Mark Me All Over

Stan Cohen Arrhenius

STAN COHEN ARRHENIUS

"Stan, what do you think of Philippines?"

I looked at my brother, he's peeking at the airplane's window. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit niya natanong 'yon.

"I don't know, Kuya." I shrugged my shoulders.

Nakita ko si Sevhire na patalon talon pa na tumatakbo sa amin. "Kuya Stan! Kuya! Look what mom gave to me! Transforma!"

I squinted my eyes just to see my brother's new toy. Bakit siya, meron? "Huwag mo nga ilapit yan."

I saw him pout. "Why, Kuya? You're jealous?"

What? Me? "Magkakaron din ako niyan! My mom will give me bunch of transformers! Okay? Transformers not Transforma."

"Your mom? She's my mom too!"

"You're just adopted." Biro ko, biglang tumakbo si Sevhire palayo sa amin.

"Stan!" Nilingon ko si Kuya Syche, bakit ba siya naniniko? "Lagot ka kay mommy."

"Tss."

Kuya Syche is right, mom scolded me, was it my fault? Pinagyabang sa akin ni Sevhire yung laruan niya e wala pa nga ako non! One more thing, we're going back to the Philippines! Syempre nung una masaya ako but after I figured that it'll be permanent makes me sad.

"Syche! Don't walk too fast! Baka mawala ka!" Paalala ni Mommy kay Kuya.

Nakahawak ako sa kamay ni mommy, hindi lang pala ako, kami ni Sevhire. Kakalapag lang ng airplane and that was so cool! Ayaw magpahawak ni Kuya Syche, sana madapa siya.

"Good afternoon po, Madam Stella."

Masama kong tinignan yung lalaking sumalubong at kumausap kay mommy. Who's this guy?

"Ay, Manong Elias, pwede po, paki 'tong mga bata?" Mommy said, she let go of my hand at ibinigay ako doon sa matandang lalaki.

"Mommy! No! I'm going with you!" Baka kidnapin kami nung lalaki! He's scary!

Si Sevhire naman ay parang walang pakialam. Sumama siya doon sa nakakatakot na lalaki, no! Dad told me not to trust anyone that easy.

"Sev! Come back here!" Galit na sabi ko.

Nilingon ako ni Sevhire. Bakit siya ngumingiti? "Kuya! He seems nice! He said that we're going to play broom broom!"

"Go on, Stan Cohen." Narinig ko ang boses ni Mommy. "Manong Elias is a good guy."

Paano naman niya nasabi? "But dad--" Medyo may luha na sa mga mata ko.

"Don't mind your daddy. You can trust Manong Elias, he's a good servant of our family."

Mommy kissed my cheeks, she also wipe my tears away. Tinignan ko ulit yung matandang lalaki na nakakatakot. Nagtatawanan na sila ni Sev at Kuya Syche. Si Mommy at yung isang old woman ang kumuha ng mga maleta namin..

At first I was a bit dissapointed, akala ko kasi uuwi na kami sa Quezon City, biglang nag pa booked si Mommy sa hotel. Doon tuloy kami nag stay!

"Kuya! Let's play."

"Okay! I am Optimus prime! Panganay ako, e."

"What? How about me?"

"You're bumblebee!" Kuya Syche laughed. "Uy, Stan! Come let's play!"

Hindi ko sila pinansin. Nakakainis! Ang boring boring dito sa Pilipinas! Tapos may mga kasama pa kaming strangers, but.. They are so familiar to me, minsan kasi nagvivisit din kami sa Philippines pero three days lang at puro din sa mga hotels yung tinutulugan namin kaya malungkot ako na hindi pa pala ako makakapunta doon sa Syferath? I don't know.