My Strings of Love

Chapter 3: Journey

Joe's Pov

Kinabukasan, nasa airport na ako. Iginala ko ang paningin sa mga tao. I will miss the atmosphere Manila gives. I will miss the long streets where cars and buses roam around. Pati rin ang mga magulang ko. I maybe a stonehearted child but i somewhat have a soft heart being thrived in me.

"To Loaog International airport please proceed to station 7"

I will go now. This is a fresh start to forget all my wearies. First Step have a trip to Ilocos Norte before going to Ilocos Sur.

Instead from banging all weirdos and low class 'gangsters', i also have a passion in reading mangas. Nagmo-mobile legends din kami ng kuya ko. He's not my real kuya tho. I'm happy that he will also go to ilocos Sur.

My family was wealthy. Hindi naman kami yung mayaman na mayaman. We own a two storey house, garage, basketball court, and business. Mayroon ding garden si Mommy. She plants roses, bougainvillea, and ferns to satisfy our white windows on the balcony. Sa hardin ay mayron siyang tanim na iba't ibang uri ng bulaklak.

Silence overwhelmed the airplane as I reached my seat. I wandered along the white formation of this plane in awe. After awhile, a stewardess approached me.

"Good morning ma'am. What do you prefer? Juice, tea, coffee or water?" Naka blue blazer skirt siya at nakablue blouse rin siya. She has a black wavy hair that reaches on the shoulder. "I'm waiting for your choice ma'am."

"Water would be great." I said silently. Binigyan niya nam ako. Then she went aboard to ask the others.

Nagsimula na ang flight. Pero hindi ako makatulog. Nag-flshback na naman sa utak ko ang mga oras noong nakasama ko ang best friend ko. Ito ay ang mga alalang pilit kong ibinabaon sa limot.

Nandito ako sa park. I look at the Christmas lights glimmering lightly. Nakapalibot sila sa mga kahoy. The mere evening atmosphere overwhelmed me. Then i heard a soft strum of a guitar.

I saw my best friend singing me a song. Nagsumulang tumulo ang mga luha ko.

"I love you Joe," lumuhod siya sa harapan ko. "We may be still kids but i was lovestruck by you."

At iyon ang gabing sinagot ko siya. "I love you too, Bryle."

Nagkaroon kami ng relasyon for five months. Pero nagising nalang ako na hindi na noya ako mahal. I promised to my self i will never fall in love again.

Pagkagising ko, nandito na pala ako sa aking destinasyon. Ang Loaog International Airport. I went outside after a few checks. Nalanghap ko ang bagong hanging umiihip. Lahat ay bago sa akin pati rin ang lengwuahe nilang Ilocano. Nakakapanibago dahil walang taxi dito. May mga nakita akong trysikel, dyip, bus at ilang pribadong sasakyan. And then it hit me. My lovable father sent me a private driver.

"Where are we going?" Bored na tanong ko pagkapasok ng kotse.

"Malapit lang po dito sa Loaog ma'am," i looked at the new facilities we are passing through. Maluwang ang kalye. Hindi ito masyadong masikip o may traffic.
"Sa centro ng Loaog City po." I saw a Toti's bakeshop. i bought two croissants, bread, and balintawak. The balintawak was new to my taste buds. It was a rectangular bread like structure. But the center of it has a red fluffy thing. Nasiyahan akong kinain ang balintawak.

Humiga agad ako sa kama pagkadating sa pagtutuluyan ko. My dad gave me a condo. Now, I'm the luckiest daughter I mean son. No matter a father sent me into a stupid you'll-go-to-Ilocos thing. Arrgh. My head sucks. Maybe because i have a jetlag.

Nakuha ko ito dahil sa pesteng pagbabyaheng iyan.

Hindi ko ma tantya ang aking nararamdaman. Nalalupaypay lang ako dito sa sahig, tulala. Habang si mama ay umiiyak. Hindi ko nanamalayang umiiyak na pala ako. I didn't do anything those old times but to shut my ears. Every time that he will utter his sermon, i ran away. Pero ngayon nandito ako at nagdadalamhati.

Patay na siya...si daddy.

Parang naubos ang paghinga ko noong nagising ako. Isa lang iyong panaginip. I don't care about it. It's just a stupid piece of nonsense. Ipasyal ko na lang ito.

I went on the bathroom and took my shower. Buti na lang tumila yung ulan. I wore a jacket and pants. It's cold out there. Nakikita kong iba ang klima ng Ilocos sa Manila. Pagkalabas ko ng condo ay nakita ko ang kotse ng aking drayber. Nakita ko rin siyang naturulog sa isang bench. I grabbed the keys on his pocket and drove away.

Saan ba ako pupunta? I'm on Loaog City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. I opened my phone and tracked beautiful spots here. Nagdrive na lang ako at napatingin sa isang park. Ito ang tinatawag nilang Capitol of Loaog. It has a green grass and block benches. The fountains were a maiden sculpture. Napalibutan ito ng mga tubig. Nagniningning ang mga tubig dahil sa mga ilaw na kumukutitap. It's September. Mayroon na ditong Christmas lights na nakapalibut sa mga puno. Napansin kong puro couples ang andito.

Well, I'm not insecure. They all have the guts to kiss and kiss. I'm just here to break their ugly faces. I sat on the stony bench and saw a bakery shop. Ito na nga lang ang bore reliever ko.

It's 6:07. Nagikot-ikot lang ako hanggang makarating sa tinatawag nilang Gilbert Bridge. I crossed the bridge hanggang nakadating na ako sa Nangalisan -- isang baranggay ng Loaog na tila nakahiwalay sa Loaog International Airport Road at Loaog Road. Deretso lang ako at nakarating sa Valdez Center. I saw rhe Robinsons Place Ilocos Norte signage on a big mall. May ganito dito? Okay, I'm like an ignorant here. Of course they would have one like this.

Pumasok ako sa isang mall na may sign na Robinsons mall. I saw on the internet that this was the Robinsons in Ilocos. And, actually, this -- the surface i am standing now was San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte.