The Queen

00

"Why are you crying?" asked a girlish voice. I looked up to see a pale girl with long, red hair. She's wearing a black dress and school black shoes.

"W-Who are you?" balik kong tanong. Tinitigan niya ako bago siya umupo sa tabi ko.

"I asked you first, di'ba?" sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin. "Why are you crying?"

Humigpit ang pagkakayakap ko sa aking binti at ibinaling ang tingin sa mga ito. I felt the tears trying to escape my eyes once again at wala akong ginawa upang pigilan ito.

"My mom died.." I whispered quietly, trying not to let out a sob. Walang imik ang batang babae na nasa tabi ko. Ilang minuto kaming tahimik at pinagmamasdan ang bayan mula dito sa taas ng burol nang magsalita siya.

"My mom died too.." sagot din niya. "She left me alone just a month ago"

Napatingin ako sa kaniya at nakatingin rin siya sa akin. I just realized that she also has dull green eyes. It was mesmerising, to say the least.

"L-left you... alone? Saan siya pumunta?" I asked and her expression remained the same. Stoic.

"I don't know.. My grandma said that she's going somewhere beautiful and peaceful"

"Ganun din ang sabi ni daddy e.. He said mom is going to a place where she could rest" sagot ko ng bahagyang nakangiti. "But you said alone... Wala ka bang papa?"

"I have one. But he's not my father anymore after he brought home his mistress and his illegitimate child"

"H-ha?"

"Bingi ka ba? I said I have a father. Pero hindi ko na siya itinuturing na papa simula ng iuwi niya yung ibang pamilya niya sa bahay namin." May halong galit ang tono niya. But what caught me off guard was the tears forming at the side of her eyes. "He brought home his other wife and child just right after my mom's funeral. It didn't even take him a week to marry his mistress!"

Wala akong masabi na kahit ano. I don't know what to say dahil hindi ko maimagine ang nararamdaman niya. My dad and my mom never had a fight simula pa noon. They always talk with each other so they rarely have a fight. My dad is loyal to my mom. Always.

Kaya noong nalaman niya that mom died due to an accident, he almost killed himself. He didn't take care of himself; he almost forgot na nandito pa kami ng kapatid ko. During my mom's burial, my dad never uttered a word. Ngunit nang ilibing na si mommy, tsaka lamang siya parang bumalik sa sarili niya at umiyak ng umiyak sa puntod ni mommy.

"S-sorry to hear that" tanging nasabi ko na lamang.

"Why are you saying sorry? Ikaw ba papa ko?" 

"No... but I feel sorry for you! You don't have your mom anymore tapos... your dad has another woman. Sinong mag-aalaga sa'yo?" depensa ko sa sarili ko. Sinamaan naman niya ako ng tingin.

"Si lolo at lola ko!" sagot niya. "Kaya nga nandito ako e kasi isinama na nila ako. Bahala na daw si papa at ang kabit niya, pati yung anak nila"

"Ah... ok"

"You, who will take care of you ngayong wala ka na ring mama?"

"Sino pa ba edi si daddy" sagot ko. "He promised to take care of me and my sister kahit na wala na si mommy!"

Tinitigan na lamang niya ako bago bumalik ang tingin sa tanawin. I cannot help myself but stare at her. It's unusual for someone to have red hair and green eyes, don't they?

"Ikaw... bakit ganyan buhok mo?"

"Anong meron sa buhok ko?"

"Why is it the color red? Don't we usually have black hair?"

She squinted her eyes at me. "So what if I have red hair? It's unique! 1-2% lang sa mundo ang may ganitong kulay ng hair!" 

"You're right, it's quite unique. It stands out" ngiti ko. "But you also have green eyes. Rare din yan e!"

"I got my looks from my dad. Marami ang nagsasabi na kamukhang kamukha ko si papa at nakuha ko ang genes ng family nila" she answered. "But I got my prettiness from my mom!"

"Wala naman akong sinabing maganda ka ah.. I only asked why your hair and eye color are like that"

Bumusangot siya at pinaghahampas ako sa braso.

"Don't you know na dapat hindi mo sinasabi sa isang babae na they're not pretty!? It's offensive sa feelings namin at nagiging self conscious kami!"

"Ah! Aray! Aray! Oo na!" sigaw ko habang patuloy ang paghampas niya sa akin. "I didn't meant to offend you I just clarified it kasi baka ma-misunderstood mo yung pagkamangha ko sa unique traits mo!"

"You just made it even worse!" sigaw niya at mas lalong lumakas ang paghampas niya. I was left with no choice but to stand up and run away but she chased after me down the hill.