Stars In Your Eyes

Chapter 1

"You'll be okay with Ate Rose, sweetheart. You'll be fine." Dad said sweetly and tapped my head.

"I'll see you later. Bye." He added.

I couldn't see anything so I had to be with someone who would take care of me. I was born blind. My mom was blind as well but she got her sight eventually because of surgery. I was raised both in Cordova. A province. But my brother was raised in Manila so we have huge differences. But I'm not the typical province girl because I'm stuck here at home. I have no childhood. I only hear stories from my mom. That's it. I would only feel objects but I couldn't see it. My life was pretty sad and boring but I loved it. My dad's there, my brother is, my cousins. But my mom? She died. Because of a accident.

"May iuutos ka po ba Ma'am?" Ate Rose asked.

"Can you please take me outside? Sa Gazebo. I'll eat my breakfast there." I uttered.

"Sige po." She said and took my hand. We went outside and I could smell the roses. My other hand was free so I managed to hold and feel the roses.

"Isang step pa po, Ella." She said. I followed and when we were there. She helped me sit down.

"Kukunin ko lang po yung pagkain niyo." Sabi niya at narinig ko siyang umalis dahil sa yapak niya.

I waited for her but she didn't immediately return. Saan siya pumunta?

"Rose?" I asked and stood up... I tried to feel the places around me... And I felt that there was a post and I held there. Went one step, down to the step two, and to the last step.

"Rose?" I called louder.

No one could hear me. The Mansion was somehow far so it is impossible for her to hear me.

"Who are you looking for?" A baritone voice said.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"In here!" He answered.

"Where? I can't see anything!" I yelled.

He just laughed at me. "I'm in front of you. Stop playing dumb and acting blind." He said.

"I am not!" I complained.

This is what I hate. They think that being blind is a joke! That I am just playing! Well, think again! I am not. Being blind is no joke.

"So, If you're really blind. You can not see me? Even if I am naked?" He said and laughed.

I was flushed. What the heck? What kind of question is that!

"Of course!" I answered defensively.

"So you can't see the view?" He asked.

"Oo nga!" I answered.

"Naku, Dylan! Salamat at binantay mo si Ella. Hindi kasi siya makakita kaya kailangan may kasama... May tumawag kasi kaya natagalan ako." Rose explained.

"It's okay, Ate Rose. Una na po ako." He said.

I was curious who he was though? Why was he in our flower field? Is he a worker? Does he live here?

"Ito na yun breakfast mo, Ella. Kaya mo naman na, hindi ba?" She asked.

"Oo naman po, Ate Rose. Uhm..." I said and thinking what sentence would I add.

"Ano iyon, Hija?" She asked curiously.

"Sino po siya?" I finally asked. He was a creep. Bigla nalang sumusulpot sa aming flower field!

"Does he work here?" I added

"Si Dylan? Hindi siya nagttrabaho dito! Tumutulong lang siya sa pagpitas ng bulaklak. Mabait na bata iyon. Anak siya ng Mayor ng Cordova. Malapit kasi ang tatay niya at tatay mo." Sagot ni Rose.

"Ah, talaga po? Matagal na sila magkakilala?" Tanong ko.

"Matagal na!" Sambit ni Rose.

"Tawagin ko nalang siya ulit. May aasikasuhin lang ako sa bayan." Sabi niya na at nagmadaling umalis.

I just continued eating my breakfast... I could manage on my own actually. Except for going to places. I might bump, fall, or slip.

"Ako na po bahala sa kanya, Ate Rose." I heard his voice again.

He's here! Tinawag talaga siya ni Rose.

"Uhm, Ate Rose, tapos naman na po ako kumain. Pupunta nalang ako sa kwarto ulit." Sambit ko bigla.

"Ah sige, Dylan! Pakitulungan mo si Ella." Sabi pa ni Rose.

"I- uhm," I said stuttering.

"Hold my hand." He whispered.

He held my hand with his left and his right arm around my waist. I kind of stepped back when he did that but he still resisted.

"Bye, Ella! Nariyan lang si Dylan." Sambit niya at umalis na.

He suddenly carried me and that made me scream.

"Hey! Get off me." I yelled at him.

"No. Maraming stairs ang iaakyat. Bubuhatin na lang kita para hindi ka na mahirapan pa..." He seriously said.

Napatahimik na lang ako kahit gusto ko umalis sa mga bisig niya.

"Where is your room?" He asked.

"The door to the right."

I knew he was struggling to reach for the doorknob so I placed my hand to the door and when I got the hold of it, I opened it.
He placed me on my bed and I just sat. I heard him switched my aircon. He sat down beside me.

"May ipapagawa ka pa?" Tanong niya sa akin.

I shook my head. He would be bored here. Wala naman kasi akong television dito sa kwarto dahil wala itong pag gagamitan.

"You can watch the television in our living room downstairs, Dylan." I said.

"No, I'm fine. Kailangan kita bantayan." He answered and just sat there in this wooden chair beside my bed.

Hindi na iyon tinaggal pa ni Daddy. Maliit pa lang ako, naroon na yun dahil doon umupo si Mommy kapag binabantay ako o kaya nagkkwento sa akin ng mga storya.

"Can we play music?" He said and I heard him stood up.

He must have noticed my vinyl player.

"You can. Yung vinyl nasa drawer sa ibaba." I said. Memoryado ko na ata ang buong kwarto ko sa liit at dahil nakasanayan ko na kasi hindi naman ako lagi may kasama rito sa kwarto.

"Modern Music?" Nagtataka siya.

He picked Ed Sheeran and it played my favorite, All Of The Stars

I sang to some of the lyrics that I knew.

"You really have a nice voice." He commented.

I smiled.

END