BATANES SERIES #1: RUNNING WITH THE SUN

Chapter One

Chapter 1

I can see the busy street the moment I got out of NAIA. Hinilot ko ang parte ng leeg kong nangangalay because of the long flight.

“Hara?”

I turned around and saw an old sophisticated lady wearing a red dress and big round shades, she’s also wearing a classic old style hat in her head. All in all, her outfit and posture screams like my grandmother. Ganyan pormahan nun.. as far as I can remember.

“Lola” 

I took a step forward to close our distance and gave her a hug and a soft kiss on her wrinkled cheeks. After that she pulled me and looked at me from head to toe and made a disgusting face. 

Here we go again with our fashion Critique!

“I can’t believe you wore such a lousy pair of clothes young lady” she 'tsked' at me and shook her head. 

“I’m on a rush Lola. And clothes doesn’t matter that much nowadays”i reasoned out pero umismid lang ito at tinalikuran ako,wala sa sarili namang napatingin ako sa suot ko. I'm wearing a simple white t-shirt that has a brand print in the middle. I paired it with baggy jeans and sneakers.. A comfortable combination of clothes if you ask me. 

Hinawakan ko nalang ang maliit na trolly na dala ko at sinundan ito sa paglalakad. Huminto ito sa harap ng magarang sasakyan, she then motioned me to put my belongings in the car trunk. 

“I didn’t know you could drive.. I mean you’re old” I joked as I put my luggage in the trunk.

“My age may be old lady, but my muscles are doing fine..”

Sumakay ito sa drivers seat, ako naman ay nag madaling sinarhan ang trunk ng kotse at naglakad patungo sa passenger seat.

“seatbelt lady” I rolled my eyes as I obliged. I know what to do. She doesn’t need to point it out.

She started the engine of the car instead of looking at me.

“I can drive the car you know.”

I tried my luck again. I actually want to try driving my grandma’s car because it’s so cool, not because I’m concerned about her health or whatsoever.

“my car, my rules. Shut up and let grandma amaze you with my ageless driving skills”

She said with full confidence as she started maneuvering the car in the busy streets of metro manila. As she drives I notice how she changed her black shades with a pair of eyeglasses. Good thing she did that. I mean I was actually worried that we’ll bump into trouble along the way because of her poor eyesight.

I decided to look in the busy street as my cool grandma drives the car. may tiwala naman ako sa kanya... 

…… uhm maybe a little? 

Well she manages to pick me up at the airport, that means she’s not rusty when it comes to driving.

“so, how did you convince your stubborn mother?”

Napatingin ako dito dahil sa tanong nito

“well, I didn’t actually convinced her”

I answered while stressing the ‘convinced’ word in the sentence. I saw my granny smirk and then looked at me, which horrified me…

“FOCUS ON DRIVING LOLA”

I shouted on her face. I’m not a fan of car accidents so I panicked a little. Para namang natauhan ni Lola at nag focus ulit sa pagmamaneho.

“DON’T SCREAM LIKE THAT! YOU WOULD KILL ME”

Anito habang mulat na mulat na nakatutok sa daan at mahigpit na nakahawak sa manibela. Gusto kong matawa dahil dun.

“I’m sorry granny”

Pinigil ko ang tawa ko dahil baka masabon ako pag tinawanan ko ito. Grandma doesn’t like to lose her ‘cool’ in many things. She hates being laughed at too.

“forgiven, now back on the topic. What did you do then?”

She looked relaxed now while asking.

“I walked out of there…… I mean, I told her that I want to live my life the way I wanted to. I told her that I’m old enough to decide for myself..i think we're still cool because she gave me a scarf as I leave the house”

Hinawakan ko ang scarf na nakapulupot sa leeg ko, smells like mom.

“that’s the same scarf”

My grandma gave me a swift glance and then smiled when she saw me holding the scarf.

“That's the same scarf I gave her, when she told me she wants to live her own life too... you’re just like your mom. Too independent”

Grandma looks sad as she said that, but somehow proud.

“well,i guess i take after her”

I laughed a little bit and remembered the sadness in my mom’s eyes when I told her I’m leaving. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako dahil ako naman ang pumili nito, this is what I want. I want to see the wholeness of the world. I want to explore. I want to become someone I crave to be.

I don’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor or a business woman like what she wants me to be. I want to be a journalist, a photographer. I want to be free in nature, free from people. 

“you got her attitudes, but you take after your dad when it comes to physical appearance”

Pinasadahan niya pa ako ng tingin saglit at ibinalik ang mata at atensyon sa pagmamaneho

“I hope you don’t mean that I look like a man?”

I said sarcastically, pero natawa lang ito.

“certainly not lady, all I’m saying is that you look like a foreigner”

Well, totoo naman siguro? I always get that I look a bit like my dad. No, I'm a carbon copy of my dad. Just his female version. He’s Scottish so I own a pair of oceanic blue eyes, a pointed nose and some freckles under my eyes. I also own a nice thin heart-shaped lips and a divided chin.

My mom would like to stare at my face and get all sad and emotional. I know she loves dad so much, but dad was long gone. I know leaving mom would break her heart, but I can’t be stuck there in our house with my mom forever. I’m already 23, I need to get a life.

“Take a nap lady, we’ll reach the house in about 4 hrs.”

Nagulat pa ako dahil sa sinabi nito. I didn’t know it's such a long ride from NAIA to Batanes island.

“what if you get tired?”

I asked concernly, matagal pa pala bago makarating sa bahay nito

“I got this lady. I’ll keep you safe”

Grandma smiled warmly at me. Wala na akong nagawa kundi ang ihilig ang ulo ko sa bintana ng sasakyan. Pagod ako so I really need a nap. 

She told me that she will keep me safe... so then be it.