"Happy Birthday Cassy!" Masayang bati sa akin ng kapatid kong si Leandra. Medyo napangiwi ako sa kanyang tawag sa akin. Cassy sounds too... girly.
"Happy birthday too, Ate. But please stop calling me Cassy." binati ko siya at kunwaring nagtatampo sa pagtawag niya sa akin ng Cassy.
"I will if you stop calling me 'Ate' like duh, I'm just ten minutes older than you. Don't make it sound like I'm too old." sabay kaming tumawa sa sinabi niya. She doesn't like me calling her ate. It was always for the reason that she's just ten minutes older.
I have always preferred to be called by my name. Like the real name. Cassandra. It might sound too old now or too simple but I have always liked it that way. May dating yung pangalan eh. There's something about my name that I couldn't pinpoint.
Besides, hearing my sister's name and mine would make you wonder what kind of people we are. It gives you the impression that we are those sophisticated rich girls. Well, that's what I ofter hear.
"Oh my gosh. This is totally it Cassandra! We're eighteen na. Legal!" nagtititili ang kakambal ko ngayon. Since sa Saturday pa ang dating ng parents namin, we'll have our party the same day na rin. They won't let us not have a debut party. They always want what's the best for us. Perks of being girls.
" I know, Lean." napansin ko na naghahanda siya ng mga damit sa kama. Saan naman kaya siya pupunta?
"So anong plano mo for tonight? May pupuntahan ka ba?" tanong ko sa kanya
"Are you seriously asking me this? Tayo! Pupunta tayo sa bar mamaya. I'm picking out our clothes." I was never for outdoors and socializing. Leandra knows that. Tatanggihan ko sana siya pero naunahan niya ako.
"Na uh. You're not going to say no. Live your life once in a while Cassandra" pagpipilit niya sa akin. Wala namang masama kung lumabas kami mamaya dahil birthday rin naman niya. Leandra is the outgoing type. Yung tipong gagawin ang lahat na para bang wala ng bukas. Sagad na sagad.
While I, on the other hand, ay mas kuntento na sa pamamalagi ko sa school at sa bahay. I am often fascinated by things that other people would find odd. Leandra and I are exact opposites of each other. Well, she's fascinated by some things too.
Fascinated by the idea of immortality. Ewan ko ba sa kanya, she hates death. She's too obsessed with living. She's very optimistic you see.
"Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko. Since ikaw ang nagyayaya, you better pick an outifit for me. Alam mo namang I'm not good with those." sabi ko sa kanya. She squealed with excitement. Napailing na lang ako.
Ano kayang mangyayari mamaya? What would life being eighteen be?
Maya maya pa ay narinig kong bumukas ang tv. May kapapasok lang na news report na isang ferry ang lumubog at karamihan ng mga pasahero na lulan ng ferry ay mga high school students na papunta sana sa isang isla para sa isang excursion trip.
May kakaibang damdamin ang nabuo sa dibdib ko. Panghihinayang, awa para sa mga estudyanteng namatay o na trap habang lumulubog ang ferry at kaba. Kaba dahil hindi ko maisip ang gagawin ko kung ako ng nasa kanilang sitwasyon.
"Ano ba 'yan Cassandra. Ilipat mo sa ibang channel. Ayoko ng mga ganyang news ang nakikita ko, birthday pa naman natin." tumango ako at inilipat ito sa ibang channel.
"Nakakaawa sila." tumingin lang si Leandra sa akin.
"Stop thinking about it. Birthday natin today and I want the both of us to be happy." Ngiti niya sa akin at nagpatuloy sa pamimili ng kung ano ang susuotin naming dalawa mamayang gabi.
