THE ONE FROM THE PAST

Me and Lucho were packing our things dahil lilipat na kami sa bahay nang pinsan kong si Claudia na mag ma migrate na sa ibang bansa for good. Sobrang excited ni Lucho, patalon talon pa sya habang nakangise sakin na kinukwento kung gaano sya kasaya dahil sa wakas makikita na nya ulit yung mga bulilit na naging kaibigan nya last summer na kapitbahay ni Claudia. Nakakatuwang isipin na super kulit na ng anak kong masakitin nung baby pa. Buti nalang talaga at may mga taong naandon sa mga panahon na kailangan ko ng tulong at willing akong tinulungan sa mga panahon na kailangan ko ng suporta at tulong talaga. At isa na doon ang pinsan kong si Claudia. Sobrang laking pasasalamat ko talaga. Nakangite lang akong tinatangoan ang aking anak ng bigla nalang tumunog ang aking cellphone. At nakita ko ang pangalan ng aking pinsan na nakarehistro sa screen. *click* "Hello, clo?" "Hooy! Gaga, hello din saiyo. Nakaalis na ba kayo? Bat antagal niyo naman dumating ng inaanak ko. Dalian mo at miss ko na ang maliit na prince charming ko! Tapos ko nang lutuin ang mga paborito niyang ulam sabihin mo sakanya at ang paborito niyang banana cake!" "Bayan nakakaselos naman, akala ko ako lang paborito mo. May bago na pala?" "Wala kang karapatang magselos hoy! Dahil unang una sa lahat, matanda kana! Pangalawa, anak mo yan AT pangatlo wala ka sa ka cutan ng anak mo kaya magmadali na kayo dyan at ng makurot ko na ang pisnge ni Lucho! Daliiiiiii!" Natatawa ko nalang in imagine ang mukha ng bakla ko na pinsan nato ngayon. Sobrang mahal at spoiled na spoiled si Lucho sakanya ee. "To naman parang baliw, di mo ba ako namiss.. Ayuko na ngang isama si Chu² baka e itsapuwera mo ako ee. Nakakatampo ka" "Sige, subukan mo lang at talagang sisiguradohin kong di kana sisikatan ng araw bruha ka! Pasalamatan mo dapat si Lucho dahil kung di dahil sakanya baka naitakwil na kitang bruha ka. Tsaka wag nang tampo - tampo di bagay sayo huuy! Sissy kita forever no need magselos okay? Alam mo namang parang anak ko narin yan si Lucho ee! Kaya magmadali na kayo dyan! Okay??" "Yes po, opo napo.... Hayyyy, Clo , sobrang thank you. Sa sobrang kabaitan mo, sana wag ka munang kunin ni Lord. Joke lang, peace!" "Bruha ka talaga! Sige na, okay lang na pasalamatan mo narin si Lord dahil binigay nya ako sayo. Chos! Pero y'know na already ha, you don't need to thank me for anything. As long as andito ako at kaya ko, I'm always here for you. We are family, remember? And kayo nalang din dalawa ni Lucho ang naiwan saakin na pamilya. Of course, I'll do anything for both of you. Alam mo yan, so stop thanking me dahil nakakarindi na pakinggan! Ilang years ka naring thank you ng thank you sakin! Sino kaba? Si thank you girl? huy! Tsaka dalian niyo dyan, wag na kayong magtagal pa ah." "Clo, my sissy for eternity and beyond?" "Loka loka, tumigil kana, buti pa. Pakausap mo muna ako kay Lucho sandali." "Oh sige heto wait ... Chu² baby, Tita clo is on the phone! Gusto ka nya makausap anak." Maya maya lang dinig ko na ang super liliit na yapak ni Lucho sa may kusina, at sabay super cute namang sumilip ang ulo nang aking makulit na bulilit sa may pader. With a face as round as a siopao and with those amber eyes na minana nya pa sa papa nya. Nakangite kong itinuro ang phone na hawak ko sabay sabi sakanya ng pangalan ng Tita nya. Dali dali naman syang tumakbo papunta sakin, na di ko alam kung matutumba ba o ano. Para kasing lasing kung lumakad o tumakbo tung anak ko ee. Tapos nasa unahan pa ang tiyan nito habang patakbo sakin. Sobrang cute, sarap papakin ee. binigyan ko sila nang space sa kung ano mang pinag uusapan nila, pinaupo ko si Lucho sa tabi ko. Dinig ko ang tili at tawa ni Clo sa kabilang linya habang kausap ang inaanak nya. Habang si Chu² naman panay tawa at takip pa sa pisnge nya na di ko alam kung saan nya natutunan ang reaksyon na ganoon. Nagmuka tuloy syang parang siopao na pinipisil pisil. Habang busy ang dalawa sa pinag uusapan nila. Di ko naman napigilan sarili kong pisil pisilin ang pisnge ng anak ko. Namumula na ang kanyang mukha nang bigla nalang nya akong tinitigan sa mata sabay sumbong sa Tita Clo nya. "*baby tone* mama clo! Mommy keeps pinching my cheeks, mashaket napo mama clo! I'm gonna pat pat mommy!" Sabay hampas nya kunwari sa kamay ko ng ilang besee. Zero damage, 100% cuteness. Hinila ko ang matambok nyang kamay sabay kagat, dahil sobrang nanggigigil na talaga ako. "Aggh!! Mama clo, binayt ni mommy ang daliri ko! Bad mommy bad! Hmmp!" Sabay hampas ulit nya sa kamay ko na wala namang damage. Tumalikod sya sakin sabay tayo at takbo sa may kusina. Natatawa ko syang sinundan, at mas lalo akong natawa dahil sa pagsusumbong na sinasabi nya sa mama clo nya. Di ko na maintindihan ibang sinasabi niya dahil may pagkabulol kase ang anak ko at di pa masyadong marunong magsalita. May padabog dabog pa sya kunwari naiinis talaga sya sakin. Natatawa ko syang tinitigan nalang. Sinimangotan lang naman ako ng aking bulilit na anak habang sumbong parin ng sumbong sa mama clo nya. Saying na I'm bullying him daw, dahil tawa lang ako ng tawa. Sobrang cute nang anak ko. At kailanman di ko pinagsisisihan na iniluwal ko sya sa mundong to. He is my one and only treasure. CALISTO's POV. So busy with paperworks, tambak ang mga papeles na kailangang pirmahan at meetings na kailangang puntahan. Full ang schedule ng ating bida bidahang lalake. Pagod na napasandal si Cal sa swivel chair ng kanyang opisina. Kinuha nya ang intercom at kinausap ang katulad nya ring busy na secretary nya. Nagpa orders sya nang take out sa labas dahil for sure di na naman sya makakain nito sa bahay. Simula nang manahin ni Calisto ang kompanya ay halos wala na syang oras sa pamilya nya at pati narin sa sarili nya. His been like this for the past 4 years, the elders of the family were urging him to settle down and find a wife. Kaya lang sa di malamang dahilan, ay parang nawalan na ng gana si Calisto sa salitang kasal at pamilya. It started nung umalis si Alyanna. He thought he was okay of her leaving him. As he thought na hindi nya ganoon kagusto ang dalaga, kagaya nalang nang pagkagusto nya noon sakanyang kababata na si Sofia. Sofia was his first love, his best friend and his first kiss. Although things happen, and they drifted apart simula nung mag aral ito sa ibang bansa at nagkaroon nang ibang karelasyon doon. And then he met Alyanna, isa sa Campus Beauties nung batch nila. Schoolmate, pinakilala sila sa isa't isa nung sinubukan nilang sumali sa isang mixers noon at napagdesisyonang gusto nilang itry ang kilalanin ang isa't isa. Maganda si Alyanna, matangos na ilong, brown eyes, malaman na pisnge, maliit na mukha, at may mapupulang labi. Tama lang ang height ng dalaga sa 6'1 na binata. Tumagal din sila ng halos anim na taon. Isang taon na landian lang, at lima naman nung naging opisyal na talaga silang naging magjowa. Masaya silang dalawa, they both compliment each other on a different level. Different kinds of laughs, all kinds of stories, dates outside and inside the house, road trips and fights sometimes. Their shared house was full of joy and laughter. They were both sure at that time na mahal nila ang isa't isa. Not until nung bumalik si Sofia, Cal thought he was not over Sofia yet. And when he was cornered by his girlfriend and was asked a difficult question. He chose the best friend, the first love. And Alyanna left with a smile on her face. At that time hindi nya alam, hindi nya alam na ang nararamdaman nya pala for Sofia at that time was not the same love he used to have for her before. But the need of closure. Or probably also sympathy. It's no longer romantic, it's simply platonic. But a year passed by bago nya narealize na his totally over Sofia. Sofia and him both tried to give it a second chance. But he just couldn't, he couldn't bring out the feelings he used to have for her anymore. And by that time, he started missing Alyanna's presence. He started to feel Alyanna's absence. He started to miss her smile, her laughs, her nagging every time na nagpupuyat sya for an assignment. Ang mga lutong bahay na inaral pa talaga ni Alyanna for him. The hangover soup na parating hinahanda ni Alyanna everytime napapadami ang inum nya kasama ang mga kaibigan nya. He misses every bit of Alyanna. Everytime nakikita nya ang paboritong coffee shop ni Alyanna, ang favorite snack nito, ang paborito nitong palabas sa TV, ang paboritong artista kahit ang paborito nitong brand nang lipstick. Palaging sumasagi sa isipan nya si Alyanna. And it still keeps happening to this day. And when he finally realized what was missing. Or rather WHO was missing. It was already too late. Alyanna left, at di na nya alam kung nasasaan na ang dalaga ngayon. He ended things with Sofia, although Sofia tried to make things right again. And she has been till now. But it's no use, because this time he knows for sure na si Alyanna na talaga. He love Alyanna. Although mahigit limang taon narin ang lumipas, pero yung kirot at pagsisisi naandon parin. Sa tuwing naiisip nya ang dalaga at nung mga panahon na sila pa, di nya namamalayang napapangite na pala sya sa naiwang alaala sakanya ng dalaga. At ang pangako nitong, 'pangakong palaging tayo' na talagang iniukit pa nilang dalawa sa puno nang Nara na doon nakatanim sa likod nang maliit na bahay na inuopahan nila noon. Kinakamusta nalang nya ang dalaga sa panaginip, o kaya'y sakanyang isip. Sa tuwing naiisip nya ang mga posibilidad na baka may iba na ito. Na baka kasal na ito sa ibang lalake. Ibang klase ng hapdi at kirot ang nararamdaman nya. Di sya makahinga. To the point na kailangan nyang umuwi ng bahay at magpahinga. The very memory of Alyanna is hunting him. And the possibility na baka masaya na ito sa piling nang iba ay para bang pinipigilan ang puso nyang bumuga nang hangin. Sa tuwing naalala nya ang araw na pinaka pinagsisisihan nya. Yung araw na mas pinili nya ang tapos na na 'kahapon', kaysa sa masaya na 'ngayon' na meron sya at that time. Ibang klaseng sakit ang nararamdaman nya na may halong pagsisisi, ibang klase ng hapdi. Kahit di niya nakitang umiyak si Alyanna.. Pero kitang kita sa mga mata nito kung gaano ito nasaktan sa binitawang salita ng binata at ang pagka dismayado nya kay Calisto. Walang tumulo na luha sa mga mata ni Alyanna, that goes to show na she's a very strong woman. She left him with a smile. Kita ni Calisto na may something pa sa mga mata ni Alyanna na para bang may gusto pa itong sabihin pero mas pinili nalang ng dalaga ang manahimik at umalis na sa buhay ni Calisto. At that time, yung akala ni Calisto na relief na naramdaman nya the moment Alyanna accepted his answer. He thought it was him being sure it was still Sofia, not knowing that the feeling was not relief.. It was actually his heart dying because of the choice he wrongfully made with his mind that day. There was regret, but because he was blinded and was thinking it was still Sofia. The regret was buried deep inside his heart. And it all flew out a year later. When he realized that the love he used to have for Sofia before was already transferred to Alyanna. And it was notjust love, it was his life. Alyanna was his life. But it was too late, he can no longer find Alyanna. And the fact that he still hopes that there's still a second chance to them and that fact was now slowly being crushed by the reality that it's been year after year and di niya parin nahahanap ang dalaga. So it was true, proven right. Nung sinabi ni Alyanna before nung hindi pa sila. Na she moves on fast. And that she knows her worth and won't chase after a man that isn't deserving of her efforts and time. In Calisto's right hand right now. There's a ring on his ring finger. Yung sing sing na specifically pinagawa nya pa from Italy to commemorate his 3rd anniversary with Alyanna. It's a couple ring, Alyanna requested it from him. Para daw although kahit di pa sila kasal, that ring will prove that their souls were mutually betrothed to each other. So no matter how far they are from each other. They will always find each other, she declared that's the power of their couple ring. Which was cute and funny. But he broke it, and now he was the only one wearing the promise ring. And the other half was in their room sa bahay nila before kung saan sila unang nagsimula at nangarap. Everytime na namimiss nya ang dalaga at di sya makatulig sa gabi ay dederitso lang sya sa kwarto nilang dalawa noon. At bubuksan yung closet na pag aari ni Alyanna noon at kukuhanin lang nya yung naiwan na damit ni Alyanna at yayakapin sa pagtulog. That was his routine everytime na namimiss niya ang dalaga. Something like a replacement. Hanggang ngayon hinahanap nya parin ito, hoping na mabigyan pa ng isang pagkakataon. Kung makikita nya lang sana ulit si Alyanna, he will do everything para bumalik sakanya ang dalaga. He will make her fall in love with him again. Kahit kailangan nya pang gapangin at paisa isang pulutin yung durog durog na pagmamahal ni Alyanna sakanya noon. If she's moved on, it's okay. There are many ways on how to make her fall in love with him again. He can wait, for as long as mapasakanya lang ulit si Alyanna. He will make the best out of it, give her his name and the love and life she deserves. Just God, please. Don't let it be a marriage with another man. I'd die if that ever happens. END OF POV.