Luminous Fall✔️

Wakas

Wakas

Astynomia

“Are you going to play with Mia again Acel?” Pang-ilang tanong na iyon ni Mommy everytime I go out from our house. But it is true. I play with Astynomia everyday lalo na’t wala namang school ngayon.

I get my ball and I immediately saw her being bullied by other kids same with her age.

“Tigilan niyo nga siya!” Tinulak ko iyong isang batang lalaki na mas mataba pa sa akin. May sipon na tumutulo sa butas ng ilong niya kaya sobrang nakakdiri.

“Ano bang pakialam mo ha?” hinarangan ako ng isa pa ulit na batang lalaki. Payat iyon at walang buhok. Mukhang kulang sa pagkain ang isang ito at ganito ang itsura niya.

“Ako ang makakaharap niya kung hindi niya siya titigilan!” pinanlakihan ko silang dalawa ng mata at mabilis silang tumakbo palayo sa amin. Leaving me and Astynomia together.

I am very much aware kung bakit maraming nang-aaway sa kaniya.

First ay dahil hindi siya maputi. Even girls around her age were bullying her at palaging sinasabihan na pangit at mukhang aeta.

While me, on the other side ay lagi siyang binabantayn just in case may bagong mang-away uli sa kaniya.

I do not know kung anong mayro’n kay Mia at kung bakit sobrang malambot ang puso ko sa kaniya.

She’s just 6 that time while I am 8 years old. I know na kahit bata pa ako ay alam kong I have a crush on her. Ayoko nga lang sabihin. Natatakot ako. I just wanted us to remain friends.

Years passed at nagpatuloy ang gano’ng treatment ko kay Mia. She so fun to be with at iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko siya kayang samahan araw-araw.

Habang patagal nang patagal ang nararamdaman ko sa kaniya, doon ko mas tinatatak sa isip ko na kailangan ko siyang mas protektahan pa.

How I hate to see her cry everytime other people or kids bully her. For me, wala namang iba sa kaniya, wala namang masama sa pagkakaroon niya ng dark skin at kulot na buhok.

For me I find it attractive, siguro nga dahil may gusto ako sa kaniya, siguro nga iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko maintindihan ang ibang tao bakit palagi siyang tinutukso.

But I never imagined na everything has their limit. Everything has their end lalo na nang malaman ko na kailangan naming lumipad patungong Canada.

Alam ko na araw araw niya akong hinihintay sa labas ng bahay namin just to see me, just to play with me but I don’t know how to face her.

I can’t stand to see her crying because of thought of me leaving her. Masyado akong naging malungkot ng ilang araw.

Even my mom noticed how pale I am. Palagi ko siyang pinapanood maglaro ng Barbie doll mula sa bintana ng kwarto ko.

I remembered what she said months ago.

“Alam mo bakit white iyong Barbie ko pero hindi naman ako white?” The light of the morning sun reflected on her round shaped set of eyes.

“Why?” but my voice was hoarse that time.

“Because, I always wished that someday ‘tulad rin nila ako,” she said pouting her cute pink lips. I was stunned for second and sighed deeply.

“There’s nothing wrong with the color of your skin, Mia. It’s beautiful…and unique,” I told her. She was biting her lower lip and looked at me.

“R-really? You think, I need to change my Barbie?” she asked innocently.

Now tell me, how can I manage to leave her here to think that if some people will saw her, they immediately point a finger and say disgusted word to her?