BLAST FROM THE PAST: MILES APART

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

"Sige na! Give me a chance!" Amelia pouted her lips and begging Sage to come with her to the orphanage.

"Please!" Pinagdikit niya ang kanyang dalawang palad na para bang si Sage ang santo niya.

Amelia gives him a puppy look and Sage gives her a boring look. Wala talaga siyang gana sa ganitong bagay. Nagbibigay siya pero hindi siya nag papakita. Amelia loves babies and kids. She loves to play around with children. Ganon ka sweet at maalaga si Amelia. He couldn't handle her anymore. Sumama na siya sa bahay ampunan na malapit sa quiapo.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Amelia!" Bati ng isang madre sa bahay ampunan. Nakasuot ito ng puting bistida at vow. May edad na din ito at matamis itong nakatingin sa dalawa. Pinakilala niya din si Sage sa madre.

"Sister Mary, pasensya na ngayon lang kami nakarating."

"Nako, wala yon! Laking pasasalamat nga, yung binigay mo noon ay nagagamit pa din ng mga bata hanggang ngayon. Lalong lalo na si Tutoy? Nako! Halos walang araw na hindi nakasimangot sa binigay mong sapatos." Paliwanag ni Sister Mary kay Amelia.

Tahimik lang na sumusunod si Sage sa kanila. Pinagkamalan pa itong boyfriend ni Amelia dahil madalas ay siya lang mag isang pumupunta sa bahay ampunan. Hindi mawala ang ngiti ni Amelia sa kanyang labi.

"Hinihintay na po kayo ng mga bata sa loob." Saad ng Madre. Sumunod silang dalawa sa isang lugar kung saan maraming batang na ulila ng kanilang mga magulang. Tahimik lang si Sage habang pinagmamasdan ang lugar.

May mga bata agad na lumapit at yumakap kay Amelia. Ang mga batang ito ay mga pinaampon o inabando ng kanilang magulang. Iba sa kanila ay mga batang nasa langsangan. May mga nakaranas din sa kanila na child violence o mga binebenta ng magulang para magkapera.

Some of them are got sexual harassment. How cruel the world right?

Even these innocent children that supposed to go to school. That's why Sage can't blame himself to kill a bad person. Hindi niya din maisip ang mga nangyayari. Killing is bad and justice. Kahit sino walang karapatan bumawi ng buhay lalong lalo na sa mga iresponsableng magulang.

Everything has a reason. But Sage? He can't help himself. Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng pera. Everything was evil and even in the family.

I'm standing on the side of the door while watching Amelia playing with the young orphans. Nakayakap ang mga ito sa kanya at hindi mawala wala ang tamis ng ngiti niya sa labi.

Sage lips slipped while watching her.

"Sage! Come here!" Anyaya ni Amelia kay Sage. Lumapit si Sage para makipaglaro kay Amelia.

Mas lalo niya ko pinahanga nang pinapasok niya ko sa mundo niya. Days...weeks...months passed. You opened your heart to me. Every time I'm with you, Amelia. Hindi ko alam kung ano nga ba mas malakas ang epekto, yung dasal mo o yung pagmamahal mo sa akin.

It was hard for me. Everyone knows that I was a bad person. I was so scared. Sa tuwing hahawakan kita ay para akong isang demonyo na lumapit sa isang anghel na handa saktan.

Pero unti unti akong nagbabago. Ang iba sa kanila ay nagugulat na sa trato ko. Tinuruan mo ko maging mabuting tao at magdasal sa panginoon. I was starting to be religious. Hinarap mo ko sa panginoon at pinakilala mo sa akin na gaanon din siya kahalaga sa buhay natin.

Binago mo ko pero hindi mo alam kung gaano kalakas ang epekto nito sa akin. Kung mababasa mo man ito sana tanggapin mo kung ano man ang malalaman mong hindi maganda sa akin. Sana hindi mo ko talikuran at sukuan.

Because, Amelia, hindi mo pa nalalaman na isa akong halimaw na pumapatay ng tao. It was a regret for me. Binabawi na ko ng karma. I'm starting to have guilt in myself and I cannot forgive myself for what you've done to me. I have a control issue. Ngayon lang ako natakot ng malala. Natatakot ako na baka masaktan ko siya ng malala.

And I was scared. If we found our peace and freedom in someone else arm? It's a foul for me. It was a betrayal and karma. There are many nights that I can't sleep. Thinking about her all day? It was a nightmare.

"Baby..." Amelia was sitting beside Sage's bed. Sage's eyes were drowsy and while his arm was on his forehead but he still gives Amelia attensyon. He gives her half-opened eyes. 

"Don't forget to go to church every Sunday," Sage smirked to Amelia.

Kinuha ni Amelia ang pulso ni Sage. Sinuot niya ang bracelet na may cross. Even Sage doesn't like to have a mass. Gagawin niya para kay Amelia. Humalik si Amelia sa kanya na kinamulat niya ng mata. Sage smiled. Ayan lang ang makakapaglambot sa kanya.

One kiss from Amelia. His life will be better. Tumayo si Sage mula sa kama at tinignan si Amelia na nagalala. Uuwi na kasi si Sage para sa negosyo at trabaho ng kanyang ama. Ngunit hindi alam ni Amelia at ng pamilya nila na magkasama sila.

Sage already remind her to not tell anyone even her own family.

"Are you scared that I will never come back?" Sage said. It was silent for a moment before she leaned into his chest and whispered.

"You're always be with me? Right?" Amelia raised her face.

He was quiet and then he whispered. "I will always be with you, Amelia.  All this time? It was hard to have a miles apart with you." Even I was a bad person.

Of course! He said that only to his mind.

"Every time I look at you I feel this unknown danger rise inside me. It makes my stomach turn and it makes my hands clammy. Even a miles apart, there alway be a whispher in my ear. I will be come back." Sage kissed her forehead.

"We were so in love. We use to think about each other day and night. It will always be you. Don't you get that?" Sage looked at Amelia's faced. "If I had the choice between you and our family. I would choose you every single time." Sage added.

Amelia start to feel something underfinably tragic built up in her heart. She pauses, trying to pull herself together before she speaks again. This is the first time she hear some beautiful words to a bad person.

"You have no idea how hard to see your love once every single day." She pauses again, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

Sage stopped and look Amelia faced but she refused. She doesn't want to see her cry.

"But you know what's even harder?"

Sage waited a moment, wanting this to hurt him as much as it hurts her.

"To see you become a stranger that supposed to be my home." She said.