A Silence In The Chaos

Silence 21: Patawad

Silence Twenty One

Hawak ni Noah ang aking kamay habang nag mamaneho siya. Mas mabuti raw na sa Cavite muna kami. Mainit init ang lumabas na controversy tungkol sa kidnapping case ko dahil mayroon ding lumabas na rumor na ganito two years ago. Yun ang rason kung bakit pumunta ang mga Vasquez sa aming bahay. Upang mapatunayan na maayos ang uganayan ng pamilya namin. Ngunit ngayon ay nagresurface ang issue dahil dinetalye ng nagpost ang mga pangyayari sa kaso.

"Ikaw ba ang nagpost noon?" kuryoso kong tanong kay Noah.

Siya lang ang kilala kong may alam sa kaso na gustong mabigyan ng hustisya ang krimen noon. Sino pa bang iba ang magbabahagi tungkol sa pangyayari?

I was shocked when he shook his head.

"I don't use social media," sagot niya at mas inayos ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. "At kung tetestimonya man ako ay hindi yon ang gagamitin ko. Sa awtoridad ako didiretso."

Ngumiwi siya matapos sabihin iyon.

"Pero kahit lumapit ka sa kanila, hindi ka nila papakinggan," his voice full of loathe.

"I was seventeen when I told them. Sabi nila wala raw akong pruweba. And indeed I can't provide them any proof. My father always locks me up in my room, reason why I can't do much..."

I can't help but feel like he's not just narrating these events. He wants to let go of the guilt that has been bottling up inside him since he was seventeen. So I let him. If letting me hear his side would free him from his own thoughts, I'll listen. Because he needs this.

He swallowed.

"Unless I sneak out in the middle of the night. That's the only time I can go to you. Hindi rin epektibo dahil may nakakakita sa akin at nakakapagsumbong. It all resulted to my father beating me up. But the advantage outweighs the consequences." He looked to his right where I'm sitting and added,"Atleast I get to see you. Wala man akong magawa, but atleast you know that someone is there."

I shivered in my place. He got beaten up as a child. Sa dami ng sinabi niya ay doon nagpokus ang pandinig ko.

"S-sinasaktan ka ng papa mo?" I echoed in disbelief.

He nodded.

"Mukha man akong masunurin, I was disobedient with his wishes about my future. He wanted me to follow his footsteps. I didn't. As a young boy, I already declared my intentions of being an educator when I graduate. Akala niya madadaan niya ako sa paghihigpit at pagamalupit, to make me give in to his wishes."

And he didn't. He still became a teacher today.

"And when he did that to you. All the more that I loathed people with power," aniya.

Kaya pala mukhang malayo ang loob niya sa kanyang ama. I noticed that when we went to Batangas together. Kahit ang yaman ng kanyang ama ay ayaw niyang pakinabangan.

"Pinag aral ka ba niya ng kolehiyo kahit ayaw niya sa kurso mo?" I asked.

He switched the car to neutral when there the stoplight turned red.

"Si tita Claire ang nagpaaral sa akin. She's mama's sister at hindi niya rin gusto si papa para kay mama kaya sinuportahan niya ako. I owe her a lot. Kaya may bahagi rin siya sa kinikita sa apartment."

It was a huge step for him. Stepping out of his home at an early age to pursure his dreams. Wala akong determinasyon na tulad ng kanya. Na gagawin ang lahat para lang maisakatuparan ang pangarap niya sa halip na sa ama. Panigurado ako na sa edad ko na iyon, kahit ano ang ipagawa sa akin ng mga magulang ko o kung anuman ang piliin nila para sa akin ay gagawin ko. Gusto ko man o hindi. Kahit naman ngayon ay ganoon pa rin.