The Angel Without Wings | ✔

IV: Flightless Angel

IV: Flightless Angel

"For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it."

Nicholas Sparks

**

"NEON!"

I gasped and noticed that I was bathed in cold sweat. Bumalik ako sa realidad nang marinig ko ang boses ng kapatid ko. Her teary face and her trembling lips greeted me.

"Nike," I staggered at my feet at sinubukang tumayo ulit. "I'm begging you... tell me the truth."

My sister looked at me, hesitation reflected in her eyes, but she gave me a nod.

"Seven months ago," panimula niya habang nilalapag ang tasa ng kape sa mesang nasa harapan namin. Nasa loob na kami ng lumang bahay ni lola at kasalukuyan akong nakaupo sa windowsill at pinagmamasdan ang mga batang naglalaro sa 'di kalayuan habang nakaupo naman sa upuang katapat ko si Nike, "you fell down the stairs doon sa lumang building sa likod ng elementary school. You hit your head severely and because of that you lost a part of your memory. At the same time, natagpuan din nila ang katawan ni Riley sa tapat ng parehong building na 'yon."

Kumabog bigla ang dibdib ko pagkarinig ng pangalan niya. "Ano'ng..." I tried to ask. "Ano'ng relasyon namin ni Riley?"

My sister gave me a sad look. Humigop muna siya ng kape bago ako sinagot. "She was your lover."

Mabilis na lumingon ang ulo ko nang marinig 'yon. "'Was'?" I saw my sister flinched na animo'y nadulas siya sa sinabi niya. "Nike?"

Tumayo siya at dahan-dahang naglakad sa tabi ko. Tiningnan niya rin ang tinitingnan ko kanina habang hindi ko naman inaalis ang tingin ko sa kanya.

"Riley moved on this town not too long ago, maybe a year. She's a quarter British and a sheltered princess of a wealthy family. Simula nang dumating siya dito ay talagang sakitin na siya. Then there's this boy who's always getting ahead of himself. Makulit, masungit, minsan hambog at walang pakialam sa paligid niya, pero matalino siya at palagi niyang inuuna ang kapakanan ng kapatid niya. Dahil sa kakahanap niya sa tuta niya noon, napadpad siya sa mansyon nina Riley." She took a glance towards me. "Can you see that huge house over there?" sinundan ko ang tinuturo ng hintuturo niya at naaninagan ang malaking bahay sa 'di kalayuan. "That's where you two met.

"It was an unexpected meeting. Simula noon palihim ka nang bumibisita sa kanila. You were so fond of your new found friend to the point that you were talking about her every single night before going to sleep. I mean, I was annoyed because you wouldn't shut up. So I teased you a little saying that you're probably in love with her. I was expecting an earful denial from you, but you just stood there, blushing and timid. Muntik na nga kitang 'di makilala dahil sa ikinilos mo," she chuckled habang kinukwento 'yon habang ako naman ay tahimik lamang sa pakikinig sa kanya.

"A few weeks after that, bigla mong binalita sa 'kin na kayo na. Hindi mo ba alam na naitapon ko pa ang kutsara ko sa 'yo noon? Nainis kasi ako dahil pakiramdam ko habang napapalapit ka sa kanya, napapalayo ka naman sa 'kin. I was afraid. And that fear led me to follow you the next day. Curious kasi ako kung anong klaseng babae si Riley na napaamo niya ang isang tulad mo. And then I saw it-I saw how pretty she is, how she caught your wild heart. Doon ko nalaman na hindi pala puro exaggeration ang mga ikinukuwento mo sa 'kin noon."

Nilaro niya ang mga daliri niya habang nagkukwento. "You looked very happy standing close to her so I thought everything was okay. Pero nagulat ako nang bigla kang hinablot ng isang matandang lalaki. He punched you all of a sudden. He said never to come to their house and to never meet her daughter again. I remembered how you looked back then, Neon. You didn't fought back, you just-" she said reservedly. "You just slumped your back and walked away silently. Nang gabing 'yon tinanong kita tungkol sa pasa mo sa pisngi, pero sinabi mo sa 'kin na nadapa ka lang. I was supposed to left it just like that, but it keeps happening. Araw-araw, iba-ibang klaseng pasa ang inaabot mo. I never thought you could be that stupid-a fucking airhead. Bakit mo hinahayaan 'yon?"