Lead The Way

Chapter One

Colton Jones's Point of View

A playboy named Colton, born in America.

Yo, Colton is name.

I am Colton, half American half Filipino. My mom is American at ang magaling ko namang dad ay isang Pinoy. Hindi nagkwekwento ang mom ko sakin sa kadahilanang hanggang ngayon masakit pa din sa heart nya yung ginawa dad, pero may nai-chika sakin si grandma.

When mom was fourteen and my pops is 19, they decided to go f and
then boom, I was formed.
Mom didn't think that after birth dad would leave. Sad but it's true that at first everything was fun.

We're with pops mother since I was a kid, she took care of me when pops left us. My grandma is a Filipina, they decided to teach me how to speak tagalog first, but since I have an American race I use english too.

Since dad cheated, mom didn't even let him stay in the house. Mom wants a peaceful life. Now I'm nineteen, living without problem and enjoying the youth. I don't want to regret that one time I was not happy even once.

I remember when I was a kid, dad introduced me before he left home. A man with white skin, black hair and singkit. We met in a simply house in Japan. Nung araw na iyon,

"Go on, Colton. Talk to him" Sabi ni dad.

"Who is he?"

"He's your step brother-"

"What is stepbrother?"

Hindi nya sinagot ang tanong 'ko at ngumiti pa din sa akin.

"He is Kiyoshi, say hi!" itinaas nya ang kanang kamay ko at marahang iginalaw. Kaharap ang batang lalaki na nagngangalang Kiyoshi. Walang emosyon sa kanyang mukha at hinahayaan ang din nya na igalaw nang babaeng nasa kanyang tabi ang kanyang kanang kamay.

"Kiyoshi, Nani ka itte!" (Kiyoshi, say something!)

"Watashi wa kare ga sukide wa arimasen." (I don't like him.) sabi nito at naglakad papasok sa kwarto.

Looks like he's not interested to be my friend, i don't care. Who the heck wants to be friend with him because of his behavior, pwe!

- - -

"Colton, tumatawag mom mo! " sigaw ni grandma mula sa kitchen.
I hurried to the living room to answer the call even im too lazy to stand up.

"Hey mom-"

"My gosh, Colton. I have told you many times-" sigaw ni mom mula sa telepono.

"Mom, I'm sorry na. I didn't mean to!" mom ended our conversation

I made a mistake, but it's okay

Ilang taon na din kami hindi nagkikita ni dad, miss ko na sya.

I took a loaf of bread to the table and immediately went up to the room.
Computer power off, my bag for the trip, full charged phone, clothes, done!

Mabilis 'kong sinet sa google map ang phone ko at bumaba sa living room

"Grandma, i will miss you!" niyakap ko si grandma, syempre kay grandma papayagan ako makasama si dad kaya sa kanya ako nagpaalam. Kaso huli na, mom heard what we were talking about earlier because grandma's phone call was still open.

"Osya, magpakasaya ka. Alam ko naman na kailangan nyo din magkaroon nang bonding. Ako na ang bahala sa mom mo."

"Oh my gosh, i love you grandma!" niyakap ko uli sya. Sobrang malapit ang loob ko kay grandma, when i was a child sa kanya ako nanghihingi nang five peso pang baon dahil nga busy si mom sa work.

"Go, go! Dali baka ma-late ka na!" grandma pushed me na parang nagaalangan sya dahil baka umuwi nang maaga si mom dahil sa nalaman nya. Oh no, i need to go.

"Bye grandma!"

"Enjoy!"

- - -

Dad met us at his job and we traveled together to Manila, may gusto daw syang ipakilala sakin. I wonder who..

"Dad,we're here na."

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad at namangha. It's not my first time here in Manila pero ebarg kase ang ganda talaga. Lalo na kapag gabi, ang ganda nang view. Ang daming building tapos iba iba ang kulay nang bawat ilaw. Cool.

"Colton, are you excited?" tanong sakin ni dad.

"Hmm, not really."

"You hungry?"

"Nope dad. I wonder kung sino yung ipapakilala mo." tinignan ko nang seryoso si dad

"Why?"

"May naalala lang ako, remember yung batang Kiki?"

"Kiki?" tanong ni dad at nakita ko na nagmeet ang dalawa nyang kilay

"Kiki yung name, basta"

"Pftt, let's go"

"Dad, Kiki nga yung name nun"

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad para maghanap nang masasakyan

"I wonder too who is Kiki"

Napakamot ako sa ulo, kiki naman kase diba? Ki.. Kiyomi?

"Kiyomi..?"

Napatingin sakin si Dad habang naka-ngiti

"HAHAHAHA!"

"Dad-"

At sa wakas, nakahanap na kami nang masasakyan. The driver helped us para sa baggage at agad na kaming sumakay.

-

I fell asleep, i dreamed about me and Snow White. Imbis na kainin nya yung apple, hinagis nya sa mukha 'ko at sinabing it's a prank.

"Colton, anak"

Ginising ako ni dad dahil kailangan na naming bumaba.

"Eh.. Dad.."

"Come on, son. Kapag hindi tayo bumaba madadagdagan ang babayaran natin"

Ayoko naman na maubos ang money ni dad kaya sumunod na ako even im so lazy to walk.

After 69 years na paglalakad sa hagdaan, finally nasa harapan na namin ang isang modern house na tinutukoy ni dad kung saan nakatira ang ipapakilala nya daw o whatever.

"Kiyoko, koko ni iru yo" (Kiyoko, I'm here) dad said and then he knock at the door twice. Agad naman itong bumukas at nagpakita sa amin ang isang hapon na babae.

"Oh, Okaerinasai!" (Welcome home!) and they hugged, sa harap ko talaga. Siguro itong babae yung ipinalit ni dad kay mom. Wew i don't care, mas maganda mom 'ko.

"Colton, come!" sabi sakin ni dad at pumasok naman ako. Hindi ko na tinanggal ang sapatos ko, ew excuse me? Ako lang naman yung son sa original wife ni dad.

"Sit down here, just wait a minute"

"Oki doki"

Naglampungan sila nung haponesa sa may kitchen. Nagrelax nalang muna ako sa sofa at wala kayong pake kung itataas ko ang paa ko, pagod ako.

"Anatahadare?!" (Who are you)

Na-startled ako sa nagsalita mula sa gilid,

"What the fu-"

Isang hapon, may katangkaran at kulay itim ang buhok

..

"Watashi wa kare ga sukide wa arimasen." (I don't like him.)

"Oh Kiyoshi, you're here!"

"K-kiyoshi?!"

Hinarap ako nang lalaking Kiyoshi ang pangalan

"Kon'nichiwa, watashinonamaeha Kiyoshidesu." (Hello, my name is Kiyoshi.)