All a Dream

Chapter 3: Til' we meet again, Athena

Wala akong masabi...

Nakatunganga pa rin ako pagtapos ng nangyari. I was indeed shocked. She looks a bit like me, but not totally. Hmmm..How cool is that? Is this me from another dimension? So ang ganda ko pala talaga, hahaha joke. Nah, I wasn't joking.

"He's busy working with some business men, Athena" she added.

Ha? Pa'no niya 'to alam? And how come she knows my name? This is so weird at the same time, creepy. Stalker things yarn?

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked with an anxious face.

"You know me from afar" she said with a smile.

Wait..What? Hindi ko siya gets. I know her from afar..? Ha?

"Come, let's take a stroll. Tour Kita sa place na'to I'm sure magugustuhan mo." She said with a beautiful smile, as her eyes were shining in front of me, It feels like her soul is greeting me with a hello.

Wala na akong nasabi pa at sumunod nalang din ako. Hindi na niya sinabi ano pangalan niya at hindi ko na rin ito tinanong pa. Nakatutok siya sa daan habang ngumingiti.

"Hmm..what's wrong with her? Kanina pa siya naka ngiti. Baliw ba 'to or what?
Omg, self. Stop judging again ayan ka nananaman. Malaya mo, diba? Sakanya pala 'tong lugar at nakiki-apak ka lang, hays" My subconcious told me.

"Hey ammm...Lady? Girl? Boy bakla tomboy, char. Ms? Ma'am? Where are we going? Kanina pa tayo naglalakad" I questioned

"hahaha. Just follow me. You'll know once you get there." She smirked.

Woah..Is it just me? Or nag smirk talaga siya? Lady, that was kinda creepy. Ki-kidnappin ba'ko nito? Or what?

Hayss we've been walking for hours...ay parang mga 4 minutes palang pala, hehe, lol.

"Andito na tayo, Athena"

"Omg! Ang daming animals! Bakit mo'ko pinunta rito? I missed this place! Natutuwa ko naman na tugon sakanya.

Eversince I was a child, I really loved being around animals. Well, maliban sa mga naging kaklase ko.

Naalala ko dati, my father would always pick me up from school, tas de-deretsyo kami dito sa zoological park. It brings me great joy to be around a variety of animals. Hindi ko rin alam bakit ang hilig ko sa animals simula pagka bata, hahaha. I just love how peaceful they are to look at.

"Hey, Thank you so much at dito tayo pumunta. Pero bakit? Ang dami naman places to go to, why here?" I asked

"Oh, nothing. Come, let's take a look closer sa mga elephant, shall we?" wika niya.

"Sure!"

Hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala na nandito ako ngayon sa zoological park.

Na notice ko lang, parang mas madaming animals ngayon kesa nuong bata ako. Bakit kaya?

"Athena! Let's ride the giraffes!" she shouted

WHAT?! Ride the giraffes? No one has ever done that. Pwera lang kung matapang ka talaga. Hindi ko pa nga kilala 'tong babaeng 'to pero bakit the way na yayain niya 'ko or kausapin parang kilalang-kilala naman talaga niya 'ko dati pa.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" pasigaw kong tanong sakanya.

"Oo, ano kaba. Tara na" tugon niya.

Hala, so seryoso pala talaga siya, omg HEHEHEHEHE. I mean, why not, diba? Wala naman masamang mangyayari if I try it. Atleast, wala akong tinatapakang tao, HEHEHEHE. Well that came out of nowhere.

Inakyat na nung babae yung isang giraffe with her bare hands without any gear on or tool. Ang dali lang niya 'tong inakyat.

What...? Pa'no niya nagawa yun? Ang laki-laki ng giraffe, or madali lang talaga siya akyatin...? Kabayo nga hirap na hirap na'ko. giraffe pa kaya?

"Athena, why are you still standing there? What are you waiting for? Matagal pa pasko, girl hahahah. Go na! yun oh! May isa pang giraffe" Natatawa niyang sinabi pag akyat niya ng giraffe.

"Lady, amm..Pwede bang maki join nalang din ako sa'yo dyan? Para mas safe?" I said, with my left hand scratching my head.

Gusto ko rin ma experience sumakay ng giraffe. Never ko pa 'to nagawa nor wala pa rin akong nakitang tao na nakagawa nito bukod dito sa babaeng 'to na napaka tapang.

Di ko nga alam kung tao ba talaga 'to or halimaw, choss. She's beautiful though.

"Ayoko nga, joke hahaha. Sure, why not. Hawakan mo kamay ko ha" wika niya.

"amm wait..Hindi ba delikado? Bumaba ka nalang kaya dyan? It is extremely dangerous to look at." I said with a trembling knee and a shaking hand.

"Hayss, I'm here so you'll be safe and sound. Lika na! arte mo, hahaha" tugon niya.

W-what? She called me maarte? Grrrr lady, umayos ka ha. We just met an hour ago, and right now, at this very moment, I'm putting my life in your trust. Kung may mangyari man sa'kin, paki sabi nalang kay mommy at daddy na mahal na mahal ko sila ha.

Ang OA ko naman, hahahaha.

As I held her hand, she then pulled it hard. Her hand was cold as snow, but I felt warm and cozy. As my palm touched hers, I suddenly felt safe. safer than before.

Nakaupo na rin ako sa giraffe kasama siya. She noticed na naggulo buhok ko pag angat niya sa'kin sa giraffe. So she fixed it with her soft and warm hands.

"Omg! Ang ganda ng view from up here. I wish mom and dad were here with me at makita nila 'tong napaka gandang tanawin"

A few minutes have gone by and we're still sitting on the giraffe while it's walking gently on the grass. The lady is simply quiet. She didn't stop smiling the entire time.

Hmmm..Kanina pa siya nakangiti ah. What's up with her...?

"Hey, lady? Hindi ko pa pala natanong pero..Where are you from?" I asked out of curiosity habang nakaupo kami at naglalakad ang giraffe.

I just realized we've been together this whole entire time and we never got to talk about things or about our life. Parang magkasama lang kami pero iba mundo namin.

"Athena, time to go na" she answered.

Hmm..Hindi niya sinagot tanong ko. Iniwasan niya 'to. What a mysterious lady she is. Hindi na rin pala niya sinabi pangalan niya kanina e, 'no? Bigla nalang ako niyaya rito.

"Go? Go where? I asked

"Alam mo na yun, Athena hahaha." She whispered.

She then jumped out first on the giraffe, so she could guide me.

Pagbaba ko ng giraffe, nadulas ako. Buti nalang nahawakan niya 'ko at hindi nasubsob ulo ko sa damo, hahahaha. Clumsy, self

"Take care, Athena ha? Be a good girl" she said with a wave.

Is this goodbye? Is this the part where we split up? Aalis na ba siya?

"You too, lady. Thank you for the quality time that we spent together. I had so much fun, sa totoo lang." Natutuwa 'kong wika.

"stop calling me lady ano ba, hahahaha. Ako nga pala si Althea. I'm happy to hear that you had a great time." Tugon niya na may kasamang ngiti.

"Ay sorry naman. Hindi mo kasi sinabi nung una palang. Parang kasalanan ko pa ha, hahaha joke lang. So I guess this is goodbye, Althea. It was nice meeting you" I said with a smile and shook her hands.

"Anong goodbye ka dyan, silly hahaha" She laughed.

"ha? So hindi pa'to goodbye? Like bye bye?" I asked

"Til' we meet again, Athena"