Arik, the Traitor of Khron

Untitled Part 13

I NEED A FAVOR, MOMMY." HUMALIK AT YUMAKAP SI TARCILA SA INA.

"Sure you do, Baby Girl."

Napangiwi siya sa nickname pero tiniis niya. Hinila siya ng ina sa paborito nitong lugar sa bahay. A window seat framed by bookshelves. A reading nook. Her mother reads a lot. Tarcila used to resent that fact. Kahit gaano kalakas o katagal siyang umiyak noon, bingi ang kanyang mommy kapag may binabasa ito.

Pero matagal na rin niyang natanggap. Her mother was self-centered and unable to give up the things she loves for the sake of another human being. Kahit marami itong nakakarelasyon . may common denominator ang mga lalaking iyon kahit pa sabihing iba-iba naman ang edad, lahi, propesyon.

All those guys were WRONG--too old, too young, married. Akala ni Tarcila noon, sobrang malas lang ng kanyang mommy sa lovelife. Hindi pala. Sadya lamang may preference sa mga lalaking hindi puwedeng pakasalan si Mia Ruiz dahil mas gusto nitong mabuhay mag-isa.

Fronting the reading nook was a rustic wrought-iron table and chairs. May left-over ng almusal--muffin, at east three kinds of cheese, slices of kiwi--at mga mga fashion magazines. Napatunganga siya sa isa sa mga iyon.

"Looks like your friend's getting more and more famous." Komento ni Mommy Mia, sumulyap sa babasahin kung saan si Bok ang nasa pabalat, looking like the gods' idea of a joke--'Hey, Zeus, let's make some guy so handsome and watch everybody go nuts about him.'

And the gods were surely laughing now.

"And you're getting a lot of crap from his fans." Patuloy pa ni Mommy Mia.

"Okay lang 'yun." Naupo si Tarcila sa window seat.

"Tawagin kang julalay, okay?" Pinapak ni Mommy Mia ang blue cheese, "Alam mo ang mas nakakainis dun? Hindi ko sila masisi. Look at you--"

Napatingin naman nga si Tarcila sa sarili-- sa suot niya. Vintage tee, daddy pants--low-rise jeans, slashed/thread bare, rolled up to her calves--a pair of Keds that have seen better days.

"Let's go out, Baby Girl. Let me glam you up. Please, let mommy make you fabulous."

Fabulous was the last thing Tarcila wanted. She might have gotten over her mother's inattention, but not her mom's fabulousness. Her entire existence so far could be summarized by one sentence, 'Matapang siguro ang dugo ng tatay.'

Mia Ruiz looked like Sophia Loren.

Tarcila looked like..well, Tarcila. Walang remarkable sa kanya maski biloy o nunal. She was generic. Dahil lagi niyang naririnig na hindi siya kamukha ng kanyang mommy-- kahalintulad iyon ng buntis na sinasabihang lalaki siguro ang anak kaysa deretsahing pangit--imbes na gayahin ang ina, sa opposite direction siya nagpunta pagdating sa pananamit. In other words, pinanindigan at ipinamukha niya lalo sa lahat na hindi talaga siya kaparis ng kanyang mommy.

Iba siya. May sarili siyang style. Kaso mo, noong bagets siya, wala naman siyang idea kung ano ba dapat ang 'style' niya. Sinubukan niyang pumormang geek. Geek was the new cool because the world was becoming high-tech. Bill Gates have lots of money, CSI just aired. Geeks were the new heroes.

Ang problema lang, her oversized glasses, pony tail and knitted vests didn't improve her academic performance. Her brain matched her looks. Average. Minsan, below average pa.

De mukha lang siyang tanga. Highschool was hell.

Eventually, she just settled on clothes that are comfortable.