Beautiful, Beloved [feat. RaMen]

Seventeen

Flashback

Rachel left their home. She does not want to hurt her ate Maricel that way pero yun lang ang tanging paraan na naiisip niya upang hindi siya makaramdam ng pagkapoot dito. If she will continue to condemn her ay baka lalo lamang sila magkasira nito.

~~~

"Naku Dawny! Ako na d'yan," her cousin, Viceral, told the young girl.

Viceral or Vice was Rachel's mother's gay nephew. The only one she knew she could trust in the family. Unlike Rachel, Vice was fully supported by his family. The two of them were loading Rachel's things on Vice's red Land Rover, or as Vice calls it, "Pogi".

"Gaano katagal ulit papunta sa bahay mo?" Rachel asked not a few minutes after they started driving.

"Well, dalhin kita kina lolo. Sa papa ni mommy. Ayoko naman na sa condo ka magstay baka maging uncomfortable for you kasi masikip doon. Sina Negi at Buern kasi doon din nakastay. By the way, Negi and Buern are my workmates, they both live in Batangas kaya sa condo ko na lang sila pinag-stay. And 'yung kina mommy sa La Union, four hours ang byahe. Wala naman na siguro traffic kasi late na," Vice said with a chuckle.

"Vice, salamat ha? Salamat dito. I don't know how to repay you for this. Nakakahiya. I have my own money naman eh. You can drop me off  a hotel somewhere."

"Dawn, ano ka ba! Here, we'll stop at a mall or restaurant, okay? Para kumain, my treat. I'd do anything for you. Di man tayo madalas magkasama because of my schedule and because of ate Marya, you will always and forever be my favorite person."

Rachel just smiled timidly.

~~~

Naramdaman naman ni Vice na napipikit siya kaya marahan niyang tinabig si Rachel, "Dawn. Gising. Napipikit na ko. Need you to keep me awake."

Dumilat naman si Rachel at nagpungas, "Pasensya na Vicey. Hays."

"Alam ko naman naging stressful yung magdamag for you. Okay lang," Vice responded with a smile.

"Saan na pala tayo?"

"NLEX bandang Bulacan."

"Ah I see. You want me to drive? On mo na lang GPS para makasleep ka?"

"Alrighty."

Huminto sila sa gilid ng daan at nagpalit ng upuan. Rachel drove this time. After an hour, nakaramdam na siya ng gutom kaya naman ng makakita ng 24/7 na McDo ay huminto siya kaagad at ginising si Vice.

As they were eating Vice opened up about going to college and what he wanted to do with life.

"Ikaw ba alam mo na kung saan ka magka-college?"

"Actually, hindi eh."

"Bakit naman?"

"Namatay daddy ko tapos nagkasakit mommy ko di ba? Mas importante siya sa akin. I didn't even think ahead nung magkasakit siya."

"Ayyy, oo te. Pero may course ka nang bet?"

"Boring 'to pakinggan pero gusto ko mag-Law."

"Well, totoo. That would be boring for me pero if 'yun ang passion mo then why not naman di ba? Basta always remember, Dawny, basta you're true sa sarili mo nothing else matters."

~~~

Nang makarating sila sa La Union ay alas-kwatro na nang madaling araw. Gising na ang lolo ni Vice na ama ng kanyang ina.