Grandina: The Black Tale (On-going)

IX. A Giant Mess

~ºAlexusº~

"Are you coming back soon kuya?"

I give her the sweetest smile I could ever make then pat her head to make her feel at ease. Her hazel doe-eyes were literally sparkling when she wore that beautiful smile. She is Sharlotte, my seven-year-old little sister.

"Of course Sharlotte, I'll be back soon. So stop worrying and keep yourself safe as always okay?" I told her.

"But kuya if you don't come back soon, ate Shar will be mad at you," she said pouting.

I took a deep breath before telling her lies. I don't have a choice, I'm actually doing this for my parents.

They need justice. If the authority can't give it, then I would seek justice for them. At para magawa 'yun ay kailangan kong maging isang Grand Knight.

"I already told her Sharlotte, in fact, she wants me to visit Flaridelle, A-S-A-P," I crossed my fingers under my pocket while bitting my lips.

"You're not good at lying kuya. Your sweating can't you see?"

Agad naman akong nagpunas ng pawis sa noo, pero wala naman akong naramdamang basa.

"Haha! I got you there!" She said laughing out loud.

Tss. I knew it, she was actually bluffing. I took my bag then fix myself. But all of a sudden, she became really silent. Her head lay low.

Nakaramdam ako bigla ng lungkot sa inakto ni Sharlotte. If I became a Grand Knight, it would took us long before we could ever see each other again. Hindi ko alam kung ilang buwan ang daraan bago ko siya muling makasama. Kaya't napakahirap nito para sa'ken, hindi, mas mahirap ito para kay Sharlotte. She will be by herself for a long while, ang tanging magiging kasama niya lang ay sina lolo at lola. Pero naniniwala akong kakayanin niya ito, dahil matapang si Sharlotte, mas matapang pa siya kumpara sa amin ni ate Sharina.

"I'm sorry Sharlotte," I bend my left knee para pantayan ang tangkad niya ," you're brave right?"

Niyakap ko siya ng ubod ng higpit. I want her to know how much hard it is for me. And I want her to feel that everything's goin' to be okay.

"But why do you have to go kuya? Your living me too? Like what mom and dad did to us?" she said full of sadness.

Her tears begun to fall. She knows. Alam niyang mawawala ako ng matagal. She might be young but she's a really smart kid. As a matter of fact, she's smarter than me and my sister.

"No baby, It won't take long. So don't cry okay?" I tried real hard to keep myself from crying.

Pinunas ko ang mga luha niya at saka may kinuhang bagay sa luob ng aking travel bag.

"Here," I showed her something .

Tiningnan niya ito ng mabuti.
It was my journal, a really thick journal. I remember those times when our parents give it to me as a birthday present.

She dried her tears with the end of her shirt. Tinanggap niya ang makapal na kwaderno at binuksan ito.

"What is this kuya?" she ask curiously.

"That's my bestfriend."

"What? But its just a thick notebook."

Sandali akong natawa sa sinabi niya.

"Yup, that's just a thick notebook, But its mom and dad's gift. So its really precious. In fact it is a good keeper of secrets. I wrote all my secrets in their. So Sharlotte, I want you to take good care of my bestfriend. At kapag namimiss mo 'ko, basahin mo lang 'yan at parang kausap mo na'rin si kuya Lex."