Officially Meeting You

Chapter 35: Nice To Meet You

Months have passed ever since Rutherford's anniversary ended. New year is approaching and it's getting colder everyday.

And for those days, all is getting well for me.

Ate Ria applied as a reporter in an agency because from the start, iyon naman talaga ang pangarap niya at ang tinapos niya noong college. She was hired even if she doesn't have any experience. Sinagot na din niya si Kuya Lewis at pakiramdam ko, may kuya na talaga ako.

They are my siblings and act as my parents too. As for the maniac who harassed my sister, nabalitaan naming nakulong na ito dahil hindi lang pala si Ate Ria ang hina-harass nito kung hindi halos lahat ng empleyado nilang babae.

Serves him right.

As for my studies, well, I'm still a scholar. I managed to maintain my grades and that's more than enough for me.

And my friends? Well, hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako o maiinis sa tuwing kasama ko sila. Their childishness gets worse every single day. Maging si Slade ay mukhang nahahawaan na din ni Zeus.

Pero masaya naman kami. The boys are getting along but sometimes, hindi pa din nila mapigilang magsagutan. The soccer team and basketball team members also seem to have better relationship than before.

Napangiti na lang ako habang naiisip lahat ng iyon at napabuntong hininga. I am looking outside the window when I felt that the bus stopped.

Dala-dala ang isang bouquet ng bulaklak, bumaba na ako ng bus. Makulimlim at mahangin kahit hapon pa lang kaya inayos ko ang dress na suot ko.

I only see few people around. Hindi naman siguro ako masisilipan.

I just shrugged and started to walk. And just after a few minutes, huminto na ako sa tapat ng isang arch. I looked up to read the words written in it.

"Center Memorial Cemetery," I whispered.

Ilang minuto ko din siguro iyong tinignan bago pumasok sa loob ng sementeryo. Maybe because I'm still surprised to see that I'm actually in this place, going to visit someone I never thought of visiting.

Naglakad na ako papasok. Inabot din siguro ako ng ilang minuto bago ko mahanap ang puntod na bibisitahin ko. Luckily, Detective Abuan already gave me directions so finding it became easier.

I stopped in front of a grave and placed the flowers beside it. After that, umayos na ako ng tayo at tumingin sa puntod.

My eyes gaze upon his name.

'Juan Visencio.'

Here I am now, standing in front of the grave of the man I loathed the most. The man who caused all the sufferings and doubts that I experienced in the past years.

Kung hindi dahil sa kanya, siguro kasama pa namin ngayon ni Ate ang mga magulang namin. Siguro buo at masaya ang pamilya namin ngayon. But unfortunately, there's no way I can change the past nor bring our parents back to life.

I kept my silence for the next few minutes while just blankly looking at the grave. Pero 'di kalauna'y napabuntong hininga ako.

"It's been a while, isn't it? As far as I want to kill you, I can't because you already did that for me. You are so disappointing," I said and almost tsk-ed. "Sana alam mong napakarami mong kasalanan sa amin ng kapatid ko. And I really wish you'll get the punishment you deserve. I hope you suffer in hell."

Ilang segundo din akong natahimik. Then I sighed once again and bended my knees, almost sitting without my butt touching the ground.

"But also, I want you to rest," I said. "I want to blame you, loathe you, and wish that you get the heaviest punishment of all. But I can't. Sabihin na lang nating masyado akong mabait at maawain. Because of all the things you did to me, to my family, I still can't find myself hating you. After you made my life a living hell, I still find myself wishing that...sana...hindi mo naranasan iyon."