Souls in November (Holiday Series #1)

11

"Anak, nakuha mo na ba lahat?"

Tukoy niya sa mga gamit namin na nasa sasakyan. Nagrenta si papa ng sasakyan naming papuntang Maynila. Hindi nga kasi marunong si mama na magdrive. Susunduin din niya kami dito after 3 days kaya imbes na umuwi ay binigyan na siya ni papa ng pampasyal at para sa hotel at pagkain niya dito sa Manila.

"Opo." tipid kong sabi.

We merely waited for a little while before boarding the plane. Saglit lang din naman ang byahe papuntang Boracay. Nang makarating kami roon ay nagcheck-in na kami. Nagtaka pa ako dahil magkaibang room kami ni mama. Mas makakatipid sana kami kapag iisa na lang.

"Ma, bakit dalawang room pa?" Tanong ko at umupo sa may bed niya.

"A-ah, e-eh... birthday mo! Mas maganda kapag ganon!" sagot niya habang umiiwas ng tingin.

"Wala namang connection ma. Nagsasayang lang tayo." humiga ako sa kama.

Nag-aayos naman ito ng mga gamit niya. Kanina pa siya batikos, pansin ko lang.

"Anak, hayaan mo na lang. Para magkaroon ka naman ng privacy." sabi niya pa.

She looked strange today. I simply just left her room and went to my room to sleep. She looks like she doesn't want to be bothered anyway. I just slept half day in my room. Kung hindi nga ako ginising ni mama para sa lunch ay baka natulog na ako maghapon.

We entered a very neat restaurant. All people were wearing beach attires and were already ready to swim. Obviously mom ordered seafoods and milkshakes. Kumain na kami dahil pagkatapos ay mag-iisland hopping kami at baka mag-crystal kayak kami.

"Ma, nagtext na sa'yo si papa?" I asked her while eating.

He didn't even replied to my message! Bukas na ang birthday ko pero wala siyang ni isang text! Kahit kamustahin sana ako!

Malungkot itong tumingin sa akin. "Hindi e. Baka busy siya anak. Magtetext din 'yon, baka mamaya."

I sadly nodded too. We returned to the hotel after dining to get ready for the activities we had planned. However, I moved so slowly that we nearly missed the boat because of it. Kaya naman, hindi pa ako nakapang-beach attire ng umalis kami. Sana lang mayroong kahit public bathroom doon sa islang pupuntahan namin.

Si Mama ay ayos na ayos na. She looked so young with her outfit. Dahil dadalawa lang kami ay may kasabay kaming mga ibang tao. There were actually 20 people on the boat now. May isang pamilya nga lang na lumapit sa amin. They were four, isang batang babae, lalaki na parang kaedad ko at magulang nila. They were chatting with my mom.

"Hi! What's your name?" the boy approached me.

And because I don't want to be seen as disrespectful to them.

"Ashira," I said.

"Oh! What a good name!" he chuckled. "I'm Steven. Nice meeting you Ashira."

Ngumiti na lamang ako at tinanaw ang paparating ng isla. We will be there for a while, kung walang banyo ay titingin na lang ako ng pwedeng pagpalitan.

"Dalawa lang kayo ng mom mo?" he asked.

"Yes." sagot ko.

"Are you on college na?"

"No. Senior high pa lang."

As he was going to ask another question, I rose up because we had already reached the first island. Nagpicture-picture lang kami doon saglit dahil wala naman masyadong activities.