One Shots

Unusual Birthday Wish

"I can sense that there's something wrong going on with you two. Bakit ganiyan ang mga mukha niyo?" sabi ko kay Mama at Papa na para bang may mangyayaring masama bukas sa araw ng kaarawan ko.

"Anak, you see..." tugon ni Mama na para bang halos magpa-cute na siya sa harap ko.

"Anak, we're really sorry to say that..." sabi ni Papa na napabuntonghinga pagkatapos sambitin ang mga katagang iyon.

"Ano po ba ang gusto niyong sabihin sa 'kin?" Tanong ko sa kanila at ibinalik ang tingin ko sa pelikulang pinanood ko.

"Uhm, anak, what kind of birthday gift do you want?" sabi ni Mama na napilitang ngumiti kay Papa.

Halata namang si Papa na nagalit sa nasabi ni Mama sa akin.

Hmmm, alam ko na. Wala sila sa birthday ko bukas. May business siguro sila or important seminar na kailangan nilang puntahan.

" Okay Ma. I know what I want for my birthday." sabi ko and faced them.

"Oh! Ano 'yon dear?" sabi ni Mama na halatang nakadama ng relief.

"Let me celebrate my birthday alone." Sabi ko at ngumiti.

Tiningnan ko ang mukha ni Papa na nakakunot ang noo. Napansin ko rin na parang napatunganga si Mama sa nasabi ko.

"What? You asked what I want right?" sabi ko at bumalik sa panonood ng TV.

"Okay, I'm thinking that you're going to invite your friends. Am I right?" tanong ni Mama na napangiti.

"I don't know. Probably." I said with a flat tone. Nag coconcentrate ako sa panonood ng TV.

"Are you upset honey?" Tanong ni Papa na napaupo sa tabi ni Mama.

"Nope. Why would I be upset?"

"Why would someone want to celebrate their birthday alone?" tanong ni Mama.

It has always been my wish to celebrate my birthday alone in the house. Sabi ko noon sa sarili ko na I want a birthday where I would spend some time alone with myself. Iniimagine ko ang sarili ko na mag swimming sa pool namin na kasama si Mellow, our dog. After swimming, I'd feed Mellow and then he'll sleep and that would be the time that I would watch TV alone while eating bags of potato chips. Then, kapag nababagot na ako sa kapapanood ng TV, magkakaraoke ako ng mag-isa at magdadance trip all night long.

Pero sa kasamaang palad, hindi nangyari lahat nag inimagine ko. Every birthday that I had, planado lahat. May mga theme. Pabago-bago. Madaming iniinvite sina Mama at Papa pati whole class namin iniinvite. Worst? Iniinvite rin ang teacher ko. Every teacher that I had clearly knows that I'm a sort of anti-social kind of student but my parents thought that I'm the opposite of it. Sinasabi ng teacher namin na okay na man ako sa class, and that I am an achiever but what they forgot to tell to my parents was that I'm never the kind of student na energetic and enthusiastic. Iyan kasi ang akala nila Mama at Papa.

Every birthday ko, nababagot ako. Napapagod. Nakakapagod na napipilitan kang makipag-usap sa mga tao kahit alam so sarili mo na ayaw mo talagang gawin 'yon.

I had my worst birthday experience last year. It was my 18th. Pinaspeech nila ako sa stage. Pinasayaw alone at pinasayaw rin with 18 partners, each giving me roses. 18 partners? Akalain mo no' n? Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa kanila so I just danced with them. Each time na nagchi-change ng partner, kumakabog ang puso sa kaba dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko pero I got by with it since wala kaming choice dahil pinili sila ni Mama na pasayawin and I need to show my parents that I'm happy with the celebration they had prepared.

And now, this day has come pero I need to calm myself down. I need to make them think that I didn't like the idea that they are going away on my birthday so that they'll think that I'll be sad. Kasi, if I show them that I'm happy that I'll be alone, they might make lots of ways to never let me alone in every way. They want me to be a social kind of person but sorry Ma and Pa, I just don't want to be that kind of person you want.

"Ma, I know na importante ang pupuntahan niyo ni Papa bukas. It's okay. There's still next year. You don't have to worry about tomorrow." sabi ko at kalaunay pinatay ang TV para ma persuade ko sila na okay lang sa akin lahat na mangyayari bukas.

"So you know already?" my father asked.

"Yeps. With your behavior right now, I can already guess it." sabi ko while smiling.

Napatawa sina Mama at Papa.

"Thank you anak. Thank you for understanding." sabi ni mama and then gave me a hug.

So it's going to happen!

No one can ever measure the intensity of my happiness right now.

- - - -

They're getting ready for their trip and I am also excited to spend my birthday alone for the first time.

"We're really sorry anak. We'll make it up to you." sabi ni Papa sabay halik sa noo ko.

"On your next birthday, I assure you that it will be grand!" sabi ni Mama and kissed me on the cheeks.

"Really it's fine." I smiled a bit para hindi nila mahalata kung gaano ako kasaya.

"See you tomorrow baby." sabi ni Papa at tumalikod na sila.

The time when the car started its engine, my heart can't stop itself from beating soooooo loud because of excitement. I have never been this excited before.

And when they took off from the garage, I tried to be visible from the car's side mirror so that they can see that I am waving.

When the garage closed, I yelped with excitement.

I jumped and yelped and ran towards my room so I could change my clothes with swim suit.

I swam in the pool with mellow. I can sense that Mellow was so happy. Napakasaya niya talaga dahil first time naming maligo dalawa sa pool.

In the afternoon, I prepared lunch. Pinakain ko na rin si Mellow. After an hour, nang makatulog na si Mellow, I turned the TV on. I watched Demon Slayer while eating potato chips.

After watching all the episodes of Demon Slayer, I switch the TV to AV to connect it to our speaker and I started the karaoke.

I sang Lady Gaga's songs, Britney Spears, and other pop related songs. I also danced to them. I really make sure that I really am the one who's doing a concert this time.

After everything, I checked every doors and gates kung naka-lock na ba and went to my room to prepare myself to sleep but I can't seem to get enough from singing so I decided to play my piano for awhile.

For the last part of my birthday celebration alone, I prepared my diary. I sighed and smiled of the thought of what happened today. Napakaswerte ko talaga!

And then, I started to scribble "The Best Birthday Party Ever" on the top side of the page of my diary.