Take Me Back

Chapter 2: The Old Man at the Old House

RAQUEL

"What on earth? Hoy, bitawan mo nga ako!" saad ko at inagaw ang kaliwang kamay kong hawak nya. Nagpamayawang ako at sinamaan sya ng tingin. "You don't just appear out of nowhere like a stupid mushroom and ask a person to come with you! Thirdy, what the hell is wrong with you?" dugtong ko nang hindi inaalis ang masamang tingin sa kanya. "Whoa whoa whoa, calm down ms. grumpy! I don't even know why you're so mad at me! May regla ka? HAHAHA" he tried to kid but it didn't make me any happier. "Ah talaga lang ha? First, you told me na ngayon ka papasok but look at you! Your not even wearing a uniform! Nagmadali pa kong pumunta dito tapos pag dating ko wala ka? Second-", hindi ko na natapos ang rant ko dahil tinakpan nya ang bibig ko. "You're noisy as usual. Well, we dont have time for that. I told you we're off to somewhere. Mamaya mo na ko sermunan! Tara na!" he said and grabbed my left hand for the second time. "Hey! Argh!" nagpupumiglas ako sa hawak nya pero mas malakas sya sakin kaya hinayaan ko na lang syang kaladkarin ako. He's always a pain in the ass. Bwisit!

***

Time have passed and I just found myself riding his motorcycle while grabbing onto him as tight as I could. I hate this vehicle with all my might. I have no idea kung san man kami pupunta. Tinanong ko sya pero hindi kami nagkaintindihan dahil 'akxoensijwlx' lamang ang naririnig ko dahil sa bilis ng takbo ng motor at hangin. Sa palagay ko ay may ilang oras na kaming nakasakay sa motor dahil sa layo ng pupuntahan namin. This is the worst hours of my entire life! I'm never riding this shit ever again!

"Malapit na tayo!" he said in a monotone voice. It was legible and loud enough for me to understand. It sent chills down to my spine because he never talks that way. I have a weird feeling about this trip, but I trust him. I just hope nothing bad happens.

Pero malapit na naman daw kami. I sighed in relief. Pagkababa ko, I'll make sure na sesermunan ko sya dahil pinasakay nya ko sa lintik na motor na ito kahit alam nyang yon ang pinakaayaw ko sa lahat. Hmp!

Bumagal ang takbo namin dahil bukod sa hindi ganung kalawak ang daan, ay madaming taong naglalakad sa tabing kalsada. May ilang kalesa akong nakikita at kung pagmamasdan mo ng maigi ay mapapansin mong ang mga bahay sa paligid ay makaluma, o hindi nirenovate. Sa aking palagay ay nasa Taal (Batangas) kami. This place was famous for their antique houses and such. I wonder why he bought me here when he could've just take me to a place near our school. Madami rin namang pasyalang malapit samin e.

He turned left and there were few people on this road compare to the one we passed through minutes ago. Paunti ng paunti ang mga tao hanggang tumigil kami sa isang malaking bahay na makaluma din ang disenyo. Confusion was plastered on my face as I stare at the mansion. "You made me cut classes to bring me in front of a hundred year old house? Adik ka ba?" tanong ko sa kanya na may halong inis. "Oh c'mon! Pinapunta ako ni papa sa Pilipinas para pumunta dito. You should thank whoever was on this house dahil kung wala sya, di mo makikita ang pinakagwapo mong kababata." he smiled and winked at me which made me cringe but deep down, kinikilig ako. He looks so adorable. "Whatever." I said trying to conceal what I'm really feeling right now. "Tara na sa loob!" sabi nya at umuna nang maglakad papunta sa loob ng bahay.

We were walking inside the house when I asked him, "Sino bang pupuntahan natin dito?" He looked at me while walking and said, "My granpa's twin brother." I nodded. "He lives here alone and my dad told me to pay him a visit. I heard from my grandpa na may trauma sya because something tragic happened to him when he was 18 or 19, if I'm not mistaken. Since then, he had trouble with interacting with people. His siblings, including my grandpa, tried to save him but as time goes by, his mental health got worse. Hindi na sya nagkaasawa dahil dun." sabi nya. "His relatives hired a person to look after him. That hired person buys groceries for him, or so. Something like that. Ayaw nya ng may kasama sa bahay o lumalabas ng bahay kaya someone else has to buy him groceries and leave it on the door." he continued. So this old hag was a total loner huh. Such a weirdo.

"Where is he? Kanina pa tayong naglalakad sa loob ng bahay pero di pa din natin sya nakikita. You sure he's here?" masyadong malawak ang bahay at may second floor pa ito kaya nahirapan kaming hanapin sya. Weird but I could feel an uneasiness in him. Parang kinakabahan sya at hindi mapakali. "Upstairs, maybe?" he said. "Hanapin mo nga sa taas, I'll look for him here." he suggested and I agreed with a nod. I went upstairs and looked for him. Sa paglilibot namin sa bahay, masasabi kong maganda ito at malinis. Masyado itong malaki para tirahan ng isang tao lang. I saw pictures in frames. Some were above the drawers displayed and some were hangin in the wall. I walked towards it to take a quick look. "Damn, is this him or Thirdy? They awfully look alike for fuck's sake!" I said while holding the picture frame in my right hand. "Narcisco Felipe Cortez, 1967.." basa ko sa nakasulat sa kanang baba ng larawan. "Ahh, so sya ang original na Narcisco." saad ko at tumango tango.

Thirdy's whole name is 'Narcisco Felipe Cortez III' and his father was 'Narcisco Felipe Cortez II'. That's why his nickname was Thirdy. He hates it when I address him by his first name kasi ambaho ng pangalan nya. Pang gurang e HAHAHA. My brows furrowed as I saw a familliar face at the picture hanging by the wall. It was the origin Narcisco I think, standing beside a girl with an old car behind him. His hair was fixed, shirt was tucked in his pants with a belt, and his left hand were on his pocket and the other hand was holding the girl's waist. He was wearing a smile that could make a girl's underwear drop. On the other hand, the girl he was standing beside, was wearing a plain long sleeved top, a floral long skirt, and high heeled shoes. She was gleefully smiling too.

I looked closely at the girl and noticed that she has a resemblance of Aleah. "Alejandra De La Vega & Narcisco Felipe Cortez, 1966..?" basa ko sa nasa lower right ng picture. I touched the girl's face with my fingers with confusion building up inside me.

"Sino ka at anong ginagawa mo sa pamamahay ko?" napabalikwas ako nang may nagsalita sa likod ko. Isa itong matandang lalaki na may hawak na tungkod sa kanang kamay at may pagkakuba na dulot ng katandaan. Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita dahil sa gulat. "A-ako po si-" hindi ko na natapos ang pagpapakilala ko nang magsalita sya. "Maria? Maria Juana?" banggit nya sa tunay kong pangalan. Nagulat ako dahil kami kami lang ng pamilya ko ang nakakaalam ng tunay kong pangalan. My real name is 'Milagros Maria Juana Barbosa. I'm known as 'Raquel Carter' and I have never used my real name, even in IDs. I hate it because it sounds like the drug 'marijuana' and that's why my brother calls me 'dried leaf'. "How did you know-" he cut me off for the second time and what he said sent chills down to my body, "Dumating ka rin sa wakas.. Kay tagal kitang hinintay." saad nya at tumingin ng diretso sa aking mata.

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(a/n:)

'Raquel' (the name she uses) was derived from her first name 'Milagros', which means 'miracle'. (mi-ra-kel).