Lea
"Aren't you hungry?" nag-aalalang tanong ko kay Ada na ngayo'y nanonoud ng TV.
Kaagad naman siyang umiling, "Nawalan na po ako ng gana, Daddy said he'll eat dinner with us but then unfortunately, he left." she answered and sadness is evident in her voice, nagtatampo na naman ang dalaga ko.
I walked towards her direction at umupo sa tabi niya, "Ads, may emergency ata kaya your Dad cannot make it. Besides, we spent the whole day together naman, 'di ba? Isn't that enough?" malumanay kong aniya.
Kahit ako, naguguluhan din. Is the emergency really important that he manage to ditch dinner with her daughter? Akala ko ba babawi siya, pero, bakit?
"Sabagay pero, pwede po bang next time, dito mag- dinner si Dad?" she asked me, napabuntong hininga na lang ako at napatango.
Somehow, nabawas-bawasan na rin ang galit ko kay Aga. I just can't resist the feeling..
That feeling when you look at someone's eyes and you're always held captive. Napaka-hirap umiwas kapag gano'n ang sitwasyon.
"So, you'll eat dinner na?" I'm planning to take Ada somewhere tonight, mag-didiner kami sa labas.
"Opo!" she answered kaya napangiti naman ako, mabuti naman.
"Let's eat dinner outside." I said, Ada just nodded her head happily in response.
We ended up at Pinoy Island, malapit lang kasi ito sa subdivision namin at isa pa, masasarap ang mga pagkain dito.
Hawak kamay kami ni Ada papasok sa loob ng restaurant, the ambiance is so good and relaxing. Walang masyadong tao which is a plus.
We stopped at a table na mayroong apat na upuan, the moment we sat down, a waitress immediately approach us.
She asked for our orders, I glance at my daughter who's busy looking at the menu list, "Double her orders." I uttered referring to Ada, the waitress nodded.
"Ads, I'll just go to the comfort room, nature calls." paalam ko kay Ada as I grabbed my bag at kaagad na tumayo upang tumungo nga sa comfort room.
Pagpasok ko, no one is in there, I sighed in relief at kaagad na pumasok sa isa sa mga cubicle.
After urinating, lumabas ako para mag-hugas ng kamay sa lababo. Inaayos ko muna ang sarili ko at nag-lagay ng konting press powder at saka lipstick. After fixing myself, it's finally time to go out of the comfort room.
Palabas na ako nang may nakabangga akong babae, napalakas masyado ang impact causing her to sit on the floor.
"Oh God! Sorry!" I exclaimed at tinulungan siyang makatayo, her long hair is covering her whole face kung kaya't 'di ko makita ng klaro ang mukha niya.
"Are you alright? Sorry talaga, I didn't saw you coming." I added, nakayuko pa rin siya dahil inaayos niya ata ang laman ng shoulder bag niya, nahulog kasi ang ilang gamit niya nang mag-kabangaan kami.
Based on her posture, I think she's just around 15-16. She's wearing a crop top, a tutu skirt na hanggang tuhod niya lang at, flat gladiator shoes. A combination of pink and black colors.
Too girly, I thought. She remimds me of someone though..
"Okay lang po. Kasalanan ko rin at hindi ako tumitingin sa dinadaanan ko." she replied softly. Her voice, napaka-sarap pakinggan. It's like, I've already heard it but just can't remember where and how.
I was looking intently at her not until she raised her head to face me, she's smiling but her smile vanished instantly upon seeing me. I don't really know— basta ang ngiti niya, napalitan ng pagkagulat? She looked surprised and astonished at the same time.
"Are you sure you're alright? Namumutla ka eh." I asked again, nag-aalala na ako at namumutla ang bata na ito, ewan ko kung bakit.
"M—ms. Lea?" she called my name, stuttering, I smiled at her as I nodded my head in affirmation.
"You know me?" 'di maka-paniwalang tanong ko.
"Of course sikat po kayo at saka isa pa yo—" she stopped midsentence and gulped, "You're my idol!" she continued, kaya naman pala..
"Really? Good to hear that. Anyway, what's your name sweetie?" and before she can even answer my question, tumunog ang cellphone niya. Ewan ko ba or ako lang iyon, pero nang tumunog ang cellphone niya, umaliwalas bigla ang reaksyon niya.
"Ms. Lea, I really need to answer this call. It was my pleasure meeting you!" she said and by that, tumakbo na siya palabas ng comfort room, leaving me behind. That girl is really something..
She's really familiar in all ways. Her looka, the way she speak, the way she move— EVERYTHING about that girl reminds me of someone.
Maybe I'm just missing her a lot at kung ano-ano na ang iniisip ko. Kamusta na kaya sila?
I shrugged my thoughts away, kung nasaan man sila ngayon, I'm way confident that they're doing fine. Naniniwala ako na balang araw, magkru-krus din ang mga landas namin.
I composed myself first before making my way out of the comfort room, while walking, napahinto ako at napatingin sa paanan ko nang maramdaman kong may naapakan ako.
And I'm right, may panyo nga sa paanan ko. Yumuko ako upang damputin iyon as I looked around to see kung kanino 'to, no one's inside except for me, and the girl I bumped into earlier. 'Di kaya, sa kanya to?
Napatingin ako sa panyo, it's plain white at sa bottom part nito, may naka-engrave na letters na 'CEM'.
What's the meaning of that? There's a part of me saying na baka initials 'to nang may-ari ng panyo na 'to, if possible, her innitials are pretty familiar.
'CEM'
Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko when realization hit me. Caeleah Eris Muhlach. If possible, kay Cae ba 'to? Dali-dali naman akong lumabas ng comfort room at hinanap ng mga mata ko ang babaeng nakabungo ko kanina ngunit sa kasamaang palad, hindi ko na siya nakita.
I was looking everywhere but there is no sign of that girl's presence. It's really possible that the girl I bumped into earlier is Cae..
It is also possible that she is not. Maybe, I was just over thinking, ano naman ang gagawin ni Cae dito? She's in NYC for Pete's sake! Baka nga, I was just imagining things, hallucinating and creating illusions.
Nilagay ko ang panyo sa loob ng bag ko and went back to our table
"Ada." I called my daughter who's now busy with her phone, umupo ako sa harap niya and good thing, the food is already served.
"What took you so long, Ma?" she asked. I smiled at her instead of answering, umupo na lang ako sa upuan kaharap niya.
"Kain na lang tayo Ads, gutom na ako eh." wika ko, tumango lang siya at kagaya ng sinabi ko, kumain na nga kami.
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BINABASA MO ANG
Destinesia
Fanfiction(n) when you get to where you were intending to go, but forget why you were going there in the first place. 「 A LeAga Fanfiction 」
