where will destiny take us?

afterstory 2

The number of times I came close to dying infuriates me a lot. Why can't I just live a normal life? Why do I have to experience these shits?

But as much as I am mad at destiny, at least she gave me something. And that is a lesson. A lesson to appreciate life. Not just my own life but also the people around me.

My life isn't certain. I could die tomorrow, the next day, or even later. Those thoughts keep me up at night. And it was those thoughts that made me make decisions I did not even think about.

Just like today. I punched a guy. Now I'm taking two orphans to a mall, buying them clothes and toys, just because I found out they lived in the streets.

Was it a bad thing? I don't think so. Not at all.

"Is this too much?"

Ivan and I stared at the cart he's pushing. Clothes, some toys, shoes, and other essentials like hygiene products fill up the cart. Hinahanap na namin ang counter para magbayad so hindi na kami magdadagdag sa mga nasa cart na. Hindi naman siya punong puno but for two kids... I can't decide if its too much.

Ivan, who had both elbows on the cart handle, eyed everything we had decided to buy. "Maybe."

I narrowed my eyes at the contents of the cart. I don't feel it's excessive but maybe it's just me. It's not really a waste of money since they're going to use it.

"It's fine," I shrugged, convincing myself. Tinanaw ko sila Justin at Jericho na nasa tabi ko at tumatanaw sa paligid habang naglalakad kami. Seeing them hold each other's arms, smiling to themselves made me smile as well. "Minsan lang naman."

"Minsan?" Ivan raised his eyebrows at me.

Nag-iwas ako sa tingin niya. I laughed nervously. "Ngayon lang ulit."

Last time na punta namin sa mall to buy clothes, toys and other things that we would donate sa mga batang cancer patients sa iba't ibang hospital ay last month pa so this is a first this month. We do the shopping ourselves sometimes, dahil gusto kong mamasyal and I want to see the quality of what we'll donate myself. And, of course, sasamahan ako ng asawa ko dahil mahal na mahal ako nito. Kaya naman alam niya kung gaano ako karami mamili.

Ivan blew out a breath. As we approached the counter where we'll pay, he fished his wallet from his pocket. He slid out a card from his wallet–a card with his name. He then handed it to me in between his forefinger and middle finger.

I smiled kahit naka-mask ako. "Thanks."

At syempre, dahil mahal na mahal nga niya ako, hindi naman siya kumokontra sa mga kasiyahan ko. And I know he, too, is willing to help.

As the cashier behind the counter was scanning everything in our cart, I watched the two kids whose eyes were fixated on the cashiers. They never said anything. When the cashier was done scanning everything, I gave them Ivan's card. That's only when the two kids looked at me. I smiled at them, reaching for their hair and patting their heads.