Chaotic Arrangement

Chapter 5

"Ate, can you please help me with this?" Napalingon ako kay Sam ng buksan niya yung pinto ng kwarto ko.

"What is it, Sam?"

Pumasok siya sa loob habang may hawak-hawak na libro. He walked towards me and showed me the book he was carrying. Binuklat niya iyon.

"I don't know how to solve this. It's frustrating" Aniya bago ituro iyong problem sa libro.

Napakamot ako ng ulo. It was Math. Bakit sa dami-rami ng pwedeng subject, Math pa? But since Samuel is just 7 years old, madali pa yung mga equations na sasagutan. Hindi kagaya samin, kung ano-anong equations ang ginagawa.

I carefully looked at it. This is somehow easy than I thought. Common sense and focus lang ito. I grabbed my pen and started teaching him the right way kung paano makuha yung sagot.

"Thank you, Ate! Your the best!" Masaya niyang saad sakin nang matapos niyang sagutan yung homework niya. I smiled at him.

"Why are those pictures still in your wall?"

Bigla niyang tanong bago ituro yung mga pictures sa taas ng study table. Pictures namin iyon nila Astrid, kaming magkakaibigan. Pero hindi 'yun yung tinuturo niya.

He was pointing to the pictures next to it. Mga litrato iyon ni Caden. Napasapo ako ng ulo. Never ko kasing tinanggal 'yang mga pictures sa wall ko. Padami lang sila ng padami dahil kapag may nakikita akong picture ni Caden ay pini-print ko kaagad tas ididikit ko dyan kasama ng iba niyang mga pictures.

Oh well, what can I say? I'm inlove with him. His my first love. Para akong isang fangirl na obsessed na obsessed isang kpop idol.

But those pictures will never get old, naalala ko pa yung unang picture na idinikit ko dyan sa pader. It was a baby picture of him. Grade six ako noon nung una kong dinikit yung picture niya na yun. And it's still here on my wall.

"You're so obsessed, Ate. How come you still like him even though he doesn't like you back?"

Aray. Parang may mga panang tumusok sa puso ko. Kahit siya napapansin din ang kabaliwan ko kay Caden. How can he say those words when he's just an eight year old kid?! Kailan pa siya natutong magsalita ng ganon?! 'Di ba niya alam na masakit? Ha? Ang saket!

Magsasalita pa sana siya kaso biglang may nagsalita malapit sa pintuan. "Go to your bed, Samuel. Kailangan pang mag-aral niyang kapatid mo" A husky and deep voice said. It was Dad.

He was leaning at my door holding the knob. Sam nodded bago mag-goodnight sakin. I hugged him and bid goodbye. Napatingin ako kay Dad, he gave me smile bago maupo sa kama ko.

"I'm glad you're finally studying, Skylar. Is he the reason?" He sked while eyeing the pictures of Caden on my wall. Probably pertaining to him. Napailing ako bago ngumiti.

"Well, at some point yes. But he's not the only reason kung bakit ako nag-aaral ng ganito ngayon. It's just that I realized studying means alot to a person like me. All I did was be lazy and hangout with my friends. Pero hindi lang pala doon nagtatapos ang lahat, kailangan ko din pala mahirapan, matuto at mag-aral para sa future ko" Paliwanag ko.

"And besides, para sainyo din itong ginagawa ko. You've been working nonstop, at gusto kong maibalik sayo ang lahat ng 'yun. I want to pay back all your sacrifices, Dad"

Nakangiti lamang si Dad habang nakikinig sakin. He was one of the reasons why I'm doing this. Ever since na nawala si Mama, he was the one who provided for all our needs. Siya ang tumayong Nanay at Tatay namin at the same time.