Yellow Ribbon

Chapter Five

“You seriously didn’t tell me when you met me in the library. How rude. Paasa ka talaga.” reklamo ko.

We’re now eating at the cafeteria. Its been 30 minutes since I first ranted for his yellow ribbon siege on me. Hindi ko tanggap! Natiis niya ako habang ako nababaliw na sa kakaisip tuwing nakikita yung laso na ibinigay niya. Hindi naman sya nagsalita o nakipagsagutan man sa akin. I can even feel that he’s just relaxed on my side, eating his ramen.

“Nakikinig ka ba, Jacoby?” my voice was sharped but he only nodded.

I pouted and getting more irritated in his actions. Parang walang pakialam.

Umiinit ang gilid ng mga mata ko kaya hindi na ako nagsalita pa at kumagat nalang sa burger na binili niya para sa akin. Tapos ay suminghot-singhot sa sipon na tumatakas sa ilong ko.

Now I got his attention but I’m not willing to interact with him anymore. Ang bilis kong magtampo. Iyakin din ako. Bakit ang hina-hina ko lagi? I pouted.

Napansin kong binaba niya ang chopsticks niya tapos ay hinarap ang sarili sa akin. Sinandal niya ang kaliwang pisngi sa kamay na nakatuko sa lamesa. I continue chewing my burger and subtly wiping my tears on my own. I heard him sighed on my side but I still ignore him.

Uminom ako sa juice ko. Maya-maya ay lumapit sya sa akin, pinahid ang mga luha ko sa pisngi. Hinayaan ko sya doon. Napaka-rupok ko talaga. Pero hindi ko pa rin sya pinansin.

“I never imagine you for being a cry baby.” I glared at him. Ngumisi sya.

“At least, my baby.” hirit niya. Natutunaw man ay inirapan ko lang sya doon.

I heard him sighed again and took something from his duffel bag. It was his phone. He maneuver something on it and then put it in front of me. Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanya, bago niya inilahad ito sa akin.

I took the phone from him. It was a picture of him when his hair was still long. Tinignan ko ang details at recent lang ang picture na iyon. Nagscroll pa ako doon at puro mahabang buhok niya lang hanggang sa ibang kulay na ng uniform ang suot niya, ang mukha niya ay unti-unting bumabata. Hanggang sa umabot ako kung saan kalbo sya. Tumawa ako.

Nilingon ko sya saglit tapos ay sa kanyang litrato na kalbo sya. Tumawa ako ulit.

“That was the day when I gave you my ribbon.” hinatak ng ere ang tawa ko kaya natigilan ako roon.

Seryoso ang kanyang ekspresyon kaya ibinaba ko ang phone at nagscroll na lang doon. Tahimik na parang tuta na pinagalitan ng amo.

He cut his hair when he gave me the ribbon and he made it long until he saw me recently, and decided to cut it again. Hindi niya balak na manghimasok sa buhay ko noon, ngunit, kinailangan niya dahil aalis ang pamilya niya papuntang China kasama sya. He knew he won’t meet me again, so, for being smart ass he is, he left the ribbon to me. Without explaining to me why. His reason was I was too young for love and pain. He’s the old one here so he let me go decided to come back when I’m old enough. Yun nga lang, hindi niya daw kaya, kaya iniwan niyang palaisipan sa akin ang dilaw na laso.

Madami kasing nangyari sa pamilya niya. Involve na doon ang engagement at kasal ni ate Jan sa kapatid niya.

“But, ate Jan came back immediately here.” I asked. Tumango siya.

Nasa swing na kami ng playground ng campus sa grade school level. Walang tao dito ngayon. 

“You know how stubborn that woman is. Even though she married my brother, she won’t stay in China because she’s not a Chinese” I laughed.

“That’s the reason she gave to my family and they couldn’t tame her for being stubborn. Kaya umuwi agad sila ni Kuya. Habang naiwan ako sa China para alagaan ang farm namin doon.”