Eleventh - LESTER - 1st Of The Eleven (On Going)

LINDA

"This is your fault Andie. Clearly you were not looking at where you were going. Lagi kasing lumulutang yang utak mo!" Andie's mom was fuming. Andie can imagine her mom's nose smoking with anger.

Andie has always chosen to look away when her mom's angry. It's good that she has a window in her room. Ofcourse, she does. Her mom wouldn't let Andie stay in a ward. And Andie was thankful for that. Atleast she can look outside and she tries to drown her mother's voice with her thoughts. Unfortunately, thinking also doesn't do her well.

Stupid Andie! Aakyat ka na lang ng hagdan. Ilang steps lang and you allowed yourself  to be bumped off the stairs. Di ka pa namatay. Dapat yung leeg mo nalang ang nabali. Andie thought. Her eyes were welling but she chose  not to cry. Alam na alam ni Andie kung anong sasabihin ng mommy niya kapag nakita siyang umiiyak. No room for weakness in the family.

Andie wished her dad was here. He could stay here like he used to when she was a kid. She wished it was her dad taking care of her. But no, he was so busy with business that maybe he forgot he has children. 

"Andie?! Are you listening to me?" sigaw ni Linda sa anak.

Andie and her mom were opposites like that. Linda wanted all attention to herself specially when she talks. Kaya siguro mabilis tumaas ang rango niya sa trabaho, she doesn't allow mistakes and that also applies to her children.

Andie on the other hand is content of being ordinary. Kahit pa matalino siya at sobrang daming talents, she would rather stay unnoticed. Andie even makes a conscious effort not to be seen. She likes solitude. To be at peace with her thoughts, with her art, with her feelings. But her mom always makes sure that people see her. Linda takes all actions necessary so that the world can see her children's potential.

"Andie?!" Linda called again, this time louder and more irritated.

Para lang matahimik ang mommy niya, lumingon si Andie. But her stare was blank, emotionless. Andie always manages to seem numb whenever she's with her mom but inside, there is a war being fought.

"Nakikinig ka ba?" tanong ni Linda sa anak. She was clearly at her limits. "Hindi ka kasi nag-iingat. Aakyat lang ng hagdan Andie. Ano bang problema mo?"

YOU....

"Nothing mom" Andie thought better to say.

"NOTHING?! Pero nasa ospital ka! You have casts on your arms and legs! Paanong naging nothing?!"

This time Andie chose not to answer anymore. Alam naman niyang walang patutunguhan kung sasagot siya. Kahit anong paliwanag ang gawin niya hindi din naman siya maiintindihan kahit pa preho nilang alam na aksidente lang ang lahat.

"So now you're going to miss school. Is this what you want huh? Mapag-iwanan ng mga kaklase mo? Hindi kita nilipat ng pipitsuging eskwelahan para mangulelat ka!" clearly Linda was against Andie studying in a co-ed school.

Andie was already wishing she just died with that fall than face this shame. She had been in this situation many times but she can't seem to be really numb the pain that it comes with. This was her mother talking to her. Shaming her and what's worse? Her yaya can hear everything. Her mom, instead of taking care of her, is shouting at her and blaming her for something Andie didn't want to happen.

Someone please take me away from here.

And just like magic, someone knocked.

"Uhm hi po" Lester peeked from the door. "Dito po ba yung room ni Andie? Andie Vasquez po."

Andie's face lit up and her yaya also smiled. She can hear the voice but she can't really pinpoint who it is. All she knows is it wasn't Dexter. Nevertheless, she's thankful. Her mom wouldn't dare make Andie look ridiculous in front of other people.

"Yes, this is the room." Sagot ni Linda sa binatilyong nakasilip sa pinto. "Are you her classmate?"

"Opo" Hindi alam ni Lester kung anong nararamdaman niya pero nanliliit siya sa tingin ng mommy ni Andie. 

"Come in then. Andie you have a visitor." Tawag niya sa anak. "I'll be going now. I have been out of the office long enough."

Napakamot si Lester habang pumapasok sa hospital room ni Andie.

This boy has a stupid smile. Naisip ni Linda. "Yaya Saleng, make sure Andie gets whatever she needs."

"Hi there. What brings you here?" Andie felt genuinely happy to see Lester.

Lester chuckled. "Just checking if you're okay. Ito nga oh, picked flowers for you." And he produced a santan bunch.

Andie can see that Lester was having second thoughts of giving her the flowers but she went ahead and took them. She remembered when she was little, she used to make rings and necklaces with santan flowers. This made her smile.

"Come on, sit here oh. Kwentuhan mo ko. Haven't been to school for 2 days now. I miss it already." School is an escape for Andie. A place where she can be carefree.

"Wala namang bago. Same same lang." Hindi alam ni Lester ang sasabihin. Nagpapawis na ang mga kamay niya. After what happened, kahit sino naman siguro mahihiya.

"Thank you ha."

It was music in Lester's ears. Parang matutunaw si Lester. Si Andie nagpapasalamat sa kanya.

"Na.. naku wala yun. Kahit sino naman siguro makakita sa'yo nun tutulungan ka." Pagdadahilan ni Lester.

"Doubt it." Andie remembered the moment wife clearly. There were many eyes that were looking but it was only Lester who came to help.

"Sus ito naman." Sabi ni Lester habang umuupo. "Ikaw pa! Sikat ka kaya sa school. May tutulong at tutulong sa'yo no."

"You know you sound like Dexter. I'm starting to believe it."

"Dexter?" Hindi na napigilan ni Lester na mapatanong.

"Oh, he 's a friend. My only friend actually"

"ARAY!!! Aray ko po!" Pineke ni Lester na sumasakit ang dibdib niya.

"Uy! Lester, what's happening? Are you hurt?" Andie asked, clearly worried. 

"Aray Andie!" nilakas pa lalo ni Lester when Andie reached out her hand. 

"Why? What's wrong? May sakit ka ba? Uy, Lester."

"Nasaktan lang ako. Nalaman ko kasing hindi pala tayo friends." tsaka siya ngumiti.

"Gahd Lester! Don't scare me like that. Akala ko kung ano na. Haha." 

Biglang naging seryoso naman ang mukha ni Lester .

"Pero 'di nga? Di tayo friends?"Naglakas ng loob si Lester.

At that moment, Andie saw Lester for the first time. Not just some random part of her environment, but as a person. He's actually having a crinkle in his nose right now. Maybe he's really thinking that we could be friends? or maybe he's playin' again. O baka naman makati lang ilong niya.

"Uy Andie!" she heard Lester, Andie didn't notice she was wandering off again.

"Huh? Friends? Uhm I don't really know about that. I'm not good at being friends."

Whoo! Deep! This is more difficult than I thought. 

"Hmmm sige gan'to nalang. Hi Andie, I'm Lester. Friends?" and Lester stretched out his hand na para bang nakikipagkilala.

Andie felt warm inside. She hasn't felt being warm for a very long time.

Maybe this will be worth it.

And she shook Lester's hand. "Friends."