I was on my way to that old 3 story house in the woods, it was a 10 minute walk from the road. I have groceries in my both hands and I was walking dryly. As I reached to the door I opened it and saw a man in his mid sixties, tall with his fair skin and wrinkled skin sitting in his couch.
"Hoy, tanda eto na mga pinapabili mo, pwede kona ba mahiram yung motor mo jan?" - I smirked as I remembered his old pretty bike there.
"Hindi, that belongs to someone"- he said
"Someone? Sino ba talaga yun tanda? Anak mo?"- I said while working on the groceries
"Parang ganun na nga bata"
"Hoy tanda 22 na ako hindi na ako bata, at saka nasan na yan na anak mong yan? He should be taking care of you."
"I told you I can handle myself, you can always leave"- he said smiling
"Haynako tanda kung hindi lang talaga dahil sa konsensya ko matagal nakong umalis dito"- deep down I know hindi dahil don he is like a family, and I wouldn't tell him.
And there I heard his annoying laugh again. And I smile.
—————
I was lying on a big old tree near the house, this is my favorite spot. The night with the moon, the starts, the wind, the sound of the forest it calms me. I looked at the house, isa syang bahay na bato it looks very old, it looks like as if it belongs to the forest, puno ito ng lumot at halaman it almost looked green it looked abandoned. And funnily people said it was hunted.
Pero little did everyone knew, the house was warm, clean and perfect inside.
I smiled as I remembered kung pano kami nagkakilala ni tanda.
I was on my way home since my town is far from the city every house and stores are closed at 7 the moment the sun goes down and gone.
It was 8:45 in the evening, i was walking home when I saw someone not from a far who seems drunk as he walk slowly, I was about to turn my back when I saw him fall. Fuck conscience. Patakbo akong pumunta sa kanya he was 20 meters away from me.
"Fuck!" - napamura ako ng makitang duguan sya, isang natandang lalaki
"Pabayaan mo na ako bata, kaya ko ang sarili ko"- mahinang pagkakasabi nya
"Baliw kaba tanda? Sa lagay mong toh, tinutulungan ka na nga"
"I don't need your help"- sabi nito habang hinahawi nya kamay ko, I don't think he's from here ngayon ko lang nakita ang mukha nya.
"Dadalhin kita sa hospital hahanap lang ako ng tulong"
"No! Just.. bring me to my... house"
"Pero—-"
"Then leave me alone,"
"Okay!Just tell me where is your fuckedup house?!"- napasigaw na ako dahil mukhang madami na ang nawala sa kanyang dugo. And he still managed to crooked a smile this old hug.
"Sa bundok.... yung... bahay na... bato"
"Do you really—- never mind shit, tara na"
He was as unbelievable just like the house, he healed in just 2 fucking days, and who would have thought that that house was a beauty.
And it was 6 months ago, I treated him as a family and a friend.
———————
It was a good day everything was perfect I just finished my exams, paalis na ako ng bahay para pumunta sa school it was a 30 minute travel from our house. And it was 7:30 in the morning.
"Hoy Lenny gisingin mo na si bunso, alis nako ah kayo na bahala dito"- Yes I've got two siblings a 16 year old girl and a 13 year old boy both in their high schools.
"Tita Marie alis nako!"- and since our parents both working, out the country, yung tita naming walang asawa ang nagaalaga samin, and luckily she knows Tanda, I smiled at the thought they should date both since she's in her fifties and tanda doesn't looked his age.
I've got a few good old and closest friends, but most of them are on different schools and I've only got one best friend with me.
————
Patakbo akong pumasok sa school dahil late na ako, wrong timing naman kase yung pagkasira nung nasakyan ko, leche walang poise poise, well, I'm not popular anyway average looking girl. No one would notice me running.
But shitss starts nung may mabangga ako, nakakahiyang tunog ng pagbagsak ko yung narinig ko eh at mahinang pagmura nung nabangga ko. Nakahawak sa pwetan ako ng tumayo at nakayuko.
