Elica

Kabanata 23

Kabanata 23- England

Sa wakas! I'm in England na! And guess what? I'm all alone. Mama and Papa refuses to join me here dahil nga sa business nila, they are trying to fix what happened weeks--no, it's months ago. Yes, time flies so fast kaya hindi na natin namamalayan na marami na palang ipinagbago.

"Girl, kamusta kana diyan? Kapag uuwi ka or magpapadala ka, chocolates naman!" si Lyra.

Kausap ko ngayon ang lima including Jely and Ange especially Prince na hanggang ngayon ay ang apat palang ang nakakaalam na mag pinsan kami. Galing diba?

"I want to see Harry Potter jan!" Si Jely.

"Tanga nasa England si Elica para mag aral hindi lumakwatsa!" Banat naman ni Ange.

"Cut with the conversation ladies, Eli..." bali nito sakin. "...I'll try to visit you there pag may free time or either may vacation ako okay?"

At tinupad nga ni Prince iyon, everytime na may ka-meeting ito sa England ay sa akin siya nagpapalipas ng gabi even when his break. Kaya hindi na gaano bored ang stay ko dito. I really should find friends out there, kaysa naman mabulok ako dito sa bahay na binili nina Mama at Papa.

I enrolled in a famous university in England, I guess I need to bring back the luxurious Elica right now, but not the playful one. I make friends there at tamang bonding lang kami tuwing walang pasok, it seems fine. At sa tagal nang pananatili ko dito it takes years kaya nasasanay na rin ako.

"Hey Eli, don't you think I really need to eat this?" Maarteng sambit ni Charyl.

"Well yes, it's our food in our country. It's called Adobo."

"But the sauce looks like blood? I found it really sucks! I'm going home Eli." At umalis na nga, umirap ako sakaniya at iniligpit ang mga kagamitan sa mesa.

"Yo Eligator!" I rolled my eyes again nang marinig ko nanaman ang palayaw ko.

"Ano nanamang kailangan mo, Andrew Di Makalayag?" I asked. He chuckled at pumasok sa pintuan ng bahay.

"You're so mean! Baka hindi nga ako makalayag sa pinagsasabi mo ah? Por que alam mo na seaman ang gusto ko!"

"Yeah right, seaman. Seamanloloko, seamangungutang, seamanhihingi ng ulam. Seaman really suits you, Andrew." I said while washing the plates.

"You really know how to make me pissed, right Eligator?--Oh! You know why I called you that way?" He asked, I shook my head while not looking at him, "Cause you're look like one! Ang harsh mo! Ang tapang mopa, ipapaalala ko lang sayo ha. Wala ka sa Pilipinas!" Here are we again, he always lecturing me.

Hindi kona siya sinagot after he said that, nananahimik ito sa may sofa ng sala at pipitik pitik ang dila.

"Stop that, Andrew."

"Stop what?" Patay malisya nitong tanong. I rolled my eyes, and somehing popped out in my mind.

"You came from a public school, right?"

"Yes, what's with the question?"

"Nothing."

Natahimik ito kaya nilingon ko, his eyebrows arw now meeting each other and his eyes were on me. Great! I shrugged my shoulder, I changed my clothes in my room at lumabas.

"Buckingham Palace is great, Big Ben also. You want to go to British Museum? How about River Thames? The view is beautiful there!"

"What about St. Paul's Cathedral? Ipagdarasal ko lang yang madaldal mong bunganga." Sinimangutan niya ako tas nag crossed arm. Psh, childish.

"Shall we ride on National Rail?" He asked.

I faced him, "gusto mo bang maglakad? Then go!"

"Ang sama talaga ng ugali mo!"

Hindi ko na siya sinagot at sumakay na sa Rail. Medyo marami-rami ding turista ngayon sa England. We are heading to St. Paul's Cathedral for the prayer of Andrew's mouth. Yeah.

While we are inside the church, Andrew is busy murmuring something. Taimtim akong nanalangin habang nakapikit. I wish for my family's protection, kahit wala sila sa tabi ko I want them to be safe, my friends as well.

Hinila ako ni Andrew papunta sa T.I.A or The Ivy Asia. It's one of the nearest restaurant in St. Paul's Cathedral. Pagkaupo namin doon ay may dumating na waitress, she asked me what are my orders as well as Andrew.

"Pasty is not bad at all, diba Eligator?" Andrew smirked at me kaya naman inirapan ko siya.

After a few hours na pamamalagi namin sa T.I.A ay hinatak na naman ako ni Andrew and he said we are heading sa may Stonehenge. It's not my first time sa Stonehenge dahil nagpunta na kami ni Prince dati dito. Sadyang makulit lang talaga si Andrew kaya ako ngayon narito.

Mukhang manghang mangha si Andrew dito, I thought ilang years na ng pamamalagi niya sa England at ngayon niya lang napuntahan ito? I already checked on to my Travel List ang Stonehenge.

After many hours of touring around England, naisipan na din ni Andrew na umuwi. Since magkalapit lang ang bahay na tinitirhan namin ay not  problem at all.

"Thank you Eligator sa pagsama mo sakin!"

"No worries, Di Makalayag."

Dumiretso agad ako sa kama after, iniisip ang magiging kahihinatnan ng buhay ko bukas. Schooling is real na bukas, tapos na ang weekends. I sighed about my thoughts. I wished the five was here.

Kinapa ko ang bulsa ko when I feel it vibrating. And surprisingly, our groupchat was calling me. Gosh!

"Elicaaaaa!" Bati ni Jely.

"Hi Eli! Mangangamusta lang kami." Ani Ange.

"Really guys? At 2 in the midnight? I'm still sleepy." Si Lyra.

"Me too." Second the motion ni Ariadne.

Napatingin tuloy ako sa orasan ng phone ko,

"It's 7p.m palang dito."

"Yeah, we know Eli!"

"Seriously, Eli? You know that Philippines is 7 hours ahead in England. You should know that! I'm hanging out, goodnight Eli." bigla nalang nawala sa call sina Ari at Lyra, those two! Si Prince ay hindi rin sumagot sa tawag, maybe he's still asleep.

"Bakit ba kasi kayo tumawag ng alanganin?"

"We want to say Goodnight to you! Goodnight Eli! Uwi kana, we love you muah!"

Pinatay na nila ang call at ibinagsak ko ang cellphone ko sa kama, nagbihis na ako ng blouse at panjama para makatulog na.

I silently cried when I remember that it's been 6 years, when I last saw them. Six years after the Sarmiento family was on us. Six years when Ken and I were in an arranged marriage, but here I am in England. Living free, no Ken Sarmiento, no fixed marriage. I know that it is not easy to forget and move on, but I will try hard to do that. Even if I'm stucked with my past, I will never let it ruin me once more. I am living my life now, I should be greatful. Dahil ito ang hiningi ko sakaniya, ang mabuhay ng malaya.

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maesthete