Elezia

05

It's night time already, we were walking beside the seashore.

"When I was a kid, my mom couldn't understand kung bakit ako naiinggit kay kuya." Panimula ko.

"Bakit ka nga ba naiinggit?" She responded.

"He's their favorite child. 'Di ba normally bunso ang favorite child? But in my case, kahit bunso ako, hindi ako yung paborito." Napatungo ako habang nagkukwento.

"I do understand you, Hoon. What matters is at least you have your parents and they didn't abandon you. They still tried to raise you after all." Nginitian niya ako. It didn't sound right to me, as if I'm getting invalidated.

"I get it, but maybe it's better kung inabandon na lang nila ko. Every day, my dad pisses me off. Last time, he wanted me to shift courses. I'm fucking 3rd year turning into 4th. Puro na lang problema dumadating sa buhay ko." Wala sa sarili kong sinabi kay Zia.

"Just tell him what you feel and that you really want psychology." She's trying to give me advices.

"He can't understand me kahit anong sabihin ko, okay? Even my mom couldn't understand me when she was alive. Tangina no one can!" I'm suddenly blurting out all the suppressed anger from the past weeks.

"When you don't have anyone to understand you, I will." She said in her soft tone.

"What do you know? You're living the best life. You wouldn't understand what it's like."

Napahinto siya sa paglakad at lumingon, she didn't answer. Ngumiti lang siya nang tipid.

She just looked down and continued walking. Ito yung unang beses na nanahimik siya nang ganto katagal. My heart felt heavy and I felt guilty for saying that. Napag-buhusan ko siya ng galit...

"Tara balik na ta-"
Hindi na natuloy ni Zia ang sasabihin niya nang yakapin ko siya nang mahigpit. I don't know but my body moved itself. I was so embarrassed but I felt a sigh on my shoulder.

"Ano ka ba" She chuckled and tapped my back. Aalis na dapat siya mula sa pagkakayakap but I didn't let her go. She had no choice but to accept my hug.

"I'm sorry, wala ako sa sarili ngayon." I said.

"It's okay, I understand you." She then wrapped her arms around me. I'm so grateful that I met someone like Zia. Buong buhay ko ay sa kanya ko lang 'to naramdaman.

When I'm with her, I am no longer hidden under someone's shadow. She sees me for who I am and accepts me despite seeing my pain and flaws.

My heart was beating too fast, and I could feel hers too. I could hear the waves and the crackling sound of the bonfire near us. It was very calming and peaceful; that moment felt like forever.

That's the moment I knew I loved her. I love Elezia.

We spent the whole night laughing and talking about life. We already wrote our message on our big tree.

"Can I read?" I asked Elezia kung pwede kong basahin ang isinulat niyang message sa puno.

"No! 'Di muna pwede! Read this next year bawal muna ngayon." She covered it. Lagi na lang niya ayaw ipabasa agad ang message niya, siguro ay nahihiya siya.

"Ako, pabasa nung sa'yo." She approached me, grinning.

"No! Next year na lang." I sticked my tongue out. Pang-gagaya at pang-aasar ko sa kanya. She pouted and we laughed afterwards.

"Pero seryoso, next year na lang." Pag-uulit ko.

Ngumiti lang ulit siya nang tipid.

"Po?! Wala po bang available na magkahiwalay na rooms?" She asked in panic nang sabihin ng receptionist na isang room lang ang available for tonight sa beach. I guess we have no choice but to share a room together for tonight. Sa mga nakaraang taon ay palagi talaga kami magkahiwalay ng room.

"Sorry po Ma'am full na po kasi talaga. Dalawa naman po ang beds, Ma'am." Sagot ng receptionist.

"Don't worry, hindi kita lalapitan kung uncomfortable ka." I reassured her. Nagpapanic kasi siya but at the same time she was also blushing.

"Sige na nga. Sige po miss salamat po!" Pagpapaalam niya sa receptionist.

We were walking on the way to our room. Nakabuntot lang ako sa likod niya with my hands inside my pocket habang siya naman ay nakakunot ang noo at nakakamot sa ulo. "Kasalanan ko 'to, hindi kasi ako nakapag pareserve. Palagi naman kasi tayong walk-in at nagiging okay naman every time."

Pinipigilan kong matawa dahil para siyang batang nagrereklamo at kanina pa din siyang parang kamatis sa sobrang pula.

"H-hoy! Ito ang linya ha! Bawal ka lumagpas!" Hindi ko mapigilang matawa nang guhitan niya ng whiteboard marker ang sahig namin between my bed and her bed.

Nakapantulog na kami. I was wearing a black silk terno pajamas, while Elezia was wearing the same but hers are pink. Nakasuot din siya ng bunny headband dahil nag skincare siya at kulay green pa ang mukha niya dahil sa facemask niya. Mukha tuloy siyang Shrek.

"Bakit ka naman may dalang whiteboard marker? May dala ka pa ibang school supplies. May art contest ba tayo, Elezia?" Pang-aasar ko sa kanya.

"Lah! Ito kaya ginamit natin pangsulat kanina sa plates! Tanda mo na Lolo Hoon, makakalimutin ka na!" Sagot naman niya kaya lalo akong natawa. Bumalik na ang mataas niyang energy.

"Aba teka, bakit nasa side mo ang cr? Paano ako mag c-cr?" Tanong ko sa kanya kaya naman natawa siya.

"Diyan ka na lang! Bilhan kita arinola." Pang-aasar niya pabalik sa'kin.

"At least I got three pillows, isa lang sayo." I sticked my tongue out para makaganti. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she threw me her pillow dahil pikon na siya.

"Uy! Apat na unan ko, thank you!" Tuloy-tuloy lang ang pang-aasar ko.

"Hoon!!!" Pikon na pikon na si Zia kaya ang sakit na ng tiyan ko kakatawa. Inatake na niya ko ng hampas ng unan. We ran around our room dahil hinahabol niya ko ng unan.

"Help! Hinahabol ako ng mini Shrek!" Lumakas ang tawa naming dalawa, hanggang sa napagod na kami and we rested on our beds. Maya-maya pa ay nakatulog na kami.

I woke up in the middle of the night because I felt someone's presence in my bed. I saw Elezia; her hand was brushing my hair. I was half asleep, and I couldn't move or fully wake up, but I saw her crying. I'm very sure I saw her crying. I couldn't wake up dahil sa pagod so I just asked her in the morning.

"Nagising ka ba kagabi?" I asked her while packing my things dahil pauwi na ko ng Manila.

"No, mahimbing nga tulog ko eh." She answered while brushing her hair.

"I'm very sure I saw you crying last night." I told her.

"Baka nananaginip ka lang, lakas mo nga humilik." Natawa naman siya kaya natawa na din ako. Maybe panaginip nga lang 'yon dahil hindi naman gaano nagreact si Zia sa sinabi ko.

Later on, I received an urgent call from dad, that's why nauna na akong umalis sa beach. Sinagot ko ang tawag ni dad while driving.