~Maria~
It was late morning ng magising ako sa pagtulog, the fragrant wind enters the rooom embracing my skin. Medyo nakakasilaw na rin ang sinag ng araw na pumapasok mula sa malapad na glass winndow. I could hear from here sounds of galloping and neighs of the horses. Mabilis kong tinahak ang bintana at mula roon ay tanaw ko ang malapad na track ng mga kabayo. Not far from me ay tanaw ang grupo ng mga binata na may hawak ng tig-iisang kabayo. One of them was Aries, he's holding a shinny black horse. He looks dashing in his sando paired with maong and brown boots.
Tila nagkakasiyahan ang mga ito habang nag-uusap, they were three of them. The other two were in same attire with their hunter hats. Aries gaze landed on me. It was just a brief moment but i felt like my breath were pulled away from me. Mabilis kong hinawi ang kurtina at tinakpan ang bintana. Napa-upo na lamang ako sa pagsubok na magtago sa kanya.
I've waited for a few more minutes bago bumaba, my heart just won't stop racing. Pagbaba'y sinalubong ako ni Ali desi sais anyos na katulong sa bahay. She is very accommodating and pleasant to talk with. Matagal na raw silang nagtatrabaho rito, mula pa nung dalaga ang kanayang nanay. She led me to the dininng kung saan nakahanda na ang umagahan. Senyora specifically readied my breakfast bago sila umalis papunta sa bayan, according to Ali, may diskusyun daw raw tunngkol sa pista, she left with senyor daw.
"si sir Alejandro naman po ma'am, ay lumuwas papuntang maynila. Nagkaproblema raw sa isang construction na ginagawa sa Laguna kaya isusupervise niya raw muna ng ilang araw." dagdag pa nito.
So that left me with Aries all day long with his two friends.. Mabilis kong tinapos ang umagahan at saka nag-ayos bago lumabas ng bahay. I wore my old tattered jeans paired with my dirty white shirt, nagtsinelas na lag ako kasi bukd rin naman, i made my way to the group, they were now escorting the horses to the stables. Medyo mabilis ang lakad ng mga ito, kaya medyo napapabilis na=rin ang paglalakd ko.
Aries is leading the way, naksunod naman rito ang mukhang amerikano, and lastly, the one who looks chinito. A few meters mararating na rin ang mga kwadra. They just have longg legs, kaya medyo hirap pa rin ako sa pagsabay sa kanila, i tried to walk even faster, kaya lang ay natisod ang isa kong paa.
" oh gosh!!" i panicked I was about to fall ng maramdaman ang malakas na braso na yumakap sa bewang ko. I looked up to see the chinito guy gazing at me. Tila mangha sa nangyari.
I quickly redeemed myself. Mafahanng inayaos ang lukot na tshirt.
"naku, pasensya na, nadapa ako. Thank you" mahina konng sambit, he just shrugged his shoulders tska nilahad ang mga kamay.
"ok lang, anyway, i'm Luis. Luis DeVega" pakilala nito. Matamis ang mga ngiti nitong iginawad sa akin. I recieved his hands tsaka tipid itong nginitian. I can see Aries glaring at me. Busangot na naman ang mukha.
"and this is Greg, he's half canadian as you can see in his features. Hahahah. And i'm sure you know Aries right" pagpapakila pa ni Luis.
I nodded at him, nakipagkamay rin si Greog sa akin.
"i was hoping to catch up to your pace kaya lang masyadong mabilis, kaya nadapa ako, pasensya na talaga." i reasoned. Luis is waving his hands to indicate it was not a problem at all, but i just felt guilty.
'don't worry okay lang talaga, you can walk with me, para ma alalayan kita. Aries is fast walker, you can't keep up with him hahahahah" mas lalo aatang bumusangot ang mukha ng isa sa narinig.
" will you just talk with each other the whole day?" irrita nitong sambit. Luis seem to be not affected, siguro nasanay naa. Greg just laught it out. Tsaka nagpatuloy na kami sa paglalakad papunta ng kwadra.
Masayang kausap si Luis, he crack jokes from time to time, sobrang daldal parang hindi nauubusan ng mga sasabihin. Hahahah.. Kaya mas lalo ko lang nakagaanan ng loob ang binata.
"this is Salvador, he's a stallion. From el salvador. That's were i get his name. You can pat him in his head try it" pakilala nito sa kanyang kulay kayumangging kabayo. They were feeding them with grass i think. Marahan ko naman itong hinawakan sa ulo. He reacted a bit. Pero kalaunay hindi na. Maganda pala talaganag mag alaga ng kabayo, i wonder if i can oown one?
"he's very friendly, unlike Aries, mahirap i-tame. Masyadong sensitive. I wonder if you can touch him too?" Luis added.
Kunot naman ang noo ni Aries habang pinapakain ang kabayo. He got a black majestic stallion. Makintab ang itim nitonng balahibo.
" i wonder if HE will allow someone to hold his horse, hahahahahahaha" kantyaw naman ni Greg. They both laugh at one another, nag-apir pa ang mga ito sa sinabi..
I get this chance para tumungin tingin sa mga kabayong naroon, this is a gigantic stable. I wonde if they own more than twenty horses here. Isa-isa kong pinagmasdan ang mga kabayo. I learned to horse back riding few years ago, kaya lang eh hindi na ako nakapag-ulit samakay,
I am a few stables away from them, nasa harap ko gayon ang isang putibg kabayo, hindi gaanong mayangkad tulad ng mga kabayo ng tatlo. It's a bit smaller. Yet malaki pa rin naman ito.
"it's a mare, do you like it?" mahina nitog bulong sa aking tainga. I could feel his hot breath touching my neck. I distance myself from him.
" okay naman, i feel like i wanted to try riding horses again." sagot ko. Binuksan nito ang kwadra. He got a handful of grass in his hands as he guide me to go with him. Malapad ang kwadrang iyon. Unlike the other stables.
Pinakain nito ng dalang damo. Hinahaplos ang katawan habang binibigyan ng mga dayami. After a while he glanced at me.
"come here, you can touch her" anyaya nito. I excitedly approach them. Hinaplos ko rin ito, she did not react at all. Masyadong maamo. I got too excited and hugged her. I even kissed her skin. Malinis naman siguro, alagang Lopez eh hahahahaha
" i liked her a lot, tatawagan ko si mommy, bibilhin nami to" i excitedly said to Aries.
Ngunit ng mabaing ang tingin sa kanya'y tila busangot ang mukha nito. " what?" i asked softly.
" are insulting us?" diretsahan nitong sagot. His brows crease.
"if you want her, you can take her, we don't need you to pay us" masungit nitong tugon tsaka umalis sa kwadra.
I was left dumbfounded, is he giving me this horse for real? Magkano naman kaya ito? Baka malula lang ako pag nalaman ko .
Mabilis ko naman itong sinundan..
"really, i can have her? Salamat" saad ko. Then hugged him from the back.
Ilang sandali pa ay tila natauhan sa ginawa. Mabilis na kinalas ang mga kamay sakanyang beywanng. I cansee Luis and Greg mouth dropped from that scene, kaya mabilis kong nilihis ang lahat. I approached Luis tsaka excited na binalita na magkakaroon na rinn ng sariling kabayo.
Pero mas lalo lang yatang nagin awkward ang lahat ng hindi rin maalis ang tingin ni At=ries sa akin. I felt my face heat up the whole time he's staring.
I need to control my emotionss next time. Napapahiya ako sa mga nangyayari. arghhh.
