MHST 2: Tagos

KABANATA 11

"Pistang-pista, nagmumukmok ka." Hinihila ni Mimosa si Charisma. Nakatalukbong ito sa kama. "Halika, makipiyesta tayo kina Ephraim. Ang saya-saya ng mga tao sa labas, makisali na tayo!"

"Ayoko nga sabi ate Mimosa." Nakikipag-agawan ito ng kumot. "Dito na lang ako."

"Sige ka, mag-iisa ka rito."

"Di kaya. Kasama ko si Miss Julia 'no."

"Sasama si Miss Julia sa 'min kaya mag-iisa ka rito hanggang mamayang hatinggabi kung hindi ka sasama."

Biglang bumangon si Charisma, "ano? Bakit hanggang hatinggabi?"

"Pupunta rin kami sa peryahan mamaya."

"Peryahan? Tsk! Bakit?"

"Anong bakit? Marami raw pakulo ro'n eh. Makikiusyoso kami."

"Tsk."

"Hmp. Kung ayaw mo, 'wag! D'yan ka na nga! Aalis na kami."

"Oo na sasama na ako...wait lang, magbibihis lang ako."

"Susmiyo. Sasama ka rin pala, pinahirapan mo pa 'ko! Sige, hihintayin ka namin sa labas, ha? Bilisan mo, nagugutom na kami eh."

***

"Ibang klase talaga ang mga Pilipino 'no?" ani Ambo habang nagbabantay ng parada ng musiko sa harapan ng bahay nina Ephraim, "mahilig gumastos sa kasiyahan kahit na mga walang datung kinabukasan."

Copyright 2018 ⓒ DyslexicParanoia (Angela Atienza), All rights reserved.

"Pare tingnan mo 'yung mga majorette." Itinuturo ni Willy kay Ambo ang paparating na musiko. "Ang gaganda ng mga hita."

Binatukan naman agad ito ni Mimosa, "hoy manyak! Yung laway mo tumutulo. Mag-ingat ka, baka mapagkamalan kang asong ulol dito. Hindi ka pa naman naturukan ng anti-rabies kaya baka ipatumba ka na lang ng mga taga-rito."

"Tsk." Sinimangutan ni Willy si Mimosa, "panira ka naman sa mood! Nakakainis." Kakamot-kamot ito.

"Hey," tinapik naman ni Zach si Julia. Nakatulala lang kasi ang dalaga sa naglalambingang magkasintahan sa kanilang harapan. "Are you ok?"

"Yup." Umiwas ito nang tingin.

"Missing someone?" nakabungisngis na panunukso ni Zach.

Nagkibit-balikat lang si Julia.

"Was it Mico. Don't worry, mahal ka no'n."

Pasikretong napapikit si Julia. "I doubt it." Pabalang na sagot nito.

"Bakit naman?"

Hinarap na ni Julia si Zach. She looked flustered and frustrated, "because he already dumped me a long time ago. You know why?" Bakas ang pait sa naluluha nitong mga mata. "Because I wasn't good enough and he doesn't want to settle for anything less. And guess what?" tuluyan nang tumulo ang luhang kanina pa nito pinipigilan. "That's the same thing my other exes told me. I was less. They probably meant the least, pero less lang ang ginamit nilang word because apparently, they're too nice to say the worst." Malapit nang matabunan ng musiko ang boses n'ya kaya nag-walkout na lang ito upang humanap ng isang madilim na sulok sa likod-bahay nina Ephraim para umiyak na nang tuluyan."

Natatarantang sinundan naman agad ito ni Zach. "Hey..." tinabihan nito sa Julia sa dilim. "Did I said something wrong?"

Umiling si Julia, "no. You're fine. Bumalik ka na ro'n. You don't have to be here."

"I'm sorry, I'm an idiot. Kung gine-greydan ang sense of humor sa school, hindi siguro ako makaka-graduate. I'm sorry kung hindi mo nagustuhan ang biro ko."

"It's ok."

"No it's not. Kung nasaktan kita, it can't be ok. Is there something I need to understand? I don't want to see you like this."

"Don't worry, Zach. I'm already depressed and broken like this, way before the day we met. There isn't really anything that could have prevented my mood swing."

"Why are you depressed?"

"My life suck...I suck...can you remember the reason why I'm here? I already mentioned that to you, right?"

"Na magpapakamatay ka? You're only kidding, right?"

Natahimik si Julia.

"You're only kidding, right?" pag-uulit ni Zach.

"No."

"What? You can't be serious? And if you are, why here? Anong meron dito? Why choose to kill yourself in this place?"

Natahimik sandali si Julia. Tanging pagsinghot at paghikbi lang ang panandaliang maririnig mula sa kanya, "because..."

"Because what?"

"This is the place where Mico disappeared last year. And it was my fault. I was angry with him for dumping me. For breaking me apart. For making me feel so, so small."

"But how?"

"Mahabang istorya."

"I'll listen."

Matagal bago nakabuwelo si Julia. "I was so angry when he dumped me. Ginawa ko naman kasi lahat para hindi n'ya ako iwanan. Tiniis ko 'yung pambababae n'ya. Nagbulagbulagan ako sa mga bisyo n'ya. I never nagged him kahit nasasaktan na ako. Lahat ng gusto n'ya, sinunod ko. But after all that, he still broke up with me. Ang reason n'ya...he doesn't want to settle for anything less anymore. Something I already heard from my other exes over and over who dumped as well..."

Napapikit si Zach. Naaalala pa kasi n'ya ang biro n'ya kay Julia bago ito nag-umpisang manahimik at manamlay.

"Dahil sa rindi ko sa paulit-ulit na idinadahilan sa akin ng mga ex ko. I went through temporary insanity after Mico. I tricked his new girlfriend. Who was a journalist on a mission to do a documentary about the most haunted places in the Philippines. I stalked and befriended her. When I got the chance, I stole her phone; and while I was pretending to be her, I texted Mico to meet me here in San Ildefonso. He even updated me through texts that he indeed arrived here. Fiesta rin noon dito. But I lost communication with him after I told him that I changed my plans and that he must come back home to Sagada na lang to meet me there, but the problem was, he never made it home. He just disappeared. Kahit 'yung kotse na gamit n'ya hindi na nakita pa. I was miserable before that happened. Mas lumala nung hindi na s'ya nakita pa. I just want to kill myself not because I still love him, pero dahil nagi-guilty ako. Ako ang may kasalanan kung bakit nawala s'ya. I don't know what to do. And that's when I started to come here again twice, excluding this one."

"Wow. I never thought it's that serious. Sinubukan mo na bang magtanong-tanong dito?"

Umiling si Julia, "I never had the courage. Natatakot din kasi ako na may makaalam na may kinalaman ako sa pagkawala ni Mico. But I swear, Zach, I did not intend for that to happen." Humagulhol ito. "Dapat talaga ako na lang eh. Ako na lang dapat ang nawala. Tutal, sa akin naman walang naghihintay. I'll be deeply shocked if my own family would even look for me. Pero kay Mico, maraming nagmamahal kay Mico. Maraming umiyak nung nawala s'ya. That should have not happened to him pero habambuhay kong bibitbitin sa dibdib ko ang nangyari sa kanya. Kaya nga kung sakali mang may kailangan kayong isakripisyo rito ng ipapakain sa Aswang, iaalay sa Kulto o itutulak sa bangin...ako na lang. Ako na lang ang ipain n'yo. Tatanawin ko pa 'yung utang na loob sa inyo."

"Jeez, Julia. What the heck are you saying? I understand that you feel terrible. I think that's kind of normal when something bad happens to someone very close to us, but your guilt trip is totally uncalled for."

"I'm serious, Zach."

"No, Julia. You can't punish yourself all your life. Mabuti sana kung Santo 'yung napahamak nang 'di mo sinasadya. But the guy was an ass. Maybe he just got what he deserve."

Nagulat si Julia, "Zach!"

"What? Do you think I am not capable of thinking ill against a bad guy?"

"Well, yeah! Hello? You're Zach Lopez...the Mr. Nice guy?"

Natawa si Zach, "well now you know what I am capable of. I'm just like everyone else. I'm a normal human being. I get upset too. I'm sorry to ruin your good image of me, but I don't really have any pity for assholes. Not even if they're dead. Oh wait...I do feel bad when people die, but not too much. To sum it all up, I still do feel grateful when assholes die."

Napahalakhak nang malakas si Julia.

"Oh my G—d! Is my sense of humor improving?!" biro ni Zach.

Tumango si Julia. "Congrats, Zach. I think that's the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life."

Napahalakhak na rin si Zach, "I'm glad to have you as my first customer, Senyorita. It's nice to have a business with you. Even better than your Dad or sister. Oh wait...they're actually one of the most terrible business partners I have right now. Your Dad, man! Ilang beses na ba n'ya akong in-indian, 'di naman s'ya bumbay, 'di ba? Or is he?"

Umiling si Julia. Namimilipit sa katatawa. "You're so mean tonight, Zach and I love it." Pumapalakpak ito. "I so love it."

[ITUTULOY]