Cupid's Heart

CHAPTER TWENTY: "Iñaki's Entry No.1: Mascot Girl"

I first saw you at the MRT station wearing something really funny…

          I was really having a bad day today. Parang sinakluban na ako ng langit at lupa. Pakiramdam ko binato ako ng langit ng isang damakmak na problema ngayong araw.

          Kanina pagpunta ko sa bahay ni Kat at pagpasok ko sa room nya I saw her and Creg kissing. My girlfriend is cheating on me! We were together for one year already and we are getting really serious pero it turned out na iniiputan nya pala ako sa ulo! I end up hitting Creg on his face and I broke off with Kat. Nagmakaawa pa si Kat but I said cheating on me was something I can never forget kaya mas maganda if we break up already.

          I decided to go home but as soon as I entered the house I saw my Dad leaving dala-dala yung maleta nya.

“Please don’t leave me Juancho! Hindi ka pwedeng sumama with that b!@ch!” my mom shouted.

Walang pinagkaiba yung Dad ko atsaka si Katrina. Pareho silang manloloko!

          My dad looked at me and I just stared at him. I never considered him as a man. Ilang beses na nyang paulit ulit na sinaktan ang feelings ng mom ko and hindi yun gawain ng isang tunay na lalaki. We are better off without him. I can take care of my Mom.

“Ikaw na ang bahala sa Mama mo.” He said to me and then he left.

Hahabol pa sana si Mommy but I stopped her. She was being hysterical.

“Ma, itigil mo na ito!” I shouted at her. “Bakit ba hindi mo pa magawang mapakawalan yung lalaking yun? We don’t need him!”

“He is your Dad and he has to be here with us.”

“Matagal ko na syang hindi tinuturing na ama! Hindi ko kailangan ng walang kwentang ama!”

Pak!

I touched my stinging cheek. My mom just slapped me dahil lang sa isang walang kwentang tao?

“Oh my God! I’m sorry Joaquin.” My mom said and then she hugs me.

          I pushed my mom away from me and then I went out of our house. I need some space to breathe. Masyado ng madami ang nangyayari sa buhay ko ngayong araw na ito. Sumakay ako ng bus until I reached the MRT station. I sat at one of the benches at pinagmasdan ko yung pagdating at pag-alis ng bawat train. Yun yung mga nangyari kaninang umaga kaya hanggang ngayon nandito parin ako.

Ring…Ring…

          Tinignan ko yung tumatawag and it was my mom. I turned off my phone. Both my mom and I need time to think.

“Ang pangit mo!” I heard a little boy’s voice on my right side exclaimed.

          Napatingin ako sa right side ko and I saw the most freaky mascot I have ever seen in my entire life. The mascot just rub the little boys head pero nainis lalo yung bata at sinipa yung mascot. Hindi ko napigilang mapatawa ng biglang magtatalon yung mascot sa sakit. Tumakbo papalayo yung batang lalaki tapos nagtilian at nagtawanan naman yung ibang bata na nakapaligid dun sa mascot.

“Crazy Mascot.” I murmured

          Sino ba naman kasing hindi matatakot sa mascot na yun eh ang laki laki ng ulo atska mata. Yung ibang bata naman gusto sya pero karamihan natatakot lumapit sa kanya. Ilang oras ko ding pinagmasdan yung nakakatawang mascot habang namimigay ng fliers at yung iba nagpapap-picture. Looking at the mascot makes me forget my problems kahit sandali lang.

          Maya-maya pa ay naupo yung mascot sa bench and then tinanggal nya yung ulo nya. Babae pala yung nasa loob ng mascot. Basang basa ng pawis yung mukha nya pati buhok nya. I watch as she wipes off some sweat on her forehead. Nagbuntong hininga yung girl tapos hinimas yung tuhod nya na sinipa kanina nung batang lalaki. Sumandal sya sa bench and then she just stared at the ceiling. Suddenly I felt my heart stopped a beat when I saw her smile. She has the most genuine smile that I have ever seen. Alam nyo ba yung pakiramdam na parang kayo lang yung dalawang tao sa lugar na yun at that moment? Ganun yung narasanan ko after I saw her smile.