"Good thing you decided to see me, my insolent daughter." Dad's greetings when I entered his office. I sat down in front of him, his table was the only thing that keeping us a distance. I shook my head.
"You never change dad." I said disappointingly and he looked at me angrily.
"I never raised you to talk back to me young lady." He pointed at me but I remained unbothered. I'm done with them especially him. For years hinayaan ko sila sa mga gusto nilang gawin sa buhay ko. They were never been a parents to me, they were like masters na kailangan sundin palagi.
"You never raised me." May laman kong sabi na nakapagpatigil sa kaniya. He slowly looked at me with raging madness in his eyes. I don't care anymore.
"I gave you everything and yet you act like I didn't." Tumayo siya sa pagkakaupo at naglakad papunta sa liquor section niya rito sa office. He poured a gin in his glass and drank it straightly. Still the alcoholic father I know.
"You never give me everything, all you do was provide for my basic needs, but you were never a father to me. My yaya's raised me, not you. You were more like a master." I spoke it in full of emotion but in a smooth way. Ayokong sumigaw kahit gusto ko.
"The audacity you have there my daughter. You were a mistake in your mother's eyes so as to mine. You don't deserve our love and care." He said and laughed without humor. I already know it but it still hurts to hear it from them. From him. For years I have yearned love from them but I know they couldn't afford to love me for I am a mistake, that's why they are tied together right now. They had a choice to run away from the obligation pero pinanindigan nila ang pagkakamali at ang bunga ang pinagbuntungan nila ng galit. I never wished to be born.
"Let's stay civil, act like I don't exist and I will act like you don't exist too." I stood up and walked towards the door.
"Now you have the guts to say that since you are richer now than me." Father said so I turned back to him and gave him a devil smile.
"From the very start Father, I am richer than you." I said and walked out.
Nang makarating ako sa parking lot ng building ay agad ko ng pinuntahan ang kotse ko at pumasok. I never expected na kahapon pa talaga nila malalaman ang ugnayan namin ni Kaethrein. It wasn't the right time. I was very afraid that K will leave me. Hindi ko kakayanin.
Now I need to prepare for I know my parents will do something about this. I can give everything they have just so they will let us live peacefully.
I drove now to a familiar road. Napangiti na lang ako habang naalala siya. Umalis ako sa condo niya ng maaga dahil nga pinuntahan ko si Dad. Tulog pa siya noong umalis ako kaya naghanda narin ako ng aalmusalin nila ni Uno. Uno knows how to cook but I like serving them.
Dumaan muna ako sa isang flower shop to buy flowers for Uno and my one and only Kaethrein dahil doon naman ako papunta sa kanila.
I went inside the shop and saw varieties of flowers. But one bouquet piqued my interest and I went closer to it.
"That is a jade bouquet dried and stabilized flowers hija." An old lady came in to my view. Tumabi siya sa akin at sinamahan ako sa pagtitig sa naturang bulaklak na sinabi niya. Ngayon pa lang ako nakakita ng ganitong bulaklak. It is white at ang unang pumasok sa utak ko ay si Kaeth ng mapagmasdan ko ito. It is preserved.
"It's beautiful." I commented and she agreed to what I've said.
"Very, kanino mo ba ibibigay hija?" She asked and transferred her gaze to me.
"Sa magiging nobya ko po." I smiled shyly pero ikinangiti niya iyon. When it comes to Kaeth or just about Kaeth, communicating with other people seems easier for me. I never talked to people that much nor smile at them but I am slowly changing. Unconsciously.
"Bilhin mo na hija, and may your love remain like the flower. It endures the test of time and remain beautiful. May your love be preserved, enduring all the challenges you will meet along the way. And despite the challenges it still blooms beautifully." She tapped my shoulder and went out. I whispered thank you and picked the flowers. I choose tulips for Uno. I hope she will like it.
Matapos magbayad ay dumiretso na agad ako sa condo ni Kaeth. Mabuti na lang at walang masiyadong traffic ngayon dahil alas dies narin ng umaga.
I entered her condo because I have a duplicate key naman. Binigyan niya ako kagabi bago kami natulog. Pagkapasok ko ay nakita ko agad si Uno na nakaupo sa sofa ng living room, watching minecraft.
"Hey, good morning." I greeted her and handed the tulips to her. She looked shock but she reached the flowers.
"Is this for me?" She asked while her eyes glued to the flowers I gave her.
"Yes." Nakangiti kong sagot, malapad naman siyang ngumiti sa akin at tumayo. Nabigla pa nga ako ng yakapin niya ako.
"Thank you Ate!" She said full of joy in her voice. I smiled softly hearing her call me Ate. I hugged her back and gently pat her shoulder.
"You are welcome Uno. Hope you like it." Tumango-tango naman siya sa akin.
"Yes, this is my first time receiving flowers from someone." She looked back at the tulips and sniffed it. I pat her head and gently fixed her hair.
"How about this, I will give you flowers every week." I said na nagpalaki muli sa ngiti niya.
"You are now my favorite person, wag mong sabihin sa kay Kaeth. Malalagot tayo roon." She whispered to me and we both chuckled.
"Speaking of her, where is she?" I looked around but she is nowhere to be found.
"She went to school, may exam daw siya ngayon at babalik siya mamayang lunch. She said she'll buy lunch lang po." Uno's answered and that made me nod.
Nagkwentuhan muna kami bago ako nagpaalam na pupunta na muna sa kwarto ni K. I will just put the flowers there para ma surprise naman siya pagbalik niya.
I entered the room and I put the preserved flowers in her working table in the room. And speaking of surprise, naalala ko tuloy ang dapat kung surpresa para sa kaniya kahapon. Napailing na lang ako sa kinahinatnan ng lahat. May ibang panahon pa naman. Saka ko na lang siguro ipapakita sa kaniya kapag maayos na ang lahat.
Ilang beses na akong nakapunta rito sa kwarto niya pero hindi ko ito masiyadong napagmamasdan. It's her fault kung bakit hindi ako makatingin sa iba kapag nandiyan siya. I wandered my eyes to her room. The vibes of the room is homey despite of having a gray color. It is still warm and welcoming.
May freedom wall siya kaya nilapitan ko ito. There were post it notes na nakadikit doon. Iba't-ibang mga sulat. But one post it note caught my eyes. It was silver. Naiiba sa lahat at ito ay nasa pinakagitna na nakalagay.
"For what is love, if it isn't you." Basa ko sa nakasulat doon and my heart aches. I know I am not the one she's pertaining in that note. Kakasulat niya lang iyon dahil may date na nakalagay sa pinakaiba-iba ng post it note.
I divert my gaze to somewhere else dahil ang sakit sa mata. After months of courting her, siya rin pa pala hanggang ngayon.
"But what is love, if it isn't her." I said to myself and wiped the lone tear that escaped in my eyes.
I will not give up. I will make sure she will collapse into me and I will never let her get up anymore.
BINABASA MO ANG
Implicit of x^2+y^2=9
RomanceA mathematician teacher and a statistician student. Will their love be as complicated like math problems? Will it be hard for them to get the correct solution of their problems? Or it will be easy since they are used to solving complicated ones? Th...
