The Commoner's Notebook

Prologue

The Commoner's Notebook

December, 2011

The little girl's eyes widened at the window, hindi mapakali sa loob ng kotse at pumapalahaw ang mga tawa. Puno ng kulay ang mga mata n'ya mula sa mga christmas light ng nadaanan nilang parke. She squeeled in delight.

"Lolo, mas maganda pala 'tong place kay'sa sa old village natin."

Her Lolo smiled widely and warmly. She smiled back.

"Uuwi na ikaw kina Mama at Papa mo."

Suminghap ang batang si Henssy, her little hands flew at her mouth gaping at the old man. "Reallyy? Will I see ate again? I just saw her very very briefly Lolo. I missed her. I'm so alone at our house eh, wala ikaw, wala si Ate, wala si Mama at Papa, may maids pero ayaw nila kong kausap, but I have Chimmy there. Can I bring Chimmy? But Chimmy hates fighting with other dogs, and there might be other dogs here na stranger sakan'ya. Hmp, he's a weak dog, Lolo. He really needs assitance."

Hindi sumagot ang matanda bagkus ay nakatuon ang paningin sa bintana na nasa side n'ya kaya napatingin rin s'ya dito. A big big house! Parang barbie house!

"We're here, apo."

"This is our house??" Nanlalaki ang mata n'ya.

"No... Have you forgotten already, my little hija? This is your neighbors house."

A man in black opened the door for her as well as his Lolo sides na lumipat agad sa katabi n'ya. They were both standing at the big big gate, makikita na sa loob nito ay hindi pa ang bahay but a vast space of green field and in a little far away is a five rest house nipa hut. Hindi puno ng tao pero marami rami, mostly consist of people who has shimmer in their dresses and coats. Sa pinakagilid ay matatagpuan ang malaki at malawak na mansion, four story house, malawak, full of patio in each of the room above and consisting of dark beige colors and outstanding white!

Nanlaki ang mata ng bata ng makita ng maigi ang loob sa nagbukas na gate.

They got inside the mansion where there's a big tarpaulin hanging in the 3rd floor. She read it.

Congratulations Federer Family!

Nilingon n'ya ang Lolo na ngayon ay hawak ang kamay n'ya. Sa likod ay ang apat nilang bodyguards.

"Why are we here ba, Lolo? I thought we're going home? Makikitira ba tayo sakanila?"

Her Lolo chuckled. "Of course not. But we're gonna stay the night here."

As they got in the hall of the mansion, pure of brown and white colors, big big chandeliers in the ceilings and the fancy spiral stairs. Hindi puno ng tao ang hall pero marami rami, ang ilan ay nakaupo sa tapat ng mga pabilog na lamesa, ang ilan ay nakatayo at may hawak hawak na wine glass. They approached a man in his suit sitting in the table set just in front of the stage. Henssy blink at the perfect set of teeth smiling at her Lolo and as it shifts to her.

"This must be your apo?"

Unang bati sakanila at pinaupo sila sa upuan revolving around the circle table. There are five people before they arrived. Three woman in an identical red dress glance at her, only the one with a hazel nut hair smiled at her, the little Henssy can't find the reason to smile back. They're all wearing astounding beauty also the man who greeted them, and the man beside him. They all combulse in a conversation, words that she can understand, meaning that she can't.

What is this party anyway?

A tall man approached the stage besides the spiral stairway and held his mic.