Playdate

26

"Kia," sabi ni Jeni at hinawakan ang kamay ko. "Wala pa ba si Tito? Kung hindi siya darating, sasamahan ka ni Daddy sa stage."

Nagpalinga-linga ako sa paligid at hinanap si Papa. Wala pa rin siya. Sinabi niya sa akin kanina na susunod siya at inisip ko na baka makaka-attend rin siya sa misa, pero hindi siya dumating. Ngayong nagsisimula na ang seremonya, wala pa rin si Papa, pero hindi ako nawawalan ng pag-asa na baka darating siya, o kaya si Ate.

Mahalaga ang araw na ito hindi lang para sa akin kundi lalo na sa kanila. Sila ang nagpapaaral sa akin. Gusto kong makita nila ang bunga ng mga paghihirap nila para sa akin.

Jeni's Mom looked at me with a worried look plastered on her face. "Will that be okay to you, Kia hija?"

Mukhang wala talaga akong choice kundi pumayag na lang sa sinabi ni Jeni dahil kahit gustuhin ko man na si Papa ang kasama ko sa pagtanggap ng diploma, mukhang hindi siya makakaabot dahil malapit na ako at wala pa rin siya.

"Okay lang po sa akin, salamat po, Tita," sabi ko sa kanya at pilit na ngumiti, at pagkatapos noon ay tumabi sa akin ang Daddy ni Jeni. Pwede sana na ang Mommy niya na lang ang maghatid sa akin sa stage, pero nagkataong magkasunod kami ni Jeni sa alphabetical.

"Abalos, Jen Indra C." narinig naming anunsyo ng Master of the Ceremony sa pangalan ni Jeni, at kasabay niyon ay magkasabay silang umakyat ng Mommy niya sa stage para tanggapin ang diploma. Jeni did what we practiced for days. She shook hands with the school principal and coordinators, and received her diploma. After that, she took a bow with her Mom in front of the other graduates.

"Abella, Kiara D."

Tinanguan ako ng Daddy ni Jeni dahil kami naman ang sunod na aakyat ng stage. Nang magsimula na kaming maglakad, pakiramdam ko ay sasabog ang puso ko. Isang beses lang kasi akong aakyat ng stage dahil wala naman akong awards na matatanggap. Hindi ko man lang nakasama si Papa o si Ate Yona na tumanggap ng diploma, the tangible evidence of being a graduate, the fruits of all my endeavors, and the only gift that I can give them as an exchange for all their sacrifices for me.

I did exactly what Jeni and the other graduates did. I shook hands with the officials and the school head, and took my diploma. The photographer took a picture and I was forced to smile kahit na hirap na hirap akong ngumiti.

Noong bumaba kami ni Tito sa stage, ngumiti ako at nagpasalamat, at pagkatapos noon ay bumalik na sa upuan ko. Nagpasalamat rin ako kay Jeni, pero nagsimula siyang magpalinga-linga. "Hindi talaga aattend si Haki? Bakante ang upuan niya."

Napalingon ako sa tinitingnan niyang bakanteng pwesto sa mga estudyante ng STEM at napansin na wala nga roon si Haki. Iniiwasan ko pa naman na mapalingon doon kanina pa dahil ayokong magtagpo ang mga mata namin. Akala ko ay na-late lang siya kanina dahil wala siya sa misa at sa entourage, pero hindi talaga siya umattend ng graduation.

I sighed. "I don't know."

Medyo nakakapagsisi. Iniisip ko kasi na baka hindi na kami ulit magkita pagkatapos nito, at hindi ko man lang nasabi sa kanya ang mga hinanakit ko. I want to tell him na how come it is my fault na nagustuhan ko siya? It's not like I planned it. It's not like I wished for it to happen. It's because of his vague attitude! I want to tell him na sobrang na-confuse ako sa mga ipinakikita niya sa akin, kaya umasa ako na baka meron, kahit kaunti lang.

I want to tell him that no matter how much I hated it, I tried my best to make him happy. Kahit ang kapalit pa noon ay ang makita siyang masaya sa ibang tao.

And he did not even believe me. Baka sobrang babaw lang talaga ng pinagsamahan namin para paniwalaan niya ako. I'm just a tool, a toy, a damn game for him, after all. I guess I'm just a play date to Haki Rivadenera.

Pero siguro, kasalanan ko rin naman talaga. My heart couldn't help it even if I know it full well. Even if I know what I should do, even if I know I'm heading for a crash, tuloy-tuloy pa rin ako. Maybe it's my fault for being so gullible, for being so easy to fool, for being so easy to play with.

But this is not the time to be thinking about him! Ni hindi ko nga alam kung nakita na ba si Ate. Iniisip ko tuloy kung alam ni Haki kung nasaan si Ate...

If she's not in the mansion, where would she be? Alam kaya ni Haki? Alam kaya ng lalaking kasama niya noong isang araw? I still don't think my sister will leave the island...

"Rivadenera, Harlequin O. May karangalan."

Awtomatiko akong napalingon nang marinig kong binanggit ang pangalan ni Haki.

Kasasabi ko lang kanina na hindi ko dapat siya iniisip ngayon, pero hindi ko talaga maiwasan. Nagtagpo ang tingin naming magkakaibigan, siguro ay pare-pareho kami ng iniisip. Umaasa kaming lahat na makakapunta si Haki. Umaasa pa rin ako na makakapunta siya kahit ayaw ko muna siyang makita.

When he did not attend the dry run, planado niya na ba talagang hindi siya makakapunta? Is he doing this on purpose? Tinamad lang ba siyang um-attend o ayaw niya lang talagang gumraduate?

Even the others were whispering about him. He's pretty famous, hello. Kilala siya ng lahat dito sa isla and everyone knows why. So why didn't the heir of the Rivadeneras attend his graduation?

Lahat kami ay ibinaling ang atensyon sa entablado nang may umakyat na lalaki na may katangkaran, at mukhang may katandaan na rin. He resembles Haki, I don't know if it's just me, and he screams so much of power and authority. He asked for the microphone and the MC stepped out of the podium, at pumalit sa kanya ang lalaking kumuha ng mic.

He cleared his throat bago magsalita. "Everyone, pardon the intrusion, but let's cut to the chase and let me announce the significant lifting of restrictions in the Rivadenera island, since the majority of the people are here to attend the graduation rites."

Ramdam ko na halos lahat ng tao sa paligid ay napanganga dahil sa narinig, including me. Some were wondering, some are happy, and some people just don't care at all. I looked around to look for Haki, pero wala talaga siya. Does he know about this? Did he finally succeed on convincing his relatives to not sell the island? I mean, why the sudden change of heart? Not that I'm not happy about it, pero paano?

"Travels to other islands will be allowed, and travelers from different places including business travelers, foreigners and anyone who wishes to file for residency will be able to visit or stay in the island without restrictions upon their arrival, though they still have to comply and agree to some conditions to enter the island."

Everyone knows how deep their grudge is sa mga outsiders, and now they're lifting the ban all of a sudden?

"We are going to expect some changes, We hope everyone will cooperate. We wish nothing but the best for everyone in the island, and we are now officially opening the door to new opportunities for everyone, especially to our youth. Please wait for further information about this matter. Thank you so much and have a good day."

Pagkatapos niyang bumaba mula sa stage, napuno na ng bulong-bulungan ang buong lugar. I bet this news will spread like wildfire kahit ngayon pa lang.

I badly want to ask Haki about this, and I have to wait for a few bago ko siya makausap. I know I'm not in the place to ask him about all this, but I still consider myself his friend, a very close one, kahit pa hindi pareho ang nararamdaman namin.

I looked at my friends at bakas na bakas rin ang pagtataka sa mga mukha nila. I bet no one really knows that this will happen. I bet no one really knows what's going on with Haki and with his family.