rito ang kambal niyan"
"Pa'no mo nalaman?"
"Socialite kaya ako" He said in a hoarse tone as he try to annoy him just to make him stop talking.
"I was just asking, daft!"
He murmured things that actually the sound of it is laughable that Gab made him chuckle. A moment later the old man with a straw hat appeared in his sight telling them to gather around. Beside of the old man, is an old woman in his age, she look at everyone from head to toe.
"Magandang binata!" She smiled giving him a pleasant of warmth greetings.
The old man whisper at her making her agreed. After that the old man has a smile plastered on his face staring at him directly while it's brow's are asking what's wrong. He just smiled and the he hit his friend with his elbow making it groaned in pain to ease the awkwardness he felt, toward that old man.
They're are ten and the three are an old man who are still strong, literally super strong than him. The dogs are barking him making him anxious having a rapid heart beat. His afraid of dogs because of his trauma when he was a young boy got bitten by a dog. He hate it so much don't like to be surrounded with dogs and start to caressed it body to him.
"It's just a dog!" His friend chuckles.
He glared at him to death making the boy scared of him.
"I have allergies with dogs" He estated so much in anger
"And it ain't funny" He gritted his teeth because the elders are laughing to.
"CRAZY ass–holes, laging nag–eenglish"
"Want me to speak in bisaya?"
"Weh? can you?".
"Mas buang pakas iro, naa pa na imong nawong namurag lubot sa kaldero" The old woman laugh by what he said and his friend get curious about what he said. And why the old woman laugh at what he said. He shrugged when a man of his group tap his shoulder while it laugh.
"Ano 'yun? hoy?!"
"Uhm, nothing!"
"Then why they laugh at me"
" 'Cause I said your too good!"
"Are yah sure? then what's that?" He mean at why they laugh.
He look at the window again and he heard someone's laughing. He covered his hand to it forehead to block the sun's light and to have a clear vision. But there's no one in there, he sighs, and look at the maids—one is holding a dustpan while the other one smile at him. The old woman suddenly appeared next to him glaring at those maids.
"Pasok!" She shouted to them.
"I think I've seen someone in there" He pointed at the window.
"Ow, that's Miss. Keres...she is beautiful but shy"
"I'm sorry to hear that"
"It isn't your fault!"
"I just feel sad asking 'bout it"
"Such a fine man"
"You speak in english?"
"Yes...because of her"
Suddenly he get it what the old lady meant. He smiled to it and look up to the sky while the other was busy helping each other to piled up the rice. It is not that he belittle the old woman but he was happy for her and for that he got shocked too. He thought the old woman was not been in school as he heard his friend, few weeks ago.
He was inspired to it because uneducated or not we still can learn no matter if we are a college degree holder or not. And english isn't a measurement of our intelligence but she slayed it. It is not because that someone is uneducated we can have the right to degraded them.
It is not because he is a poor man and a son of a farmer, he is not allowed to speak in english. But though it isn't the measure
–ment of what he must not–to–do so, just because his an advantage person whom those who are in power can throw him at the fiery pit— out of heaven.
That old woman is the audacity of what he called "Bravery" to "learn" and to "cope" with people who surrounded you. The dog growl at him again when he didn't notice that he is too close with and start to bark.
He run toward his friend while it laughs at him.
"Lucky, stop!!"
A sudden voice commanded the dogs and it stop. He then realize that the voice was coming from the window afterwards it hide again and the only thing he can see is her dress. He then get curious about her as he want to see the young woman's face, the old man called him again.
And then he walk toward it, he didn't realize that all his groups are about to leave and his the only one they wait for. "Papunta na" He shouted and then he run to them Gab get dumbfounded at his friend sudden reaction, it makes no sense that the boy who he knew that are so shy to talk are now talkative and an active ugly fool.
"May nakain ka bang bawal sa'yo?"
"Anong tingin mo sa akin? baliw?!" Sinapak pa niya ito sa may ulo at napakamot sa ulo.
Sobrang ingay nilang umuwi habang siya ay malayo ang iniisip at ang kaibigan naman niya ay panay lang ang tawa sa biro ng mga nakakatanda. Pagkarating nila sa bahay na kung saan sila nagpapahinga at may kagamitan rin ay agad niyang kinuha ang tubig at umiinom.
He take a two deep breath while the others sit beside them as they are done already harvesting the crops. His mom sit beside him and is drinking the water he use to drink. His groups, they were talking about things that they used to talk to about life. Tumingin naman ang ina niya sa kanya at siya ay malayo parin ang iniisip.
Nang umuwi na sila ng kanyang ina ay sumusunod lang siya nito sa kanyang likuran. Pagkadaan nila sa isang puno ng mangga ay may narinig naman siyang ingay kaya niya ito pinuntahan. Hinanap niya ito pero hindi man lang niya na hanap pagkatingin niya sa likuran nito ay wala parin.
"Ano bang hinahanap mo diyan?" Tanong ng kanyang ina ng namalayan niya itong hindi na nakasunod sa kanya.
"Ah" Pag–aalinlangan niyang sagot " May pusa kasi akong narinig" Ani nito bago bumitaw ng ngiti.
"Eh papano mo makikita kung hindi ka tumitingin sa itaas" Pagkasabi ng ina niya agad siyang tumingala at nakita naman niya ang isang pusang itim na nakahiga sa malaking sanga ng puno.
Inakyat niya ito at kinuha pagkababa niya ay muntik pa siyang mahulog dahil sa sobrang likot nito. Kapagkuwan ay patuloy na silang naglakad, tanaw naman niya ang isang napakalaking puno sa malayong burol kung saan ay napapalibutan iyon ng napaka–maraming pa iba't ibang bulaklak.
Hawak–hawak niya ang itim na pusa sa kanilang paglalakad hindi naman nagalit ang kanyang ina sa pusang kanyang kinuha. He think of something that attractive and silly name of a cat, as he run his fingers through its body making comfy.
The cat—tamed so easy–peasy as he is a lover of it. A person who can't leave without having a cat–pet, it shrugg it body whenever he touch the welcome part of it.
And it didn't get mad to scratch him on his arms, pagkarating nila sa kanilang bahay ang kanyang ama ay nasa labas naninigarilyo habang nakatingin sa kanyang alagang manok.
He hate it very much, na mas inaalagaan pa ng mas mabuti ang kanyang manok kaysa kanila. But atleast his father never hurt them when it get drunk. As much as his mother won't talk about something that will hurt his father's pride.
Pagpasok niya sa bahay diretso na sa kanyang kwarto at kinuha niya ang kanyang tuwalya at bumaba na agad upang maligo. Inaabot siya ng isang oras sa paglilinis ng kanyang katawan dahil sobrang sensitibo ang katawan.
Pagkatapos niyang maligo ay nagbihis naman siya at nakaupo lang sa kanyang kama nagmuni–muni. Kahit wala namang dapat alalahanin ay lagi itong nag–
ooverthink kung ano ang manyayari sa bukas niya. He always thought that life is unfair to him, that everyone in his teenage has things that they want. While him, nothing is what he hold.
He stare at the window caressing the cat's body. As he think so far, far from the reality where he stuck living in his imagination. "What is beyond the boundary of death and life, where you are nothing but just a dust in this world" He said firmly asking himself with a question where answer seems dark and twisted.
His world are full of querries where answer are too hard to be found and seen. The cat jumped off through the window's space and is sit. While he stand and walk through it, whenever he feel sad he sat down through the roof and watching the glamorous sky filled with beauty and life.
A smile plastered in his face holding his sketchbook where he illustrating the cat. He draw it minutes ago, while he think of something new. He clenched his hand and there is something on the air that makes him bothered he can't put himself in pace. Where he always keep imagining that scenario about the girl who hid behind the curtains.
His mother called him to eat for dinner and the goes down. His father already eating while his younger brother are about to pray before it eat and goes the same with the youngest in their family Stelliary.
"Oh, ingat" Ani ng kanyang ina ng mailapag ang pagkain.
"Ano pang hinihintay mo diyan?" Tanong ng kanyang ama.
"Wala po"
Agad namang umupo siya katabi sa kababatang kapatid na babae. Ngumiti pa ito ng kanyang pinunasan ang gilid ng labi dahil sa kalat nitong kumain. Kagaya ng ginawa ng dalawa ay nagdasal din siya bago kumain at pagkatapos ay nagsalin siya ng pagkain at sinubuan ang sarili.
Tahimik lang silang kumakain niisa sa kanila ay walang nagsalita hanggang sa natapos sila. Pinaghugas naman siya ng ina ng pinagkainan nila bago siya matulog. Kaya't hinugasan niya ang mga ito at pagkatapos niyang maghugas ay pinatay niya ang ilaw bago umakyat. Natutulog naman ang pusang itim sa kanyang kama at siya ay lumabas sa kanyang kwarto at umupo sa bubong ng bahay.
Sumunod naman ang kanyang pusang itim na akala niya ay tulog na. At kapagkuwan ay umupo pa ito sa kanya, sobrang liwanag ng buwan at ang mga bituin kumikinang sa ganda. Nakakawala ito ng bigat sa kanyang kalooban at siya naman ay gumuhit ng kung anu–ano.
He draw a starry night and a girl holding with a bunch of flowers. Somehow art make him creative and happy whenever he draws the second thing he draw is his little sister and his younger brother.
"Too ugly" He exclaimed when he draw himself.
He folded it and throw it on his room. So that he can put it on the trash later, he sighs and look up to the moon watching it. He smirked when he remember the girl again, it's voice are ringing on his ear while the cold air hugs him that make him hug himself.
The cat moved trying to cover itself with his clothes, he then stand and walk away. Entering on the window and the cat jumped on his bed. He look at the sky again and there's too many fireflies roaming in the tree at this cold air. Or is it because they have a fire on their butt, so that they can't feel cold? well he doesn't know it too.
Unti–unti niyang ibinagsak ang kanyang katawan sa kama at dahan–dahang ipinikit ang kanyang mga mata. Kalaunan ay tumabi naman sa kanya ang pusang kanyang pinulot. It feels warmth the way the sun touch his cheeks and down to his body. His cat stretch it back and jumped going through the roof.
"Good morning Akatta" He greeted while he mess it head when it comes down. He change his clothes and goes down seeing his mother cooking in the kitchen.
"Wala ka bang gagawin ngayon?"
"Bakit po?"
"Wala lang, atsaka kung pupunta ka sa bayan bumili ka narin ng asukal"
"Iyon lang po?"
"Oo, mura lang kasi do'n" Ani nito bago niya binanlawan ang isdang hinuhugasan niya.
He wash face with a soap and then he wipe it with a face towel. He sit down at the sofa while his younger sister played with his cat. And his younger brother read a book it seems that his younger brother also got their mom's favourite time to spend it's free time by reading a book.
He loves book too the smells of it arouse his soul into a deviant that glows in the dark. His brother seems get awkward the way he stare at him he then to the other side facing the kitchen. His father appeared in his sight it looks like it's done on it's morning routine. To trained his beloved his rooster that are more special than them.
"May pera ka ba, nak?" Tanong nito sa kanya.
Mabait naman ang kanilang ama kaya ngalang sugarol ito. Sobrang adik sa sabong ng manok, nagtratrabaho naman ito sa hacienda ng mga Jimenez ngunit sa sabong lang ay ubos na agad ang pera nito.
Balang araw ay ang hiling lang niya ay ang tumigil na ito sa pagsusugal dahil pag–uwi nitong talo ay nagdadabog at nag–aaway rin ang mga magulang nito dahil lang sa sugal. Umakyat naman siya at binuksan ang kwarto niya saka inangat kunti ang big sheet ng kama at may kinuhang barya sa ilalim nito.
Pagkababa nito ay agad naman niyang ibinigay.
" 'Yan lamang ang natira sa akin"
Pinagbayad kasi ng utang ang kita niya kahapon at ang sa ina naman niya ay pinangbili ng mga pagkain at pangangailan sa buhay. He always prayed not to be like his father that if someday he get into the a thing they called relationship. He will never do the same thing his father did to, trying to be blind by his responsibility to act as father and husband that must provide food and everything for survival.
I will never be like you.
A coward.
"Anong pangalan niya kuya?"
"Akatta"
"Ang pangit naman pero okay lang cute naman siya e"
His brother glance at them try to look at the cat they were talking about. He then put the book he read on the table beside him that are made in bamboo.
"Saan mo yan nakuha?" Ani ng kanyang kapatid na lalaki, wala kang makikitang emosyon sa kanyang mukha.
Sobrang mahangin pa ito kaysa kanya may araw na hindi ito nagsasalita may araw rin na sobrang madaldal daig pa siya. Kung minsan ay hindi niya ito maintindihan parang timang wala namang saltik sa utak.
"Napulot ko lang, bakit?"
"Cats are a servant of demons"
"Myths" He chuckles that make his brother irritated.
"I'm serious"
"You read manga and webnovels too much"
And P.s., his younger brother are addicted into a japanese cartoon called "Anime". Yep they don't have a smart gadget like cellphones but his brother are litte kinda smart he befriends with the richest kids in his level.
What a trickster.
What a con man.
But although he is not a gold digger in fact that rich kid made him to be his friend. It mumbles things that he can't under
–stand so he immitated it. That makes his younger brother more mad and are about to explode.
His brother chase him and all he did is to laugh. Making a noise that makes you more angry. "Ma, si kuya!!" He shouted and try to corner his big brother. His younger brother gritted it's teeth and are eager to catch him up, and beaten him.
"Magsitigil nga kayo!"
As they heard their mother's voice they stop what they were doing. While Asi already hold his T–shirt that almost rip off. Asi smiled at him annoyingly that teased him into death then he give a smile that makes the atmosphere hot. "Asshole!" His younger brother walk away and is sit down to the sofa.
How silly they have sofa but can't afford a TV. Well, as a matter of fact sa budget palang ng bahay nila at daily need ubos na ang pera. At pinakaayaw ng ina niya ang mangungutang ng bagay na hindi naman kakailanganin sa pang–araw–araw na buhay.
Beside who cares if they didn't know any celebrity. And though they have a radio and for them it is enough to hear about what happen in the world. His younger brother start to read again while his father are off to go on his work and his mother are already done cooking.
"Tubig!" Ani ng kanyang nakakabatang kapatid na babae
at nagsalin naman siya saka inalapag malapit sa kanyang kapatid.
Binigyan naman niya ang kanyang pusa ng pagkain. Tinignan naman siya ng masama ng kanyang kapatid at ang ina ay tahimik lang na kumakain sa mga ilang sandali lang ay nagsalita naman ang kanyang ina.
"May offer sa'yo si Mang. Tasyo na magtrabaho sa mansyon ng mga Jimenez"
"Anong trabaho?"
"Mag–alaga ng mga hayop"
"Pag–iisipan ko ho"
Pagkatapos nilang kumain ay naligo na siya todo kuskos sa kanyang katawan upang hindi mangamoy—mabaho.
Sinabonan naman niya ang kanyang katawan saka kumuha ng tubig sa tabo at ibinuhos sa kanyang katawan. Nang matapos na siya ay agad siyang nagtapis ng tuwalya sa kanyang katawan at lumabas.
"I don't know cat take a bath" He startled.
"At least I'm not a dumb rat" He smile and walk away.
Nagbihis siya ng pantalon na kulay gray at nagsuot ng sandal na kulay itim. He bought it ago when his mother gave him a money and he saves up the change. Then he wear a plain sky blue T–shirt and he poured his perfume himself.
The scent makes him more attractive and his smile can easily captivated a woman's heart that whenever he smile his dimples always appear on the both side. His sex appeal can easily distract you hectically.
He wear a necklace having a petal–vintage–pendant on it. He then take his shoulder that has a clingy sticker on it that are in different color and style pero mas maraming blue. He loves blue that 's why he is so blue, overthinking things that are bound to be real or not. Bumaba na siya at pumunta sa kinaroroonan ng ina.
"Aalis na ako" Paalam niy sa ina bago niya hinalikan sa pisnge.
Pagkalabas niya sa kusina ay nadatnan naman niya ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid na babae. Naglalaro sa kanyang pusa, yumuko siya ng kunti upang mapantayan ang nakababatang kapatid sa hinalikan sa noo.
She even wave her hand to him.
Wala ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid na lalaki dahil galit ito sa kanya at bakit naman siya magpapaalam kung hindi naman sa ibang planeta ang punta ng kuya niya.
At uuwi lang naman ito, he started pedaling his bicycle and his smile are always been in his face whenever he passby someone that live in the same village of him. Nadaanan na niya ang malaking tulay na kung saan ay may naglalaba sa ibaba nito at puro matatandang babae.
"Magandang araw Mang. Filo" Ani niya sa isang matan–
dang lalaki na kanyang nadatnan galing nagbabalsa ng mga saging. May iba't ibang produkto ang mga Jimenez kaya nga't sobrang yaman nila. May niyog, saging, palay at iba pa.
Pagkarating niya sa bayan ay sobrang saya ng kanyang nararamdam. Dahil ilang araw na rin siyang hindi nakakapunta dito at dahil sa bakasyon nila at susunod na buwan pa ang klase nila pagkatapos ng susunod na buwan. Ipinarada niya ang kanyang bisikleta sa isang library balak niya kasing bumili ng libro wala rin naman siyang planong bumili ng cellphone dahil wala pa silang pasok.
Pagpasok niya ay wala namang gaanong tao sa loob at patuloy lang siya sa paglakad. Hinahanap niya ang Mystery category ng bookshelves at naghanap nalang siya sa bawat bookshel
–ves. Minsan ay kumuha siya at binabasa ang gitna nito saka ibinabalik naman niya pag hindi pasok sa lasa niya at kukuha ng bago ulit.
Nang mapansin ng counter na hindi parin mahanap niya ang kanyang hinahanap ay agad naman siyang pinunta–
han nito at yumuko pa ito sa kanya.
"May I know what book you were looking for, sir?"
"Uhm, The long way home by Louise Penny" He uttered.
He is not used to talk with someone and he is super bad at making conversation. And to replied with someone who ask him, it make him panick and nervous. While he start to overthink things having what if, that just a seconds of staring at him he feel judge overdue it.
"It's in there sir beside at that window where the girl stand" She said to him.
He then start to walk toward at what the woman said. When his in there he feel heavy in his heart and the posture of the girl are like familiar to him. She turn the pages so fast. While it perfumes ignites him that are so sweet to smell.
The sun block his vision that turns to blurry. He can't see the young woman's face but the scent of her perfumes are too strong to forgot. And the girl pass him by while their shoulders collide as the girl bumped in him.
"I'm sorry" He said while the girl bow down showing an act of forgiveness.
Pumunta ito sa counter at binayaran ang kinuhang libro.
And she go out of the library he picked up the book he wants to buy and pay it at the counter as he go out.
He run fast looking for girl and it disappeared out of nowhere. He was sure that was the girl in the mansion the only one daughter of Jimenez. He feel dizzy looking back and forth but suddenly he feels lucky, enlighten his body.
The girl he was looking for are already staring at him she even smile at him at he window of a coffee shop stirring it's cup of tea and she take sip. At the other side of the road that every side of it is planted with a tree that block's the sun and make the place pretty awesome.
He waves his hand at the young woman waves back. He run through a flowershop beside the bookstore and entered. He then choose a bunch of flowers in a boquet with chrysanthemum and lavender and sunfower, etc.
After that he pay for it and goes out, he put at basket of the bicycle and start to pedal. Going through the girl and is sitted down with her, he smiled again and his about to introduce himself.
"Hi" The young woman said.
"Hi" He replied.
"Looking for me?"
"Yeah— maybe"
And she sipped her tea again and put it back. It's smile captivated his soul while it's beauty drawn him into her.
"You have a beautiful smile"
"THANK YOU"
"I feel basorexia on it and I feel collywobbles" He chuckles.
She blush and her cheek are turning in red, fixing her hair.
"Your dimples are pretty"
"Thank you, can I ask?"
"Yes you can, as you wish"
"You are—"
"Keres, Yes I'm Keres and you are the boy who are afraid of dogs" She laugh at the last word she said.
He feel a sudden 'Heart ache' reaction.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that...trauma are killing me in death"
"Opss...sorry to hear that"
"Uhm, I heard you are shy to talk?"
"If I kinda don't like the human being I'm talking to"
He feel light hearing about it. So she means she likes to talk to me.
" I feel pity to you— that's why I'm talking to you..It's pretty obvious"
Napalunok siya sa kanyang narinig. Habang kinakalikot ang hawak na chrysanthemum niya isa lang ito. Na nakayuko nahihiya siya sa sarili at lalong–lalo na sa babaeng kaharap niya.
"Isn't that for me?"
"Pardon?"
"That?"
"Yes" And he give it to her.
She keep staring at it.
"Beautiful"
"As you"
She smiled at him. Kapagkuwan ay natapos ng umiinom ang babae ng tsaa at umalis na sila. Pagkalabas nila ay dumiretso siya kaagad sa kung saan niya ipinarada ang biseklita. At sumusunod naman ang babae sa kanya.
"Nice one"
"Thank you"
"Can you give me a lift?"
"Yes sure"
Sumakay naman ang babae sa likuran nakahawak sa kanyang beywang habang ang librong binili niya ay inilagay niya sa basket pati narin ang sa babae. He took his wireless headset out of his pocket— giving the other buds to the girl. A moment later he start pedaling going home together.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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