Epigraph and Quintessence (STATION Series #4)

Kabanata 39

This chapter is a collaboration with frappaestel's The Girl He Never Loved Back. Thank you so much for inviting me for a collab, Sofia! I really enjoyed it a lot :D

Kabanata 39

Family

I walked further into the beachfront and saw a small bar. I continued to look around and saw that there were some signs of birthday celebrations. Seville told me that the first day of the client's birthday celebration would be a mini-concert similar to what they did. Bukas pa raw ang pinaka-party.

Nagpunta ako sa maliit na bar at nakitang may nakapwesto ro'n na babae't lalake.

I was able to get a nice look at their faces when I got near the bar. The light from the stall was helpful, too. It helped me recognize that they were not arguing that's why I was able to take a seat a little near them.

Nakaupo ang babae sa bar stool habang nakaharap sa lalake. Ang lalake naman na medyo pamilyar ang mukha ay nakaharap sa 'kin. Maya-maya ay nalipat sa 'kin ang tingin niya bago kumaway.

Kumunot ang noo ko.

Humarap ang babaeng kausap niya sa 'kin. She even murmured something to the guy after looking at me.

"Ate Sav!" he greeted.

Matagal kong tinitigan ang mukha ng lalake bago unti-unting namukhaan.

I smiled at the man in front of me and waved at him.

"Travis?" I asked as I tried my best to confirm his identity.

He chuckled and enthusiastically nodded.

Lumapit siya sa 'kin at ibinanat ang kamay. Nakangiti ko siyang niyakap pabalik.

"Buti namumukhaan mo pa ako, ate!"

Humiwalay ako mula sa pagkayayakap at bahagyang natawa. Bahagya kong ginulo ang buhok niya at napansin ang pagtangkad niya.

"You're one of the kind kids that I met during the party," I pointed out. "But you grew taller!"

Napanguso niya at umiling. "Bine-baby mo pa rin ako? Ang daya."

"Why? I think it's fine. You were around sixteen? Seventeen? When I met you at a social gathering? And now you're?"

"Twenty-one." Natawa ako sa sagot niya. Napabusangot siya. "Matanda na 'ko."

"But I'm still older than you by three years."

Ngumiwi siya at bumuntong-hininga.

Bumaling siya sa babaeng kasama niya na nakabusangot habang nakatingin sa 'kin. Hindi ko maiwasang pansinin ang sopistikado niyang dating ngunit nginitian ko pa rin siya.

"Sapphire, this is Savannah Brenner. I met her at a social gathering. Medyo close rin ang families namin kaya naging ka-close ko na rin si ate."

The girl left her seat and stood up properly.

Her eyes were a little sharp, it gave off a feeling of extreme sophistication and elegance. It even reminded me how other families stare at each other with such envy and questioning.

I don't know how I was able to see that she was a product of family pressure.

My heart sank because of that. It made me want to talk to her—to ask her how she's been doing and what she's feeling because I see myself in her. I want to let her feel that she's not alone and that I'm here to listen. And I believe that if I'm going to talk to her, I believe that I'll be able to talk to my previous self.