Chasing the Wild Waves (Student Series #1)

Kabanata 50

Walang umimik habang kumakain ang lahat. I was silently eating my food. I lost my appetite because of what happened earlier, although I don't want his mother to think that I don't like the foods she cooked. Masarap naman iyong luto, kaso wala nga lang akong ganang kumain. Ayos lang din kung kaunti lang ang kakainin ko dahil kumain naman ako sa bahay bago kami umalis.
 
"Mom, ipahugas mo na lang ang mga plato kay.." Rachel gazed at me as she paused. "What's your name again?"
 
Nagulat ako roon, pero agad ding nakabawi. "U-Uh.. Euxine Carolina Scarlet.. you can just call me Yuna for short."
 
She rolled her eyes and turned her eyes back to her mother. "Kay Yuna, mom."
 
"Ano?" Ryder suddenly butted in. "Ako na ang maghuhugas ng mga plato."
 
Never in my entire life have I done that thing. I don't know how to wash dishes, and I don't know about household shores, even the simple ones. I don't know about it. Hindi naman ako naglilinis sa bahay, hindi rin nagtutupi ng damit. Kahit iyong tinulugan ko ay 'yong mga katulong ang gumagawa niyon para sa akin. Mom and dad never let me do those household chores. They spoiled me too much.
 
"Bakit, kuya? Iyang asawa mo? Hindi ba marunong maghugas ng plato?" I can hear sarcasm in Rachel's voice. "Simpleng paghuhugas lang baka 'di niya pa alam?"
 
"She doesn't do that, Rachel," si Ryder.
 
"Ano? Kuya, hindi 'yan puwede rito sa bahay!" maarteng sabi ng kapatid niya. "She has to do household chores. Ano na lang gagawin niya? Tutunganga na lang, ha?"
 
"Ako na ang manghuhugas, Rachel, kung iyan ang problema mo," naiinis na sabi ni Ryder.
 
"Ikaw? Maghuhugas? Kuya, ang sipag-sipag mo at ang talino mo, and then.. you'll settle for less?"
 
Ryder glared at her. "One more word from you, Rachel."
 
"Bakit ano? Kalilimutan mong kapatid mo ako nang dahil lang diyan sa babae mo, ha?" mapanghamon niyang saad. "Kuya, I don't want you to be with this bitch!"
 
"You have no right to speak to her like that!" Ryder's voice roared, it thundered and echoed in every corner of the house.
 
Natahimik si Rachel. Gulat sa pagsigaw ni Ryder. Lahat kami ay nagulat, maging ang isa pang kapatid ni Ryder at ina, at pati na rin si Miley. Namilog ang kanyang mga mata habang nakatingin kay Ryder bago ito sumalin sa akin at biglang nandilim ang kanyang mga mata. She glared at me before lowering her eyes back to her phone.
 
"Nathaniel..." His mother tried to calm him down.
 
"Ma, naman!" he hissed. "Kaunting respeto naman sa asawa ko!" Napayuko ako sa narinig, he really tried to defend me from his family. "Sabihin n'yo lang kung 'di n'yo siya kayang respetuhin dahil talagang aalis kami rito!"
 
"Kuya Nate!"
 
"Nakikiusap ako sa inyo..." His voice turned down. "Please, just respect my wife. Kinuha ko siya sa mga magulang niya.. kinuha ko siya sa pamilya niya kaya responsibilidad ko siya ngayon at ayaw kong binabastos siya nang ganito. I know whom I married. If she cannot do the household chores, then I'll do it for her. I am obligated to do everything for her because I married her. Kaya naman, kahit para sa akin lang.. respetuhin n'yo naman siya..."
 
Walang nagsalita matapos 'yon. Silence filled the atmosphere when eventually Ryder stood up and reached for my hand. He helped me up and without saying a word, he pulled me away from the scene. Nagulat ako sa biglang ginawa niya! He fucking turned his back on his family for me! I tried to pull my hand away from him, but his grip was too tight. Hindi pa kami nakakalabas, hawak na ni Ryder ang doorknob ng pinto nang marinig namin ang boses ng kanyang ina.
 
"Nathaniel," she uttered.
 
Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryder bago niya napagpasyahang bitiwan ang palapulsuhan ko upang harapin ang kanyang ina. I faced his mother too. Malumanay na nakatitig iyon sa kanya, samantalang ang dalawa niyang kapatid ang nakayuko.
 
"I am sorry, anak," his mom said. "Hindi na ito mauulit, hijo. Nag-aalala lang kasi kami sa 'yo kasi bumalik ka ritong may asawa na."
 
"I told you, ma, may fiancèe ako," Ryder said in a monotone.
 
"I am sorry about your sisters too. Nagtampo lang sila sa 'yo kasi hindi mo kami inimbita sa kasal ninyo kaya kung ano-ano na ang nasabi nila sa asawa mo," paliwanag ng kanyang ina at binalingan sa kanyang tabi ang dalawang anak at siniko si Rachel. "They'll apologize for your wife. Rachel, Red, mag-sorry na kayo."
 
Napalunok si Rachel at bored na nilingon ako. "I'm sorry again, Yuna."
 
Tipid akong tumango. "A-Ayos lang. Hindi naman malaking problema iyon."
 
"Redeama," their mother called her other daughter.
 
Red sighed and gazed at me. "I'm sorry again."
 
Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryder. He held my wrist again, and he was about to pull me out of the scene, pero hinatak ko ang braso ko pabalik. Nagtataka niya akong tiningnan. He doesn't look convinced of his sisters apologies. Marahan kong hinawakan ang kanyang braso, hinaplos ko siya roon kaya bumaba ang tingin niya ro'n bago siya kumawala ng malalim na hininga.
 
"Please, don't turn your back on your family," I told him whispery. "Wala lang naman iyon sa akin, huwag ka nang magalit sa kanila," I added, convincing him.
 
Bumaling siya sa gawi ng kanyang pamilya bago bumuntonghininga. Sa halip na hilahin ako palabas ay hinatak niya ako pabalik sa couch na inupuan namin kanina. They just watched us. Si Miley ay bumaba pa ang tingin sa kamay kong hawak ni Ryder. I took a deep breath when Ryder let go of my hand so he could put his hand on my thigh. Nagtaas ng kilay si Rachel nang makita ang palad ng kanyang kapatid sa hita ko. Nakaramdam naman ako ng hiya kaya inalis ko iyong kamay ni Ryder doon.
 
"What's the matter?" malambing niyang tanong.
 
Umiling ako nang marahan. "Uh.. wala."
 
Tumango siya at humarap sa kanyang pamilya. "Sana pakisamahan ninyo nang maayos ang asawa ko dahil simula ngayon ay rito na siya titira. She'll live with us."
 
Tumikhim si Rachel. "Kuya, she's still studying, right? Second-year college at the University of San Jones?"
 
Nagulat ako nang malaman na may alam siyang impormasyon sa akin. Siguro, sinabi sa kanya ni Ryder? It means.. matagal na pa lang nakikibalita sa akin si Ryder dahil kahit ang kurso kong kinuha ay alam niya. Hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang alam ng mga kapatid ni Ryder sa akin. Maybe he talks a lot about me to them.
 
"That school is for big timers, right?" ani Redeama kay Ryder. "Doon pala nag-aaral ang.. asawa mo, kuya. Bakit hindi ka roon nag-enroll? Pero mabuti nga rin naman 'yon, kuya, kasi pareho tayo ng school na pinasukan nina Ate Miley..." Her eyes averted to Miley.
 
Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryder bago siya nagsalita. "It doesn't matter, Red."
 
"Okay?" Ngumisi si Red at kumibit-balikat saka binalingan ulit si Miley. I caught her winking at Miley. I don't know what's that for.
 
"Anyway, may binili si Scarlet na Brazos de Mercedes, kuhanin n'yo na lang sa sasakyan," ani Ryder at inabot sa ina ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan.
 
He offered to wash the dishes after we ate. Ayaw ko naman na magpaiwan kasama ang kanyang ina at mga kapatid, pati na rin si Miley dahil naiilang ako sa kanila. Kanina pa sila nagmamasid sa akin at binabantayan ang bawat galaw ko. I tailed Ryder to the kitchen. Nagulat naman siya nang makitang sinundan ko siya.
 
"Hey," aniya habang nakakunot ang noo.
 
"Uh..." I cleared my throat. "I will help you with the dishes," I said.
 
"Hindi na kailangan, Scarlet, I can do it alone," he refused. "At isa pa, hindi ka sanay sa ganito..."
 
"Gusto ko rin namang matuto, Ry, para kahit papaano ay may maitulong ako rito sa bahay," I cleared out. "Nahihiya naman kasi ako sa mama mo at sa mga kapatid mo."
 
"Don't mind them, alright?" malambing niyang sabi at hinaplos ang aking buhok. "I will just explain to them why you didn't do household chores."
 
"Puwede namang pag-aralan, Ry, kaya.." Napalunok ako. "Kahit sa paghuhugas ng pinggan ay gusto ko rin matuto."
 
He tiptoed my nose. "Hindi na kailangan, Scarlet. Hindi mo kailangang matuto sa mga gawaing bahay dahil marunong naman ako. I can do the household chores for you. Your parents are giving you princess treatment, I want to do the same."
 
"Baka kasi.."
 
Umiling siya, pinutol ako. "Hindi mo kailangang pag-aralan ang isang bagay na hindi mo nakasanayan. You were born like a princess. You grew up like a princess. Dahil lang nandito ka na sa bahay ay.. magbabago na kaagad ang kinasanayan mo.. ayaw ko nang ganoon, Scar.. so let me be."
 
I nodded and stopped arguing with him. He let go of me and went to the sink to start washing the dishes. I just watched how he did it. Tahimik na sinasabunan niya ang mga pinagkainan, at nang matapos ay binanlawan niya kaagad iyon. Halos ilang minuto kami roon sa kusina dahil medyo marami ang hugasin. Gusto ko man siyang tulungan, pero hindi niya naman ako pinagbigyan.
 
"Uh, I didn't see your father. Where is he?" I asked him out of nowhere when that thing suddenly came to my mind. "Iyong sina Tita Ritchel, Rachel, at Red lang. Where's your dad?"
 
He took a glance in my direction and continued rinsing the plate. "He stayed in the U.S., naroon kasi ang trabaho niya roon."
 
"Ano'ng trabaho ng dad mo?" I asked curiously.
 
"He's a lawyer," tipid niyang sabi. "He even told me to take Legal Management, and he'd support me in my education, but I refused. Kaya ko rin namang paaralin ang sarili ko sa kursong gusto ko."
 
"Pero bakit pinili mo pa rin ang education? Maliit pa naman ang suweldo ng mga guro, hindi ba?" I continued asking.
 
"Because that's what I want, Scarlet. I want to be a role model to others," he answered. "I wanted to teach students. I wanted to share my experiences and ideas with them. I wanted to share with them what I have learned in my life. And being a teacher, it's not just all about teaching students to learn about the lessons in school, but it's also about teaching them to be a good and wise person. Once you become a teacher, you are also a role model to your students. I don't care if the payment for me for teaching students is too low as long as they learn something from me..."
 
Napakurap-kurap ako habang sinasabi niya iyon. "Uh, your father is not supporting you in your school?"
 
"May pera naman ako," tanging sinabi niya lang. "I have a business in the U.S..."
 
"A-A what?!" Nagulat ako sa narinig. May negosyo siya?!
 
"Hindi naman ganoon kalaki pero sapat na iyon para mabili ko ang mga gusto ko," pagpatuloy niya. "I bought myself a car, and I even helped my family here with their needs and wants. Sapat na sa akin ang ganoon."
 
"How did you come that far? In just what? Three years? You have your business now," I said, sounded proud.
 
"Sikap at tiyaga lang naman, Scar," he humbly said. "Kapag mayroon kang pangarap, magsisikap ka talaga."
 
I smiled. "I am really so proud of you. Sa hirap ng pinagdaanan mo noon.. sa akin. Sa mga panlalait at panliliit ko sa 'yo pero heto ka ngayon.. nag-aaral ka pa lang pero may negosyo ka na.. may naabot ka na. Look at me, I was just a student. Palamunin sa bahay—"
 
"Don't say that," putol niya sa akin.
 
"Totoo naman, ah? Ry, I am just speaking the truth. Palamunin naman talaga ako sa bahay, I am not of legal age anymore, pero.. umaasa pa rin sa mga magulang. Sa sobrang panliliit ko sa 'yo noon, ako pala itong.. ganito ngayon."
 
"Scarlet, it was still not your time. Maybe, after you finish your college, roon mo na makakamit ang tunay na tagumpay. Success has never been a race. The right time for you has not yet come."
 
I closed our distance. Nagulat siya sa sunod kong ginawa. I wrapped my arms around his waist while he was washing his hands. I heard him closing the faucet. Tiningala ko siya at nakita siyang titig na titig sa akin. Patagilid kasi akong nakayakap sa kanya.
 
"Magpupunas lang muna ako ng kamay," pagpaalam niya pero hindi pa rin ako bumitiw sa kanya, niluwagan ko lang iyong yakap ko. "Scarlet, baby..."
 
I didn't listen to him. He took the hand towel and wiped his wet hands. After that, he touched my hair and combed it with his long fingers. Ngumuso ako habang ginagawa niya iyon. I don't know, but I really like it if someone's touching my hair. I feel so special.
 
"Ry..." I uttered his name. "Hindi ka ba nagsisisi na ako ang pinakasalan mo? At your age, you're successful now, and you can have every woman on this planet. Maraming mas maganda pang babae, mabait, matalino, at marunong sa mga gawaing bahay."
 
He cupped my face and gave me a peck on the lips. "Wala akong dapat pagsisihan, at hinding-hindi ako magsisisi. I have no interest in other girls. I am contented with you... I am contented now because I have you..."