Graceo Station 1: Aivyllin Graceo

1st

AIVYLLIN

One step.

One knock.

One gulp.

Nanghihina na ang tuhod ko habang nag-iintay sa labas ng kanyang kwarto. Pinanood kong dahang-dahang bumukas ang pinto. Nakita ko 'siya'. Kahit anong pilit niya na ngumiti sakin, di niya ko maloloko. Kitang kita ko sa mata niya ang pagod.

Ganun ka na ba kapagod, Dee?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Her pain-filled face was the last thing I saw before light invaded my closed eyes. That nightmare again. I wonder kung kailan kaya titigil ang bangungot na iyon. Kapag kaya bumalik na siya, will it completely stop? Or will I still be hunted by that night?

Sometimes, I think those memories kept coming back as a reminder that I failed to protect the only real thing I've ever known. Ay, 'all too well' lang yarn? Enough with the useless thoughts na nga!

< But I don't care what they say

I'm in love with you

They try to pull me away, but they don't know the truth >

Sakto namang tumunog yung alarm ko. Nakakahiya naman! Na-una pa ko sayo noh! Pinatay ko na yung alarm at baka sugurin nanaman ako nung halimaw dahil malakas daw ang tunog. Eh bakit naman si Dimitri di nagigising?

I swear, kung wala lang ako nung pinanganak yan si Vino, mapapagkamalan ko talaga yang ampon. Oh baka naman anak siya sa labas ni mom? Oo nga noh, antagal ko na nag-iisip kung bakit na-iiba yan samin eh. Half-breed naman pala.

"Ate Aivy!!"

Ayan na nga ang mokong. Nakakutob siguro siyang pinaghihinalaan ko na ang origin niya. "Eto na!"

Pagbaba ko naman ng hagdan, nandun na sila pareho. Syempre wala na naman ang parents namin. Lagi naman silang wala, nasanay na kami. Pero to be completely honest, mas payapa pa nga kami pag wala sila. Gosh! Magkaka-indigestion ata ako every time na sasabay sila samin kumain.

"Ate, makakapunta ka ba sa performance ko sa opening ng school intramurals?" tanong ni Mitri sakin habang nakangiti. Heto nanaman po tayo, ginagamit niya nanaman yung adorable puppy eyes nya. He's probably aware how effective that is.

"Of course Mitri, are you sure ready ka na magperform ng cello ulit?" Nung huli kasi siyang tumugtog ng cello, nag faint siya. According sa doctor niya, possible daw na naka-alala siya ng traumatic incident from the past. Understandable naman, dahil tuwing tutugtog si Dimitri ng cello noon, laging accompaniment si Dee. Kung hindi siya nakanta, sinasabayan niya ng harp si Mitri.

Dimitri is a musical prodigy. He can play almost all instruments in the country. He doesn't just play, he concurs. There's something different when Dimitri plays, what more when the Graceo twins play. I was actually thankful na kami lang naka-witness ng masterpiece na yon. I really felt special that day.

"Not so sure, ate. But there's no harm in trying right?" randam ko yung kaba nya mula sa sentence na yun. If only I could comfort him the way she can, ipaparamdam ko sa kanya na wala na dapat siyang ipag-alala pa.

"You'll do great, Dimitri. Why do you th-"

"Do you think she'll watch me?" Di ko na natapos yung sasabihin ko nang magtanong si Mitri. I can almost literally see how the atmosphere became heavy inside the dining room. Kahit kami ni Vino, we've been wishing for the same thing for the past six years.