Plagiarism Is Not A Crime

PINAC 11

/AEIOUS/

Sinenyasan ako ni Tito Henry na unti-unting pinapalayo ang media sa hidden entrace ng Prime, he's definitely the main target of reporters today. Lumabas ako na parang walang nangyari, dala-dala ang dalawang bote ng beer.

Plano kong umuwi ng bahay pero tumigil ako sa paglalakad nang makita si Solace na may binabasa sa cellphone n'ya. I went straight to her place and sat down in the other bench.

I placed the other beer on the table between us. "Beer?"

Napatunghay si Solace at halata sa kanya ang pagkagulat. She even looked at her phone and at me alternately. Parang baliw talaga.

"Aeious?"

Kumunot ang noo ko at binuksan ang beer na para sa kaniya. "Huwag mo akong susukahan kung ayaw mong tanggalin kita."

Agad naman s'yang nabalik sa wisyo at tinanggap ang beer. "Napakabossy mo naman! Kaya nangyayari sa'yo 'to eh," she uttered.

I raised my brow. Tapos ay napatakip s'ya ng bibig at mukhang nagsisisi sa sinabi niya.

"Sorry, sinasadya," she added.

Hindi ko na s'ya pinansin at ininom ang beer ko.

Way back high school, Elvis and I were best friends. Field n'ya ang writing at madalas n'yang nababanggit sa'kin ang mga literary pieces na nagagawa niya. He even asked me to read his unfinished first novel, the book that we both released. Naaalala ko pa kung paanong araw-araw s'yang excited kapag may bago s'yang plot na idadagdag sa novel. I can clearly see the sparks in his eyes. Ramdam ko rin ang nagaalab niyang damdamin sa pagsusulat.

Pero hindi ako kagaya niya. But the way he narrated his novel, that's were it started. Nagsimula na akong umuwi sa bahay na iniisip ang magandang ending sa storya ng tatlong sundalo. I was a fan of tragic movies. Sinabi ko sa sarili kong balang-araw makakapagsulat din ako ng istoryang tatatak sa lahat ng makakabasa nito, kung paano tumatak sa akin ang bawat linya ng mga pelikulang napanood ko.

I became a writer because I want to hurt people. Just like what the scriptwriters did to my younger self. I became a writer and it didn't start when I was born. It started because of Elvis and his passion.

Sa huling lunok ko ng beer ay muntik ko nang mapiyaot ang lata nito. I sighed. I just realized that I... I can't lose my fame. I can't lose what I have now. The love, popularity, and support from the friends I never knew I'll be friends with... I can't lose them all at once.

Because life made me feel like I'm a superior for the past years. And that feeling... is something I prayed for when I was a child.

I heard Solace laugh. Mukhang may tama na ito at parang baliw na kakahalakhak. She's watching something in her phone while holding her beer on the other hand.

"Tumawa ka lang nang tumawa, pero kung susuka ka, umalis ka na," I said in a warning tone.

She immediately changed her face in a serious one. "KJ mo."

Silence.

I heard her gulped. Tinapon n'ya sa malapit na basurahan ang beer na naubos n'ya na. Then she went back to her seat.

I just stared in the sky.

"Uh—alam mo, kaya ko mag-stay dito hanggang sa gusto mo na mag-open," nahihiya n'yang sabi habang nakaiwas ng tingin sa'kin.

"Mag-open? Alam mo na?"

So, she really knows about me and Elvis?

She then looked at me intently. "Oo! Mag-open! Alam ko namang may rason ka bakit nangyari 'yun. Kaya kahit masama ka sa iba, pwes sa akin hindi."

I smirked. "Lasing ka ba?"

"Alam mo kasi ang problema sayo? Sinasarili mo lang. Kung alam ko lang na susundan mo ko, edi sana nag-ready na 'ko ng alak! Shot ta'yo ganun! Ilabas mo lahat ng side mo, no judgement, promise," she said and even raised her hand as if promising.

"Sinong may sabing sinundan kita?" Inis akong tumingin sa kaniya.

She irritates me as hell, but hearing her accepting me as myself is the best thing I've ever heard from her.

Ngumisi s'ya. "Sinundan mo 'ko, period."

"Psh."

"Alam mo tagal mo mag-open, bili pa ba ko ng alak para masabi mo nasa loob mo? Sige ka, baka sumabog 'yan."

"Why are you so concern about my thoughts?"

She rolled her eyes. "Wala lang."

"Anong wala lang?"

"Alam mo naman 'di ba?"

Anong alam ko raw? Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi n'ya.

Tumawa s'ya. "Joke, wala... Basta... kaya mo 'yan. Hindi mababawasan 'yung pagtingala ko sa'yo bilang manunulat, kahit na anong maging tingin nila sa'yo."

Napatango na lang ako habang nakatingin ng mariin sa kan'ya.

Nagsalita muli s'ya, "pero sana... pag ako naman 'yung ijudge ng iba, may tao pa ring hindi magbabago 'yung tingin sa'kin."

"I surely will."

Nang marinig niya ang sagot ko ay napatingin s'ya sa'kin. I noticed her cheeks went red, dahilan para umiwas ako ng tingin.

"C'mon, face them! Maging responsable ka sa kasalanan mo!" she joked.

I glared at her. "Kasalanan ko? Akala ko ba—"

Tumawa s'ya. "Kidding! Pero kailangan mo silang harapin, just for the best."

Tipid akong ngumiti. Yeah, I should face them. As well as face the consequences.