Dominika (Pale As Dead I) | COMPLETED

𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚢 - 𝚘𝚗𝚎

┗━━━━━━━ ｄｅｅ ━━━━━━━┓

𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟻, 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝟼 𝚊.𝚖.

Today was the first day of classes after the semestral break. It was exciting kasi suot na namin ang complete set ng uniform namin. The last time we wore it was the first day of school. Natutuwa ako kasi ito lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit Miwako ang napili naming school in the first place. Ang cute kasi ng uniform. Well, the first reason pala ay dahil ang feeling namin ay nasa anime world kami.

God, I had to grow up.

"Nag-text na si Gwen," I told Shishi habang naglalakad kami sa quadrangle pagkababa ng car niya.

"Anong sabi?" He took a long swig of his Red Horse na nasa can. Fourth can niya na 'yan this morning. Nakadalawa na siya sa bahay, isa sa biyahe, then yung iniinom niya ngayon. I told him na ang aga pa para mag-inom but he said na kailangan niya ng alak para ganahan siyang mag-aral.

"Nasa garden daw sila ngayon ni Helen. Yung table na nasa likod ng greenhouse."

"Oh ngayon?" Nakataas na naman ang isang kilay niya. Medyo namumula na ang cheeks niya.

"Ngayon, kailangan ko na silang puntahan. Pwede ba?"

Inihagis niya sa pinakamalapit na trash bin yung can na wala nang laman. And I must say, he was a sharp shooter for a drunk. "Alas siete simula ng opening ceremony. Kailangan nasa tapat ka na ng gym ng six forty-five. Baka ma-late ka pa n'yan."

Tumango ako. "Opo."

"Good," sabi niya bago ako halikan nang smack lang. Lumakad na rin siya, shouldering his hoodie na hawak niya kanina. Hindi niya dala yung blazer niya, eh. Hindi ko alam kung saan siya pupunta pero mukhang sa clubroom nila sa Yon. Papunta kasi siyang main building. Nagpunta na rin ako sa garden dahil naghihintay na sila Helen sa akin.

Ilang araw ko nang napapansin na medyo balisa si Shishi. Parang may iniisip siya at hindi masyadong mapakali. Lagi ring nakabantay sa phone niya na parang may hinihintay na text o tawag. Ayoko namang maging praning, but kung ano-ano na ang pumapasok sa isip ko. Baka may iba na siyang kausap. May tiwala naman ako sa kanya, especially ngayon na kilala ko na ang family niya.

It was a very memorable part of my life with Shishi when we went to Manila Memorial para bisitahin ang daddy and kuya niya. I would never forget the moment that he introduced me to his departed father and brother.

Umalis noon sila Tita Esmeralda, Ate Ágata, and Ate Carla to visit another relative's mausoleum sa loob din ng same cemetery. Naiwan lang kaming dalawa ni Shishi sa mausoleum ng daddy and kuya niya. Nakaupo kami noon sa built-in stone chairs around a stone table sa loob at nakain ng sandwiches when he suddenly stood up and knelt on one knee in front of the tombs.

Tinabihan ko siya. He did not look sad at all—instead, there was a happy, lopsided grin in his lips.

"Papá, Álv, bati na kami ni Ággie. Pasensya na, inabot pa ng tatlong taon bago kami magkaayos."

That was the first thing that he said. He wiped the thin layer of dust on the edge of Timothy Dominguez's tombstone. His dad's remains were in there, but his brother's were not. Nasa Spain. There was only the tombstone to honor him.

May two hours na kami sa cemetery noon, but that was the only time that he really approached the tombs. Siguro dahil noon lang siya nakapagsolo ulit kasama ang daddy and kuya niya, though nandito pa rin ako. Siguro, open na siya talaga sa akin kaya hindi siya nag-hesitate na kausapin sila while his mom and sisters were away. It made me very happy.