Catch Me ✔

VIII - Eleanor

It's been days... or maybe a week now?

He didn't came back. I guess... humans are like that. They always leave.
Not telling that I'm not a human but.. I know most.
I really... really want to apologize to him.

It's 5 in the afternoon when I went out to water the plants in the garden. Since the fence of the mansion is not fully made by cement, there are rails so I can still see what's outside.
There's a man... whom I suspect is drunk. Dusk hasn't come yet and this man is already drunk! Is that the only thing 'most' people do?

"Miss.. wow ang kinis." I don't know but I think he's in his late twenties.

I glimpsed at the man and snorted. Should I still feel fear?

I continued watering the Hibiscus flowers when I heard his voice came near. He's climbing the fence!
"Ako rin, diligan mo! Tigang na tigang na ako eh. Sige na miss, mabilisan lang oh." He winked at me and I already felt... violated.

I put my step away from the fence and covered my eyes with tears when I heard a loud thud, as if something heavy feel on the ground.

"Ano, gago ka? Hapon na hapon lasing ka siraulo! Lumayas ka dito kundi ipapalibing ka namin ng buhay malapit lang sementeryo dito!" I can't see him clearly because my eyes are blurry and watery but I already know who he is.

"Ah lumalaban ka bakit syota mo ba yon?" The pervert man retorted.

"Oo, papakasalan ko na nga eh kaya lumayas ka na dito!" Marry? He'll marry me? How can he do that?
Then I heard a loud thud again and the man swiftly ran away.

I wiped my tears as he looked at me and ran to my place.

"Eleanor! Are you okay?" He looks worried.

"I... I'm fine." Unexpectedly, I sobbed again and fell onto his chest. I was.. scared.
I don't know... his heartbeat is so audible, it felt home. He feels warm.
"I'm sorry, Andrew. I'm sorry."

He gently caressed my hair. "It's all fine now, the pervert went away. Hindi na yun makakalapit sayo. Why are you sorry, anyway?"

"Because... I acted horrible. The other day."

"Ah... yun lang pala. Wala yun. I might have offended you for the way I acted so, I'm sorry."

I hugged him.

"Are you... are you okay? You feel a bit cold."

My hug loosened. "Oh. It's usually like this... my basal temperature's pretty low."

"That might be a problem. You don't want to be checked by a doctor?" He asked. I never liked doctors.

"No. I'm perfectly fine." I.. smiled.. showing my teeth.

"Hmm," He smiled. "Baka may boyfriend ka ah? Malagot ako dun."

"Boyfriend? I don't have one." I don't like boys but... you're an exception, Andrew. "Maybe, you have one! A girlfriend.."

He shrugged and chuckled. "Nope. Not my thing."

"Are you living alone? Nasaan ang mama at papa mo?" He innocently asked as he sat down on the sofa.

"Just me. They died a couple of years ago, they were killed by Tuberculosis. I was the only survivor, and that means, I'm the only one left." I explained as I sat down on the adjacent sofa.

He nodded. "Sorry.."

"It's okay.. I'm fine now." I smiled.

"Alam mo ba, noong una kitang nakita mukha kang masungit. Yung sobrang sobrang taray. Para kang laging nang-iirap, ganon? Pero... ngiti ka lang. Sobrang bagay sayo at mas gumaganda ka." He smiled and I felt his sincerity.

"Hmm," I jokingly thought while looking above. "Ayoko nga." I raised my eyebrow and he laughed.

"No way!"
"I mean... seriously, you're more beautiful when you smile. Maybe do that often." He said. I won't smile for anyone but you.. and I think I already like you.

Andrew said that they're on their summer break. A month passed and we often hang out more.

I already knew that he's soon to be a captain in their basketball team in college, which I hoped I can come over to watch him but I think that's impossible.
He prefers chocolate over vanilla.
He likes spaghetti.
He has a twin sister and a deceased older brother, and if their older brother didn't die, he'll probably be the one to takeover the company since Andrew's twin sister is taking up Nursing and he's enrolled to Psychology, both of them are into the medical field.
His mother had a higher position in their company than their father.
Both sides have already deceased grandparents.

What else..? Ah, his older brother is buried in a cemetery near this manor!

And that's the reason why we're walking to the cemetery. He wants me to meet his brother.

"Won't you be scared if I told you that I've seen my brother recently? Noon nabugbog ako... siya ang nagturo sa akin na pumunta ako sa bahay mo."

My eyes looked to him. "Really? But... how did your brother know you'd be safe there? Though I'm not seeing ghosts. And how if the house is empty and.. you could've encountered someone rude living there." That was a lie, I'm seeing ghosts too.

"So you aren't scared at all?" I nodded when he asked.

"No. Just go on with what you're saying."

We're walking on the sidewalks inside this cemetery. It's not that I haven't been here for so long but.. there's no reason for me to go here. I can even see this from my room in the manor.

"That's it. Noong nabugbog ako, siya ang nagturo sa akin na pumunta ako sa bahay mo. Hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip kasi hinang-hina na ako. Lahat ng natitira kong lakas, ginapang ko na at tumayo pa ako sa harap ng pinto pero natumba rin lang ako." He softly laughed.

"If not for kuya, I might not be alive today." We stopped in front of a mausoleum with four flat gravestones, each with pictures. What caught my attention is a picture of a smiling young boy to the far left.

Angelo R. Pendleton

"These are my grandparents from the father side, Lola Loren and Lolo Rence. Well, Lolo Lawrence died just two years ago, so we still had a lot of time with him compared to Lola Loren who died when kuya is still alive. Then here's Lolo Lui, he died when Angela and I were just 10."

Angelo... Angelo is his older brother?

I stepped closer to see the picture clearly. It's the kid! It's.. really him!

"And last, but not the least, our kuya. The eldest among the three kid of Romero and Pendleton." He smiled while his eyes still looking at the picture. "I hoped that we still got the chance to be with him. Yung matawag namin siyang kuya.. makita man lang sana namin ang itsura niya pag lumaki siya.. but it's okay. He's an angel, and he's with God. I know he's there to still guide us."

I saw Andrew's eyes welled up.
I gently pat his shoulder and smiled at him as he looked at me too.

I caught a glimpse of Angelo while smiling joyfully, just right behind Andrew, and he gave a thumbs up.