Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon

~4

"Nasaan na si Ella? Malalate na talaga kayo kung hindi pa siya bababa."

"Patapos na rin po yun." He kissed his mother on the cheek before going to the head of the table to do the same to his dad.

"Ano bang problema ng batang yun at ayaw pumasok ngayon?" It was Mr. dela Vega .

"Results Day po kasi ngayon. At saka hindi pa po kami malalate. Nine o' clock pa po ang first period pag ganitong araw."

"I see. Kaya naman pala nag mamaktol na naman."

They all grinned at each other knowing how familiar the day was.

   It had been 7 years since Francis’ adoption to the dela Vega family. The family treated him very well at lahat ng agam - agam noon ay napalitan ng saya at pasasalamat. They never treated him differently pati na rin ang mga kasambahay. Though Ella warmed up to him a little late than the others, it was all in the past. Wala ng ibang mahihiling pa si Francis.

   Pumanaog na rin si Ella sa wakas at dumulog sa hapag. She did what Francis did to Mr and Mrs dela Vega pero bago ito umupo ay gumanti ito ng batok sa kapatid at umirap. Natawa lang si Francis dahil hindi naman gaanong masakit at alam niyang hindi naman talaga ito galit sa kanya.  It was almost an everyday scenario. Napakabugnutin kasi nito sa umaga.

   Pagkatapos mag almusal ay pumasok na ang dalawa sa school na pareho nilang pinapasukan. Francis’ a senior and Ella's a junior, both on top of the class.

   Wala silang kibuan sa loob ng sasakyan which was unusual dahil napakamakwento ni Ella sa nakatatandang kapatid. Nagiging tahimik lang ito kapag nag-aaral o kinakabahan. Katulad ngayon. Pinabayaan na lang niya itong lasapin ang kaba. Mawawala din iyon pagdating nila sa school. Twenty minutes lang ang byahe nila papuntang St. Monique's Academy and when they arrived, matagal bago bumaba si Ella.

   Nang makababa na ito ay ayaw naman nitong pumasok agad kaya kinaladkad ito ni Francis sa loob. The announcement board was in front of the school entrance and a lot of students were standing and craning their necks to see their names on the list. Pero nahawi ang kumpol ng estudyante ng makitang paparating sila. The brightest dela Vega siblings were always on the top that others were also excited to see how high their grades were.

   May mga tumapik sa balikat ni Francis kaya alam na niyang siya ang nasa 1st place sa 4th year. So, itatawid na lang niya ang paranoia ng kapatid niya. Hila-hila niya pa rin sa kamay si Ella .

   He looked for the junior's list and as expected, Ella Katniss dela Vega was on the top. He brought her to the front to see it for herself.

"I told you so..."