CHAPTER VI : CONQUER
"I told you bestie, you shouldn't have missed that day!" Emily yelled at Cassy while fixing her shoelaces.
Nagkekwentuhan kase sila at nabanggit naman ni Emily 'yung mga nangyare dun sa pag gala nila kasama 'yung mga may gusto sa kanila. Well, ayoko nga ng ganon 'di ba? Masyado pa silang mga bata. They should focus more on their studies than giving attention to their 'crushes'.
Nandito ako sa sala, nakaupo sa sofa habang nakatingin sa kanila na nagkekwentuhan. Hindi naman sila malayo, matatanaw mo lang. Geez, Gen Z. Something's wrong with these people. Really. Sadly, I am a part of it pero hindi naman ako ganon ka-bata katulad nila.
"Eh paano ba naman kase? Kuya is so pampam." She whispered but sorry, I heard that. May super powers ako and they can't blame me for that. I saw Emily, slowly hit Cassy's arm reason for her to roll her eyes. Ano bang bago? Eh lagi naman niyang gingawa 'yan. Mukha siyang may sakit na epilepsy. 'Pag 'yang mga mata niya e 'di bumalik sa dati, I'll just laugh at her. Napangisi ako ng bahagya dahil bigla kong naisip kung posible bang mangyari 'yon. Agad akong napa-iling at ulit na tumingin sa kanila. Nakita kong tinuro ako ni Emily gamit ang nguso niya, gotcha.
"Oh, Kuya! Andiyan ka pala? Hehe hello!" She awkwardly greeted me and smile like an idiot who got caught. Nice acting skills. I'm kinda impressed.
"Oh hello, Emily! Asa'n kuya mo?" Hindi ko pinansin si Cassy at dumiretso nalang sa kusina para maghanap ng makakain. I've been trying to look for a food. A real food. Since yesterday, craving for some pizza but we got no stocks. I only got burgers with me.
Well, about my condition? I'm already fine. My body's recovering? I don't know. Maybe? But I do feel good than the usual. I'm strong enough for this kind of stuff. Strong enough to handle this what-you-called 'life'?
"Kasama ko po siya kanina nu'ng pumunta dito" She replied.
"Kuyaaa, I'm just kidding okay? Smile na, please? Bati na tayo! Ikaw kaya pinaka-favorite kong Kuya." I hissed and scratch my nape. Seriously? She hugged my arms and began to pout her lips. She looks like a duck anyway.
"Eh ako lang naman Kuya mo." I reminded her. Nakalimutan ata?
"But— Uhm, Kuya Elijah I meant! Hmp!"
"He's gay. So you can't call that Elijah 'Kuya'." I said.
"Oh, ano nanamang problema mo sa'kin!" Biglang may sumulpot sa likuran ko habang may hawak-hawak na bola. Hinagis-hagis pa niya 'yon sa ere na kala mo nasa basketball court. Teka? Wala ba talaga 'tong bahay at pati sarili kong bahay ay pinagdidiskahan.
"Watch your words." Syempre, mga bata parin kasama namin dito. Ayokong puro katarantaduhan lang natututunan nila kay Elijah. Correction. Elijah is born that way but as long as I can stop him then, I will. Ako parin ang kuya sa bahay na 'to.
"Can't. Maririnig ko lang. Emily, 6:30 pm aight? Home." He answered me with sarcasm. I can't do anything but to roll my eyes. Napapagaya narin ako sa kapatid ko. Pero, bakit ba napakaraming taong sira-uloHe answered me with sarcasm. I can't do anything but to roll my eyes. Napapagaya narin ako sa kapatid ko. Pero, bakit ba napakaraming taong sira-ulo? "Now, who's gay?" Dagdag pa niya.
"Let's play, baby boo! It has been a while." Aniya habang tinataas-baba ang kilay niya. Napabuntong hininga ako. I'm not interested in basketball. Hindi naman kasi ako 'Sporty' na tao. Mas masarap mag-gala at mag enjoy at this age.
I smirked.
"Let us make it more interesting. How about drinking? Maybe, in a bar?" I asked. Napansin kong medyo lumuwang ang yakap sa'kin ni Cassy at naka-awang ang kanyang labi habang dahan-dahang ibinaling ang mata niya sa'kin.
"Kuya? Are you freakin crazy? Hell no! Tell me that you're just fooling around! Emy, pagbawalan mo rin kuya mo!" Napailing ako at tumawa ng mahina. Sorry, not this time baby.
"Mukha ba 'kong nagj-joke?" Tugon ko at inalis ang kamay niya sa braso ko. Pinipigilan ko lang talagang matawa dahil sa 'asar-talo' niyang mukha.
"Kakagaling mo lang sa sakit mo and now? You're planning to go there? Stupid." Hindi ko alam kung isang 10-year-old na bata ang kausap ko o baka naman nagkakamali lang ako ng impormasyon.
"Bye, Emy! Samahan mo nalang si Cassy, a'ight?" Agad akong humakbang papanik ng kwarto ko at naghanap ng maisusuot. Narinig kong sumigaw pa si Cassy pero 'di ko parin pinansin 'yon at pinagpatuloy ang paghahanap ng magandang susuotin. Bumukas ulit ang pintuan ko at alam kong si Elijah ang nakasunod sa'kin.
"I swear, Kuya! Mom would definitely kill you! Isusumbong talaga kita! I dare you! If you're just trying to pissed me off, well you won moron!" I just laughed. I always win, Cas.
"What again, bro? Bar? Sana naman sinabihan mo 'ko ano? Para naman nakasuot ako ng damit na pang-bar kesa naman naka Jersey akong papasok don." Oo nga 'no? Ngayon ko lang din napansin 'yon.
"Ano pang silbi ko? Wear my clothes." I said and offered him some black polo and maong jeans. No—actually 'di siya 'offer' kase hinagis ko naman iyon sa pagmumukha niya.
"How 'bout my shoes?" Nagmakaawa pa ito na parang nau-ulol lang. Minsan napapaisip rin ako, wala na nga 'tong bahay, wala rin ba 'tong magulang? Para kasing responsibilidad ko nang buhayin 'to.
"That's why I love you, bro. You're my everywhere." Sakit sa ulo. Sinimulan ko na ang pag-aayos ng sarili, haha? Ironic. Marami pa pala 'kong kailangang ayusin kung gano'n nga.
I don't know why I decided to go to those kind of places right now. Maybe because I want to forget all the problems even just for a short period of time?
It's been a long time since I have been there. I have always been banned by Eya, alam ko namang gusto lang niya ang mapa-buti ako and she's just helping me to be the best version of myself. I always listen to her because I don't want to argue about such things. I love her at ayoko namang maging rason 'yun na masira ang relasyon na'min. Kaya hangga't kaya kong pigilan ang sarili ko, I would. Just to be with her.
I glanced at the clock and didn't realize that it is already five o'clock in the afternoon. The place is also a bit far from home but we still got a lot of time kaso ayoko lang talaga ng traffic.
Traffic.
I smiled in a bit because I remeber that lunatic girl. Kamusta na kaya 'yun?
"Luh, luh, luh? Nangiti mag-isa? Naka move-on ka na, Bhe? May bago na?" Suddenly the smile on my lips disappeared as I heard this moron's voice teasing me.
Yuck.
"Shut up." I replied.
"Oops, sorry. Did I said something wrong? Or something . . . right?" Really? Never in my dreams that I would do that.
Patience, Andrus. Patience.
No one can ever replace her. I can't even still imagine myself dealing with other girl. Eya is all that I have longed for. Yet, I am slowly accepting the fact.
Fact. That she's no longer mine. And the fact that she's already gone.
