Veiled Diaries #2: Mask of The Blues

MOTB 14

#MOTB14

Life would be easier if it's just happy days with the ones who always care. It's only Annunzio in our house called home but for me, it will never be home without the love and care for the family we have.

I licked my ice cream on the cone, Annunzio was beside me while walking.

"Matagal ang summer vacation, Kuya?" I asked and looked up at him.

"A week or two, depends on the school."

Ngumiti ako. "Bakit hindi kayo nagdi-date ni Tatty? Nagagawa n'yo bang lumabas na dalawa?"

Kumunot ang noo niya, nakapamulsa ang isang kamay niya at ang isa'y hawak ang isang orange zest-O habang sinisimsiman iyon. Annunzio looks so nice, kung titingnan ay bagay sila ni Statice at unti-unti kong narerealize na medyo lumalambot na ako sa kanilang dalawa. Sa lagay nila bilang arranged partner in the future.

Annunzio got a narrow pointed nose, pair of almond shaped dark mysterious but gentle eyes, thin natural red lips and a bit longer hair than the usual haircut of boys around. It's a long back without style, he didn't style it like other boys with shaved sides or clean cut. He let it go long and smooth as mine, medyo natatakpan na ang itaas ng tainga niya pero parati iyong nakabrushed up wet look na nagbigay lalo ng kamisteryosohan sa kanya kung unang beses siyang makikita, his skin is sun-kissed and he was tall too. Guwapo si Annunzio, hindi ko lang naaappreciate dahil kapatid ko siya.

"I mean, like this... walking around!"

Nagtaas siya ng kilay at nangisi sa huli na tila may nasabi akong nakakatawa para sa kanya, napailing siya.

"She doesn't like to go out."

"Kung ganoon, paano magiging kayo kung hindi magdi-date?"

"Where did you get that idea of dating to be in a relationship, huh?"

"Kay Rekta. Mayroon siyang din-date noon, si Celesta at ngayon sila na pagtapos ng one month dating."

"He's too westernized to do that. Hindi ganoon, Embry. Hindi date tapos kayo agad, ah?" aniya. "A boy should do courting first before dating the girl he wants. It means, asking you and your parents as well if they would let him take you out to get to know each other."

"Huh?" natawa ako. "Parang ang hirap naman niyan! Walang ganyan sa atin!"

Tumawa rin siya. "Yes, but that's the right thing to do... outside the tradition."

"Hindi mo niligawan si Tatty?"

"What?" he chuckled. "We're not a thing, Embry. Statice is just eighteen and I'm nineteen, nag-aaral pa lang ako. Wala pang nasasabi sa buhay."

"Pero magpapakasal na siya pag 21 na siya!"

He shrugs. "Yeah, ilang taon pa iyon. Hindi muna dapat naiisip."

Tumango na lamang ako at humingang malalim, marahan niyang nilapag ang palad sa aking ulo at hinaplos ang buhok ko.

"Ikaw, enjoy ka rin muna. You shouldn't think about the future you don't want to come yet, the days will get slower for you to adjust." he chuckled. "Pag alis ni Kuya, gusto kong maayos ka at si Atis. Ayos ka na ba?"

I took a very deep breath and looked down at my feet, lumunok ako sa paninikip ng lalamunan.

"A-Ayos lang. T-Tinandaan ko na ang lahat ng sinabi mo."

That was the memorable last talk with Annunzio. A week after that, he flew out of the country to study in UK. Our house didn't feel home again, except when I was sneaking out every optional weekends to see my friends out. Iyak ako nang iyak noong umalis si Annunzio kasama si Ledoux patungong UK para sa pag-aaral. Hindi man lang ako nakasama sa paghahatid sa kanya sa airport, he just woke me up to bid his good bye that made me feel fragile the whole month without his presence around. That month was Rekta's birthday too but he didn't come to Villa Terrazas because their family celebrated it out of the country.