Gray

Chapter I

Everything has its own color. Everything has its own beauty. That is something I really believe growing up.

Lumaki akong sanay sa tanawin ng mga bulaklak. Ang aming malawak na bakuran ay alagang-alaga ng mga hardinero gaya ng utos ng aking ina. My mom, Hariette Alcalde, loves flowers. She says they always remind her of my older brother, Liam.

"He would've loved this." Malungkot na saad ng ina habang nakatingin sa aming hardin na kasalukuyang pinupuno ng kulay dilaw na mga bulaklak. Liam likes sunflowers. Sabi niya ay nagbibigay sigla ang kulay at itsura nito sa kanya.

Nagbuntong hininga ako at nginitian na lamang si Mommy. Her natural curls made her look younger. My mom always had this innocent look because of her big rounded eyes and small pointy nose. Sa kanya ko nga siguro namana ang tangos ng aking ilong. But my eyes are smaller than her.

Ang buhok ko rin ay sa kanya namana. Ang akin lang ay mas mahaba at sa baba lang ang alon ng kulot. Halos lahat ng katangian ko ay galing sa aking ina. But my brother, Liam, got most of his looks from my father, Lucius Alcalde.

"Sayang lang at hindi niya na ito makikita." Hinimas ko ang likod ni Mommy to comfort her. My older brother died when he was fifteen. I was eleven that time.

I heard he got into a fight and... the rest is history.

I'm seventeen now. Malapit na rin ang debut. I'm a first year College and currently taking a Foreign Service course. Foreign Service ang pinasok ko ngunit ang interes ay nasa pagpipinta. My parents told me I could pursue my dreams after graduating kaya naman iyon ang aking ginagawa.

Titig ng bawat estudyanteng pumapasok sa aming silid ang sumasalubong sa akin. Hindi na bago sa akin iyon. My demure looks from my parents made me used to this kind of attention.

People liked to describe my eyes as a sharp piercing one. Sabi nila ay maganda raw ang mga mata ko. People my age told me that my eyes could be very intimidating. That it makes me look a bit matured and edgy. Ngunit taliwas ito sa tunay kong ugali.

"Sinong last dance mo?" Tanong ni Jia nang ibalik sa akin ang listahan ng Eighteen Roses. Nagkibit balikat ako. Hindi alam kung excited ba sa gagawing birthday party.

"Wala pa, e. Hindi ko rin alam kung sino ang ilalagay." Ang singkit na mga mata niya'y lalo pang naningkit sa akin. Iniwas ko ang aking tingin. Oh, she knows me so well.

Her skin is pale na tila hindi ito nasisinagan ng araw. Her hair is straight at hindi mawawala ang bangs nito. She's an exchange student from Korea.

"Okay lang 'yan, Miss Aristelle Kaia Monteverde Alcalde. Ilang buwan pa naman bago ang kaarawan mo, e."

I nodded. I already have someone in mind. At alam kong siya rin ang nasa isip ni Jia ngayon. I like someone. But I know it's impossible for me to invite him as my escort. Hindi ko nga alam kung kilala niya ba ako.

"How about Kiel?" Hearing his name already made me feel something. It's strange to me how he affects me so much. Hindi ko napigilang ngumisi dahil taas-baba pa ang kilay niya habang tinitignan ang aking reaksyon.

Kiel is the guy I like. He's a mystery to me. Mukha naman itong friendly sa iba, pero hindi ko alam kung bakit pagdating sa akin ay parang wala itong interes. Not that I'm trying to get his attention, though.

"He's out of my league," I argued. She pouted and shrugged. Tumikhim ako nang pumasok ang aming professor sa World History.

Si Kiel lang ang nag-iisang estudyante na iba ang kulay ng buhok. His hair is gray. Hindi lang buhok nito ang kulay abo, kundi pati ang kanyang mga mata. His mom is not a Filipino, kaya doon siguro ito namana.