MONSERRAT
"Ikaw ba ang kapamilya ngayon ni Eliese?" Asked another Nun who's a bit older than Mother Ana.
"Yes, po." I said took her hand for a bless in respect to all elderly.
We're now here at the orphanage. Maraming bata ang bumati sa amin. Everyone is really friendly. Mayroon pang mga iilang tagapag-alaga na nakilala si Sage.
Everyone calls her 'Eliese'. Mom really didn't tell me about her name but I guess 'Sage' was the name given by her poster parents to her and 'Eliese' was her original name.
"Kamusta naman ang alaga namin? Mabait ba?" Pang-aasar ng madre. Sage rolled her eyes. I was a bit taken aback by her reaction. I glanced at the Nun. She didn't look offended. "Napakamaldita ng batang ito eh!" Pang-aasar niya pa.
I guess they know Sage so much. Sanay na sila sa irap nito.
The Nun looked at Sage's face and touch her cheeks. "Hindi nagbago ang mukha mong bata ka. Baby face!" Biro pa ng madre at natatawang tumingin sa akin. I smiled at what she said.
She's right about that. Naalala ko tuloy ang mga pictures niya sa condo.
"Halika Monsy, may ipapakita ako sayo!" Mother Ana suddenly entered the room. Iginiya niya ako palabas.
"I'll just wait for you here." Sage said and convinced me to go with Mother Ana.
Sinundan ko ang madre at dinala niya ako sa second floor. We entered an office. It was probably hers. The office was full of kids stuffs and pictures on the walls.
Unang tingin ko pa lang sa mga iyon ay nakita ko na kaagad si Sage. She's not smiling in the pic. She's just there standing while holding a teddy bear.
"Tignan mo 'to, dali!" Mother Ana suddenly grabbed a big photo book. "Ito ang photo album ni Sage." Aniya.
She opened the album and I walk towards her. Bumungad sa akin ang mga picture ni Sage ng sanggol pa lang siya.
"Is this her?" Taka kong tanong. Why do they have picture of Sage when she's a baby. I thought she came here when she was four years old?
"Ang mga picture na 'yan ay galing sa Mama niya, kay Mariclaire." Paliwanag niya. "Si Sage nga lang ang may kumpletong picture, simula sanggol hanggang ngayon. Palaging nagpapadala ang mga adopted parents niyan ng picture niya. Nang lumipat na kay Mariclaire, ganun din ang ginawa ni Mariclaire. Tignan mo oh."
She suddenly turned the book on the near last page. The page was full Sage's picture in DLSU. Her four I.D. pic since Senior High to 3rd year of College was here. Nandito rin ang mga pic niya nung kanyang graduation.
How did Mom managed to get these pictures?
"Ito naman ang picture ni Sage nang una siyang dumating." She turned the page and she pointed the same pic that I saw on the wall.
"Grabe ang batang 'yan. Ilang linggong hindi nagsasalita. Akala namin pipi! Ang unang salitang narinig namin sa bibig niyan ay 'akin yan'!" Natawa ang madre sa kinukuwento. "Palibhasa inagaw ng kalaro yung teddy bear niya. Kung hindi pa maiinis, hindi magsasalita!"
I nodded from what I heard. That sounds like Sage.
"Alam mo hindi nga iyan nakikihalubilo. Palaging nang-aaway! Alam mo meron pa yang batang tinulak sa hagdan dahil ayaw niyang makipag-usap!"
Natigilan naman ako sa narinig. "Pero maayos naman ang bata, napilayan lang. Simula nun, hindi na siya nilalapitan ng nga bata. Kapag naman kinakausap ng matatanda kung hindi nasagot, tipid naman magsalita. Pinakacounseling namin siya at doon namin nalaman na sociopath pala si Sage."

BINABASA MO ANG
When Playboy Meets The Odd
Romance1st. Sage is a girl described as a 'sociopath', meaning: antisocial, mentally odd, weird, bitch, crazy, or whatever you can describe her in your own words. On the other hand, Monserrat or Monsy for short, was the only person Sage can cling into as...