Hiraya - Macolet

004

"You got a nice condo, Colet. You've made good use of the money na binibigay ko sa'yo, huh?"

He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to set foot in my condo. After all, that was the agreement we had long ago — na dito ako sa Manila maninirahan to pursue law gaya ng gusto niya basta 'wag siyang makikielam kung saan ako maninirahan at kung ano ang mga gagawin ko. Basta bigyan niya lang ako ng pera para mabuhay ako, okay na ako doon.

Hindi ko siya pinansin dahil dumiretso ako sa kwarto ni Sheena. Nag-aalala ako dahil hindi pa nakikilala ni Sheena si Papa, at wala akong balak na ipakilala si Papa sa kanya. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang makita kong wala si Sheena sa kwarto niya.

"I thought you were living here alone?" I heard Papa from behind na ikinagulat ko. "I never thought that you'd use me like this, Colet."

"Kahit kailan hindi kita ginamit, Papa —"

"Hindi?" My words were cut short when he walked past me, entering Sheena's room. "What is this then? Having someone rent this extra room sa condo mo for what? For some extra cash? Hindi pa ba sapat ang mga binibigay kong pera sa'yo, Colet?"

He's wrong.

Hindi ko naman pinapaupa itong kwarto na 'to para sa extra money kasi kayo kong kumayod para kumita ng pera — na hindi galing sa kaibigan ko. I only let Sheena stay here lang naman kasi malayo ang bahay niya sa campus na pinapasukan niya. Besides, Sheena's younger than me, and ayokong umuuwi siya ng gabing-gabi kaya ko siya pinapatuloy dito.

Ni-piso, ni-betsingko ay hindi ako humingi kay Sheena dahil kusang loob akong nagsabi na dito na siya tumuloy muna.

"Well..." He picked up the picture frame from Sheena's desk.

It was a photo of me and Sheena — naalala ko pa, 'yon 'yung time na nag ice-skating kami.

I saw how he looked at it before returning it to its place, scanning the room again. "She's Catacutan, right?"

"Paano..." My eyes widened at his words.

"Sheena Mae Catacutan, huh..." he faced me, smirking. "You have a good eye in choosing friends, Colet. I heard her grandfather is a CEO, right? And I heard... na that girl has no friends. Did you perhaps... invite her to rent here in the condo to befriend her? And also, you know —"

"One more word, Pa, and I will never consider you —"

"When you two become close, or kapag cinoconsider ka niya as a close friend. You will start sucking up to her grandfather for money —"

And there, I snapped.

"Putangina naman, Papa!" I shouted at him. He didn't even flinch as if ito talaga 'yung gusto niyang mangyari kanina pa. "Gan'yan ba ang tingin mo sa akin, Pa?! Sa tingin mo ba ay lahat ng nagiging kaibigan ko at mga nakakasama ko ay ginagamit ko lang? Pa... Ilang beses ko ba sasabihin sa'yo na hindi mo ako katulad! Na-hindi ako gagamit ng ibang tao para makakuha ng pera or ano mang gusto ko!"