Our Fleeting Dreams

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Real

"Do I look like an imagination to you, Brea?" he asked me.

Bigla akong napa-isip. Eos Draco Sy. His name is unique. He's living here in another world where he's alone. Ayun nga lang, malabong siya'y totoo.

Siguro baliw ako kapag sinabi kong totoo siya. He's perfect but mysterious. Hindi ko kilala ang buong pagkatao niya. I cannot even tell if I trust him or not. But there's one thing that I must say— he makes me comfortable whenever I'm with him.

Parang sa tuwing makikita ko siya, nagiging comfort zone ko na si Eos. He's there when I'm in pain and in trouble. He wants to hear my side and thoughts. He's making my feelings valid. Kung bibigyan ako ng pagkakataon na humiling ng isang bagay, I would wish that Eos is real. I wanna be with him in the real world. Mas naiintindihan niya ako kaysa sa mga taong nakapaligid sa akin.

Nagkibit-balikat ako sa tanong niya. "I cannot answer that. That is hard... and I don't even know the answer."

Tumango siya at hindi na ulit nagsalita. Parehas kaming nakatingin sa paligid na naghihintay sa wala.

"Eos, bakit walang mga tao rito? Why is this world even exist?" I broke up the silence.

"Even if there's no one up here, you can call this a home. There's a reason why people disappear in this place," aniya.

"So mayroong mga taong namumuhay talaga rito? Where are they now? At bakit ikaw na lang ang natitira?"

He sighed. "I don't know. Believe me, Brea, we tried hard to find the answer, but unlucky it's too hard to figure it."

"We? Ibig sabihin hindi lang ikaw? Are there any people here besides you?"

He just looked at me and smiled. "One day, Brea, your questions will get answered. Maghintay ka lang at alam kong sasabihin din niya."

"Brea? Kain na tayong lunch!"

Nagising ako sa katok ni Mommy sa aking kwarto. Kinapa ko ang aking cellphone sa table sa gilid ng kama at tiningnan ang oras. It's 12:30 pm and my stomach is growling.

"Coming, Mom!" sabi ko.

I suddenly realized my dream. Why does everytime I sleep, I always dream about Eos? What's so special about him?

"Do I look like an imagination to you, Brea?"

That question flashed in my mind. Right. Hindi siya totoo. Isa lamang siyang imahinasyon, isang panaginip na malabong mangyari.

I really want him to be real. Eos, why are you making my heart race so fast even though you're not real?

"Hay nako, Brea! Ano-ano ba 'yang iniisip mo?! Baliw ka na ba? Hindi nga totoo si Eos, ano ba!" Sinampal-sampal ko na ang sarili ko.

"Ate, sino si Eos?" Nagulat ako bigla nang pumasok si Skye sa aking kwarto.

"Anak ng pating, Skye!" gulat kong sinabi. "Geez, can you please knock?"

"Bakit mo ba kasi kinakausap sarili mo? Baliw ka na ba, Ate?"

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Shut up."

"We're going to eat na kasi. Kulang ka lang sa kain, Ate, kaya kung ano-ano iniisip mo," aniya at sinarado ang pintuan ng aking kwarto.

Naramdaman ko ulit ang tyan kong tumutunog na sa gutom. Okay, fine, eto na! Bumaba na ako nang hagdan at naabutan ko silang kumakain na. Umupo ako sa upuan malapit kay Skye.

"Why you took so long, anak?" Dad asked while eating.

Sumandok ako ng kanin at sinagot ang tanong niya. "Nag-ayos lang ako, Dad."

"Weh, I heard you talking to yourself—" Natigil si Skye nang isubo ko sa kaniya ang fruit salad.

"Hey, I just started eating the main course! It's not even dessert yet!" bulyaw niya sa akin.

"Oh sorry," ganti ko.

Umirap siya sa akin at gayon din ako. I started eating the pork tonkatsu that Mom made. I really like Japanese food, it gives me pure happiness.

"Papasok ka na ba sa school bukas, Skye? I heard there's a problem going around your classroom," Mom asked.

Problem? Catholic school kasi ang pinapasukan ni Skye, walang gaanong issue roon sapagkat ang mga estudyante ay tapat at maaasahan.

"Yeah, it's actually sad though. My classmate found out that she's adopted."

Napatingin ako kay Mommy. Bakas sa mukha niya ang gulat. Patuloy pa rin si Skye sa pagkukwento sa nangyari.

"She overheard his father talking about our principal. Nagwala siya sa principal's office yelling to his father," he added.

"Bakit naman sasabihin ng tatay niya 'yon sa principal? Isn't that suppose to be confidencial?" tanong ko.

"Her mother is our principal. Kokonti lamang kaming may alam no'n but after that incident, the news spread hanggang sa college building."

"That's tough, I hope she's alright," sinabi kong muli.

"That's enough," sabi ni Mommy na hindi ko maintindihan.

"Yeah, she's kinda pretty pa naman."

"I said, that's enough!" Nagulat kami pareho sa lakas ng boses ni Mommy.

Dad calmed her down pero umalis si Mommy sa dining table. Nagkatinginan kami ni Skye sa biglaang pangyayari. I never saw Mom raise her voice. She always talk to us with a calm tone kapag mayroong problema, but this time I think it reached her limit.

"Dad, what happened to Mom?" tanong ko.

"I'm gonna check on her, kumain lang kayo d'yan," he said and left us two.

"Ate, is there any problem sa sinabi ko?" naguguluhang sinabi ni Skye.

Umiling agad ako. Walang kasalanan si Skye at ayaw kong sisihin niya ang sarili niya.

"No, Skye, Mom probably got emotional. Kumain ka lang d'yan."

"Where are you going?" tanong niya nang makita akong tumayo.

"Kakausapin ko lang sila. Stay there, just eat," I said.

Umalis ako sa dining table at umakyat ng hagdan. Hindi ko maiwasang mag-isip ng kung ano-ano. Bakit magre-react ng gano'n si Mommy? We never say anything sensitive. We're just talking about that girl, for how she became adopted.

Mas kinabahan ako lalo nang narinig ko silang nag-uusap. They're talking about something that I must not hear.

"Hey, calm down, Reina," I heard Dad's voice.

"Sorry, I can't help it. I don't wanna react in that way but I just can't help it." Nabasag ang boses ni Mommy dahil humihikbi siya.

"What if Brea found out?" she asked.

Found out what?

"I know that she'll accept it, Reina. Brea is strong just like you."

"Even if I'm not her real father, pinaramdam ko sa kaniya ang pagiging isang tatay. She'll forever be my daughter and my Celeste," Dad added.

Unti-onting namuo ang luha ko at umagos ito na parang rumaragasang tubig sa ilog. Please I hope I'm just dreaming right now. Hindi p'wedeng totoo ang sinabi ng matandang manghuhula. Hindi p'wedeng anak ako ng iba.

"Really, is that true, Dad?" Nagpakita ako sa kanila.

"B-brea..." Mas lalong umiyak si Mommy.

"Mom, Dad, tell me the truth! Am I not your daughter, Dad?" sigaw ko.