My Ghost Girlfriend

MGG 40

Damn

I looked in the mirror as I fastened the remaining buttons of my longsleeves and studied myself. My shirt is still untucked, I have stubbles under my chin, my hair is appallingly disheveled and I don't have any plan of fixing it. Afterall it's not my party to dress up and to show off not that I have any intentions to but damn I looked horrible.

"Arf!"

Napatingin ako kay Ruru na nakadamba sa lamesa at nakatunghay sa isang bagay na katabi ng nakuha kong litrato namin ni Mom sa dating tinutuluyan niya.

Lumapit ako at umupo sa tabi niya bago kinuha ang bagay na tinitignan niya. Agad na napangiti ako ng bumaha ang mga nakatagong alaala nito kasama siya.

It was the first sketch of her that I'd drawn when we were still in Sanchez Mira looking for her family. It was still vivid and felt surreal how she smiled back then---like the one in this picture---everytime she looked at me.

"You miss her?" Baling ko kay Ruru na matamang nakatingin sakin.

"Arf!" Sagot niya na para bang naintindihan ako at umikot pa.

I suddenly remembered the voice from two nights ago. I unconsciously placed my right hand above my chest as the scene replayed in my head.

Pagkarinig ko palang ng boses, hinanap ko agad kung saan (kanino) ito nanggaling. I spent an entire hour of searching but only found nothing.

I shook my head as realization dawned on me. Maybe I was just imagining things. Maybe it was all because I miss her and I wanted to hear her voice. But---damn it---paano ko maipapaliwanag ang init na bumalot sa dibdib ko nang mga panahong yun dala ng bawat salitang lumabas sa bibig niya na hanggang ngayon ramdam ko pa rin? Only one woman can give a heart attack. And as unusual as it may seem, it was the first of the past two hundred fourteen nights that I finally got to sleep with a contented heart.

Malungkot na ngumiti ako. "Ako rin." Sobra na nga na naiimagine ko nang naririnig ang boses niya. I tapped his head as he waggled his tail. "Come here, buddy. Ilalagay ko ang bow mo."

Bumalik ako sa pag aayos ng sarili ko pagkatapos kong isuot sa kanya ang kulay pulang bow na binili ko.

"Why does it even need to be a formal gathering? I hate wearing suits plus this goddam--"

"Your Mom wouldn't want to hear that though. Baka bumaba yun sa langit at sipain niya ako sa isip na hindi kita pinalaki ng maayos." Dad being Dad, pumasok na naman na akala mo sa kanya ang kwarto ko.

"Hindi nga ba?" I smirked before I continued murdering the tie around my neck. I seriously hate these stuffs. Fck.

I watched him as he looked at me wide-eyed.

"Paano mo nagagawang sabihin sakin yan, anak? Dugo't laman ko inalay ko sayo. Pati katawan at puri ko binenta ko mabuhay ka lang!" He said devastated, tears starting to brim from the corner of his eyes. The hell? How could he do that?

Napangiwi ako sa sinabi niya at iiling iling na bumuntong hininga. "You're gross, Dad."

In my 20 years of existence, I could say that my father surely knows how to act. He is one heck of a madman.