VI: The Box
Marie Nieve Pressman's POV
Pagkapasok ko sa loob ng bahay, dumiretso agad ako sa loob ng kwarto ko. Humilata ako tapos ay initsa nalang kung saan iyong suot kong sapatos.
Napatingin ako sa side table ko.
For 8 years, nandiyan nakapatong ang isang kahon na puno ng tungkol kay Mamaw.
"Nasaan ka na kaya?" Tanong ko sa sarili ko habang nakatingin sa kahon. I reached for it, then I scanned its contents.
All the letters he gave was saved here.
I remember the first letter I received from him. I smiled as I reminisced that day.
A schoolmate handed me a letter. Sabi niya nalaglag daw from my locker but I'm sure na galing sa kanya iyon. I'm used to boys and their tricks. It must be another love letter. I opened his letter which was written in an intermediate pad paper.
I read its first sentence.
'Hi, I'm the guy from yesternight.'
I immediately turned around, hoping that I could see him. But to my dismay, he was already walking away.
Bakit laging hindi ko nakikita iyong mukha niya?
Pagkauwi ko sa bahay, I ate my favorite oreo cookies while I read his letter.
'Hi, I'm the guy from yesternight.
I hope to see a smile from you
A smile that'll bring light to your eyes
This poem doesn't make a rhyme
I'm writing this during class
'Cause you're my inspiration
Keep on looking forward
For better days.'
'Ps. Smile. :)'
After reading, something fluttered in my heart. I couldn't help but smile.
"Nagustuhan mo ba?" A voice asked. I immediately looked at my window and saw his silhouette there.
"Poetic ka pala, mamaw," I said then went to my window.
"Hehe. Ngayon lang ako gumawa ng tula. Sana napangiti kita," he said. I looked at the oreo in my hand. I reached it towards him.
"Gusto mo?" I asked.
"Siyempre. Pagkain eh." Sabi niya kaya natawa na naman ako.
Bakit kaya sobrang dali niya lang akong napapatawa?
"Hoy, bata!" I heard someone said then a ray of light was pointed towards him.
This is it! I can finally see his face!
But he looked sideways then he ran away.
Nakakainis yung guard!
I kept on thinking about him eversince that day. Noong araw din na yun nagsimula ang pagbibigay niya sa akin ng mga sulat. Sometimes simpleng note lang na nakalagay ay 'Smile' which can make my heart flutter.
He made me feel so alive that time.
Inilabas ko ang mini sketchpad ko. Binuklat ko ito at bumungad ang isang sketch ng bintana ko tapos ay may nakadungaw na lalaking walang mukha.
Simula din noong araw na iyon, I started sketching scenes na I want to treasure. Most of these sketches are fictional scenes na gusto kong mangyari.
He made me dream. He made me imagine things that I know wouldn't really happen.
I was scanning the box's contents nang may isang sticky note na kumuha sa atensyon ko. Kinuha ko iyon at binasa.
