Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 9

SABAY kaming lumuwas ng Maynila ni Arsen para makakuha na ng apartment. Summer's nearly over, but we still have a month to enjoy and do things in Manila before the start of classes in UST. I got an apartment near the university, as well as Arsen.

Ilang kanto lang ang layo ng nakuha niyang apartment sa nirentahan ko kaya kahit kailan ay puwedeng-puwede kaming pumunta sa apartment ng isa't isa.

"Yes, Mom. The apartment that I rented is neat and spacious enough for me. Don't worry anymore."

I was talking to Mommy on the phone. Ever since I got here in Manila, she seemed to get paranoid. Madalas na siyang tumawag sa akin na hindi niya naman ginagawa noong nasa Isla Contejo pa ako. Well, siguro, she was just worried about me because I was living here alone.

No more Manang Lou who was preparing my food and everything. I was just all by myself now. Maybe nag-aalala siya na baka hindi ko makaya nang mag-isa. Huh! As if naman, 'no. Noon ko pa kayang gustong-gusto maging independent. I was very sure that I would make it here. I would survive living alone and I would survive school.

That's the spirit!

"O, basta, just don't trust anyone there, okay? Medyo maraming manloloko r'yan sa Maynila. And don't use your phone when you're riding a jeep or if you're just walking. Maraming snatcher diyan," bilin pa ni Mommy.

"Really?"

"Yes! Ang Daddy mo, na-snatch-an na ng cellphone diyan dati noong binata pa siya. Basta just be cautious every time, okay? Make friends, but be sure that they're not bad influence! Kapag nalaman kong mga loko-loko na naman ang mga kaibigan mo r'yan ay babalik ka agad sa Isla Contejo!"

Hay. Here we go again.

"Okay, Mom. Got it. Don't worry too much about me. Say me hi to Dad."

June came. Almost all universities in U-belt already started classes, but since UST's start of class would still be in August, Arsen and I did a lot of mall strolling to ease our boredom.

"Arsen, these are so pretty!" sabi ko sa kaniya nang may makita akong whole set ng painting materials sa isang art store na pinasukan namin sa mall.

Tiningnan niya ang mga ito at pabiro akong sinimangutan.

"Parang may ganiyan ka na."

"Wala pa kaya!"

Tinaasan niya ako ng isang kilay bago muling tiningnan ang mga art materials.

"Bili ka na lang nang bili, Langga..." bulong niya sa hangin.

Kumunot ang noo ko dahil hindi pamilyar sa akin iyong huling salitang binanggit niya.

"What was that word?" I curiously asked.

"Huh?"

"That "langga" word?" What does that mean?"

"Ah..." Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. "W-Wala."

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Wala? Iyon ba ang ibig sabihin no'n? Or wala as in nevermind?

"So "wala" ang ibig sabihin ng "langga"?"

Maikli siyang natawa hanggang sa napakamot sa ulo at napabuntonghininga. His arm encircled around my waist as he looked at me straight in the eye.

"That "langga" is a Bisaya word for "dear", Jaeda."

Namilog ang bibig at mga mata ko. It sounded sweet and cute.

"Wow. Really?"

"Uh-huh."

Hindi pa rin nawawala ang bahagyang pagkakamangha ko hanggang sa ilang sandali ay napalitan iyon ng isang nanunuksong ngiti.