Territorial Men 11: Luke Fuentes

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER ONE

SEPIA was not just a color for her. It was something that gave her serenity whenever the greenish surrounding started to mellow down before sunset. That's where she found and discovered that kind of shade.

It always felt like a reminder that before the skies would turn into a burning ember, there was this very special moment of the day that people used to ignore. O kaya'y dahil talagang natatangi, hindi na nabibigyan pansin na kabilang ang kulay na iyon sa paligid.

She was raised around grasses and greens, white and blue skies, golden and bronze sun rays with the sounds of chirping birds and horses' neighs. But there was really this very rare moment in Hacienda Guerrera that she wouldn't want to miss.

Sitting on the roots of a big tree, Zakia slowly blew away the dry leaf above her palm. Kasabay ng hangin ay ang pag-alon ng mga tuyong dahon sa nagkukulay putik na lupa. Sa likod ng malaking mansyon nila niya madalas masaksihan ang espesyal na sandali bago ang paglubog ng araw. Kaya naroon siya, naghihintay ulit.

Behind her were a lot of big trees. Kaya naman kapag humahangin, rinig na rinig niya ang tila pagyayakapan ng mga sanga at animo pag-uusap ng iba't ibang ibong nakatira doon.

Sa totoo lang, malungkot siya. Iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit mas pinili niyang magpalipas ng oras sa likod ng punong 'yon.

Zalanna, her sister, was still in the hospital.

Zakia didn't really know why. Galing sila sa beach house nila ngunit bigla na lang nawala ang kapatid niya. At nang matagpuan, dinala agad sa doktor.

She wasn't used to being alone. Siguro, kailanman ay hindi siya masasanay na maging mag-isa. It was scary to live a life without your loved ones. The idea of her future without someone to spend time with worried her. She was too young, but her mind could already reach her future.

"Hindi pa natin dapat ito pinag-uusapan. Bata pa tayo, Zakia," saway sa kanya ni Zalanna isang araw nang tanungin niya kung ano ang tipo nito sa isang lalaki.

Kahit noong grade school pa lang sila ay marami na ang nagkaka-crush sa kanila. Noong nag-high school na, dumami lalo kahit home-schooled sila. Their family was influential and popular kaya kahit madalang sila makisalamuha, marami pa rin ang humahanga.

Hindi niya maiwasang isipin kung ano ba ang tipo nila sa isang lalaki para magustuhan nila. It was her curiosity that urged her to know her sister's opinion about boys.

Sa kanilang dalawa ni Zalanna, kahit mas matanda ito sa kanya, siya ang mas agresibo. Mas marami siyang alam tungkol sa mga crush at pagbo-boyfriend.

"We need to be ready. Siyempre, darating ang araw na papayagan na tayong mag-boyfriend kaya dapat alam natin kung ano ba ang gusto natin."

"Kahit payagan na tayong mag-boyfriend, ayaw ko pa rin! Magtatapos muna ako ng kolehiyo at kukuha ng master's degree."

Umirap si Zakia at humalukipkip. Masipag si Zalanna mag-aral. Kabaligtaran niya.

Given the fact that they have three brothers to manage their family business, to study harder didn't really matter to her. Basta, kapag natapos na siyang mag-college, ayaw niya nang mag-aral ulit!

"Once I finished college, I won't study again."

"What are you going to do then after college?"

"Enjoy my life?" Zakia shrugged. "I don't have plans yet. I'd like to travel around the world, but I need to earn first. I don't want to use our parents' money for my caprice."

"I'm glad you think about that. We need to study and work. Even though our parents are rich, it doesn't mean we would rely our needs on them."

"Okay. So, what do you like about boys?" she went back to their topic.