It's You

Chapter Eight

"My Celine!" Tita greeted me with a beso and I did too.

Mom has 2 sisters-- that Tita pa-Kia-lamera and this favorite Tita of mine, Tita Halsey.

"Hello, Tita." I bitterly smiled at her.

"Oops? Unsa'y problema?" In her dialect, asked me if what's the problem.

"Just mild infatuation." I sighed with smile.

"O...kay? Anyway, nagdinner ang Mommy at Daddy mo, baka naman gusto mong sumama, pwede ta musunod." Hinawakan n'ya ang bewang ko, sweetly.

"I'd love to but I need to rest, Tita. Hindi pa din naman ako gutom at baka mawala 'tong beauty ng pamangkin n'yo dahil sa stress."

She smirked. "Do'n ka sa kwarto ni Lia, dadating 'yun mamaya."

"Okay," I kissed her cheek at umakyat na ng stairs papunta sa room ni Attalia.

I threw my bag and immediately jumped on the bed. Looking up the ceiling, I opened my hand and still couldn't find the meaning of the code Louise wrote. I tried to search it earlier on Google but the crap battery of my phone died.

Anyway---matutulog muna ako.

...

I felt my face under the heat of the sun which woke me up. Rubbing my eyes, I felt the heavy leg of Attalia over me. Akap-akap n'ya pa talaga ako. She caused me to roll my eyes early in the morning.

She's a heavy sleeper kaya nama't hindi s'ya nagising sa pagbangon ko. Agad kong ichinarge ang phone ko at bumaba na.

I greeted Mom and Dad with a kiss, gano'n din kay Tita. "Tulog mantika pa po si Attalia," smirking I said and sat at the dining table.

"As always," sagot naman ni Tita.

"You, I went to Negros the other day and...gusto ko sana kayong dalhin do'n some other time." Dad initiated the convo and looked at Mom. They smiled at each other.

"Bakit po?"

"I wanted to introduce you to my sister." He had that bright smile which took away mine. Mukhang nasabi naman n'ya 'to kay Mom dahil she doesn't seem that surprised.

"Bumalik na ang mga alaala ko."

Nawala saglit ang ngiti ko pero bumalik din naman.

"Good for you, Dad. S-sure ka bang kasama ako?"

All were in silence.

"You," awat ni Mom.

"Nagtatanong lang naman, Mom." I laughed, kunwari. Awkward lang kasi ang ganitong usapan para sa'kin.

"Of course, anak kita, You." Tumayo si Dad at hinawakan ang mga balikat ko. He sincerely smiled at me at napangiti nalang din ako.

...

With Attalia, I went shopping, and we are currently eating.

"Attalia, how's life?" Nakanguya ko s'yang kinausap.

"Inggit ka talaga sa pangalan ko 'no?"
Ngumisi naman s'ya.

"Asa ka pa." But actually yes, nakakainggit talaga s'ya like damn-- napakagaling ni Tita gumawa ng pangalan, napaka-unique lang, if I were a boy and not her cousin, papatulan ko 'tong si Attalia just because of her name.

"You must've been very honored that this Farah Attalia Enrique is your cousin, Euniceline." Ankapal dahil nagtaas pa talaga s'ya ng kilay n'yang hindi naman singganda ang pagkakakilay unlike mine.

I rolled my eyes on her for the nth time today. "Whatever," then sipped a drink.

Bigla kong naalala ang palad ko at nang tignan ko 'yun, it's almost faded!

Napamura ako at napakunot ng noo.

"Why?"

"Mabubura na," balisa kong sabi at tinuro ang palad.

"And, so?"

"Hindi pwede, not yet, no.." Napailing-iling ako.

"May ballpen ako dito,"

Napasampal ako ng noo at inilibot sa paligid ang paningin. Ting! Unti-unting pumorma ng ngiti ang mga labi ko.

"That's so creepy, You."

I smirked.

...

"Hurot najud akong bilib nimo, You, ba." Natatawang ani Attalia.

I was smiling while staring at the tattoo on my wrist na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa malaman-laman ang ibig sabihin. Yes, ipinatattoo ko 'yung sulat ni Louise habang memorize ko pa.

"Wait, ano nga 'yan?" She grabbed my hand and ngising may halong kunot ng noo lang naman ang reaksyon n'ya.

"Hey, alam mo ba kung ano'ng ibig sabihin n'yan?" Taka ko s'yang tinanong.

"Hindi ikaw ang may gawa nito, right?"

"Of course, s'yempre 'yung tattooer ang gumawa n'yan, duh, Attalia." I rolled my eyes again.

Pinanliitan naman n'ya ako ng mga mata. "The original,"

"Kung ako pa'ng nagsulat, I would've known by now kung ano'ng ibig sabihin n'yan."

She jokingly sighed. "Unbelievable,"

"Just tell me, Attalia! Ayoko ng pathrill," I raised her a brow.

"This is a Biblical verse, You. 'Mt.' stands for Matthew and not mount. If you want to find out, may Bible sa room ko,"

...

Biblical verse? Sa sinabi ni Attalia ay napukaw ang curiosity ko kaya naman I convinced her immediately para mauwi na kami when we haven't even spent more than 3 hours sa mall.

May inasikaso sina Mom kaya't umalis,  si Tita naman ay nagjamming kasama ang mga friends and about Attalia, she went to work, a nurse she is anyway. I'm the only one left, as usual.

Hinanap ko kung sa'n nakalagay 'yung Bible na tinutukoy ni Attalia and I found it. It was placed on her dresser lang naman.

So, Matthew...

Wala namang kahirap-hirap hanapin 'yun because it was the first chapter in this--yeah bible. Now, pa'no naman hahanapin 'tong numbers? I am damn clueless kasi I'm not one of those religious people in the church. Yes, Christian ako because I am a Roman Catholic but...I don't really go to the church and if I do, there are only two reasons, it's either I like the altar server----or the priest himself. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

But that's a secret.

Anyway, I just somehow found it, piece of cake.

_______________________________

28 'Come to me all you who are tired of carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest.'
_

______________________________

Now I know, pero hindi ko nga lang maintindihan.

So bale, gusto ni Louise na pumunta ako sakan'ya kapag pagod ako? Ta's he will give me rest?

Humagalpak ako ng tawa, now I'm relieved. Hindi nga naman talaga totoong may gano'ng lalaki, 'yung hindi pumapatol sa mga katulad ko? Torpe lang siguro 'yun.

I can make all boys kneel before me.

But a very brief silence made me think that I actually don't know if dapat ba'kong matuwa dahil hindi s'ya isang santo o dapat bang malungkot ako dahil akala ko inosente s'ya, that he's unlike the rest.

Pero oo nga naman, boys will always be boys.