The Brainy Rebel

TBR 27

Nathaniel Salazar

I knocked on the door of Scott's condo unit.

"Wait up!"

Rinig na rinig ko ang pagmamadali niya. Taong 'to. Baka kalat kalat na naman ang mga damit niyan sa loob. Naglilinis kaya nagmamadali.

"It's just me. H'wag kang pressured."

Bigla na lang nagbukas ang pinto at nakita ko siyang nagkakamot ng ulo.

"Ikaw lang pala. I thought it's someone important."

"Hindi ba ako importante?" I hissed as I entered his unit.

Lumipat na siya rito. Naaabala na daw kasi niya sina Maxine at nahihiya na daw siya. Madalas din akong pumunta rito, lalo na kapag may bago siyang video games.

"Maxine was here yesterday. Gabing gabi na nga, eh. She just said she's stressed."

Aine posted our photo around three in the afternoon. Baka nakita 'yon ni Maxine ng gabi kaya kahit madilim na ay pumunta pa siya rito para may karamay siya, o may malabasan ng galit.

"Anong sinabi niya?"

"Stressed nga daw siya sayo." Sinuntok niya ako sa braso. "Nag-away kayo 'no?"

Dahan dahan akong tumango. Well, maybe we didn't but I;m sure I made her feel bad. Hindi naman sa paga-assume pero galit siya. Nagalit siya kahapon, ramdam ko.

I told Maxine that I'm befriending Aine because she was her friend before. Oo, totoo 'yon. But more than that, she's just hurt. I just have to help her.

"Nate, are you really ready to love my cousin?"

Humiga ako sa kama niya. Tinitigan ko ang ceiling dahil gusto kong mga tamang salita ang lumabas mula sa bibig ko.

"I love Maxine, Prescott. Believe me or not, I've been through a lot no one ever knows. At pinagdaanan ko lahat 'yon para lang sa kanya."

Hindi ako nago-overreact. Totoo ang mga sinabi ko. Higit pa sa alam ng kahit sino, marami na akong pinagdaanan para lang kay Maxine.

"I have no idea on what you're saying but please, please mean what you said." He clapped his hands. "Did she ask you to go away from that Lorraine?"

Tumango ako. Of course alam niya, galing si Maxine dito kahapon, eh. "She did."

"Did you?"

Doon ako napaisip bago unti unting umiling. Pinakiusapan niya akong layuan si Aine pero hindi ganon kadali para sakin. Kaibigan ko 'yong tao. At hindi ako nangiiwan sa ere. Hindi ako ganong klaseng kaibigan.

"MPRB, brother."

Nilingon ko siya. MPRB?

"Ano 'yon?"

He spread his fingers out and used them in counting. "Maxine is a princess, a rebel, and a brat. M-P-R-B." He looked at me intently. "My cousin... she's extraordinary, I know you are aware. She tries to be strong every time but she's so vulnerable. I've witnessed how she cried when we're still younger just because of her pet dogs, or a simple ice cream, and how she cried because she saw someone crying. It's her. Now, if you can't handle that, don't try to pursue her anymore."