୨˚̣̣̣୧
Comfort.
IV
After a long day, finally uwian na! Ang daming gagawin, pero buti na lang wala akong pasok sa cafe ngayon dahil nag-sick leave ako. So... I can do my homework freely nang hindi nag-aalala sa oras o sa sleeping hours ko.
I'm already here at the waiting shed sa labas ng campus, and the sky looks gray—mukhang uulan na naman dahil sa papalapit na tropical storm. I hope hindi ako maabutan ng ulan dahil ayoko nang sumabak pa sa sakit ng ulo at katawan.
"Are you going home?" biglang tanong ng isang lalaki sa tabi ko na may baritonong boses.
Nagulat ako nang kaunti, at pag-lingon ko, si Clyden lang naman pala ito. Sa kinararaming tao, siya na naman ang nakita ko. Hayst…
"Ah, oo," sagot ko, umiiwas ng tingin.
"Sabay na tayo, kung okay lang sa’yo," sabi niya na may nahihiyang timpla ng mukha.
Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Ni wala akong masabi dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot ko sa offer niya, at kailangan kong pag-isipan yun nang mabuti. Pero bigla na lang lumabas sa bibig ko ang salitang...
"Sige."
And now, I find myself beside him, sa loob ng taxi. Hindi ko alam bakit ako um-oo sa kanya kanina.
The silence between us was so loud that no one dared to speak or make a noise; we were just staring out the windows, watching the buildings go by. I peeked at him and saw him busy watching his side, so I looked back out my own window.
Ewan ko ba, pero kapag katabi ko siya o natititigan, parang sasabog ang puso ko dahil sa pag-tibok nito nang grabe. And it’s my first time to feel anything like this. Pwera na lang noong nakita ko yung crush ko noong elementary—ganito rin yun, eh.
Dahil sa katahimikan, ni hindi ko namalayan na nasa building na pala ako ng condo ko. Dali-dali akong pumara at kinuha ang wallet sa bag ko.
"Magkano po, kuya?" tanong ko kay driver habang hawak-hawak ang wallet.
Magsasalita na sana si kuya nang biglang nag-salita ang katabi ko.
"No. I'll pay, don't worry about it; ako naman ang nagyayang sumabay ka sa’kin," sabi niya.
"Ha? Wag na, ako na lang," sabi ko. Pero dahil sa kapilit nito, sumuko na lang ako, lumabas sa taxi, at nagpasalamat sa kanya.
I immediately went inside as the rain started to pour, and thankfully, I got in just in time. I went straight to the elevator and tapped my floor.
When I got to my condo, I saw something unexpected—my mother. The one who gave birth to me, but at the same time, hated me. I never thought I’d see her here; she’s supposed to be in America.
"Finally, you're here," she said with a smirk.
"What are you doing here?" I said coldly.
My mood changed the second I saw her. She really had the guts na magpakita sa’kin after all these years na hindi man lang ako kinumusta. O baka naman nandito siya para sa kontrata?
"Won't you give your mother a hug? I just got here from the States; didn’t you miss me?" she said in an annoyingly sweet tone.
She really had the guts to spill those words? Why? When we were kids, she never hugged us or let us feel loved because she only loved herself and her money. When I looked beside her, I saw a beautiful woman wearing a white dress and pearl jewelry—probably her business partner.
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