PULLED AT HIS STRINGS | Darren Espanto #3 (Spin-off)

Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Little White Lies

"Uuwi po ba tayo sa Nueva Vizcaya sa December?" 

Dad looked at me at the rear view mirror. 

"Oo naman. Napagbigyan na ang kapatid mo na sa Batangas tayo for your sembreak," sagot niya at napatango nalang ako. 

"Sige po. I do miss Lola." 

Tinanaw ko ang daan pabalik sa Manila. Pinansin ko ang iba't-ibang kulay ng mga sasakyan na nagdaraan. 

It's four in the afternoon and we're driving away from Lipa City, Batangas. Kapag walang mga sasakyan, tinitignan ko ang mga damuhan at ang ibang mga halaman. Everything was so green against the sunset and it made me want to touch their leaves. 

"How about Canada, anak? Don't you miss it there?" 

I looked at my Mom. 

"Of course I miss Canada, too, Mom.  Nakakausap ko parin naman ang mga kaibigan ko kaya nababawasan ang pagka-miss ko doon." Sagot ko. 

Isang overpass ang nalampasan namin bago nagsalita sa Lynelle. 

"Mommy, ako! Gusto ko sa Canada!" Aniya at tumigil sa paglalaro ng lotion. 

"Kailangang pumuti ka muna bago ka makapunta sa Canada," I kidded her. That made her swat my arm kahit na may lotion pa ang kamay niya. 

"Mommy! Daddy! Kuya's teasing me again!" Pagsusumbong niya kaya pareho kaming sinuway. We were creating noise, anyway. 

Our sembreak was for two weeks. Pagkatapos ng klase namin, hinayaan muna kami ni Papa na mag-empake at sa susunod na araw ang byahe namin. 

I was a bit disappointed to find out that we're gonna spend two weeks in Lipa. Gustong-gusto ko na kasing umuwi ng Nueva Vizcaya. I miss walking around the municipality of Bambang at pati narin ang pamamasyal sa ibang lugar doon. 

For the first week, we stayed in Lipa. Namamasyal lang kami doon o kaya ay nasa bahay lang kami. 

For the following week, we went to Nasugbu. Kasama ang ibang pamilya namin, we held our reunion there. That's the very reason why Lynelle was playing with the lotion. Not that she got burnt, but her skin became dry. 

"I'm not sunog," pangungulit niya sa akin. Kulang nalang ay ubusin na niya ang lotion.

"But you're conyo," sagot ko kay Lynelle.

"Pareho lang kayo," Dad laughed at us. 

The whole ride was fun especially that Lynelle and I were both noisy. We had our breaks, of course. It's to re-energize and to give Dad a break from driving continuously. Kaya ko naman na magmaneho, pumapayag naman si Papa kapag nakabantay siya pero si Mama, ayaw talaga niya.

I was busy watching the sunset. Hindi ko mapigilan na hindi mapangiti dahil dito. My day is about to end again. Kapag nakauwi na ako, I will not forget to pray. 

Nang maggabi na, tinignan ko kung asaan na kami. Papasok na kami ng Muntinlupa City. We're less than an hour away from home... Dipende sa traffic. 

"Go to sleep, anak. Klase niya na bukas, 'di ba?" Mom told me in a sweet manner.

"Opo, Ma." Sagot ko. 

Nakahiga na si Lynelle sa kandungan ko. Sinabi niya sa akin na gisingin ko na siya kapag pagabi na. We both like watching the sunset or the city lights, that's why. But I decided against it. Alam ko namang pagod na siya. 

I leaned on the backseat as I watch our car pass by the bridge. The lights from the towers and buildings were reflecting on the water.

Wala akong ibang tinignan kundi ang mga ilaw hanggang sa dalawin na ako ng antok. I don't know. The light is just making me so hopeful. Sa ano? Hindi ko alam. But it's good. At least I'm hopeful.