YELO (P.S#6)

5

"Hanggang ano'ng oras tayo rito sa labas?"

Napangiwi ako habang iniinom ang juice na iniabot sa'kin kanina ni Mataias. It's strawberry flavored, at mukhang mamahalin lalo pa nga't banyaga ang mga nakasulat but it isn't any of my concerns right now. Ngumiti muna ako dahil sa patuloy na paglalaro ng aso niya sa pagitan ng aking mga paa.

"Baby V," tawag nito sa aso at kaagad na nagkakawag ang buntot nito bago tumakbo sa gawi ng pintuan ng bahay at nahiga sa gilid noon.

Taliwas sa'king inaasahan, hindi ako nito pinapasok sa loob ng kanilang bahay. His reason?

"Dad said not to let anyone in,"

Kahit daw ang mga tito niya at tita ay bawal pumasok hangga't hindi pumapayag ang kanyang ama.

Bigla akong napaisip tuloy. How messed up is this family na kahit mga tita at tito niya ay bawal pumasok sa bahay. Is his father nuts? I'm just confused as fuck.

But what surprised me the most is that, he really follows everything his father says. Kaya ang ending, nandito kami ngayong dalawa sa bench at sinasamahan niya ako habang hinihintay magising ang kanyang ama.

"My Dad will wake up anytime soon po. He never skips dinner with me," tila sigurado nitong turan. Napataas naman ang aking kilay dahil parang proud na proud siya sa bagay na iyon, na para bang isa na iyong malaking achievement.

And he's so happy telling me that. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung paano dapat magreact. Should I act like I am happy for him too?

"Dinner lang? How about breakfast and lunch?" hindi ko naiwasang itanong.

Who even cooks? May kasambahay ba sila?

Nag angat siya ng tingin at halos matunaw ang aking puso sa nakikita. His eyes are really so expressive. Para kang malulusaw sa mga simple niyang tingin.

"My Dad is always working. It's for my future,"

A scoffed escaped my lips. What bullshit.

But of course, how do I tell the kid that?

Ayaw ko sanang magtanong ng kung ano ano sa bata but it's really making me even more curious. For sure hindi naman pababayaan ni Kuya na magstay ang bata rito kung hindi safe sa kalusugan nito.

"Taias, can I ask you something? Will you be honest with me?"

He stared at me for a moment and somehow, I wasn't sure if it's my place to ask pero gusto kong makasiguro.

"Is he good to you, I mean, your Dad? Don't you want to live with your Tito Vince instead?"

I know kuya said that the kid wants to be here pero deep inside, gusto ko talagang makasiguro.

I was slightly caught off-guard when he smiled. "He's good to me po and he's my Dad so I should stay with him,"

"But you should be playing with other kids like your age. Ayaw mo ba no'n?"

He sipped on the juice he was holding. From where I am sitting, he looked like an ordinary child. But why does he possess this kind of aura?

Ang bata niya pero ang intimidating niya. Para tuloy ayaw ko ng magtanong ulit.

"Dad wants me here," he added like he was so sure of that. Sinabi ba ng tatay niya iyan?

Nakayuko na ito na tila ba may iniisip and it hits me right off my chest.

Why? Just why is he like this?

Hindi na ako nakakibo sa kanyang tinuran. Somehow, it pains me. Nag iwas muna ako ng tingin at hindi kaagad nakasagot.