Woven on Time (Student Series #3)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Bakit nga bawal ako magtrabaho? I want to work like you! I want to earn money too! Let me work, please, Kuya Lair?" 

Panay ang habol ko sa kaniya kanina pa mula sa second floor. He knew I had to double my effort to follow his normal pace. Paikot-ikot siya kanina pa sa sala, uupo sa upuan at kapag umupo rin ako ay aalis naman siya at pumunta na ngayon sa kusina!

"Huwag ka ngang bumuntot! Para kang aso!" saway niya nang tumigil sa harap ng ref para buksan iyon. 

"Hindi po kita lulubayan hangga't hindi mo—"

Natigil ako sa sinasabi nang ilabas niya ang isang kahon mula sa ref at halos ipagduldulan iyon sa dibdib ko. Ngumuso ako at sinalo iyon bago pa niyan mabitiwan. My attention was distracted because of the transparent lid of the box, showing me wonderful and colorful toppings of some sweets. 

Pumikit ako at umiling. No. This shouldn't be the time to gratify my sweet tooth. I recalled my conversation with Eris last time while we were having our lunch at Dagohoy. Kaming dalawa lang dahil ang mga ka-close niya sa room ay abala sa ginagawang assignment sa library.

"So, you have amnesia, your parents aren't with you, and you're living with your boyfriend in his friend's house?" she asked to confirm and I nodded. "E 'di ang boyfriend mo lang ang nagtatrabaho para sa inyo?"

Tumango ulit ako. I didn't tell her that Kuya Lair's my bodyguard, though. Ang alam niya lang ay magkaibigan kami. Hindi ko rin sinabi ang tungkol sa magulang ko. That my father was dead and my mother's in prison.

Ilang beses na ring sinubukan namin ni Kuya Lair na puntahan ang mommy ko, pero palagi ay ayaw niyang lumabas para harapin ako. The reason why I only saw her face in pictures in our house. I have yet to know why she's even behind the bars since Kuya Lair kept mum about it. 

"Gusto ko rin sana mag-work kaso ay ayaw niya. He said I should just focus on my studies..." I told her.

Umirap siya at sumimsim sa straw ng plastic cup na may lamang juice.

"I guess he wants you to be dependent on him and submissive to his commands. You're no longer a minor, right? You should learn to be independent, especially now that your parents aren't on your side. You can be dependent, though, but not always. You seem innocent, too. Baka mamaya, tini-take advantage ka na ng boyfriend mo nang hindi mo nalalaman."

Kuya Lair is not exactly the most kind, but I know he isn't cruel enough to take advantage of my memory loss. Naalala kong may naisip akong masama tungkol sa kaniya. But after that, I realized that he's just like everyone else, like me, who has a dark and bright side. A person who lacks something. Someone who doesn't know how to apologize in words but does it through action.

Someone's flaws and shortcomings should not be the reason to conquer their humanity. Kaya ngayon, hindi ko kayang sumang-ayon sa huling sinabi ni Eris. Siguro kung may nagti-take advantage sa amin ni Kuya Lair, ako iyon. Dahil wala naman akong ginagawa para makatulong sa kaniya.

"Hindi naman po siguro ganoon ang ginagawa niya," mahina kong sabi. "If he plans to take advantage of me, sana ay noon niya pa po ginawa noong nagising ako at naging maayos na."

Nagkibit siya ng balikat. "Baka kinukuha niya pa kasi ang loob mo."

Hirap na akong lunukin ang kinakain sa sinabi niya.

"Anyway, wala ka na ba talagang ibang relatives na malapit sa 'yo noon?"

Sa tanong niya ay may isang pangalang sumagi sa isip ko. They said I have a cousin named Twyla and she's just few months younger than me. Kung may kuha kaming litrato sa bahay, hindi ko pa nakikita.