Sugar coated Pepper (Completed)

65: Smart Kid

Pepper's POV 

["The number you have dialed is either una--..."] i ended the call when for nth time it's still the operator who answered. Where is she? Kanina pa ako nandito sa mall at kanina ko pa din tinatawagan si Honey, but still she's nowhere to be found.

I don't know where to find her so i decided to walk. Bahala na kung saan makarating, i guess it's much better than stay at home and think about her. Maraming tao kaya hirap akong hanapin si Honey, naglibot na lang ako. I feel relax, seeing happy people together with their family.

Family.. That's what i want, my own family. Could i possibly have that? I hope so. Napangiti na lang ako ng mapait and decided to stop. I leaned on the railings and  look at people passing by.

"Stop crying, you look awful." i heard someone say that kaya napatingin ako sa katabing bench. I saw two kids; a girl and a boy to be exact. They're arguing while the little girl is crying. Lumapit ako ng kaunti to eavesdrop,i smile mischievously. I got curious about their conversation, also pangtanggal inip din..

"How can.. How can i stop crying? We're lost! I want to be with Mama!" she cried again, natawa ako sa reaction ng batang lalake. He looks so pissed off.

"We're not lost okay? They'll find us. Just.. Just stop crying! People are looking at us. It's humiliating!" as if on cue napatingin ako sa paligid and he's right, pinagtitinginan na nga sila ng mga tao.. including me. Smart kid.. I said on my mind.

Hindi na umimik ang batang babae while the little boy keeps on looking around, maybe hoping to find his parent. He's a smart kid, also he acts like a young adult. Children nowadays, how lucky his parents are.. I'm sure he'll become a better man.

"Dad! Dad!"

Tumakbo bigla 'yung batang babae, while the little boy just sit and watch her. Without second thought, i sat next to him. Naramdaman ko ang pagtingin niya sa akin but i didn't look back. Nakatingin lang ako sa direksyong pinuntahan ng batang babae, i felt sad.. I don't know why.

"Follow her.." i said out of the blue, yun naman kasi dapat ang ginagawa niya di ba?

"Why would i? It's her decision to run away and leave me here. I don't need to chase after people who chose to leave me."

What the? I was amazed, seriously?! Bata ba ang kausap ko? I look at him pero sa malayo siya nakatingin. How can a kid like him say that? "How old are you?"

"Four.. Turning five next month." he said in a serious tone still not looking at me. I smile, pang ilan beses na ba akong ngumingiti ngayong araw? It's funny, pakiramdam ko kasi hindi bata ang kausap ko.

"Wow! advance happy birthday kiddo." natatawa kong ginulo ang buhok niya. Mas nakakatuwa because he didn't complain, mukhang nagustuhan pa nga niya. I saw him smile too! Nakakatuwa..

"Thank you. Actually it's our birthday, that girl is my twin sister.."

Twin sister?!"Really? Greet her for me. It's nice to meet you.. I'm Pepper." to my surprise he looks at me with twinkling eyes, gwapong bata. Hindi niya inabot ang nakalahad ko na kamay instead he hug me. And it feels.. good, it feels like home. I didn't know why.

"I want to see you on my birthday." he murmured but i can hear him clearly. Kumalas na siya ng yakap at tumayo.

"You're leaving?" humarap siya sa akin and smile. He looks familiar..