The Girl Who Came From Above

CHAPTER 15: Trial and Error

Mahimbing ang tulog ko ng may biglang humila ng kumot ko kaya bigla akong napaupo sa kama.  "It's too early"  sambit ko kay Angel.  She insisted that we should try to walk outside again,  dahil hindi siya titigil hangga't hindi magiging successful ang mission niya.  "Bumangon kana at kakain na tayo" she grabbed the blanket kaya napatayo kaagad ako. She looked at me and when I realized that I am not wearing a shirt, agad kong binawi sa kaniya ang kumot and I cover it on my naked upper body. Tumawa lang siya at lumabas ng silid.

I rush to the comfort room at nag shower. Mabilis akong nagbihis at bumaba kaagad sa dining room. She was just sitting there. May nakahanda ng pagkain sa mesa at kasalukuyan lang siyang nakatitig sa bintana ng kusina. Nang mapansin niya ako, she hurriedly smiled at me at agad na tinuro ang upuan sa harapan niya. We eat silently at ang mga tunog lamang ng pinggan at kutsara ang maririnig mo sa dining area. Pagkatapos naming kumain ay agad naman niyang hinugasan ang mga pinggan.

After finishing her work in the kitchen, lumapit siya sa akin at dahan dahan na humarap. Her expression in her face is so calm and comforting. "So, ano na? Mag try ulit tayong lumabas?" she suggested. Tumango lang ako as a respond sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam pero hindi na ako masyadong kinakabahan because I know the fact that Angel is with me. Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko. I grab my phone and my wallet at lumabas na kaming dalawa sa bahay.

Pagkalabas palang namin sa gate ay may taxi na agad kaming nakasalubong kaya agad akong nagulat and I hurriedly stop and step back. Napatingin sa akin si Angel kaya she walked back towards me and gently grab my hand. She intertwined her fingers on mine at binigyan niya ako ng kalmadong ngiti. "Nandito lang ako, hindi kita bibitawan" her words reassured me that nothing bad will happen to me. I smiled back at her at tinuloy namin ang paglalakad.

We arrived at the park safely. Maraming tao ang nasa park ngayon dahil sa maganda ang panahon. Dinala ako ni Angel sa isang bench at umupo muna kami doon to take a rest. "May gusto ka bang kainin?" I ask her. May mga maliliit na tindahan malapit sa park kaya naisipan kong kumain muna kami. Itinuro niya ang isang ice cream cart at ngumiti, "Gusto ko ng ice cream" napangiti ako sa sagot niya at tumayo. "Wait a second, I'll buy some" tumango lang siya kaya agad akong tumayo at bumili ng ice cream.

Pagkatapos kong bumili ay agad akong bumalik sa kinauupuan namin at doon nakita ko si Angel na nakatingin sa isang pamilya na masayang nag picnic sa park. Nagkakasiyahan ang mga ito kaya napangiti si Angel habang nakatingin dito. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at ibinigay ang ice cream na binili ko, "Here" I said. Lumingon siya sa akin at ngumiti. "Maraming salamat" sabi niya sabay kuha ng ice cream.

"Angel" I called her name. "Hmm?" sagot niya sabay kain ng ice-cream and playfully sway her feet in the air. "Do you want to come to school with me?" I ask her out of nowhere. Napatigil siya sa paglalaro ng kaniyang mga binti at napatingin sa akin. I also look at her to see her expression and there I saw her na parang nagulat sa tanong ko. "Hindi pa ako nakapag-aral-" hindi ko siya pinatapos sa pagsasalita. "I mean, I feel safe when you're around kaya I come to think na pwede mo akong samahan sa school" bumalik siya sa pagkain ng ice cream. "Sige, let's go to school together" she said while smiling.

Pagkatapos naming maglakad-lakad sa labas and after exposing myself to vehicles, I learned how to managed my fear and it can be done kung nandito si Angel sa tabi ko. I can't explain why but I seem to trust her so much. I seem to be safe and secure whenever she's around. Siguro dahil nalaman ko na she's my guardian angel and she always protected me eversince I was a child. Siguro isa din iyon sa mga dahilan kung bakit nakaramdam ako ng ganito sa kaniya.

Nang makarating na kami sa bahay, I saw Paulo's car parked outside the house. Napatigil kami sa tawanan ni Angel ng lumabas si Paulo sa labas ng kaniyang sasakyan at seryosong napatingin sa amin ni Angel. Napansin niya na magkahawak kami ng kamay kaya agad kong binitawan ang kamay ni Angel at lumapit ako sa kaniya. "Bro, what are you doing here?" I asked but still he's bothered sa nakita niya. "I got a call from your grandma, hindi ka raw sumasagot sa mga tawag niya" agad kong kinuha ang phone ko sa bulsa at tiningnan. I got 62 calls from her pero hindi ko napansin.

"I see you're okay and having fun" sambit ni Paulo at napatingin kay Angel. "Ahmm, we're having a walk. She wanted to help me with my anxiety kasi I decided na papasok na ako this month sa school" napatingin si Paulo sa akin dahil sa sinabi ko. "Are you telling me the truth?" mahina akong tumango. Paulo smiled at me and tap my back. "That's a good decision bro" sabi niya sa akin. "Let's go inside and talk about that matter" I said to him offering him to drop by. He smiled kaya pumasok kami sa loob. Sumunod naman si Angel sa amin sa pagpasok. Umupo kami ni Paulo sa couch at si Angel naman ay umupo sa harapan namin.

"I'll go get some drinks" I said to them. Marahan na tumango si Angel at si Paulo naman ay ngumiti lang. When I walk to the kitchen, I heard Paulo asking about Angel if she's okay. After I grab some juice, bumalik kaagad ako sa living room at inilapag ang juice sa mesa. "By the way Paulo, can you tell your grandpa na Angel will stop working for now? She's going to school with me" sambit ko kay Paulo. Paulo wanted to grab the juice pero he stop from doing that. He looked at me and smiled a little, "Okay, that's good to hear then. Let me help you with your registration and uniforms" Paulo said at tinuloy ang pag kuha ng juice.

"Also, bro can you help me with one thing?" sambit ko sa kaniya. He looked at me and smiled, "What is it Jastine?" he asked. "Can you talk to the school if it's alright that Angel and I will be at the same class schedule? I really need her to be with me always" I asked. Ngumiti lang si Paulo and said, "Of course I can do that" ngumiti lang ako sa sagot ni Paulo and si Angel, hindi lang siya umimik. She's just staring at us while we are having the conversation.

After an hour of talking, Paulo decided to go home. He promised that he will help us with the school thing and I don't have to worry about that. We sent Paulo outside and pagkatapos niyang umalis ay pumasok ulit kami sa loob ng bahay. Bago paman ako makapasok sa pintuan, I felt Angel's hand grabbing on my shirt. I slowly turned my head towards her. "Jastine, yung tungkol sa pag-aaral ko at paghinto ko sa trabaho.." I suddenly feel what she wanted to tell me Kaya I smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll cover your school expenses and of course, being with me in school will be your new job"

"Bagong trabaho?" she asked confusely. "Yes, you will be my guardian and I will pay you for your services" biglang nanliwanag ang kaniyang mukha dahil sa sinabi ko. "I think I don't need to elaborate that because you're doing the job since I was a kid" mas lalong lumapad ang ngiti sa kaniyang mukha. "Magkano magiging sahod ko?" maligayang tanong niya sa akin. "Hmmm, I'll pay you 25K per month, is that good enough?" she just stared at the wall for a while na parang nagbibilang and then she smiled and hug me suddenly.

Nagulat ako dahil sa pagyakap niya sa akin. I didn't notice how fast the time passes and I didn't expect that Angel would be this close to me."Siguro magiging madali ang pag-iipon ko nito upang magkaroon ako ng sarili kong bahay" she exclaimed. After she said that, I can't explain why I feel like parang nalungkot ako na darating ang araw na aalis na siya ng bahay. "Are you that happy?" I asked her. Tumango lang siya sabay ngiti sa akin ng malapad.

"By the way, may tanong nga pala ako sa iyo Angel" she stop smiling and look at me seriously. "Ano ang gusto mong itanong?" she asked. "I don't know how to put this, pero hindi ka ba babalik sa pagiging tagabantay?" napayuko siya sa tanong ko. "Hindi ko pa alam kung papaano, pero huwag kang mag-alala Jastine, makakahanap din ako ng paraan" and then she smiled.