It's You

Chapter Thirteen

Dahan-dahan n'yang binuksan ang pintong 'yun and this is just my first time feeling nervous in this type of scene.

The room is dark, nagsisilbing liwanag lang neto ay ang pintuang nakabukas mula pagpasok namin. "Teka lang, nasa'n nga ba 'yung switch ng ilaw, nag-ikot si Louise at tanging pagtingin lang naman sakan'ya ang nagawa ko.

"It's fine, I love the dark."

Dinig ko naman ang mahinang pagtawa ni Louise. "Hindi tayo magkakakitaan n'yan."

I smiled, sinara ko naman 'yung pintong tanging pinanggagalingan ng liwanag. "We just have to feel it, Louise." I said in a gentle voice.

"Lalo lang dumilim eh..."

I walked towards him, kita ko pa naman kung sa'n s'ya nakapwesto kahit madilim.

"Ayun! May liwanag na." He smiled at pumalakpak habang nasa likuran naman n'ya 'ko. Inilibot ko ang paningin sa paligid at mukhang library 'to, so, gusto n'ya pala ng tahimik.

"Dito na?" Pabulong na inilapit ko ang mukha sa tenga n'ya.

"Yes, pero, ano'ng ginagawa mo?" I was about to kiss his shoulder mula sa likuran, abot ko naman kasi s'ya.

"What do you mean?" Napatingin naman ako sakan'ya.

He took a step backward at humarap sa'kin. "Is my perfume too strong?" Sininghot n'ya pa kunwari 'yung bandang hahalikan ko sana.

"Naiinip na'ko, Louise. Let's start already." Lumapit naman ako sakan'ya ulit with that seducing voice and poise.

"Okay," naglakad na naman s'ya at lumapit para kumuha ng isang aklat. "You see this?" Tukoy n'ya pa sa aklat na hawak-hawak n'ya.

"What about that? C'mon, I don't entertain commercials." I was about to take a step towards him nang magsalita s'ya.

"'Diba nga gusto mong iexplain ko ang meaning nu'ng sinulat ko?"

Napakunot-noo ako.

"It's here, in this Bible."

What?! I don't bother reading books. This is insane! Is this just another embarrassment?

"Pero upo muna tayo." He then got a chair for me in a gentleman's way. I don't understand the situation pero sumunod nalang ako sa sinabi n'ya. We sat in a way a tutoring session takes place. May mesa at dalawang upuan naman kasi din dito sa mini library. Argggh.

"Siguro naman alam mo, about the Bible?" He was so angelic as he smiled and said that.

I was speechless, para bang idinikit ng rugby ang mga labi ko. So hindi kami pareho ng iniisip?! That was nakakahiyaaaaa! Whatever.

"I guess hindi? That's a pity, you should know about this."

I actually know what a Bible is, ginagamit 'yan sa misa pero wala naman akong maintindihan, it seems like the priest is just narrating some story. Sina Mom naman, I guess naiintindihan nila ang ibig sabihin ng pari but never akong nacurious alamin 'yun, but since Louise is up to this topic, okay, fine!

"A-ano ba'ng meron ang aklat na 'yan?" Taka kong tanong. Matapos na sana 'to, hiyang-hiya na'ko eh. Wow, buti nama't marunong pa pala akong mahiya.

"Oops, hindi lang 'to basta 'aklat' lang. Your salvation depends here." Sincere n'yang ani.

"Pari ka ba?" Ohmygosh naman, dagdag na namang kapalpakan 'to, You? Bwesit!

He smirked, "no, I'm not".

Pero why does he talk this way?

"Would you give me time then para mapaliwanag lahat ng mga tanong mo?" He asked and I don't think may masama naman do'n.

"Okay, go." I took out a sigh. I want to go na! Pero gusto ko pang makasama si Louise kahit papa'no. Ang dumi lang kasi siguro ng isip ko kaya heto ako basang-basa sa ulan, charos, este heto ako napapahiya sa sarili!

"The Bible is divided into two main parts, the Old and the New Testament."

Ano namang nasa mga 'yun?

"The Old Testament is all about the stories from the beginning of the world to the happenings with God's chosen people." Sagot n'ya na para bang nababasa kung ano'ng nasa isip ko.

God? God's chosen people? Ano namang pinagkaiba ng God na'to sa iba pang mga gods like Zeus? Tsaka, who are the chosen people?

"God is Someone up there, He is the Most Powerful Being in all existences, He made heaven and earth and everything in and outside it. The chosen people at first were Abraham's descendants, ang mga taga Israel, and so imagine na pinili ka ng Pinakamakapangyarihang Diyos para salbahin, napakablessed 'diba?"

May chosen people naman pala eh, taga Israel? Then why did that book reach here? Para ipakita na hindi tayo special kagaya ng mga so called Israelites na 'yan?

"But the Good News which is in the New Testament states na hindi lang mga taga Israel ang pwedeng maisalba, na kahit tayong mga hindi kadugo ni Abraham. And that's through Christ Jesus."

Salba? From what? Christ Jesus? Who is that?

"God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to saves us from our sins. As I said, God created everything, He owns everything and He has every right to be worshipped..."

Taimtim lang ako nakinig sakan'ya, I've never seen a man this religious. Kung pari, ewan ko, iba ang feels, but right now right here just argh, it's unexplainable.

"We are of God but everytime we do not abide in His commandments, hindi tayo 'yung tunay na tayo, hinding-hindi tayo magiging totoong masaya. We will always have an empty part in us, na hindi kailanman mapupunan ng ibang tao, dahil si Kristo lang ang makakakompleto."

And my mind just went blank, para kasing tumama sa'kin ang mga sinabi n'ya. I felt some pain in my heart and for the second time, my eyes leaked.

What is this? Why is this happening?