"Something's bothering you?" tanong sa akin ni Priam habang nasa park muli kami ngayon.
"Priam," I called him out of the blue. I saw how his eyes brighten with the way I call him.
"W-what? What do you just call me?" he utterly stuttered. Napatawa naman ako dahil doon. I remember him saying na iisang tao lang ang pwedeng tumawag sa kaniya ng Priam. Maybe, he's shock about it.
"Priam. Can I call you that? I remember you saying na iisang tao lang ang pwedeng tumawag sa iyo noon," kinakabahan kong tanong sa kaniya. Unti unti ay sumilay ang kaniyang ngiti.
"Of course. Of course, you can call me that," tumatango niyang sabi sa akin. As I stare on to him, I can see beads of tears forming into the corner of his eyes. He's being to emotional, it's just me calling his name.
"Hey, why are you about to cry?" natatawa kong tanong sabay lapit ng kamay ko sa pisngi niya.
Napatawa naman siya at umiling sabay hawak sa kamay kong nasa pisngi niya, "It's just that. It's been a while."
"What do you mean?" ani ko.
Pinisil naman niya ang kamay ko, "It's been years since you call me with that."
"Did I call you that years ago?" nagtataka kong tanong sa kaniya. I can't recall those things.
Nagulat naman siya sa tanong ko, "Forget it."
Nakunot ang noong nakatitig lang ako sa kaniya. I'm hoping to get an answer from him. He chuckled as he saw my face.
"Just forget about it, okay? You'll remember it eventually," he said as he pinch my nose. Napalayo naman ako dahil doon at hinawakan ang ilong ko.
"Hey!" angil kong sabi sa kaniya. I really hate it when someone touches my nose.
"Still sensitive," nakangiti niyang ani. It looks like he's talking to himself kasi hindi naman siya nakatingin ng directly sa akin.
"May tanong ako sa iyo," seryoso kong sabi sa kaniya. Umayos naman siya ng upo dahil sa boses ko.
"What is it?"
"Tungkol doon sa nangyari sa Clinic. I somewhat eavesdropped on your convo with the nurse. Ako ba iyong tinutukoy noong babae? When she said that she's at last, bigla na lang bumukas ang partition noong kama ko," nagulat naman muli siya sa tanong ko. He seems uneasy too. Why does everyone looks uneasy everytime I ask them?
"Oh that. Forget about it too," seryoso niyang sabi sabay hawak sa dalawang kamay ko.
"Why can't you just answer it directly?" inip kong tanong. I really want the truth right now. Iba ang pakiramdam ko sa sinagot ni mama kahapon. Hindi na ata kakayanin ng utak ko na dumagdag pa siya.
"It's not yet the right time," sabi niya sabay iwas ng tingin niya sa akin. Napakunot naman ang noo ko dahil doon. And when is the right time?
"You really think I will believe in that lame excuse? Seriously? Everytime is the right time for it. Bakit kailangan patagalin pa?" naiirita kong ani sabay bawi ng kamay ko.
He was startled at my actions, mukhang hindi niya alam ang gagawin para masuyo ako ngayon. It's not like nagpapasuyo ako tsk.
"Mahihirapan ka lang kapag kinuwento ko sa'yo ang lahat. I want you to remember it on your own. I head from the doctor na hindi pwedeng i-stress ang mga katulad mo sa pag-alala dahil baka lalong lumala 'yon," he concernly uttered.
"Please, I just really want to know," naiiyak kong ani sa kaniya. Lalo naman siyang hindi napakali sa ginawa ko. Bigla niya akong hinila at niyakap.
"Hey, I know something's wrong. I won't force you to share it to me. But I'll certainly listen to you," aniya habang hinihimas ang likod ko. Naramdaman ko namang tumulo ang luha ko sa ginawa niya.
"Si m-mama kasi," humihikbi kong ani sa kaniya. I can hear his silent voice that wants me to stop crying. Pero hinigpitan niya ang yakap niya sa akin. He wants me stop crying but his hugs makes me cry more.
"What about her?" mahina niyang tanong.
"It seems like she's hiding something big from me," tumango-tango naman siya sa sinabi ko, encouraging me to speak more.
"I saw her wearing a ring yesterday. I confronted her and she said it's my father and hers engagement ring. But I am not convinced with his actions. Hindi ko rin matandaan na ganoon ang engagement ring nila. I can't even remember her wearing an engagement ring before!" I frustatedly uttered. Napaigtad siya sa sinabi ko at niyakap ako ng mahigpit.
"M-maybe, it's because of your amnesia?" he said stuttering. Umiling naman ako.
"I can still remember my childhood days and I never recall her wearing that jewelry," umiiyak kong usal sa kaniya. Hindi naman siya sumagot sa sinabi ko. He just hug me tightly at hinayaan akong umiyak sa piling niya.
Maybe it's true that, 'Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.' because with him I feel the warmth. I feel like I belong. I belong to his arms and him all along.
"You're calm now?" tanong niya sa akin ng maramdamang hindi na ako umiiyak. Kumalas naman ako sa yakap niya at umayos ng upo.
"Yes," tango kong sagot sa kaniya. Napangiti naman siya dahil doon.
"Why do I feel that you're really familiar?" bigla kong tanong sa kaniya. Everytime that he will hug me I always feel the warmth. I do feel something kapag niyayakap ko sila mama o di kaya naman ay si Selene pero iba kapag siya na.
"Oh please, lagi akong nasasabihan niyan e. Wala na bang bago?" he playfully asked me. Hinampas ko naman siya na ikinatawa niya.
"Ang kapal mo! But seriously, there's really something," natatawa kong usal sa kaniya.
"I'm your destiny," he winked at me after that. Lalo naman ako napairap sa naging sagot niya. Kumakapal na ata siya ngayon.
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BINABASA MO ANG
Revamping Affinity
Romance"The two of us is struck by the lightning. An ill-fated love." Euphemia Iantha Serrano suffered amnesia because of an unknown accident. Since then, she lived quietly with her mother. Her father died even before she got hospitalized. Until she met Pr...
