Kabanata 17
Unexpected Mini-Gathering
ALI
Everything is now puzzled. I'm confused right now.
Did I just hallucinated last time? Totoo bang nakita ko na si First ang nagligtas sa'kin. I'm more than sure about that.
Or am I?
Shit.
Ipinilig ko na lang ang aking ulo at muling ipinikit ang aking mga mata.
I need to rest this one up. Pero kung sino man ang nagligtas sa'kin, I'm sure malalaman ko rin.
Tinanggal ko lahat ng iniisip ko sa aking utak habang nakapikit. I tried to relax myself and fell to my deep slumber.
Sleep. Sleep, Ali.
Muli akong nagising nang makaramdam kong may humihimas ng kamay ko.
And there I saw a fine old woman. Pale white skin, strict chinky eyes, small nose, thin lips and short and shiny hair. I could also see some fine lines and wrinkles, lalo na nang ngumiti siya. Her forehead also wrinkled as she raises both of her eyebrows. Standing beside me with elegance and poise.
No wonder. This really is our Ahma.
"Hi, Ahma." kalmado kong bati sabay ngiti.
"Hi." Ahma answered and smiled again.
I look at the surroundings. Muhkhang madilim na sa labas. Ramdam ko na rin ang lalong oaglamig ng aircon sa silid ko.
"Where's Mama? Papa?" I asked. I tried to get up but to no avail. Lalong sumakit ang tahi ko sa likod.
"I asked them to bring you some foods. Your Kuya Alex came with your Kuya Lear to fetch some of their friends."
"Where's your bodyguards then?"
"Oh... They're outside. I know how much you hate having them around."
"But... I know na magpapalagay ka na naman ng bodyguards sa'kin after what happened." I said with dismay. I really hate having bodyguards around me. Feeling ko ang daming titingin sa'kin tapos hindi pa ako makagalaw ng maigi kapag nand'yan sila.
"Are you suggesting, my cookie?" Ahma asked. I just cringed by what she called me and she just giggled. Ahma always call us with sweet endearments. What I mean by sweet is, sweet and sugary foods.
Cookies, almonds, pie, choco, vanilla, mocha, caramel, gingerbread, cake, jelly... Name it, mauubos na ni Ahma lahat ng matatamis na pagkain.
Like, eck— du'n pa ata kami magkakadiabetes.
"No. I don't want that."
"E, 'di what do you want, honey?" See?, "Do you want to be homeschooled again? I mean, start pa lang naman ng college years mo?" she asked as she put some of my hairstrands behind my ear.
"Mas lalo na 'yun." I protested. "I'll be more secure. Just please... No bodyguards or homeschooling again. I need some social radiance around me."
"But we go to social gatherings naman, a?"
"Yeah... But I don't want to befriend some of them. Sila Eunice, Pauline and Arianne nga lang po ang kaibigan ko 'pag ganu'n, e."
"Just because we're richer than most of them, doesn't mean na dapat 'yung mga kapantay mo lang ang kakaibiganin mo. Friendship is not measured by wealth." panagaral sa'kin ni Ahma.
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