She and her Personifications

Kabanata 13

Everything was good and all until it happend.

Nakarating kami sa Pilipinas ligtas. Well syempre dahil na access nila ang mga helicopter at nakasakay kami sa first class sa isang eroplano.

It took about 5 hours before we reached our destination. Pagkatapos non biglang nagkagulo yung airport. Ewan lang kung ano pero I saw something familiar.

Luzon tugged me away from the crowd until we slipped inside the taxi.

We arrived shortly and I was bombarded by a large house that was sitting in front of me. I gaped at it. Dito na ba ako titira?

We went in and I saw my uncle inside arranging some things. Nagkakalat naman yung mga papeles.He dusted himself before he looked at us again and resumed.

And bilis naman niya makarating dito. Kala ko naman nasa America sha- WHOA WAIT! ANG WEIRD NGA EH? PAANO SIYA NAKARATING SA IBANG BANSA AT NAKAPUNTA PA RIN DITO? SI TITA ALAM NIYA KUNG SAAN SIYA GALING?! NAKALIMUTAN KONG ITATANONG SA KANYA!

But anyway, he will be my guardian from now on. I frowned. I burdened my uncle who was going to my guardian from now on. If the Nation Council thinks I could stand a chance of being a nation then I would say no. They wanted to think this over kaya hindi ko parin magawang tanggihan.

The guys soon dispersed around me. Luz fiddled the cabinets at namangha dahil iba't iba ang nakikita nitang mga ingredients para lulutuin niya. Kung tutuusin, sagana sa putahe and Luzon kaya guro ganon.

Sa kanan, nilabas ni Visayas ang laptop nya atsaka ewan lang anong kababalaghan ginagawa nya basta nag vivideo sha sa kanyang sarili na parang baliw.

Biglang nawala si Mindanao kaya hindi ko alam saan siya pumunta.

"Mira, halika muna dito." Sabi ni titi nang matapos niyang ayusin ang anuman nasa kahon man yon ewan lang.

Lumakad ako palapit sakanya.

"Tito si tita-"

"Okay lang. Wala siyang alam tungkol dito." Kalma niyang pagsagot. Nararamdaman kong ayaw niyang i entertain yung mga tanong ko tungkol sa kanyang connection sa mga nations o paano siya nakaalam tungkol nila. Were there exceptional humans out there who knows about them aside from those who have utmost authority?

"Mira, I will be forward about this. Kahit alam mo na isang taon kang hindi nag kolehiyo at alam kong gusto mong magiging guro, I will be forward to what I am goind to say," He hand me some paper documents and I glazed my eyes over them.

T-tourism?!

I felt a sense of detatchment and distrust.

"Why?" I managed to croak.

My uncle didnt bat an eye instead he felt sorry,"I'm sorry but this is what they requested- I mean wanted them to do for you."

I felt helplessness. How could they?-

"I never signed up for this!", Luzon and Visayas stopped and turned to stare at me but I started to spoke whatever I had in mind. I can't stop.

"Why would you push your standards to someone like me?! I never wanted to become a nation! I never asked! I just want a peaceful life. Until those three came-! I... I thought." I bit my lip. I looked at Luzon and Visayas. I felt ashamed.

Lumabas ako sa bahay at tumakbo. Hindi ko pinansin ang pagtawag nila Tito o nila Visayas. I WANTED TO RUNAWAY FROM HERE AS FAST AS I COULD!

Wala naman silang kasalanan. It was my fault kung bakit ganito ang situation. I should have spoke up my mind. I should have disagreed instead I let myself being pushed around. Let them do what they want me to do. It like "Lets make Mira into a nation. It will be awesome."

I like those nations. I never regretted meeting them but I dont want my life to become more complicated than it already is.

Tumigil ako sa harap ng park. Hindi ko alam paano ako nakapunta dito. Umupo ako sa bench at may tumulo galing sa langit at unti unting bumagsak ang mga patak ng ulan.

"Are you okay missy?" May nagsabi tsaka ramdam ko may sumukob sakin gamit ng kanyang payong.

Hindi ako kumibo at patuloy ako tumingin sa harap.

The man sat beside me and offered food. Umiling ako. Hindi ako bata na tumanggap lang ng pagkain kahit sino no!

The man withdrew his hand and took out his phone. As he was busy, I got to see his face a bit. Moreno siya na may dugong dayuhan dahil sa berdeng mata niya.

He kept his phone in his pocket and I looked away.

A moment later he said,"What do you think of us? Do you still get weirded out? Or were you afraid?"

Tumingin ako sa kanya.

Of course. He was one of them.

"Sino ka ba?"

The man just let his smile curved playfully.

"Me? I'm Spain."

"I see." Hindi na ako nagtatanong pa.

I felt him shifted in his seat as the rain still rained on.

"Did you know... you uncle was your mother's first love?"

That gave me my attention.

He continued,"Your mama was beautiful infact I kinda fell for her." He shyly said.
"But then, your mom fell in love with him and your uncle was too late to realise how much he love her. After she died, he promised himself that he would protect you no matter what."

"It's too much of a coincidence." Napabulong ako. There are in between gaps in my family tree usually the fathers are anonymous. Hindi ko alam sinong asawa ni Lola Mai pero meron siyang anak na babae which is my mom. My mom fell in love with my dad which is my aunt's brother. So my moms first love was uncle who was my aunt's current husband. Ang gulo nga actually but I get the gist of it.

And somehow, I slowly forgot what my father actually looks like. Nakakatakot nga eh.

"Oh look, Theo's here."

Narinig ko ang pag tapak ng sapatos na paparating dito. Napansin ko nawala na ang ulan kaya medyo naaninag ko sino yon.

"A-antonio..." Humahangak siya bago siya huminga ng malalim at nagsalita na mataimtim. " Salamat... sa pagsama kay Mira."

Nakipag balikat lang si Antonio at tinapik niya ang kanyang balikat.

"I gotta go now" Tumango Tito at lumalayo na sa aming paningin si Spain.

"Paumanhin mo ako sa kinikilos ko kanina. Nadala ako sa pressure."

" Okay lang Tito. Ayos lang. Gusto ko lang mag isip muna."Hindi parin nawala yung tingin ko sa hinaharap nang marinig ko ang kulog sa langit.

Umalis kami sa parke.

Nararamdaman ko may nakatitig sa akin likod kaya napalingon ako. Hindi ko naaninagng dilim pero nakikita ko yung kinang ng isang metal. Tinawag ako ni tito at doon ako tumakbo papunta sakanya.

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