MISFORTUNE (KathNiel)

Chapter 3

After a decade

1878, Escolta

Seirra kept herself silent as she listened to every words this woman was saying. Her mother found this woman lying outside their house in Escolta and asking for help. She was rapedd by some unknown Spanish people and fortunately found herself running away from that hell.

"Señora, kayo po'y maawa. H'wag niyo akong ibalik sa kanila," the woman begged then she wept.

Instead of saying a word to the woman, Kara Amorsolo faced her daughter. "Seirra, go upstairs and learn Spanish!"

"Ma, I don't like Spanish! My father is an English--"

She stopped when she saw her mother's glare. She let out a sigh before standing up to, "Ma, Pilipinas ito kaya magsasalita ako hangga't sa gusto ko."

"You were just speaking in English--"

"English is also my language. I have an American blood, from my father."

Kara Amorsolo shook her head disappointingly as she looked at her only child.

"Spanish is the official languange of the Philippines," Kara said calmly. But deep inside she wanted to scream at her daughter for being so hard-headed.

"Not for me, ma. Pupuntahan ko na muna ang aking guro. Paalam. Adios," Seirra said, mocking her mother. Before she went upstairs, she looked at the woman in front of her mother and gave her a pity look.

May bago na naman akong paaalisin, she thought while she was in her way to the study room. She loathed Spanish, she didn't see the sense why they asked Filipinos to speak in that language, knowing we had our own.

A woman greeted her when she entered the study.

"Buenos días, Señorita Seirra! Mi nombre es Leonor, Soy de Calle Arroceros," Seirra's teacher said while extending her right hand for a shake hands but she just ignored her.

"Mucho gusto Encantado, Señorita," the woman continued.

"I had enough. Get out of this room and leave me alone." Maybe that was very rude for her but that was the simpliest thing she could do to make these Spanish tutors go away from her.

"No entiendo," the woman with confusion in her eyes. They chose to learn Spanish than English, Seirra thought.

"Why do you want me to learn that language? I was born in New York and we don't speak Spanish," Seirra, a seventeen years old, said.

Seirra just arrived in the Philippines, two days ago. She studied in New York (with the help of her father), instead of going to Europe to study, this is because of the same reason of hating Spanish. She hated Spanish because of what they do to her country. Others see the problem but chose to keep quiet for them to live in peace. One day a man will stand for our rights. One day we will have the freedom, she mentally said to herself.

In the 18th century of the Philippines, sons were usually given the opportunity to go to school while daughters stay at home. But Seirra's mother hired some tutors until her father decided to bring her to New York City and study after the Civil war. But she went back to the Philippines and decided to stay home. But to her dismay, her mother hired a tutor again. She'd rather stay in New York City and learn Latin than waste her time in memorizing phrases that were written in Spanish.

"Puede hablar español conmigo," the woman spoke again. She didn't understand anything except for the first and third word.

"Marunong ka tumugtog ng biyulin?" She asked her, calmly.

The woman smiled proudly,"Mi hijo sabe cómo—"

"Hindi ko nga naiintindihan," Seirra said coldly. The woman blinked twice because of shock. She didn't think a lady can disrespect her like this.

"Ang ibig kong sabihin ay ang anak ko ay marunong tumugtog ng biyulin."

Seirra's eyes widened as she asked the woman very carefully, "Are you Dashi's mother?"

Seirra did not forget the boy who caught her attention, the last time she was here in their mansion, ten years ago.

Though, Leonor didn't understand exactly what Seirra was saying, she nodded when she heard the name of her son and the word mother. Leonor was surprised when she found the girl hugging her. It was a sweet and long hug that she did not expect from her.

"Tagahanga po ako ni Dashi. Since when I was young," Senorita Seirra told the shocked woman, then hugged her again. After satisfying herself, Seirra moved aside and looked at the woman with so much admiration in her eyes.

"Magkamukha po kayo ng anak niyo." With that, Leonor smiled at the sweet girl. Seirra carefully pulled the woman's arms and guided her as she sat.

Leonor understood Seirra. She knew why she hated Spanish, like other Filipinos. But what amazed her the most was even at the young age, Seirra already knew what was happening in their country.

"Pasensiya na po, ma'am. Pero hindi ko po intensyon ang hindi paggalang sa inyo. Gusto ko lamang na iwasan ang pag-aral ko ng wikang Espanyol," Seirra said that with her most sincere tone. God knew how sorry she was for being rude to her Dashi's mother.

"Naiintindihan kita. Sa katunayan ay ganyan na ganyan din ang anak kong si Dashi noong mas bata siya. Madalas ko siyang pagalitan dahil sa ayaw niyang pag-aralan ang wika ng aking ina. Ang laging katwiran niya ay ang pagbibigay niya ng atensyon sa kanyang musika." Leonor was all smiles while watching Señorita Seirra's pretty face. It was very obvious that the young lady in front of her was interested to her only child, Dashi.

"Kailan po siya natutong tumugtog?" Seirra put her hands on the both sides of her face while waiting for the woman's answer.

"Dahil sa kagustuhan niya ay pinasok ko siya sa paaralan sa Europa upang mag-aral ng musika ng nasa limang taong gulang siya."

Leonor noticed the sadness in the lady's eyes in front of her, even though Seirra tried to hide it. She knew her mother, Señora Kara, very well. And she knew how Kara raised her only daughter.

"Ang galing naman po ni Dashi. Maaari ko po ba siyang makilala ng personal?"

Leonor could not resist the charm of this lady. She nodded and laughed a little when Seirra stood and hugged her while she kept on thanking her.

It was also the moment when Seirra's mother opened the door and saw them hugging. Leonor looked straight at Kara's eyes and noticed the jealousy in her eyes.

Usted todavía tiene tiempo, mi amigo, Leonor thought.

**

2015

Renzo did not want to believe that girl. But when he held the necklace, he felt like it was a part of him. The necklace was a part of him.

He carefully examined the necklace, trying to get something from it, just like what the lady said. Though he wasn't really expecting for a magic.

When he realized what he was doing, he faced his laptop to start working again. But later that night, he found himself closing the laptop while his eyes were focused on the lady's bloodstone necklace.

Renzo touched the stone and felt something that he couldn't explain. It was not magic, it was real. He knew he felt the force, the attraction.