How To Be Happy?

Chapter 39

Her Smile and Their Unpurified Hearts

“Why Amarah? Why not Shania, Tita Cha?”

“Can you shut up, Melo? I so want to kick you out of the car already! “

Nahilot ko ang sentido ko sa walang katapusang bangayan ng dalawang bata na nakapwesto sa likod. Narinig ko ang mahinang halakhak ni Keanu kaya nilingon ko siya at inirapan.

“You care for the kids so much right? “ pang-asar niya sa akin pero inismiran ko lamang siya na lalo niyang ikinatawa.

Nakasakay kaming apat kasama na roon si Keanu na  siyang nagmamaneho ng sasakyan niya. Papunta na kaming Villa Rosa, an exclusive islet na pinupuntahan namin tuwing summer kasama ang mga relatives sa Father’s side. At paboritong beach resort din kasi ‘yon ni Daddy kaya parang hitting two birds with one stone na rin ang dahilan ng pagpunta. Alalahanin ang mga alaala ni Daddy at magkasama-sama kaming pamilya. Well. Pamilya.

Pagkaraan ng ilang minuto, alam ng diyos kung gaano ako nagpasalamat na tumahimik na ang dalawang daga na kasama namin. Kaya naman itinuon ko na lamang ang pansin ko sa daan na tinatahak namin. Mag a-alas sais pa lang kaya hindi pa ganoon ka init at liwanag.

It’s a two-hour drive from Bacolod. The Villa Rosa Islet is an exclusive beach resort just in the middle of the territories of Cadiz and Manapla. But we will stop sa isang private port sa Manapla para sumakay ng pumpboat papunta sa islet, it would be a 15 minutes ride before we could reach the island.

Walang pagtutol na pumayag si Mommy at Ate sa pagsama ni Keanu sa outing na ‘to. They even agreed sa suggestion ni Keanu na sa sasakyan niya na kami ni Melo sumakay since we won’t fit inside Kuya Erick’s car and nobody wants to let Ate Mara drive. Ang ibang relatives naman naming ay either nandon na kagabi pa or papunta na rin with their own ride.

“You okay? “ Keanu glanced at me.

“Yeah, just a bit dizzy, “ sagot ko sa kanya.

“You can take a nap, “ he suggested but I just stared at him.

I don’t even know what or how to react kung magiging ganito siya ka caring. Hindi ako na inform. Hindi ako nakapaghanda. The drill is overwhelming that it warms my heart so much that I think it’s gonna explode when it reaches its boiling point.

“Are you always going to be like this? “ I asked a bit drowsy.

“Like what? “ his forehead suddenly wrinkled.

“Sweet… and caring… “ I told him almost a whisper dahil bigla na lamang namaos ang boses ko.

“Yes… “ he said and I can sense the finality in the tone of his voice. “But only to you… “
And I saw him smile. The smile that I’m wishing I’m the only one can see and I’d cry to be the reason of those smiles.

Hindi ko namalayan na naka idlip pala ako. Mariin kong ipinikit ang mga mata ko bago ko ito tuluyang iminulat ang mga ito. I sat straight at inayos ang sout kong maroon bandeau. I mentally screamed ng maalala ko ang naging reaction ni Keanu kanina when he saw it underneath the jacket I’m wearing when I went out of our house.

I think this bandeau is fine. Sayang naman ang pagbigay ni Ate nito if hindi ko maisusuot. I actually have the nastiest fashion sense, just lucky that my Ate Mara is very kikay. She loves buying me clothes that I can’t wear. Kasi naman, trabaho at bahay lang naman ako. Well, I paired the maroon bandeau with a white see-through squarepants at isang stringed flats. My Ate Mara was so proud when she saw me earlier.

“What time is it? “ tanong ko kay Keanu. I unconsciously pouted. Namalayan ko na lang na nakanguso na pala ako when Keanu tried to imitate it then laughed. Naningkit ang mga mata ko.