He's My Cousin!

[Ch.48] Stay

[Ch.48] Stay

// Ayanna's Point of View

I was playing with James inside my room. Iniwan kasi siya rito ni Ian kaninang umaga dahil wala raw magbabantay sa bata. Ang alam ko ay pupunta siya kasama sina Jiro at Ella mamaya. Kagagaling lang ni Ella sa bakasyon at si Jiro naman ay sa bahay nila tumutuloy ngayon dahil nga semestral break.

It had been a week since that night I've talked with Paolo. He's been texting me since then ngunit hindi ako nagrereply. I was serious when I said I wanted him to leave me alone. Ngunit bukas, there's a big chance that I'll see him again. Bukas kasi iyong family reunion namin. Ngayong taon ay napagdesisyunan nila na sa Lemery, Batangas ito gaganapin.

I checked my phone at napabuntong hininga na naman ako. When would he stop?

Unregistered number: I want to explain. I want to let you know why, to let you understand why... but the answer, really, is just that I was coward. Tama ka, duwag nga talaga ako. But this coward is willing to fight for you now.

Ididelete ko pa lang iyong text niya ay may sumunod na namang panibago, pahabol sa una niyang text.

Unregistered number: No matter what it takes.

Hindi ko nga siguro siya kikala. Because the Paolo I knew was no coward. Siya 'yung lalaking kayang iwan ang lahat para sa akin. 'Yung lalaking kayang basagin ang paniniwala niya nang para sa akin. 'Yung ipaglalaban ako at hindi ako sasaktan. He turned out to be the exact person I thought he was not.

"Ate!" Kinalabit ako ni James at inabot sa akin 'yung soldier miniature niya. I smiled at him.

"James, can Ate Aya ask something?"

"Ask. Ask James," medyo bulol nitong sagot.

"If..." Nakatingin lang ako sa mga laruan niya. "If, for example, you have two toys," dahan-dahan kong paliwanag sa kaniya. "You like them both. One's old already and you treasure it... but its edge caused you to bleed. 'Yung isa naman, it's new and you like it. But then you can only choose one. You can only have one. Anong pipiliin mo?" I knew it was absurd, asking this to a kid, but I didn't know what I was doing anymore.

"What makes me happy..." he said. "I'll choose what makes me happy. Real happy."

Natigilan ako. I know it's just an empty answer coming from a kid... but what makes me real happy?

I was drowned in my thoughts when I heard a slow clap from the door. Tumambad sa akin ang isang matangkad na pigura. "Woah there, comparing guys to toys. Aish, what do I expect from girls, anyway?" Tumaas ang kilay niya.

"Knave. It's... it's been long." Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa kaniya. We rarely meet.

"I was busy. University," paliwanag niya. Noong una talaga ay hindi ako makapaniwalang professor siya ngunit totoo pala iyon. He had been serious about it. Akala ko nga noon ay magququit din siya agad sa trabahong iyon, but it has been two years.