Buying Love (Published Under UMPRINTABLES!)

Forty Four

"Let's go?"

Napabaling si Ram sa may pintuan ng kwarto kung saan siya naroroon. Naroon si Hana, nakasukbit na sa likuran nito ang malaking back pack. He didn't move. He just stood there, staring back at her.

She raised both eyebrows. "Anong meron? May problema ba?"

He let out one deep sigh bago padapang ibinagsak ang sarili sa malambot na kama, beside his already packed traveling bag. Wala siyang ganang umalis.

"Masama bang pakiramdam mo?"

Hindi rin siya sumagot.

Naramdaman niyang naglakad ito palapit sa kanya. Then she put down her bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. Dinama nito ang kanyang ulo.

"Di ka naman mainit, ah. Anong nararamdaman mo?" Her voice was laced with concern. He was touched.

Tumihaya siya saka hinila itong pahiga. She landed atop him.

"Aray ko! Bakit ka ba nanghihila?" anito. Hindi naman ito nagalit, natatawa pa nga ito.

He snaked his left arm around her waist to prevent her from rolling over while his right hand reached for her cheek.

"Do we really have to go?" aniya, hoping to change her mind.

"Kailangan mo pa bang itanong 'yan? Eh, golden wedding annivesary kaya ng parents mo, alangan namang 'wag tayong umattend, 'di ba?" anito.

Of course, he knew the answer. So stupid of him to ask the obvious. He let his arms fall to his sides while letting out one deep sigh.

She rolled over to his side at saka ipinuwesto ang sariling ulo paunan sa kanyang braso. Nakititig na din ito sa may ceiling gaya ng ginagawa niya.

"May problema ba?" anito.

"Alam mong meron."

"Three days lang naman tayo doon, eh. Mabilis lang 'yon, " anito. Nagpapaligsahan pa din sila sa pagtitig sa kisame.

"That's long enough to torture me, Hana, and you know that. I hate every-fucking-one in that place. They will do nothing but to compare me with JM. Nakakasakal na. Saka kahit naman yata 'di tayo umattend, they wouldn't notice our, I mean my abscence. They won't give a damn about it."

"Wrong. Kapag 'di tayo umattend, lalo mo lang papatunayan sa kanila ang hinala nila --- na hindi ka mabuting anak at na wala ka talagang pakialam sa pamilya niyo. You have to prove them wrong, 'ika nga. Dapat mong patunayang mali ang buong akala nila sa'yo."

"Kahit naman siguro anong gawin ko, hindi na magbabago ang pagtingin ng lahat sa akin. I'll always be the black sheep in that almost perfect family."

"Hindi ako naniniwala diyan. Kaya mo pang baguhin ang pagtingin ng tao sa'yo. Kailangan mo lang mag-effort ng konti. Kailangan mo lang ipakita sa kanila na mali ang pagkakakilala nila sa'yo. Na hindi ka naman ganoon kawalang kuwenta."