Arise, Dreamers

CHAPTER 12- Zy

CHAPTER 12

"Si Baronielle ija, anak ko."

"P-po?" Pabaling-baling ang tingin ko kay Tita at kay Baronielle. I am confused. I cannot process a single thing inside my head at the moment. Anak nila tito at tita si Baronielle? Nobody told me about this, even Dion!

Baronielle pursed his lips, saying nothing. Nilalaro niya ang tali sa dulo ng strap ng bag niyang nakasakbat sa braso niya habang nakatingin sa akin.

"Bakit po sinabi niyo sa amin ni Dion na wala kayong-"

"Zeneladia!" Naputol ang sasabihin ko dahil biglang sumulpot si kuya, tinatawag ako. I glanced at my brother, tumatakbo papunta rito.

"Tawag. Tawag ka ni mama, kakausapin ka." Hinihingal niyang sabi. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa mag-inang nasa harap ko.

Tita smiled at me while caressing Baronielle's arm. She patted my right shoulder at pumasok na sila sa loob ng gate nila. Kuya pulled my arm, the reason why my body turned to him. He looked like he was about to kill me or something.

"Anong ginawa mo ha?" Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya. I guess he alredy know about what happened in school. Kuya's been away from us for 9 years, I was seven nung huling kita ko sa kaniya. I was also seven the last I saw him got angry because of me. And it was the scariest thing I had encounter.

"Kuya I can explain naman."

"Ay talagang i-explain mo iyan. Pumunta ka na sa bahay." I nervously gulped. I think he's mad. Hindi man lang niya ako sinabayan sa paglakad, nauna siya. I bit my lower lip while walking.

The air was cold when I got inside the house, maybe because the AC was on, or maybe because it is my nervousness filling my system. Mama was making dinner, I can smell the savory fragrance of Caldereta being cooked, my favorite. Sayang, hindi ko maeenjoy mamaya kasi papagalitan ako.

Pumunta ako sa lalagyanan ng mga pinggan at kumuha ng tatlo for the three of us. I arranged them sa dining table. I was about to get forks and spoons when mama enturrupted me.

"Magbihis ka na muna, Zeneladia. After noon, bumaba ka." Hindi tumingin sa akin si mama. Her voice was intimidating. Wala akong nagawa kundi sundin siya. Bihira lang magalit sa akin si mama. Nagagalit lang si mama sa akin kapag may hindi ako ginawang tama at katarantaduhan sa buhay. Isa na iyong nangyari kanina.

I hung my bag on the back of my door and plopped myself on my bed. One of my arms rested above my eyes and then I sighed. Hindi pa ako nakakapag-palit ng damit.

Wow, this is really a hectic day. Ang daming mga happenings, nakakaloka.

"Si Dion nga pala." Agad kong kinuha ang cellphone ko para i-chat si Dion.

"Active 30 minutes ago."

"Chat ko ba?" I whispered.

"Chat ko? Hehe, nahihiya ako." Para akong pinasukan ng bulate sa pwet dahil palakad-lakad ako rito sa kwarto ko.

"Chat ko na nga." I finally decided after how many minutes of going circles around my room.

"Hi, naka-uwi na ako :))))))"

"Send!" I smiled and threw my phone on my bed.

Glancing at my study desk, I saw a bottle of C2. Kumunot ang noo ko, sino naman kaya ang naglagay ng C2 sa kwarto ko. Hindi naman ako nag-uuwi ng kalat ko kapag umuuwi dahil tinatapon ko either sa MRF ng school o sa basurahan sa kanto.

My swivel chair squeaked when I sat down. Kinuha ko ang C2 at pinagmasdan.

Suddenly, one person came to my mind.