BITTER SWEET EQUATION

장-29

Chapter 29
   
   
AKIRO didn't know what to feel, hearing what her mother said. He cannot find a words to say. How can he say that there is really no engagement. That the engagement is cancelled for a long time. How will he say that to her mom. Thinking too much about it made him blow a loud breathe.
   
   
He stared on his mother's eyes and said. "Mom, you don't have to do that!"he tried to convince her mom.
   
 
"But I want to make things right for you son!" his mom insisted. Gusto na niyang magprotesta at sabihin dito ang katotohanan, but deep inside on him was telling not to be over reacted. He inwardly deep breathin. To released his unwanted thoughts.
   
   
Clearing his throat he replied."Mom, I'm already adults. So It's my responsibility to talk to Tita Selena okay!"
   
   
His mom sigh in defeat."Okay fine!"Itinabi na nito ang pandilig na hawak at hinarap siya ulit."But tell me if she will agree or not okay?"his mom added as she hold his hand firmly.
   
   
Ngumiti si Akiro sa mommy niya at tumango."Yes Mom!" parang nabunutan ng tinik ang binata.
   
   
"Okay, since we already have a deal." his mom smiled at him."Let's have a lunch together!"ani ng Ina ng binata at hinila siya patungo sa pool area ng bahay nila.
   
      
At naroon nga sa mesa na nasa gilid lang ng pool. With a big umbrella. Na proteksyon nila sa tirik na tirik na araw. Ang mga pagkain, ay nakahanda na sa mesa. Pansin din niya ang paborito niya embutido at adobo. May strawberry juice pa sa isang babasaging pitsel.
   
   
Ipinaghugot naman agad ni Akiro ang mommy niya ng upuan, saka pa siya umupo sa tabi ng Ina. "Ang dami mo namang pinahanda mom!" naibulalas niya. Lahat pa ng dessert na nasa mesa ay paborito niya. The mouth watering; Mango Royale, Chocolate leche flan, Shawarma at may Coffee Ice cream pa.
   
   
"Well of course minsan ka lang bumisita dito kaya hayaan mo na akong ihanda lahat ng paborito mo kapag nandito ka."at nilagyan nga nito ang pinggan niya ng lahat ng putahe na nasa mesa. Kaya napanganga siya. Her mom giggles on his reaction."Ubusin mo yan ha." she said.
   
   
"Mom, seriously?" He unbelievably mumbled."Ang dami naman, hindi ko maubos ito!"reklamo niya. At nakangiwing tinignan ang plato niya.
   
 
His mom laughed joyfully. "You have to. That's your punishment for not visiting your mom always hmmmn!"saka siya nginisihan ng mommy niya.
   
   
Natawa siya sa sinabi ng Ina. At alam niya nilalambing lang siya nito. He admitted to himself that he hasn't had a time to visit home often. Guilty siya dun. Napailing ang binata."Okay mom mukhang wala na akong magagawa kung hindi uubusin ito !" biro naman niya sa Ina.
 
     
°°°°°
LALIN was lying on her small bed that afternoon. And she still has in mind what the three of them talked about earlier. She is not confused, but she still wonder what she really wants in life. Nakatutok lang ang mga mata ng dalaga kisame. 
   
   
She sighed and got up from lying down. It's as if he doesn't have a stable plan yet. She only once thought that she just wanted to be a mother and get married. But there is also a part of her that is still looking for what she wants to do in life.
    
   
At kahit ngayon na pinipilit niyang isipin ay walang pumasok sa utak niya.
   
   
Lalin got up from sitting on the bed and walked towards the door. She gripped it tightly and turned the doorknob.  And got herself outside of her room.
   
    
She was inwardly expected that she would have seen Akiro. But he's out of knowhere. The living room was empty of his presence. Kaya tumitig siya sa kwarto ng binata. At naghintay ng sandali na bubukas 'yon, pero walang nangyari. Nagsayang lang siya ng oras doon. At tumungo sa may kusina. Wala ring tao roon.  Walang Akiro ang nagpakita sa kanya.
   
The whole condo filled with deafening silence. At nang bumuga siya ng hangin ay malinaw niyang naririnig. She rummage the fridge and get a bottle of cold water.
   
 
"Nasaan kaya ang kurimaw na 'yon?" she ask under her breath after she drunk the cold water that she's holding her hands. She drunk at it once again.
    
   
"Sinong kurimaw?" The girl touched his chest and she almost swallowed the water in her mouth. Lalin's heart pounded as his voices were heard from behind her. She didn’t expect to hear that voice out of the blue. And break the deafening silence in the condo.
   
   
At bago siya humarap kung saan nagmula ang tinig ay pinunasan niya ang bibig. Pasiring niyang nilingon ang bukana ng kusina. At naroon si Akiro. Nakasandal sa hamba ng pinto. Nakatitig sa kanya.
   
   
"Ka-kanina ka pa ba jan?"gulat na gilalas ni Lalin.
   
She can clearly sees when he tried to hide his laugh, but his smile failed. At para bang isang katuwa-tuwang bagay ang nagawa niya para lihim na matawa ang binata. And it naturally painted on his lips. He cleared his throat. At sumeryoso ang mukha.
  
      
"Not that long, enough to hear the words 'kurimaw' from you."he answered.
   
   
Bigla siyang napainom ng malamig na tubig. Nanuyo ang lalamunan niya. Gusto niyang magtago sa hiya. Hindi niya mawari kung bakit naramdaman niya iyon. Kahit na wala siyang ginawang mali. Ngunit naramdaman ni Lalin na may mali siyang nagawa sa kanya, kahit wala namang nangyari.
   
    
Inayos niya ang tingin. "Bakit bigla ka na lang magpapakita kung kailan gusto mo!" bulalas ng dalaga upang maitago ang kahihiyan.
      
Akiro laugh."Whatever!"he said in defeat. "Anyway, do have planned on how to spend your Christmas?"
   
   
Napailing si Lalin. Sa totoo lang wala pa siyang konkretong plano sa pasko. Kung saan niya man nais magpasko sa taon na 'yon ay wala pa siyang naisip.
   
   
Nagkibit ng balikat si Lalin."I don't know" she muttered."Wala pa akong plano."
   
   
Kunot-noo siyang tinignan ng binata."Hindi ka magpapasko sa inyo?"tanong ni Akiro na hindi makapaniwala.
 
   
Iritang napailing si Lalin sa tinuran at reaksyon ng binata sa sinabi niya."Hindi pa nga ako sigurado okay!" she mumbled. Ano ba kasing mahirap paniwalaan?
   
       
She doesn't want to go home yet. Not for now she guess. It's simply because, her mother surely annoyed her. She's so bossy and that's what she hate. Pinapakailaman ng mommy niya ang lahat ng bagay sa kanya. Hindi niya alam kung kailam nagsimula. But as much as she could remember. Pinakailaman na nito ang lahat, simula noong kinuha nito ang serbisyo ng binata na nasa harap niya ngayon.
   
   
"Seriously?" Akiro look at her. At tuluyang pumasok sa kusina. He opened the fridge. Saka lumagok ng tubig mula sa  bottled water. "Why? I mean it's Christmas time. A chance to be with your loveones, palalagpasin mo lang?"he ask.
   
She tsked."Kung makapagsalita ka, bakit ikaw uuwi ka ba ngayong pasko sa inyo?" Hamon ni Lalin sa binata.
   
   
Sa tagal nilang magkasama sa condo nito. Hindi nabanggit nito kahit minsan ang tungkol sa pamilya nito. O kung dumadalaw ba ito sa bahay nila. Kaya hindi niya mapigilan ang manumbat rito.
   
   
Nalukot ang noo ni Akiro. At muntik ng mag-isang linya ang kilay ng binata. He maybe think that her questions are nonsense. Pero kinain ng curiosity ang utak niya.
   
   
Samantalang hindi malaman ni Akiro kung tatawa o maiinis sa tanong na 'yon ng dalaga."Syempre naman!"mabilis na tugon ng binata.
   
   
  "Well, good for you!" She replied.
   
   
Akiro felt worried. "Why? You don't have plans? Wag mong isipin na iiwanan kita sa condo ko, because it won't gonna happen, Lalin."pagbabanta niya.
   
   
Bigla namang nairita ang dalaga. "Iwan mo ko kahit saan basta hindi ako uuwi. Like the hell I care. Fuck that Christmas. Pasalamat ka may uuwian ka. Fuck this life!"nanggigil niyang asik sabay takbo sa kwarto.