Fruitcake Sanctuary (GL)

Chapter Twenty Four

Sino ba ko para mag-isip na ang buhay ko ay magiging ganun ka esakto sa paraang inaasahan ko?

Ilang tao ba ang maswerte para magkaroon ng takbo ng buhay na naaayon sa kagustuhan nila? May iba pa ba?

Siguro may iba diyan na naging maswerte talaga, pero sa karamihan katulad ko hindi nagkaroon ng pagkakataon.

Either way I look at it, either way I choose...I will lose. I will not be coming out of this unscathed. Ito ay imposible. But on the other hand, either way, I win, too.

Life is funny that way. It's always taking, but then it's always giving back as well. Sometimes, I have to look more closely to find the blessings, but when I quiet the fury and pity surrounding me, I can always find the light.

--- P

***

"Candice,"

Lumapit ako sa kanya at out of nowher, hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at pinaikot saka napasandal ang likod ko sa katawan niya.

Napatingala naman ako sa mukha niya. All I could see were her chinky eyes dancing with joy.

Her face was flushed with delight. She smile and her lips were red because of the weather.

Nang bitawan niya ko ay agad siyang napalingon sakin. She laughed heartily.

It was a gentle sound.

Melodic. Calming.

Naalala ko ng may nabasa ako kung saan na ang mga pipi, who lost their vocal cords couldn't laugh. Pero naririnig kong may boses ito.

I disregarded the thought and just let myself enjoy the moment. Like a deep river, washing over a path of stones. I joined her in her open delight.

Sumayaw naman kami like a mentally crazed freaks na parang kami lang ang tao sa mundo. It was all enjoying because I was with her. It was at that moment that I realize na masayahing tao pala talaga si Candice.

May bigla naman akong naalala.

"Candice picture tayo" Sabi ko at tinuro ang camera niya.

Tumango naman ito.

We took endless pictures together. From sticking our tongues out, wacky, to me watching her smile kung saan lumilitaw ang dimples niya. Truthfully, I looked quite creepy.

"Isa pa!"

Binigay ko sa kanya ang camera, so she could capture the moment. I put my arms around her neck and planted a kiss on her cheek. It seemed na okay lang naman na gawin ko yun di ba?

Magkaibigan naman kami di ba? Her cheeks became a little red, at napayuko naman ito. Nagtaka naman ako at napangiti, was she blushing?

"Aww" I cooed, "Candy is shy," Tukso ko sabay takbo. That seemed to get her back. Hinabol niya ko, at mas mabilis pa pala tong tumakbo kaysa sakin. Taken aback, I suddenly stopped moving.

But that didn't seem to stop her, she came at me and attacked me. Our weight was too much, we both lost balance. We ended up sitting on the grass. I giggled at ngumiti sa kanya saka napasiksik sa leeg niya. Napatingin naman ako sa itsura niya.

Ang cute talaga ng babaeng to.

Her eyes were observing me. Napatingin naman ako at napatitig sa mga mata niya. Bigla ay nakaramdam ako ng pangungulila, pumasok bigla sa isip ko ang mga matang una kong minahal at ang imahe ng taong nagmamaya-ari nun.