Chasing the Wild Waves (Student Series #1)

Kabanata 51

Monday has come, and my class is eleven-thirty in the morning, but I woke up early. Yesterday was a very unfamiliar day for me. I wasn't able to do anything I wanted. I was just sitting on the couch the whole time with Ryder. We just talked about schools, about my parents, and anything else.

Hindi ako sanay sa mga kapatid ni Ryder, kinakausap naman nila ako pero alam kong ginagawa lamang nila iyon dahil nandyan si Ryder, pero kapag nakatalikod naman ito ay iniirapan nila ako. Mabuti naman ay may pinuntahan na birthday party sina Miley at Rachel, pero si Redeama naman ay naiwan.
 
"I have class from eight to eleven o'clock," si Ryder at hinalikan ang noo ko kinaumagahan. "Babalikan kita mamaya rito, susunduin kita pagkatapos ng klase ko."
 
We stayed in one room, which is his room. We also slept on his king-sized bed. Pagkapasok pa lang ng silid niya kahapon ay nakatulog kaagad ako, dala na rin siguro ng pagod at antok ay hindi ko na nahintay pa si Ryder at nauna na lang matulog. Kaya naman kinaumagahan ay sinadya kong gumising nang maaga dahil nahiya ako sa pamilya ni Ryder kung ano'ng oras ako gigising.
 
Dahan-dahan akong tumango. "O-Okay.."
 
It means I will be left with his siblings and his mother. Hindi ko alam ang maaaring mangyari, pero kinabahan ako. I can feel their dislike for me. Both Red and Rachel have a class, pero mamayang gabi pa kaya buong araw ay nandito sila kasama ko. Hindi ko talaga alam kung paano sila pakisamahan ngayong aalis si Ryder dahil may pasok.
 
"Be okay here, hm? I'll go now. I will go back later to fetch you." That was the last thing I heard from him before he left.
 
I sighed deeply and closed my eyes. Hinatid ko kasi siya sa kanyang sasakyan. Nasa loob naman ang kanyang mga kapatid at ina, nakapagpaalam na rin siya sa mga 'yon. Miley is also inside. Naisip ko tuloy na ganoon nga siya ka-close sa mga kapatid ni Ryder. Dito na rin siya natulog. I asked Ryder about her yesterday, and he just told me that Miley was Rachel's childhood best friend.

Kung ganoon ay noong hindi pa pala kilala ni Ryder ang pamilya niya ay kilala na nga ito ni Miley? She's lucky. Ryder's sisters liked her and were comfortable with her. Unlike me.. they roll their eyes every time I look at them...
 
Pagkapasok ko pabalik sa loob ay nasalubong ko ang dalawa, sina Rachel at Miley. Nakahawak sa pulso ni Miley si Rachel at natatawa ito, mukhang may nakakatawa silang pinag-usapan. Dumako naman ang aking tingin sa couch at nakitang nakaupo roon sina Tita Ritchel at Red. Red is on her headphones while scrolling on her phone. Si Tita Ritchel naman ay gumagawa ng tulip crochet. Marami na siyang nagawa, nakalapag ang mga 'yon sa lamesa.
 
"Umalis na si Kuya Nate?"
 
Napatalon ako nang biglang nagsalita si Rachel. I returned my gaze to her and smiled a little before nodding my head. Miley made a face while looking at me. She looks so sarcastic. Inirapan ako ni Rachel at pinagkrus ang kanyang braso sa kanyang dibdib.
 
"Kaalis niya lang," I told Rachel. "You have something to tell him?"
 
"Wala," mabilis niyang sagot. "Mabuti nga at umalis na si kuya para magawa mo na ang mga dapat mong gawin."
 
Umawang ang bibig ko. "H-Huh?"
 
"Look, Yuna.. I know that you are aware that we don't like you," diretsang sabi niya na ikinalaglag ng panga ko. "And you know what? I know what you did to my brother years ago." My heart raced when she inserted that thing.

"U-Uh.."

"Alam ko ang panliliit mo sa kay kuya, I know that you just agreed to be his fiancèe for your freedom and money. I know that you bullied him. I know that you dumped him. I know that you used him for your academics. I know everything you did. At isa pa, hindi lang ako ang may alam no'n.. kundi kaming lahat. Mom also knew about it, ganoon din si Red. Now, tell us. Ano'ng kailangan mo kay kuya at bakit mo siya pinakasalan?"
 
I couldn't process every word she said. Sumilay ang ngisi sa labi ni Miley. Now that I realized that all of the information was from her, so Miley told them about it? Hindi ako makapagsalita o makaimik man lang. Rachel raised a brow while waiting for my answer. Irritations filled her eyes while looking at me. Hindi na ako makatingin nang diretso sa kanya dahil sa hiyang nararamdaman ko para sa sarili ko.
 
I cannot blame them for hating me. That's why they hated me, and they didn't like me the first time they saw me. Sa kuwento ng iba, alam kong masama ako. Lalo na mula iyon kay Miley. Sobrang sama ko na nga siguro sa kuwento niya. Our friendship is over, and she knew everything. At siguro, pinarinig niya rin sa pamilya ni Ryder iyong record niya. Ngayon ay alam ko na ang dahilan kung bakit ayaw nila sa akin, kung bakit galit na galit sila sa akin.
 
Ryder told me that his family is kind, but when it comes to me.. they're being harsh and hard.. especially Rachel. She hates me so bad. Sa bawat titig niya sa akin ay ramdam ko ang galit niya. Maybe she's just protecting her brother from me. I wanted to explain my side to her, but it seems like she doesn't have the time to hear my explanations. Sa mukha niya ngayon ay masasabi kong parang si Miley ang kakampihan niya. Bukod sa magkaibigan sila, tama rin iyong kinuwento ni Miley.. at may ebidensya pa.
 
"Alam mo, babae sa babae na lang, ah?" she continued and looked at me from head to foot. "Hindi ko gusto ang babaeng katulad mo para kay kuya. He's kind, handsome, intelligent, and so hardworking... Bakit ko naman hahayaan na sa 'yo lang babagsak ang kapatid ko?"
 
"I'm sorry," ang tanging lumabas lang sa aking bibig.
 
"No, I don't need your apology. You should taste your own medicine," mariing sabi niya. "Lintek lang ang walang ganti kaya hangga't kaya ko.. gaganti ako para sa ginawa mo sa kapatid ko. Your treatment for him before was too much. It's unforgivable. Wala akong pakialam kung mas mayaman ka sa amin pero gagawin ko ang gusto ko sa 'yo..."
 
Tumango ako at tumikhim. "I understand. I cannot blame you either. You have a right to be mad at me."
 
Ngumisi siya. "Mabuti at alam mo 'yan, Yuna. Habang nandito ka sa puder namin, hindi puwedeng parang prinsesa ka lang. Do the household chores. May asawa ka na, huwag kang umasta na parang nasa bahay ka pa rin ninyo. Kung may mga katulong kayo, wala kaming pakialam dahil dito sa bahay ay iba rito."
 
"G-Gusto ko rin namang makatulong pero si Ryder—"
 
"No," she cut me out. "Kung gusto mo ngang makatulong, tumulong ka. Hindi iyong porket ayaw lang ni kuya ay susundin mo na iyong sinabi niya. God, imagine! You are in a second year of college and you didn't even know how to clean a house, mop the floor, wash the dishes, or cook? Isang kahihiyan iyan para sa pamilya namin dahil ganyang klaseng babae ang pinakasalan ng kapatid ko.."
 
"U-Uh.. naintindihan kita... S-Susubukan kong tumulong."
 
"Hindi mo susubukan, talagang tumulong ka! Gosh, do you even hear yourself? Kaunting kahihiyan naman! Wala ka sa bahay ninyo pero parang señorita ka rito! Kung ayos lang kay kuya na wala kang ginagawa, well.. sa amin naman hindi!"
 
Napayuko ako. "S-Sige.. tutulong ako rito. Gagawa ako ng.. uh.. mga gawaing bahay... I-I'll just learn how to do it."
 
"Suit yourself then," aniya bago binangga ang balikat ko at nilagpasan ako.
 
Miley smirked at me. "Look at you now. How does it feel to hear some insults and judgements from other people? Ano? Masaya ba? Taste your own medicine. If you think that I forgot what you did, well, I will never forget it 'cause I will fucking do my revenge on you. I assure you that..."
 
She walked pass by me after she said those. I clenched my fist slyly. Maybe doing some household chores can help me deal with them. Bumaling ako sa couch at nakitang nakatingin pareho sina Tita Ritchel at Red sa akin na may ngisi sa labi. Mukhang narinig nila iyong mga sinabi ni Rachel sa akin. They looked happy because of it. Redeama took her headphones off before standing up from her seat.
 
She went to me as she put her hands in her pockets. "I wonder what my brother sees in you. Or maybe you are.." She laughed like there's something funny about it. "Good at bed? Ano? May nangyari ba sa inyo? That's why he cannot get over you because you are so good at bed? You are good at handling boys, right? You played with guys, so no wonder anymore why my brother married you..."
 
Her insults are crushing me down. Naramdaman kong nag-init ang sulok ng mga mata ko. Her words.. are too sharp. I wanted to talk back. I wanted to correct her.. but.. she looks like she is not interested in what I'm about to say. Mukhang ayaw nga nila akong paniwalaan, mukhang wala silang planong maniwala sa maaaring sasabihin ko sa kanila.
 
"You're lucky that my brother married you, but.. don't expect that he'll stay with you until the end," she said, hurting me through it even more. "Put inside your head that no man has ever stayed with a woman who doesn't know how to do simple things. You're a woman, a lady, and a wife. You should know your duties to your husband."
 
"K-Kaya nga susubukan kong pag-aralan ang mga gawaing bahay, Red," mahinahong sabi ko.
 
She tilted her head and didn't look convinced. "Really? I will look forward to it then. Ang kuya ko kasi ay hindi katulong na puwede mong utos-utusan at ipasa sa kanya ang mga gawain mo dapat."
 
Tumango ako. "O-Okay.."
 
"Red," Tita Ritch butted in and called her daughter. "Tama na 'yan dahil kakausapin ko pa siya.. may ipapagawa ako sa kanya."
 
Mabilis akong tumalima. Ilang sandali kaming nagkatinginan ni Red bago siya tumalikod sa akin at bumalik sa upuang katabi ni Tita Ritch. She settled down and put her headphones back on. Binaba niya ang tingin sa kanyang cellphone kaya binaling ko na lang ang buong atensyon kay Tita Steph. Lumapit ako sa kanya at tumigil sa kanyang harapan. She's still making a crochet flower.
 
"A-Ano po iyon, tita?" I questioned.
 
Tiningnan niya ako nang maayos. "I want you to clean my room. It's in a mess, hija. Look at me, I am doing something, so.. can you just do it for me?"
 
Napalunok ako at dahan-dahang tumango. This was my first time. Even in my own room, I never tried to clean it, so I don't know how to clean properly or how to do a proper clean. I don't even have an idea where to start. Sa tingin ko nga, dapat ko ngang pag-aralan ang paglilinis. I can see from our helpers that it looks so hard, but.. I will try to learn how to do it. I wanted to please Ryder's family. If it's the only way to make them like me.. I would do it.
 
"And also, I haven't washed the dishes yet. Puwede rin bang ikaw na rin ang gumawa niyon? Tapos ka na ring mag-umagahan, hindi ba? Sinabayan mo si Ryder kaya maghugas ka na lang," dugtong pa ni Tita Ritch. "Pati na rin pala ang mga bintana. It's been a week since I didn't clean the windows. Ikaw naman ang maglinis ng mga 'yon dahil siguradong marami na iyong alikabok."
 
"O-Okay, po..." I nodded slowly.
 
"Good," she said, grinning. "Your class is eleven-thirty, right? So marami ka pa palang oras. If you have done doing the things that I have told you, you will clean the trash cans. Ilabas mo lahat ng mga basura sa labas ng gate, naiintindihan mo? Mabilis lang naman gawin iyon, matapos 'yon ay palitan mo ang mga kurtina sa mga bintana pagkatapos ay labhan mo ang mga 'yon."
 
I listed all of it inside my head. Iniisip ko pa lang ay ang dami nang gagawin. Wala rin naman akong karapatang magreklamo dahil bahay rin naman nila ito. Mukhang kailangan lang nila ng serbisyo mula sa akin kapalit ng pakikitira ko rito sa kanila.

Katulad nga ng naunang inutos ni tita. She accompanied me to her room and left me there alone to clean it. Halos nanghina ang mga tuhod ko nang makita kung gaano kakalat ang kuwarto. I don't know if she did it on purpose or not.
 
Some of the clothes are on the floor. The bed is such a mess. Magulo iyon at lukot-lukot din iyong kumot. Ang isang unan ay nasa ilalim pa. I took a deep breath, carrying my strengths. I can do this. Kaya nga ng mga katulong namin, ako pa kaya? I'll just try to clean this. I swear I can finish it right away.
 
I silently took all the things on the floor and put them all in bed. I don't know the proper way to fold clothes, so I decided to search for it on YouTube. There were a lot of ways to fold clothes. Nahilo nga ako sa iba't ibang video na pinanood ko. Napadpad na rin ako sa kung saan-saan, kung paano magwalis nang maayos, kung paano maglinis ng kuwarto o ng bahay, paano maghugas ng mga plato, at kung paano magluto.

All of them seem so hard for me, and I don't think that I can learn all of them in just a day!
 
"This is going to be hard for you, Yuna," I whispered to myself.