Ang storya ni First At Last

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Lumipas ang mga araw ay madalas kaming nagkikita ni First. Iba ka talaga tadhana! Binigyan mo ako ng isang binibining ubod ng rikit! Ang pangalan pa ay bagay na bagay sa pangalan ko. First and Last. Napakagandang pakinggan.

Nandito ako ngayon sa lilim ng puno hinihintay ang pagdating niya. Isang buwan na rin ang lumipas mula nung nagkakilala kami. At marami na rin akong naituro sa kanyang mga tagalog na salita at ang bilis niyang matuto! Kaya na niyang magsalita ng tagalog. Ganoon talaga siya kapursigido matuto. Diko lang naitanong bakit hindi siya natuto magtagalog mula pa pagkabata.

"Lastttt!" Dinig ko na ang boses niya. Sabi ko na e. Di ako matitiis ng babaeng 'to. Ako pa ba! Panigurado maraming babae na ang nagseselos kung siya ang lagi kong nakakasama.
Iba talaga kapag gwapo ka. Ay ako lang pala.

"Nandito ako." Sabay kaway ko ng kamay ko para makita niya. Mabilis siyang nagtungo sa pwesto ko.

"Ako takas sa mansion namin. Gusto ikaw turuan pa 'ko."

Sa mga nakalipas na araw palagi nalang ako natatawa sa tuwing kausap siya. Naturuan ko nga siya magbasa at magsulat ng tagalog pero bulol parin mala tarzan lang ang pagsasalita niya kaya diko mapigilang matawa sa kaloon looban ko.

"Ano nakakatawa? Dahil sa akin salita? Turuan mo kase ako!" Sabay bigla ba naman niya akong binatukan na parang napikon at tinanaw ang mata sa malayo habang nakakunot ang noo.

"Sorry na ikaw naman dika talaga mabiro." At muling nanumbalik sa dati ang maamo niyang mukha.

Sa mga oras ding iyon ay pinapatuloy kona ang pagtuturo ko sakanya para tuluyan na talaga siyang maging bihasa.

First.

I still can't believe that this guy infront of me gave me the feeling, the most unwanted feeling of learning tagalog language. All this time he's the only person I admit that makes me comfortable with his words and works. I remember the time when he saved me that night.

Flashback

Im in the middle of the night when Im on my way to go home. I just visited the market outside Villa Quito. And I never thought of this.

I feel someone is stalking me. And I felt a little bit scared. Then I saw three people came out infront of me. I can't see their faces coz they're against the light that I see behind them.

I started to step backward but everytime I step, they are also stepping forward to me. I thought that was the time that I'm going to die. But someone Catches their attention and my attention.

"Hoy! Mga pare anong ginagawa niyo  gabing gabi na at nasa daan pa kayo."

That strange voice makes me comfortable until I saw his face. He's the guy that I slapped when we were on the river.

He goes infront of me trying to protect me against them.

"Wag kang mangialam dito Last. Alam mo ang pwedeng mangyari kapag nakialam ka."

The one guy in the middle said that in a bossy tone and something strange is happenin here. I dont really understand what they are talking about.

But I heard this guy whispered."You stay here." He said in a very low bossy tone. I think he's deadly serious about that and so I need to command what he said.

Everything went very fast. The last time I saw the three guys standing there away from me. But now, I saw their bodies fell off the ground. I looked at the guy who saved my life.
He's very tired. He even has the injured part on his hands and his lips were some blood flows over it. As I said, everything went faster. I never saw anything that he did. Its like I was in an Aftershocked and I cannot easily move.

"You go home. Your grandma is waiting you before this guys get up. Now!"

I want to laugh because of what he is saying right now. But I can't do it in this situation. I don't have the chance to thank him coz I never saw his shadow again. So, I think I should go the mansion as early to be safe, for the sake of that man. And I think he's still angry to me for what happened before.

End of flashback

"First? Nakikinig ka pa ba? Masyado kanang naktitig sa gwapo kong mukha."

"Yes im listening." I replied

"Kala ko nama--"

"But , Last?"

"Bakit? Anong problema?"

"The night before, I just want to say thank you for saving my life. Maybe at this moment I'm on the funeral if you don't appear in that situation. Coz I really don't know what to do."

I was stucked by his reaction. He's throwing some small stones on the water while looking at it.

"Wag kana nga mag-english dudugo na talaga ilong ko sayo." He said it seriously. Seriously?

"Pero sa totoo lang, mabuti at naging ok ka at walang nagawa sayo ang mga hinayupak na 'yon." Now he's saying that in a low and sad tone.

"Bakit? Meron ba ibang nangyari?" I asked.

"May girlfriend ako dati. Pero maaga siyang nawala sa piling ko dahil sa tatlong taon na 'yon. Ni-rape nila at pinatay ang girlfriend ko nang walang kalaban laban." Now I'm starting to feel emotional about what happened to her ex girlfriend.

"Hindi ko man lang siya nagawang tulungan ng mga oras na 'yon dahil nagtatrabaho ako. Kaya malaki ang galit ko sa tatlong iyon na hindi manlang naparusahan ng batas." And he's starting to get emotional and I notice that in his voice but he's the one controlling it. Maybe he don't want me to see him like that.

"Pasensya na. Naikwento ko pa sayo. Nalulungkot lang ako."

"No, its ok. Its ok. I understand. That's why I said thank you before for saving my life."

"Ganun din naman siguro gagawin ng ibang lalaki. Maliban nalang sa mga manyakis na yun."

I pushed his head to lean on my shoulder and he let it be. I want to comfort him in a way that I know. He needs someone to lean on.