Stalk Me More

Chapter 3

It had been quite some time since I last visited this place. The little lady was standing there, gasping as the wind brushed against her skin. She closed her eyes and twirled gracefully, her wavy mint green dress flowing with the wind. The scent of bugambilya filled her nostrils, and it was one of the best scents she had ever experienced.

"Ang ganda-ganda naman ng apo ko." The old lady said with a wide smile.

"S'yempre po, mana po ako sa inyo, e. Tara na po, Lola Sally." And she grabs her Lola Sally's hand and they go to their small nippa hut.

"Magluluto ako ng paborito mong saluyot na ginisa sa sardinas, gusto mo bang tulungan si Lola Apo ko?"

"S'yempre naman po!" Magiliw na sabi ng batang babae.

"O, s'ya, sige. Halika na rito't maggagabi na."

Then the little lady came and started to slice the onion.

"Mag-ingat ka sa kutsilyo baka mahiwa ka." Lola Sally said with her sweet and caring voice.

"Opo, Lola. 'Wag po kayong mag-alala."

"Kukuhanin ko lang 'yong saluyot na hinimay natin sa sala."

While stirring the onion in the pan, the little lady thought her grandma was taking a long time to get the white jute. So, she decided to remove the pan from the fire and go to her grandma, unbeknownst to her, her grandma was lying down on the ground.

"Lola Sally! Lola Sally! Lola Sally!" The little lady is crying.

Hindi alam ng batang babae ang kaniyang gagawin sa kaniyang lola, hindi n'ya alam kung anong mararamdaman n'ya, hindi n'ya batid kung anong gagawin sa nakahandusay n'yang lola. S'ya na lamang ang kasama n'ya sa buhay, ang lola n'ya na lamang ang nag-iisang pag-asa pagkatapos mamatay ng kaniyang lolo.

She seeks help from their neighbors, "Aling Estella, tulungan n'yo po kami ng Lola Sally ko."

"Anong nangyari, Sophie!? Danilo, halika rito!"

The two of them ran to Inang Sally's house to help them.

"Hindi ko po alam kung anong nangyari sa inang, bigla ko na lamang po s'yang nakitang nakahandusay sa sahig. Nagluluto po kasi ako ng kakainin namin."

Danilo—one of their neighbors—carries Lola Sally, and he boards her onto their tricycle, and they go to the nearest hospital.

Habang naghihintay sa kaniyang Lola, si Estella at Danilo ay nagpaalam muna kay Sophie para tignan ang kanilang anak na naiwan sa bahay.  "Sophie, uuwi muna kami. Titingnan lang namin si Toto. 'Wag kang mag-alala, babalik din kami." And Mrs. Stell caress Sophie 's back.

"Opo. Salamat po." Sophie said while sobbing.

Sa murang edad, sanay na sa gawaing bahay si Sophie. Tinuruan s'ya ng kaniyang lolo't lola kung pa'no gawin ng tama ang mga bagay-bagay. Ngunit isang araw, iniwan sila ng kaniyang Lolo Carlos.

"Ikaw ba ang apo ni Lola Sally?" The doctor asked.

"Kumusta na po ang aking Lola Sally? Okay na po ba s'ya?"

"Pasens'ya ka na. Wala na ang Lola Sally."

"Po!?"

She burst into tears. Knowing her grandma will no longer be by her side anymore.

Nagising si Sophie sa pagkakatulog ng maramdaman n'yang may luhang umaagos sa kaniyang mga mata.

She had a nightmare, the nightmare she always dreamt about.

When she opens her eyes, there's no person in the room. She wiped her tears, which caused her to wake up.

Iniikot n'ya ang kaniyang paningin upang alamin kung nasa'n s'ya. At biglang bumukas ang pinto at inuluwa nito ang kaniyang mga kaibigan.

"Oh, my God, Sophie!" Amanda shouted.

Amanda ran to Sophie, and she hugged her friend. And Kyle hugged them too.

She looks up at her friend Sophie teary-eyed, "Gaga ka! Sabi mo okay ka lang." Sabay batok sa kaniyang kaibigan.

"Feeling ko kasi talaga okay ako. Malay ko bang tataob ako." Sabi ni Sophie habang tumatawa. "Pero ngayon, okay na talaga ako. "Wag kang mag-alala."

"Oo, 'te. Nakakahiya ka, a. Sa marami pa talagang tao. Buti na lang nand'yan si Kyle. At buti na lang talaga kahit nahimatay ka, maganda pa rin!"

"Don't worry, Sophie. Kahit ilang beses ka lang mahimatay nandito lang ako, ako bahala sa'yo. Malakas yata 'to." And he taps her biceps.

"Well, thank you, Kyle, for carrying me. And to you too, Ate ko." And she smiles at them.

While chit-chatting about what happened to Sophie after she collapsed, the doctor came.

"Doc, okay naman na po s'ya, 'no? P'wede na po s'yang umuwi?"

"Yes. Pero pagkarating sa bahay magpahinga pa rin, okay? 'Wag matigas ang ulo."

"Yes, Doc. May bantay naman po akong dragon." Sophie points to her friend Amanda, and she laughs.

"Ay. Kapag nag magtigas talagang ulo 'tong kaibigan ko Doc papaluin ko." Amanda rebat.

Sophie, Amanda, and Kyle leave the clinic room.

Kyle decided to send his friends to their apartment.

"Salamat ulit, Kyle."

"Puro salamat, kiss na lang dapat." And he pouts.

"Ah, loko. Sapak gusto mo!? Umuwi ka na nga!" Sabat ni Amanda.

Kyle ran knowing Amanda would do it to him. He bade his goodbye to them. And the two friends entered.

"Narinig mo naman siguro sinabi ng Doctor, 'no? Magpahinga na."

"Nagugutom ako, 'te. Luto ka nga."

Ihinilamos ni Amanda ang kaniyang kamay sa mukha. "Utusan ako, 'te? Hmp! Kung hindi lang ako mabait masasapak kita."

Sophie smiled, and she hugged her friend, "Thanks, ate ko." And she kissed Amanda's cheeks.

Sophie went to her bed while waiting to finish Amanda's cooking and she grabbed her mobile phone in his bag.

While scrolling on her socials, she saw someone who looked familiar to her.

Sa'n ko na nga ba nakita 'tong tao na 'to? 'Di ko maalala. Habang inaalala n'ya kung sino ang tao na yon, dumating si Amanda.

"'Te, kilala mo ba 'to!?" She shows her phone to her friend.

"O, ito na food mo." Sabay kuha sa phone ni Sophie.

While looking at who this person was, Amanda asked Sophie, "Bakit? Bet mo ba?".

"Si Taylor 'to. Ka-batch natin."

Sophie thinks again, who is this guy? Oh, I knew it! He's the guy who took a picture of me while I was crying. Humanda ka sa'kin bukas. Ha-hunting-in kita.

"After mo d'yan, hugasan mo na at marami pa akong gagawin. Baka ako pa?" And she raised her eyebrows.

"Hindi, ako na. Salamat!"

After eating, Sophie brushed her teeth and made herself comfortable on the bed she rested.