Loving Heart

KABANATA 3

Kabanata 3

Friends

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I was really busy in the following days. Sometimes I actually go to school early to review my notes and to eat. At lunch, I'm with Jaz but I hurried to study at the library. Jaz didn't stop me because she knew I had a lot to do. She has a lot of friends so I don't have to worry about leaving her. May magiging kasama naman sya.

Minsan nagtatampo sa akin si Elise dahil hindi kami palagi nang sabay pumasok. Pero naiintindihan nya naman na marami talaga akong ginagawa. Kahit sa gabi, twelve na ako nakakatulog sa dami ng binabasa. Ayos lang naman. I know it's worth it.

Nagtataka kong tinignan si Elise na pumasok sa kwarto ko pagkatapos kumatok. She's already wearing a nightgown and ready to go to bed. She's carrying two pillows. She quickly climbed into my bed.

"Dito ako matutulog. Pwede ba?" Ngumiti sya sa akin para magpacute.

Natawa ako.

"Sure," I said.

"Palagi kasi tayong hindi nagsasabay pumasok. Nandito ka nga pero hindi naman kita madalas kasama. Kaya dito nalang muna ako matutulog."

Natawa ulit ako. Doon nga sya natulog sa kwarto ko gabi gabi. Tuwing umaga nag iingat ako para hindi sya magising. Maaga pa rin kasi akong pumapasok. It's too early so I shouldn't wake her up.

I'm on my way down when I saw tita Teressa raising an eyebrow while crossing her arms. She looked at me as if she had been waiting for me to come down. I sighed and continued walking.

"Victora," pagtawag nya nang lagpasan ko sya.

I stopped and took a deep breath. Ano na namang kailangan nya? Marami akong gagawin at masakit na ang ulo ko kaya sana naman hindi na nya dagdagan pa. Humarap ako at magalang pa rin syang pinagsalitaan.

"Po?" I said.

"How long will you stay here? Do you really plan to stay here until you graduate?" Lumapit sya sa akin, nakataas pa rin ang isang kilay.

"Yes. Any problem with that?" Tanong ko.

Natawa sya.

"You know we don't want you here. Puro sakit ng ulo lang ang dala mo."

"Talaga? Kailan ko pinasakit ang ulo nyo simula nung dumating ako? Ni hindi ko nga kayo nakikita."

"Surely in the next few days, you will make trouble at your school again. And we will fix it again. Sakit ka talaga sa ulo. You better just go back to Cebu."

"Don't worry. I will not make any trouble. And I will not return to Cebu. Bibisita, oo. Pero babalik? Hindi. Hindi nyo na ako mahihiwalay sa kapatid ko."

Natawa ulit sya.

"You said you just wanted to talk. But suddenly you stay here? What else is your reason for staying here?"

"May kapatid ka rin, tita. Siguro naman alam mo kung gaano kahirap mahiwalay sa pinaka mamahal mong kapatid?" Sarkastiko kong sinabi.

Hindi sya nakapag salita. Matalim nya lang akong tinignan.

"And don't you know? Elise is being bullied. So I'm more convinced to stay here because you don't take good care of her."

"What?" Nagulat sya.

Ako naman ngayon ang natawa.

"Kita nyo na? You're not watching and taking good care of Elise! Elise is being bullied, tita! Do you not notice the wounds on her body? Then you want me to get out of here? I will not leave my sister in your hands if you don't take good care of her like this!"