Star & Twinkle (Completed)

Chapter 13

The very next morning, Vicky watched as Star got up at five in the morning. She followed her into the kitchen. She watched as Star make coffee for herself. Vicky went over to her. Star looked back as she heard the footsteps. Star took a deep breath, "D ka rin nakatulog?" She asked. Vicky nodded. Star gave the fresh cup of coffee to Vicky, then she made another one for herself. They sat together in the living room. Vicky looked at Star. Star was drinking her coffee, her eyes fixed on the floor. "Alam mo yung parang feeling mo nananaginip ka lang, pero di ka magising gising sa bangungot?" Star asked without taking her eyes off the floor. Vicky took a sip of her coffee. She knew Star liked her coffee strong, but that day, there was something awfully dark and bitter with the coffee she made. Vicky looked at Star again whose eyes were still glued on the floor. "Labas tayo," Star said and Vicky nodded.

Outside was a bench big enough for four people. Both of the girls sat down. Star watched the stars in the sky. "Alam mo ang naalala ko noon, mga ganitong oras medyo may liwanag na," Star tried to remember. Vicky nodded. "Ngayon madilim pa din, parang pati yung langit nag-luluksa." Star swallowed back tears. "Vicks, nung nangarap ako nung mga bata pa tayo, hindi ito ang nakita ko," Star said as tears formed in her eyes. "Sino ba namang papangarapin lahat ng pinagdaanan mo, Amelia?" Vicky said sighing. Star couldn't help but cry, "Alam mo, nung bata ako, nung maliit pa kami ni Alfred, minsan pag matagal nakakauwi si tatay, sinusundo sya ni nanay para lang masiguro na walang nangyaring masama sa kanya sa trabaho at para sabay sabay na rin kami maghapunan. Malapit lang naman dito yung trabaho ni tatay kaya iniiwan ako saglit ni nanay. Kilala na din namin lahat dito kaya kampante si nanay na iwan ako. Pero palagi yun, uupo ako dito para hintayin silang dalawa makauwi bago kami lahat mag-hapunan. Tapos si Alfred, ewan ko minsan may radar yun sakin e. Bigla bigla na lang susulpot tapos sasamahan ako dito. Parang lagi nyang alam tuwing mag-isa ako tapos kelangan ko ng kasama. Taga-pagtanggol ko daw sya, dapat daw lagi ako may kasama mag-hintay kasi babae ako. Kaya uupo kami dito, sabay namin aantayin sila nanay at tatay. Tapos saka na ulit sya uuwi pag may kasama nako. Alam ko hindi nya man sabihin sakin nun, lagi yun napapagalitan dahil sakin. Lagi kasi yun tumatakas dahil sakin eh." Vicky smiled a little, "Noon pa lang talaga, mahal na mahal ka na nya." Star bowed down as her tears reached the ground. She nodded, "Hindi ko akalain na ilang taon ang makalipas, mawawala na pala yung sumasama sakin lagi dito na antayin sila nanay at tatay. Wala na si Alfred," Star looked at Vicky as she cried. Then she continued, "Tapos yung dalawang taong dating inaantay namin dito ni Alfred, ngayon inaantay ko din, pero hindi na ang masasarap nilang yakap ang dadating sakin kundi ang malalamig nilang katawan." Star and Vicky cried as Vicky held Star into a tight embrace. "Wala na sila, Vicks. Wala na si Alfred. Wala na si nanay at tatay," Star cried out. Vicky couldn't help but cry even harder, too. "Ssshh. Andito pako. Andito pa kami nila Twinkle, nila lolo't lola. Hindi ka pa rin nag-iisa." Star shut her eyes as tears fell. She let go from Vicky's hug to face her, "Vicks, hindi ko yata kaya. Hindi ko kaya makita yung katawan nila nanay at tatay mamaya. Vicks, hindi ko kaya." She cried harder. Vicky cried harder, too. She couldn't do or say anything that could ease Star's pain, so she continued to hold on to her in an embrace. Star kept sobbing as Vicky tried to straighten her out by wiping her face and tucking her hair in her ear. Then, she held Star's face while the other held onto her hand tightly. She looked at Star in the eyes, "Amelia, alam ko hindi madali. Masakit para sa ating lahat ang lahat ng nangyari satin nitong linggong toh. I'm in no way asking you to keep it all together kasi alam ko sobra sobra na pinagdaanan mo. Hinihiling ko lang na ilabas mo lahat when you can, pero sana wag sa harap ni Twinkle. Please lang. Hindi ko rin alam pano, pero magtutulongan tayo. Ayoko matrauma yung bata. Iniisip ko lang din yung pag-alis natin. Baka lalo sya mahirapan pag nakitaan nya tayong lahat na halos gumuguho na ang mundo mamaya. Kelangan natin magpaka-tatag para sa kanya lalo na ngayon. Kelangan natin lalo iparamdam sa kanya na kahit wala na sila aling Agnes at mang Arnel, andito pa rin tayo nila lolo at lola na makakasama nya. Kasi kung mahirap sa atin, mas mahirap para sa kanya. Masyado pa syang bata para maintindihan lahat ng toh." Star nodded as she sobbed. "Vicks, paki-layo muna sya dito habang tinatanggap namin yung katawan nila nanay at tatay at siniset-up yung burol nila. Hindi maganda na andito sya pagkadating ng mga kabaong nila. Tama ka, baka ma-trauma lang sya. Ako na sana ang mag-lalayo sa kanya pero kelangan ko din mag-stay dito para kanila lolo at lola. Mahirap din para sa kanila toh at kekelanganin nila ako dito. Kelangan ko bigyan ng sapat na oras sila lolo at lola para magluksa. Saka mo na dalhin pabalik si Twinkle dito pag medyo umokay okay na." Star requested. Vicky nodded. She was relieved that she didn't have to be there when their bodies and caskets arrive. Although she felt extremely sorry that she couldn't be there for Star, she knew she had to do what was best for Twinkle.