Procure
I couldn't help but to keep smiling the whole day. Ilang araw na simula noong kaarawan ko. Agad bumalik sila mommy sa Maynila dahil sa trabaho. Pagkatapos ay lilipad sila pa-Europe. Ngayon lang ako masaya na wala sila. O dahil baka matagal tagal silang uuwi at walang magsusuway sa akin. Hindi ko maiwasan mangingiti dahil pupunta ako ngayon sa dulo ng Glan. Napansin narin ng mga kasambahay ang galaw ko kaya nangingiti narin sila.
"Saan ang punta, hija?" isa sa mga kasambahay.
Ngumiti ako at niyakap siya. "Lalabas lang ako saglit, manang."
Nangingiti ito at agad nang tumango. Mabuti at hindi na nag-usisa. Nakasuot ako ng jeans at white top nang huminto ako sa harap ng bahay ni Altaro. Nandito ako netong mga nakaraang araw. Hindi parin mawala ang excitement na nararamdam kapag nakikita ko na ang fences niya. Mabuti at weekend, at may dalawang araw ako para pumunta rito.
Pagkapasok ko ay agad kong nakita si Altaro. He was laying down on a hammock chair while painting on a canvas. Agad na binaba ang hawak nang makita niya ako. His brows raised and a small crept of smile was on his lips.
Agad akong dumalo sa kan'ya at tinignan ang pinipinta niya. I saw a lines and numbers behind. He's obviously trying to draw a house. Hindi nga lang tapos.
"How's your school?" Tanong niya.
Tumango ako. "Ayos lang. Nothings new, wala ka roon, e." Nakangiti ako at hindi parin naaalis ang mga mata sa canvas.
Naramdaman ko ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa chin ko. He then turned my face to face him. He looked serious now. "I don't like it when you're facing away while I'm talking to you."
I removed his hands and laughed it away. "I'm sorry." Tinapunan ko ng tingin ang pinipinta niya bago binalik agad sa kan'ya. "Para saan?"
Sinundan niya iyon. "It's for my 20th project. I'm planning to draw a house and an underground." His face was serious while explaining. Tinuro niya sa canvas ang isang space sa gilid ng bahay. "Here, I'll put some garage and cars here."
"What about the entrance of the underground?" I asked curiously and glance at him.
He licked his lips and point the garage on the canvas. He grabbed his pen and marked it. "I'll put the door here."
Naguguluhan akong tumingin sa kan'ya. Nagtataka ako kung bakit doon ang entrance. "Hindi ba dapat sa loob mismo nang bahay ang entrance para sa madali lang makapasok sa underground? What's the purpose of it if sa labas?"
Altaro glanced at me. "The house was owned by a parliamentarian. Mostly, the entrance of an underground was visible to some. You can find them inside houses—behind bookshelves, under the tables or a visible door. But here, we're talking about a safe way incase of emergency to save the life of the owner. They are prone to accidents, mostly, pinapasok ang bahay nila midnight. The best way to hide the underground is to put the entrance on a place where no one could find it."
I slowly nodded after realizing his point. He's too smart and wise. "You're so smart. This would never cross to my mind. I admired you, really. But this—where did you get those ideas?"
He put the pen down and put his hands at the back of his head. He laid his back on the hammock chair and looked at me. His growing muscles were now visible. I once saw him working out. "I was trained when I was little."
Tumango ako. Dahil sa narinig, hindi ko maiwasang hindi isipin ang kan'yang pamilya. He told me he was trained, but for some reason, why would he? What's his parents doing? Where are they?
As much as I would like to ask him, pinigilan ko ang sarili ko. I'll let the time knows. Sasabihin niya kung gusto niya. Beside, Altaro is smart. He'll figure this out.
BINABASA MO ANG
Before Sunrise (Scenery Series #2)
Romance"If we had never met, it would have saved us both some grief," she hissed, her voice laced with a bitterness that chilled the air. Chekaia Fluer Mercado, a woman whose wealth had insulated her from true hardship, now found herself drowning in a sea...