Only
Nang makabawi ay iniwanan ko na rin ang hapag at dumiretso sa kuwarto ni Faith. Hindi na ako kumatok.
How come she say those words? Right! All of the people here in El Larasca really know how the Ruscos rule their La Cabina pero...hindi lang ako makapaniwala na sa dami ng tao, it's Faith who's gonna say those words without even thinking.
"What was that?" I asked her firmly.
She's sitting on her window bed and staring at the tall trees and the mountains. Hinilamos niya ang kamay sa mukha bago humarap sa akin.
"What the what?" she said casually.
Tiningnan ko siya ng mariin, umiling sa pagkadismaya.
"Port isn't like that, tell me what did he do to you? Or...what did you do to him? He loves you, I know that and you know that too-"
"Aleera..." she cut me off, looking down and lifted up her gaze to me. Her eyes seems annoyed "...where is this going? Port? Ha! I don't love him and...everything I said were all true!" she said as if she was so sure of it.
But something keeps telling me that she's lying.
"They're good people..." humina nag boses ko "...you told me that"
"Do you even know that... there's an issue of them? Na may ninakaw silang yaman ng isang pamilya at pinatay pa..."
My mouth half opened and I looked at her with my eyes widened.
"N-no...uhm, I-I mean...i-it's that true?" hindi ko na alam kung anong sasabihin ko "...but, if it really is! You know Port and you love hi-"
"Leave.me" mariin niyang putol sa sinasabi ko.
Magsasalita pa sana ako pero wala sa mood ang itsura niya.
Napailing na lang ako pagkapasok ng kuwarto ko. Kinuha ko ang cellphone sa ibabaw ng tukador at nakita ang missed calls ni Ad. Hindi ko na pinansin at tumulala na lang sa window bed.
I smiled weakly at myself. Why would I just now realized that staring at the trees and and mountains from my window bed with the crows of countless roosters can make me calm.
Napaayos ako ng upo at sumungaw sa malaking bintana ng natanaw kung sino ang naglalakad galing sa labas ng bakuran sa maraming puno.
"Port?" I uttered.
Saglit akong natulala at hindi alam kung anong gagawin. Should I call him? Should I tell him to hide? Should I ask him or should I tell it to Faith?.
Sa tingin ko hindi na dapat. Dahil papunta na siya sa tapat ng kuwarto ni Faith at nakagat ko ang pangibabang labi ng muntik na siyang makasalubong ng tauhan na nanggaling sa cage house ng mga manok.
Nagmamadali akong lumabas ng kuwarto at nagulat pa ng masalubong si mommy. Natulala ako at saglit umurong ang dila.
"Aleera?" mommy walked towards me.
Huminga ako ng malalim at kumurap-kurap.
"Uh... I-I'll just go to Faith" marahan kong sinabi.
"Oh, sure, let's go kakausapin ko rin siya"
Mommy held my arm. I removed it. She looked at me, nagtataka.
"N-no..." sabi ko saba'y iling "...uhm...I-I mean, I need to get to her because uhm...m-magpapasama po ako sa bayan mommy..."
I prayed at the back of my mind.
"Is it okay with you na...mamaya niyo na lang siya kausapin?"
Mariin akong tinitigan ni mommy. Nilabanan ko iyon dahil ayokong maisip niya na may inaalala ako. She crossed her arms and breathe heavily.
