RECTIFYING YOU (ON HOLD)

RY 10

Mabilis ko lang natapos ang pagkain ko habang ang iba ay hindi pa, nagkukwentuhan kasi kami habang nakain. We're talking about random stuffs.

My glanced went to Pfiper and l saw her serious face. She seems occupied like l was before when Dad and l had an argument. I decided to give my birthday gift to her. Pumunta ako sa tabi niya at umupo.

"Happy birthday, Pfiper." I greeted her. She smiled at me but her eyes were sad. I kinda felt sad for her too.

"Thank you, Yuqi." I handed her my gift. "Uh...gift ko."

"I told you na it's okay not to give me something, ang mahalaga naman nandito ka." Sabi niya, but still she accepted my gift. I just smiled at her.

After that, hindi na siya kumibo. I know there's something wrong, hindi naman siguro siya iiyak ng ganoon kanina kung wala lang iyon. My curiousity is eating me and before l stop myself from asking her, my mouth opened and uttered a word.

"Pfiper..." She looked at me. "Hmm?"

"Uh...Are you okay?" I asked. She looked away before her tears fall.

"I'm not." She said. I can't help but to admire her for being true to her feelings. Kung iba ang tatanungin mo kung ayos lang ba sila kahit alam mo namang may mali, tatanggi sila. For me, she's brave for being like that.

I don't know what to say but still, l tried. I don't want her to feel alone.

"I saw what happened earlier." Pagsisimula ko. "I saw you crying."

She looked at me with sadness on her eyes. " T-that..."

"You know, l'm happy that you treat me like a friend, a true friend... You, Aevie, Russco and also the three boys... Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nagkaroon ako ng katulad niyo... That's why, when l saw you crying earlier, nakaramdam din ako ng lungkot... I know there's a problem... and l'm willing to listen. You can always count on me."l told her.

I wish na maramdaman niya ang sinseridad ko. Simula ng makilala ko sila, hindi na ako nag- isa kaya handa akong maging tunay sa kanila.

She smiled at me. "It's about my sister..." She said. I nodded at her. "She isn't my real sister. After my Mom gave birth to me, hindi na ako nasundan. My Mom and Dad wanted to have a big family kasi pareho silang solong anak. After two years trying to have another child, they failed. They decided to adopt, then my sister came. Galing siyang ampunan. Magkasing edad lang kami, actually. Masaya ako nung dumating siya kasi nakikita ko na masaya ang mga magulang ko. I treated her like my real sister, until now... Ako lagi ang nagsisimula ng usapan para naman mapalapit kami sa isa't isa. We enrolled to the same school when we where in Elementary, sa private talaga kami. Then, l thought everything were fine, l thought she also treat me like a sister to her, but l'm wrong. I always excell in class ganun din siya, kaso sabi niya, lagi ko raw siyang natataasan. Tapos simula nun, nagbago na...

She smiled at me but tears began to stream down her cheeks. She instantly wiped it away. Then, she continued...

"One time, she told our parents that...that she saw me making out with random guys in library...our parents get angry with me, they were very dissapointed at me that time... My mom, s-slapped me for the very first time. l tried my best to explained myself but they refused. They only believe my sister. They said, "hindi magagawa ng kapatid mong magsinungaling." Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi nila ako nagawang paniwalaan lalo na't ako ang tunay nilang anak. I was so young and l don't even know the word 'make out' that time. 'ni wala nga akong boyfriend kasi bata pa ako, eh. Then, after that incident, inilipat ako ni Mommy sa public. Nagalit ako sa kaniya noon pero masaya parin ako kasi meron akong kayo...mga kaibigan ko." Sabi niya na may ngiti sa labi.

"Sa kabila non, sinubukan ko paring makipaglapit sa kapatid ko pero lagi niya akong sinisiraan kay mommy at...at lagi naman silang naniniwala. They always compared me to her, at m-masakit yun para sa akin. Hanggang sa...lumayo ang loob ko sa kanila. Tapos ngayon, nalaman ko na hindi sila makakauwi bukas kung kailan birthday ko, hindi ko manlang nalaman na kasama pala nila yung kapatid ko at mamamasyal daw sila. Hinayaan lang nila na maghanda ako at papuntahin kayo para may kasama ako. Ansakit lang para sa akin. K-kasi anak parin naman nila ako pero feeling ko...ako pa yung ampon. Minsan nga naiisip ko na sana ako nalang siya...sana ako nalang yung kapatid ko." Yumuko siya at nagsimulang umiyak.

I don't know what to feel. Kung sakaling ako ang nasa kinalalagyan niya, baka nagrebelde na ako sa mga magulang ko. Baka puno ng galit at hinanakit ang puso ko.

I looked at her and she's crying really hard. I pulled her ang I hugged her tight.

"It's okay, your family isn't around but we're here, we are your friends and we're not going to leave you." I looked at the others and they also looking at us, with a care on their eyes. "Especially on your day, your very special day." I said. She looked at me. "T-thank you..." She sobbed.

"Hanley..." Pumunta sa pwesto namin si Abaddon na seryoso ngunit may pag- aalala sa kaniyang mukha. Hinayaan kong kuhanin niya sa akin si Pfiper para yakapin. Katulad ng nakita ko kanina.

Nagpunta rin sa amin yung iba pa at nagsimulang lumapit kay Pfiper.

"Is still about her sister?" Aevie asked me.

Hindi rin pala linggid sa kaalaman nila na may ganitong kinahaharap si Pfiper.

"Yeah..." I told her.

"Let's not talk about it anymore...for now." Sabi ni Ezra kaya sumang- ayon naman kami.

"Hey, girl! Stop crying na! We're all here, kumanta nalang tayo dali!" Pampasiglang sabi ni Russco.

"Tsansing ka na sa akin Pipa, nakakadalawang yakap ka na." Sabi ni Abaddon na ngayon ay bumalik na rin sa dati. Humiwalay sa kaniya ng yakap si Pfiper at hinampas ito sa braso.

"Ikaw kaya ang yumakap sa akin, feeling ka!" Mataray na sabi niya. Tumawa lang sa kaniya si Abaddon at ginulo ang buhok nito.

"O ayan! Balik na ulit sa dati, magsikantahan nalang tayo!" Si Russco.

Nagsimula na silang magsibalikan sa couch at ako naman ay pumunta kay Pfiper. "Nandito lang ako ha..." Pagpapaalala ko sa kaniya. "Salamat, Yuqi. Gumaan ang pakiramdam ko." Sabi niya at binigyan ako ng matamis na ngiti.

Umupo na rin siya sa couch kaya umupo na rin ako... katabi kay Siobahn. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin na may ngiti sa mukha. Ngumiti rin ako sa kaniya.

"You did great...always." He told me and pinched my cheeks.

***