ANG BAHAY AMPUNAN NI ALENG CARMILITA

-CHAPTER 6-

"anak kamusta ka?, Anong nararamdaman mo?" A woman asked. My mother...

Anong ginagawa nila rito sa Bahay Ampunan?? Am I even in bahay Ampunan?

May dalawang taong nakadungaw sa harapan ko, my mom and dad.
I can't see them clearly because my sight was quite blurry. What is happening??

"Ma, pa..." Mahinang tawag ko sakanila but then my eyes closed, at ng imulat ko ito ulit ay ibang tao na ang nakita ko. Am I dreaming??

"Gising na Siya!," the girl in front of me shouted, and in second, another teenager appeared in front of me.

Nakahiga ako sa kama, sa kama ko... Nasa Bahay Ampunan nga ako.

I can't feel anything other than headache. What the hell, saan ba kasi galing yong kawali nayon??

Tatayo sana ako pero pinigilan nila ako, medjo nanlalabo pa ang paningin ko dahil sa hilo na nararamdaman ko.

"Si-sino kayo?" I reluctantly asked. Clueless who I was talking too.

"Mga housemates mo kami teh!, Nako pasensya ka na sorry talaga," the girl said worriedly. Was she apologizing?

"Huh? Bakit ka nag sorry?" I asked.
Napakamot ito sa ulo.

"Uh ano... Ako kasi yung dahilan kung bakit ka nakahiga Jan Ngayon hehe," nahihiyang sabi nito. "What do you mean?"

"Ako Yung humampas sayo ng frying pan..." She timidly said, she then grabbed my hand and placed it on her chest, "I'm really sorry, kala ko akyat bahay ka, sorry talaga, I'll make it up to you, I'll be your slave for 1 week!" Sabi nito. Her voice sounds very determined.

Napatawa ako ng bahagya sa mga sinasabi niya, she's cute haha.

"It's okay, no worries, mukha naman ata talaga akong akyat bahay," saad ko rito habang tinuturo ang suot kong hoodie na itim. Akyat Bahay outfit check.

The girl laughed then sighed, she then shaked my hand, "I'm Michelle by the way." She introduced herself, "You probably know my name dahil nakapaskil ito sa labas ng room ko," dagdag pa nito na tinanguan ko lang.

"I'm Chandelier, just call me chandy," pagpapakilala ko rin. Her happy face was replaced by questioning face. Okay, alam ko na kung bakit...

"Chandelier, as in, yung nasa kisame?" She asked. Bewildered.
Sabi ko na nga eh, I'm really tired of this! Lagi nalang talaga pag nagpapakilala ako.

I nodded. I'm not in the mood to explain why my name is chandelier.

"Here, have some water," the guy said, holding a glass of water.

Michelle assisted me to sit, then the guy gave me the water. "Thanks," I said before drinking the water.

"No problem, ang OA kasi nitong si Michelle, yan tuloy muntik makayataps ng tao," pang aasar nito kay Michelle dahilan para masampal siya nito sa balikat. "Aray," daing ng lalaki.

The guy...he sounds so familiar...

"What's your name?" Taas kilay kong tanong sa lalaking hinihimas ang balikat niya dahil sa sakit ng pagkakasampal ni Michelle.

"Alam kong pogi ako, pero I'm not available -"

"Ano nga?!," i yelled at him. Pesteng taong toh nagtatanong nang maayos, nagagawa pang magbiro.

"Marco, Marco Domingo," he replied. Marco Domingo... Marco Domingo.... Marco...marco!!!

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at nabuhayan ako ng dugo ng mapagtanto ko kung sino ang lalaking kausap ko.

"Marco, omygosh!!!," masayang sabi ko. Walang ano man ay napatayo ako at niyakap siya, tila ba nawala ang sakit nanararamdmaan ko.

He hugged me as well pero ramdam ko ang kaniyang pagdadalawang isip at pagtataka. Ganon rin si Michelle na natulala sa inaakto ko.

"Do we know each other?...uhm...," he asked. Unclearly.

"Bro ako toh!!!, your kababata!! chandelier!!, a.k.a kandila!"
I blissfully answered.

Marco and i were neighbors when we were around 7 years old.
Pareho kaming batang langsangan, mahilig kaming maglaro sa labas and tinatawag nga nila akong kandila dahil hilig ko ang ilabas ang dila ko and kandila also produce light, like chandelier.

Sandaling napaisip si Marco pero hindi kalaunan ay naalala niya narin ako. He hugged me back, like super!

"Chandelier ikaw nga!, yawa ka! tagal nating hindi nagkita, kamusta ka??," Aniya.

"Okay lang ako, it's really good to see you tol. Hindi ko inaasahang dito pa kita makikita ulit," i said. A tear dropped from my eyes.

Marco and i are indeed best friends na hindi mapaghiwalay, not until his family decided to move out, hindi niya rin sinabi sa'kin kung san sila lumipat. We were too young to know more information about ourselves, puro lang laro. Kung hindi ko pa nabasa sa I'd niya noon yong Domingo niya na apelyedo, hindi ko pa talaga malalaman na yon ang apelyedo niya.

Nagpatuloy ang pagkakamustahan naming dalawa, i miss having chitchats with this idiot. Hindi namin namalayan na may kasama pa pala kami na tahimik lang sa tabi ko, si Michelle.

"Manahimik kana muna!, may kasama tayo oh, naleleft out na!," sermon ko kay Marco na mauubusan na ng hininga kakatawa.

Michelle smiled at me, "okay lang, it's really pleasing to see you guys meet each other again. Nakakainggit!," aniya. Her voice sounds cheerful yet her eyes expresses desolation.

"Bakit Michelle? May gusto ka rin bang makita ulit?" Marco asked, that made Michelle look at him. She nodded.

"My sister, pero wala nakong chance makita pa siyang muli," Aniya bago napayukom. She sounds despondent.

"Bakit naman?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.

"She passed away, days ago..." Tugon nito sa'kin ng hindi ako hinaharap.

The ecstatic that i was feeling dahil finally, nagkita kami ng old bestfriend ko was replaced by compassion, sympathy, and concern kay Michelle.

She greeted me earlier as if she doesn't know the word unhappiness. But now, i can see that sadness lost its control through her eyes, she was crying unstoppable.