Maybe I'm Lying [COMPLETED]

KABANATA 25 - You Are You

Tahimik akong nagmamaneho habang pasimpleng sumusulyap kay Wren na nakaupo sa passenger's seat. Sa akin pa siya naki-sakay kahit na may dala rin siyang sariling kotse. Ngayon, naiwan ang kotse niya sa tabi ng baywalk. Ang sabi niya ay mayroon naman daw na kukuha no’n para sa kanya.

Sinulyapan kong muli siyang kampanteng nakasandal ang ulo at naka-pikit. “Living a good life, ah?” pang-aasar ko.

Sumibol ang maliit na ngiti sa labi niya. “Eyes on the road,” he teased back. That was the time I noticed that I had been looking at him for too long.

“Don’t sleep! You have to tell me the direction!” ani ko.

“I’ll tell you when we're near,” he said, eyes still closed.

I didn’t know the way we were going. All I knew, was that we were heading to their home, Wren’s house. He insisted that I stay with him and his Mom. Halos dumulas na nga ang hawak ko sa manubela dahil kanina pa nagpapawis ang mga palad ko sa kaba. I don't know why I'm nervous, I'm Charm, everyone likes me… well, not until they get to know me.

“Turn left,” he commanded.

“O,” I nodded while spinning the steering wheel.

Sinulyapan ko siyang muli. Nag-uunat na siya at umayos ng upo. Binalik ko ang tingin sa harapan. Patag ang konkretong daan kahit na ang magkabilang gilid nito ay gubat na. Mukhang malayo sa kabihasnan ang bahay nila Wren.

“Enter that,” he pointed an open gate. Nakapagtataka na may gate ito pero walang pader na harang. Nang makapasok kami ay wala ng kalsadang bumungad sa amin. Bagamat hindi sementado ay banayad parin ang pagmamaneho dito. Ang kalsada ay damuhan na nakalbo na dahil sa madalas sigurong pagdaan ng mga kotse.

“We’re here,” aniya. Hininto ko ang kotse sa tapat ng bahay. A huge-rectangular two-story wooden house, the front was made using glass walls that allow everyone to see the insides of the house and its warm tone lights.

A modern-looking house in a forest. I turned off the car engine, and the sound of nature flooded my ears; a loud gush of falling water, probably from a waterfall from a distance, the chirping sound of cicadas and birds, and the sound that the tree leaves make while dancing with the wind. I held my breath. I hope there's internet here. The place screams peace... which means... boredom for me.

Bumaba na kami ni Wren at nagdiretso papasok ng bahay.

“I’ll introduce you to Mom, she's probably with her birds,” sabi niya at nginitian ako. Hindi pa ko nakakasagot ay hinila na niya agad ako paakyat ng hagdan. Napalunok nalang ako nang tumigil kami sa harap ng isang kahoy na pintuan.  I don't know anything about birds! Nor took any interest in learning about them!

“Are you nervous?” tanong niya habang nakataas parehas na kilay.

“Of course not!” depensa ko na ikinalapad ng ngiti nito. He tucked away the few strands of my hair behind my ear. My eyes grew wide.

“Do I look a mess?” tanong ko sa kanya at sinuklay ang buhok ko gamit ang mga daliri ko. Pagkaraa'y pinagpagan ko ang damit ko.

He flicked my nose using the back of his index finger. “Just be yourself,” he said and opened the door.

I licked my dried lips as I saw a woman’s back sitting on a sofa while looking at the picture frames hung on the wall, all of which contained an image of birds or nests.

I thought what Wren meant when he said his Mom is with her birds, like alive birds, in a cage or something.

“Mom,” tawag ni Wren sa mother niya at naglakad palapit. Sumunod ako sa kanya at huminto sa harap ng tinawag niyang Mom.