You Are The One

Chapter 8 - Miserable

" Tomorrow's your flight, right? " Tanong niya sakin. We're here on the streets, naglalakad-lakad, nagpapahangin lang.. " Yeah. "

" These are great stuffs. " He showed me the paperbags. Namili kasi kami kanina ng mga bagay-bagay kasama na nang regalong ibibigay ko sa ate ko pag-uwi ko na tinulungan pa ako ni James piliin yun.

Sasagot na sana ako nang may nakita akong magkakapabago sa mood ko ngayon.

" Kristie! Kristie! Be careful, you might trip! "

" Amanda, you don't have to worry.. I'm a big girl now! "

" Oh, really? "

" Yes! "

" You just grew half an inch taller, you think you're a big girl now? " Natatawang sabi nung kapatid niya.

" Let's go home. I'm hungry. " Binuhat nung ate yung maliit niyang kapatid at naglakad na palayo. Pinagmasdan ko lang silang unti-unting maglaho sa paningin ko. Parang magic na nakikita ko ang mga sarili namin ng ate ko sakanila..

Bigla akong nalungkot. Naalala ko bigla ang ate ko at ang pagpapakasal niya..

" Natahimik ka? " Inakbayan ako ni James.

" Nothing. " Yumuko nalang ako. Alam mo yung bigla-bigla ka nalang nalulungkot sa isang iglap, kanina masaya ka naman.. Tss. Badtrip. Tinitigan lang ako ni James habang akbay-akbay ako.

" There! Let's go there! " Turo ko sa una kong nakitang bar.

" You sure? " Mas hinigpitan pa niya ang akbay niya sakin.

" Yes, I think I need it. "

***

" Give me that, that, and that one. " Hindi ko naman alam ang ginagawa ko kaya nagtututuro nalang ako ng kung ano-anong beer. Hindi naman ako pamilyar sakanila eh.

" No. No. Not those. Give us 2 bottles of that one. " May tinuro si James na mga beer pero hindi ko na pinansin yon. Okay.. Whatever. Gusto ko lang namang makalimot.

Nagsaling agad ako sa baso ko at inubos ang laman nito. " Hmm! ". Ang pakla!
Hindi naman ako sanay uminom eh.

At sumunod ang marami pang inom..

***

James' POV

" These are great stuffs. " I said reffering to the shopping bags we shopped earlier.

Then all of a sudden, natahimik siya. I followed what she's looking at.. She's staring at these sisters infront of us.

" Kristie! Kristie! Be careful, you might trip! "

" Amanda, you don't have to worry.. I'm a big girl now! "

" Oh, really? "

" Yes! "

" You just grew half an inch taller, you think you're a big girl now? " Natatawang sabi nung kapatid niya.

" Let's go home. " Binuhat nung ate yung maliit niyang kapatid at naglakad na palayo.

Tumingin ako sakanya. She looks sad. She must've remember something..?

" Natahimik ka? " Inakbayan ko siya.

" Nothing. " She said while looking down.. I felt the sadness in her voice.. I just stared at her.

" There! Let's go there! " Bigla nalang siyang nagturo ng bar.

" You sure? " I squeezed her.

" Yes, I think I need it. " Well, okay then.

***

" Give me that, that, and that one. " She's not alcoholic, you can tell, it's obvious. She doesn't know these bottles here.

" No. No. Not those. Give us 2 bottles of that one. " Pinigilan ko siya sa pagorder ng mga napili niya. I chose something a lil light.

She drank her first pour, " Hmm! ". She closed her eyes.

***

" Kaila. " She sat properly and faced me.

" Kaila? Who's her? " She asked her eyes half opened.

" What's wrong? " I seriously asked looking deeply in her eyes.

" Wrong? Huh- N-none.. Everything's right! " She closed her eyes again and smiled.
A fake smile.

" I know there's something wrong.. " I grabbed her shoulder.

" Nothing.. Nothing.. Nothing.. " Umiling lang siya.

" You can tell me. I'm here to listen. You can trust me. " Right after I said those words, she opened her eyes. She just stared at me for like a minute.

" I.. I know that I look happy all the time, that I wear a big smile everyday.. But that doesn't mean I'm happy in life.. I.. Am.. Miserable.. " She started to open up.

" Pakiramdam ko.. Wala ng magmamahal sakin. " Then she drank again.

" Lahat nalang.. Lahat sila.. Iniiwan din ako.. " I saw her teary eyed.

" My parents died.. My ex boyfriend cheated on me.. And now my sister. " One tear fell from her eye.

" Siya nalang ang meron ako.. Tapos feeling ko, mawawala na siya sakin pagkatapos ng kasal niya.. Maiiwan nanaman akong mag-isa. Takot akong maiwan. " She's crying now.. And fuck.

" Hindi naman mawawala ang kapatid mo.. She will just get married. She will not stop being your sister, she will forever be your sister. " I said.