Teach Me, Ninong (SPG)

CHAPTER 4: ANGEL

"How was school, Andrei? Did your teacher give you a star?" I asked him while we were eating. Katabi ko si Andrei at nasa tapat ko si Ninong.

"Yes!" He showed me his hand with the stars.

"Wow, very good!" I caressed his hair.

"Andrei, tanungin mo rin ang Ate mo kung kumusta ang pag-aaral niya." Ninong said teasingly. Alam naman niyang nangamote ako sa exam kanina sa ibang subject.

"How's your study going, Mama Pretty? Do you have a star too?" Andrei asked me innocently, looking at me.

Natuwa uli ako sa tawag niya sa akin.

"Yes!" I said with a smile.

"But you don't have a star, just a heart!" He said, looking at the heart tattoo on my wrist.

"I'm so big now, my teacher doesn't give me stars anymore."

"Just a heart?" He asked innocently.

"Uhm yes!"

"Dad also has a heart on his arm," he said, looking at Ninong's arm.

May malaking tattoo si Ninong sa braso na nasa letrang baybayin na hindi ko alam ang ibig sabihin at merong maliliit na hearts. Parati siyang naka-long sleeve sa school kaya hindi yun nakikita. Nakatupi hanggang siko ngayon ang polo niya kaya nakalitaw yun.

"Dad was your teacher, so he gave you a heart instead of a star!" Andrei looked at us with wonder in his eyes.

Sabay kaming tumawa ni Ninong sa sinabi niya.

"How I wish your Dad would really give me his heart!" Pabiro kong sabi. I laughed out loud. Huminto naman sa pagtawa si Ninong at tumingin sa akin.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's day, Dad! I want to give flowers to my teacher," said Andrei.

"Wow, nice! You're so sweet, Andrei." I said, pleased. Nacurious tuloy ako kay Ninong kung may ganung side din siya. Ang nakikita ko kasi sa kanya ay pagiging pormal, seryoso at strikto lang. "Kanino ka kaya nagmana?"

"Of course to me!" Ninong said immediately. Tumingin siya sa akin na parang kinukumbinsi ako sa sinabi niya.

"Okay!" I just replied.

"Alright Andrei, we'll buy flowers tomorrow!" Ninong said, turning to Andrei.

"Sana all may pa-flower sa Valentine's day!" I said and laughed.

Matapos kumain ay tinulungan ko si Ninong na magligpit ng pinagkainan namin. Hindi na siya kumontra nung pinilit kong ako na ang maghugas ng pinggan na parati niyang ginagawa.

Pinaliguan niya si Andrei at binihisan pagkatapos. Matapos kong maghugas ng pinggan ay nag stay pa ko sa kanila. Gusto ni Andrei na samahan ko siya manood ng TV sa kwarto niya kaya pinagbigyan ko siya kahit sa araw araw ay paulit ulit naman yung cartoon na pinapanood namin. Nakahiga kami sa kama niya habang nanonood ng tv.

After a few minutes, I heard the sound of a piano. Ninong plays the piano. Kahit ilang beses ko na siyang naririnig na tumutugtog ng piano ay hindi naman ako nagsasawang panoorin at pakinggan siya.

Napansin kong nakatulog na si Andrei kaya dahan dahan akong umalis sa kama niya at pinatay ang tv. Paglabas ko ng kwarto ay nilapitan ko si Ninong at umupo sa tabi niya habang tumutugtog siya ng piano.

"Tulog na si Andrei!" I said as I sat next to him.

"Okay!"

"I want to know how to play the piano Ninong, please teach me!" Dinikit ko pa ang katawan sa kanya. I know how to play the guitar dahil tinuruan ako ni Dad at ngayon ay bigla akong nainteresado sa piano.

"Okay! but let's sing first!" He smiled and started to play the piano. Mahilig din ako kumanta dahil namana ko din yun kay Dad. May ilang beses na rin kaming kumanta ni Ninong habang nagpi-piano siya kaya sanay na din ako kumanta na kasama siya.

Unang bagsak pa lang niya ng daliri sa pyesa ng piano ay pamilyar na sa akin kung ano ang tutugtugin niya dahil madalas ko marinig sa kanya yun. Kapwa kami nakangiti sa isa't-isa hanggang sabayan ko na ng pag awit ang pagtugtog niya.

(Angel Baby)

I need a lover to keep me sane

Pull me from hell bring me back again

Play me the classics

Something romantic

Give him my all when I don't even have it

I always dreamed of a solemn face

Someone who feels like a holiday

But now I'm in pieces, barely believing

Starting to think that I've lost all feeling

You came out the blue on a rainy night, no lie

I tell you how I almost died, while you're bringing me back to life

I just wanna live in this moment forever

'Cause I'm afraid that living couldn't get any better

Started giving up on the word forever

Until you give up heaven so we could be together

You're my angel, angel baby

Angel, you're my angel, baby

Baby, you're my angel, angel baby

I'll fall in love with the little things

Counting the tattoos on your skin

Tell me a secret

And baby I'll keep it

And maybe we can play house for the weekend

You came out the blue on a rainy night, no lie

I'll tell you how I almost died

While you're bringing me back to life

I just wanna live in this moment forever

'Cause I'm afraid that living couldn't get any better

Started giving up on the word forever

Until you give up heaven so we could be together

You're my angel, angel baby

Angel, you're my angel, baby

Baby, you're my angel, angel baby.

Pareho kaming seryoso habang umaawit. Feel na feel ko kasi bawat salita sa kantang yun. Isa din sa favorite ko ang kantang yun dahil napakasarap pakinggan. Feeling ko ramdam na ramdam din niya yung awitin habang tinutugtog at kinakanta namin. Hindi mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi niya habang tinutugtog yun hanggang sa matapos.

Tinaas niya ang kanang kamay niya para makipag high five sakin matapos namin umawit.

"You're so good. I like how you sang it!" he said with a smile.

"Ang galing mo din kasi, Nong!" I smiled back at him.

"You're really an angel to me, Yana," he said softly.

"Ha? Really?!" I blushed at what he said. I looked at him, trying to read his expression, pero wala naman akong mabasa sa mga mata niya. Ang nandoon lang ay yung tingin niyang napakalalim, parang tumatagos sa puso ko.

"Ninong, nung nalasing ako, may nangyari ba? I mean, may… sinabi ba ako? I don't remember anything from last night." Hindi ko na talaga matiis na itanong iyon. Gusto ko lang ng peace of mind. Sana sabihin niyang wala, kasi kung meron, parang gusto ko na lang lumubog sa lupa sa kahihiyan.

"You don't remember?" He stared at me, his expression thoughtful. He paused for a moment and sighed before continuing.

"You said you like me… and you want us to have s*x," he said without hesitation.

"What?!" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. Mas malala pala sa iniisip ko ang nangyari. Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. I felt so ashamed, gusto ko nang tumakbo palabas ng pinto.

Panay ang pindot ni Ninong sa piano, pero hindi ko alam kung anong tinutugtog niya. Parang wala rin siya sa sarili niya at may malalim na iniisip.

"Go back to your pad. Study before you go to sleep. Be sure to pass tomorrow's exam, okay?" he said with authority.

"Okay," I replied, pero nanatili pa rin akong nakaupo, parang hindi makakilos.

"I'll forget what you said last night. I know you were just drunk and lost your mind." He smiled and pinisil ang ilong ko. Kahit papaano, medyo lumuwag ang pakiramdam ko.

"You're now a woman, Yana. Hindi ka na yung batang babae na inalagaan ko noon. Ibang iba ka na. You're so beautiful and admirable. I understand why almost every guy is crazy about you, and I feel like I'm going crazy trying to figure out how to keep you away from them, because I don't like it… Ayokong may ibang lalakeng lumalapit sa'yo." He paused, letting his words sink in. I looked straight into his eyes, full of emotion, and I couldn’t read him. Gusto kong isipin na overprotective lang siya, pero parang may iba sa pagkakasabi niya.

"And last night… I almost kissed you. I just stopped myself because if I had started, no one could have stopped me, not even myself. So please, huwag mong simulan!" His husky voice was demanding.

Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaksyon ko sa sinabi niya. Totoo pala lahat ng pumapasok sa isip ko tungkol sa nangyari kagabi. At bakit ganito siya magsalita?! Hindi ko alam na ganito ang iniisip niya sa akin.

"Ninong!" Mahina kong sabi. Ang dami ko sanang gustong itanong dahil naguguluhan ako, pero hindi ko alam kung paano.

"I just hope that what happened last night will not happen again, because I don’t know what I’ll do if it happens again!" He said, as if warning me.

"Po?" nagtaka akong sabi sa huling sinabi niya.

He grabbed my chin to connect my eyes to his and said, "Tell me you won't do it again!"

Nakatitig siya sa mga mata ko, at pakiramdam ko tumatagos iyon sa puso ko. Gusto kong sumagot na hindi ko na uulitin yung ginawa at sinabi ko nung nalasing ako, pero paano ko sasabihin yun habang ganito ang titig niya? Para akong dinadarang, parang sinasabi na ulitin ko iyon.

Hindi ko na lang siya sinagot at sinubukang iiwas ang paningin ko. Binitiwan na niya ang hawak sa chin ko. Napahaplos siya sa batok niya at nag-stretch, parang nire-relax ang sarili.

"Go home now, Yana! It’s 9 in the evening. Mag-review ka pa," pautos niyang sabi.

"Okay!" Agad akong tumayo at tinungo ang pinto. Sumunod din siya sa akin at hinatid ako hanggang sa pinto ng unit ko.

"Goodnight, Ninong!" I gave him a sweet smile.

"Goodnight!" He smiled. "Just ask me if you don’t understand anything. You know I’m always here to teach you."

♥️