Soul Of An Airplane- COMPLETED (PUBLISHED Under GSM)

Kabanata 31

Kabanata 31

Flight

I almost lost my strength when Tita Metchelle calls me back para sabihing umalis nga si Daddy para puntahan si Mommy sa Baguio. I'm in the middle of my duty nang tumawag ito. I don't know what to do anymore. My father won't listen to me.

Bakit ba hindi ni Daddy mabitawan si Mommy gayong niloko at sinaktan na nga kami e. Does this how love works? It's scary. I don't want to fall in love.

"Iʼll be back after three days, Sir. I just really need to go after my father," paninigurado ko kay General Eliazar. Narinig ko itong bumuntong hininga sa kabilang linya.

"Just make it sure, Lieutenant Monroeville. Alam mo namang kayong dalawa ni Lieutenant Espacio ang pinagkakatiwalaan ko sa misyon na 'yan," General Eliazar sighed. I nodded at him to assure him that I'll be back on time.

"Thank you so much, General. I owe you for this," madamdamin kong saad.

"Its okay, Delaney. I understand you. Alam ko kung gaano ka nahihirapan sa sitwasyon ng ama mo ngayon. Sana maging okay na rin ang lahat. His obsession towards my sister didn't help the situation. I don't know what happened to your mother too. And why did she do those things." I sighed.

"But don't worry, Hija. Everythings will be alright."

"I hope so, Tito..." I whispered bago pinatay ang tawag.

Tito Darius Eliazar is my mother's oldest brother. A 62 years old lieutenant general in airforce.

Pagkatapos tumawag kay Tito Darius ay agad nitong pinatawag si Justine sa opisina namin. I know what that was all about. I need to prepare myself for my flight. Kailangan kong umuwi. Kailangan kong sundan si Daddy sa Baguio. Ayaw kong hintayin na may masamang mangyari na naman sa kanya dahil sa pagpunta at pagsunod na naman kay Mommy.

"Mag-iingat ka doʼn. Wala ako doʼn para bantayan ka." I sneer at Justine matapos ako nitong kausapin tungkol sa sinabi ni Tito Darius sa kanya.

Alam kong hindi dapat ako umalis sa ganitong may misyon kami. Pero kailangan ko lang talagang puntahan si Daddy. Natatakot ako sa posibling mangyari. He isn't healed yet.

"Mukha kang ano diyan, Lieutenant."

Justine lifted his shoulder in a half shrug.

"Wala naman kasi talaga ako doʼn. Walang magbabantay sa 'yo. Mag-ingat ka lagi, tatanga-tanga ka pa naman," nanlaki ang mata ko sa inis dahil sa sinabi ni Justine.

"P*tcha! Buang ka!" I irritatingly said that made Justine laugh. Kinurot ko ito sa tenga kaya natatawang nagreklamo si Justine.

"Nakakainis ka ah!" nanggigigil na saad ko. Mas lalong natawa si Justine dahil sa ginawa ko kaya inirapan ko ito.

"Masakit 'yon, Lieutenant." I smiled at Justine fakely at inambahan nang suntok.

"Mas masakit pa diyan ang mararanasan mo kapag nakita ka ni Captain Sullivan, Lieutenant Espacio."

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Justine kay Alaister na naglalakad palapit sa puwesto namin. She smirked at Justine kaya napa-iling ako.

"Tss!" Justine hissed. "Wala akong ginagawang masama 'no!"

"Oh? Talaga?" Alaister raised her brows. "Sabihin mo 'yan doʼn oh!" Sabay nguso ni Alaister sa likuran namin ni Justine.

I turned my back and saw Santi. My heart hammers dahil sa gulat. Santi looked at our direction darkly.

Naglakad ito palapit sa amin. I gulped.

"Good evening, Captain..." Alaister greeted. Nanunukso ang boses nito the reason why I glared at her.

"Good evening, Lieutenant Lustre." Tumikhim ako. Santi looked at my direction again that made Alaister giggle.

"Anyway, I'm here para tawagin ka Lieutenant Espacio. May importanting bagay kang gagawin doʼn sa entrance ng airport," Alaister snapped Justine.

"Oh sh*t! Muntik ko nang makalimutan iyong ginagawa ko kanina! We'll go ahead, Lieutenant." Dali-daling pinulot ni Justine ang kanyang sumbrero at agad na sinuot iyon. I sneered at him again. "Captain Sullivan mauna na kami," Justine added.

Mahinang tumango si Santi kay Justine at Alaister bago tumalikod ang dalawa at naglakad na palayo. I sighed while watching Alaister and Justine.

I shove my hands on my pocket. Santi did the same at tumabi nang tayo sa akin. I saw in my peripheral vission that he looks at me pero 'di ko ito tiningnan pabalik.

Santi blew a loud breath.

"Anong oras ang biyahe mo, Lieutenant?"

Bumuntong hininga ulit ako. Baʼt ba nagtataka pa ako kung bakit ang bilis makasagap nito ng balita?

"Mamayang madaling araw..." I drew a long breath. "I need to catch my father in Baguio before something bad happened to him... Again." I keep my vission in front of me. Ayaw kong humarap kay Santi baka bigla lang akong umiyak.

Everytime I cried in Santi's shoulder, I feel so weak to the point that I really need someone like him.

"Hindi naman siguro papabayaan ng daddy mo ang sarili niya... I know he loves you, and he won't let you get worried to him."

Santiʼs comforting words lift up the heavy thing inside my heart. I'm thankful for him. He's somehow...made my heart calmed down in different way. Kasi kapag malapit si Santi sa akin my heart beats wildly. It's really alarming for me.

Alam ko kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng paraan nang pagkabog ng dibdib ko.

"I have a flight at 1:00 oʼclock... You can fly with me. I can set you up for available seat." Santi massaged his back of his neck and scratch his nape a bit. I can clearly see his blushing cheek! My goodness!

"Pero kung ayaw mo naman... Okay lang," dagdag ni Santi. I can hear the sadness in his voice. Alam kong nag-aalangan ito.

I am planning to bring the Airforceʼs chopper para hindi na ako sasakay sa commercial flights at para hindi na sagabal pa. Nakapagpaalam na rin ako kay Tito Darius na gagamitin ang chopper at iiwan ko na lang sa Air Base pagdating sa Pilipinas.

But... I don't know how to say no to Santi. I don't know why I don't want him to get disappointed. It saddened me.

"Titingnan ko lang Santi..."