The Smile of Memoirs

I - First Encounter

Sunday. And I hate it.
I can hear my mom calling out my name. Yelling for me to get up and be ready.
Well why? It's the family tradition daw. Technically, their own family tradition.

Altair! Mom on her top of her lungs. I didn't move and I hid my face under my pillows. Gods, I hate this family.

Altair, i heard my mom again and this time she is knocking at my door.
Pag hindi ka babangon, I swear magsisisi ka sa mangyayari sa pintuan mo.

Agrrh, fine fine... I yelled and answered back. I check the time and it's just  6:30 am. Di naman sila excited magsimba ano?

I went to my bathroom and did what I must do. After preparing, I went down.

Wow, it took you 1 hour and 43 minutes to fix yourself. Di na ako lumingon kilalang kilala ko na ang boses na iyon.

Sabihin mo lang, excited ka. I answered back.

Shut up Altair, showed some respect. My mom interupted.
And what's with that look and dress anyway? Mom says in her irritated tone.

Bakit ba? Whats wrong with my jeans, a t-shirt saying fuck off and a high cut rubber shoes? I look around them and found out they were all wearing dressesand Dad on his Americana suits.

Magbihis ka! My wicked sister says.

I rolled my eyes and glared them.
" kung papabihisin nyo na naman ako , i'd rather stay in this house. And for the info, i love staying here. I blurt out.

Let's go. I heard Dad saying. I never look back to them.

In the car, they keep on talking sweet shits. Naiinis ako sa pabida ni Ate Andrea at Ate Blythe so I put my earphone and set the volume to the max.

Bliss Altair De Mesa. That's my name. Pinakabunso sa pamilyang ito. De Mesa is known to be one of richest family in our place. Lahat sila nakatingala sa amin. So my Family has to keep this perfect family look. And I hate it.

Kilala ako sa bayan namin bilang si Alt.  Trouble maker. My Mom and sisters hate me for being the unperfect daughter and a sister. Ganito ako eh.

I remember, I was young back then nang pinahiya ako nang mga kapatid ko sa retreat namin saying Im not there sister. Sa kadahilanang lang na bumagsak ako sa Math namin, I mean who loved Math anyways? At dahil dun nainis ako sa mga ate ko. Sinabunutan ko lang naman sila.
Guidance. That were student us usually end up after fighting. Nag drama ang mga Ate ko at dahil dun i got scolded by my Mom and Dad. Di lang dun nag end up ang story namin. We always fight. And sa always namin. Always din akong di pinakikingan at napapagalitan. Until one day i found out. Im not into this family anymore. I have created my own walls and no one can enter it.

Nakatingin ako sa labas nang bintana, malapit na pala kami sa Simbahan. People are busy nang dumating kami but when they saw us they literally stop. Some ladies check my mom dress from head to toe same with my sisters. Diritsyo lang silang lahat sa harapan as if they didn't care about the stares. If i know that what they love. They didnt even notice na di pala ako nakasunod sa kanila.

Hay, what the purpose of bringing me here kung iiwan lang din ako. Galit kong sambit. Napalingon lahat sila sa akin. Inirapan ko lang sila. I hate attention.
I looked around to see if I have atleast one friend here. Wala. Wala ni kahit isa. My friend are not a church people. We pray of course pero we are not committed to services like them. For us, if going to services with this kind of attitude we'd rather stay in our house. At dahil jan, they all misinterpret us.

Hahay, For sure andun sila ngayon sa sementeryo nagbibilang nang patay or nag jo.joyride, worse they are in a movie marathon. Gosh., gusto pa naman manuod ni Mika nang Fifty Shades.

Agrrh, nakakaasar. I shout. I run outside and stay in the garden. Atleast dito I have fresh real air.

Pssst. Pssst.

Shoot ano yon? I look around at walang katao tao.

Pssst. Psssst.

Lumingon ulit ako at wala akong makita. Gosh, I must be dreaming.

Pssst. Pssst.

Seriously? Di na yun imagination. Known pa naman daw dito na may multo. Gusto ko nang tumakbo but I stop myself. Saan ang cool ko nito ngayon. Kinakabaham man, i slowly turned my head.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaah...

Aaaaaaaah..... I scream from the top of my lungs.

Nang mahimasmasan ako. Im soo ready to kill this monster na nanggulat sa akin. He also stop laughing and shyly smile to me.

Right at that moment. I failed to kill him.

I was captured by his smile. 
And He also captured my 16 years old innocent heart.