Willing to You

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

[LAEL SHAWN]

The lady guard nodded at me after she was done scanning my ID.

Pagkapasok ko sa loob ng playground ng Prep school ay inilibot ko ang aking paningin. I spotted my nephew near the monkey bar with a group of children laughing around him but that was not my concern why I came here.

Originally, si kuya dapat talaga ang magsusundo sa anak niya ngayon but I volunteered instead because I wanted to see that boy again.

Hindi ko nakita si Iael sa grupo ng mga bata kung nasaan ang pamangkin ko kaya naman muli kong inilibot ang aking paningin.

I figured that he might be alone again somewhere kaya naman tinungo ko ang mga benches na katabi ng mga puno sa sulok na bahagi ng palaruan.

At hindi nga ako nagkamali dahil natagpuan ko ang bata na nakaupo habang may hawak na rubics cube.

I spoke to let him know my presence.

"Hey."

He was startled at first nang lingunin ako nito but then he sighed when he saw that it was me.

I gestured the vacant space on the bench gesturing that I will sit. Nagkibit – balikat lamang ito kaya naman naupo na ako.

"Hey, bud." I said again attempting to start a conversation with the kid.

"Hello po, Kuya Yael." He said in his usual low voice.

Sinulyapan lamang ako nito nang saglit bago muling binalik ang atensiyon sa pagbuo ng rubics cube na hawak niya.

"Bakit mag-isa ka rito?" I said then I realized that my question was stupid dahil nga nabanggit niya na ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya nakikipaglaro sa iba─ayaw siyang kalaro ng iba.

I cleared my throat because I knew that I started on the wrong foot.

"A-Anyway, how have you been? Did you do well in class today?" I eagerly asked upang makabawi sa pagkapahiyang nadarama but the kid just looked at me weirdly.

I mentally scolded myself when I remember that I'm basically a stranger to him whilst I'm asking like how his dad should ask him.

"Kuya Yael..." he started.

I don't know if it's even possible ngunit my ears perked like a dog waiting for the piece na sasabihin niya.

"I know po na you're concerned lang kaya you're doing this po but I'm fine alone." He said.

Although he's basically shooing me away, I could still hear the sadness in his voice.

"No, it's okay. I like it here." I said determined this time.

The kid looked at me with tears in his eyes kaya naman gayon na lamang ang aking taranta.

"H-Hey, why are you crying?" Usal ko habang hindi mawari kung anong dapat gawin ngunit ang tangi ko na lamang nagawa ay hawakan nang marahan sa balikat ang bata.

"I'm just happy lang po." He said while tears were falling in his eyes but a faint smile was visible in his small face.

"Really? Happy ka pero naiyak ka naman. Naguguluhan tuloy si Kuya Yael." I said softly habang pinapahid ang luha sa pisngi nito.

He chuckled lightly and I was stunned by the sound of it.

"I'm happy po talaga kasi eversince po na lumipat kami ni mommy here sa Manila, may one friend na po ako. " He said while looking up at me na maaliwalas ang mukha.

"And I'm that friend of yours, right? Edi sasama ka na sa'kin mag-ice cream niyan?" I said with a light tone.

"Yes po. But magpapaalam po muna ako sa mommy ko." He said while chuckling.

My heart flatters habang naririnig ang batang tumatawa nang marahan.

I don't know what's happening to me ngunit tila sobrang invested ko naman ata sa batang ito na hindi ko nga ganoon kilala.

Our conversation goes on. At hindi gaya kahapon na ilag pa ito sa akin, ngayon ay hindi na. We talked about the things he likes and I figured na parehas pala kaming hilig ang Matematika kaya naman sabay naming binuo ang dala niyang rubics cube. I also learned na he only had his mom na nagpapalaki sa kaniya. Aniya ay hindi na raw niya nakilala ang daddy niya. I felt sad and at the same time ay may galit akong naramdamdan.

How that stupid man can leave this adorable cutie?

Nasa kalagitnaan kami nang tawanan about some joke that we shared nang lumapit sa amin ang lady guard na kanina'y bantay sa gate.

"Iael, hijo, nariyan na ang mommy mo." She said to the kid.

The kid practically leaped ecstatically nang marinig yaon. Dali-dali nitong dinampot ang kanyang bag at kumaway sa akin bago tumakbo papunta sa direksyon kung nasaan ang gate.

Gayon na lamang ang pag-alala ko na baka madapa ito sa pagtakbo kaya naman sinundan ko ito.

I found him habang ang isang babae'y nakatalikod sa aking direksyon na dahan-dahang kinukuha ang bag nito. I figured that's his mom.

Nang maisakay na sa passenger seat ang bata'y lumakad na ang nanay nito papunta sa driver's seat, I was waiting for her to atleast na lumingon lamang upang maipakilala ko sana ang sarili ngunit hindi ito lumingon.

I diverted my eyes to Iael who's waving his hands inside the car while smiling. I waved back.

Naputol lamang ang aming kawayan nang tila kinausap ito ng kanyang nanay upang maikabit ang seatbelt.

The inside of the car ay hindi masyadong nasisinagan ng araw and it was lightly tinted kaya naman I failed to recognized the face of his mom.

After I think the mom fastened the seatbelt of the kid, ay muling lumingon ang bata sa akin kaya naman tila napalingon din ang nanay nito.

I squinted my eyes to see her but before I could even get to see the face, I was interrupted by my phone ringing kaya naman dali-dali ko itong kinapa sa aking bulsa ng aking pantalon to get it.

"Tate Calling..."