Pain Killer

otso.

C.

Pagkatapos nang date namin ni Epione, ay agad kong tinawagan si Kriel.

Kriel utot

0909 si Mang Ben pilay.

Ringing....

"Hello?" iritable nitong bungad.

"Kriel, ando'n siya nakatira sa bahay na pinagawa ko para sa'min." excited kong sabi.

Ako naman ay ngiting ngiti, habang naiisip na ando'n siya sa bahay namin.

"Eh, ano naman? 'Di ka pa din naman niya naalala." bitter nitong sabi.

Napairap nalang siya sa hangin bago saguti si Kriel.

"Alam mo?" patanong niya dito.

"Ano? Na ang gwapo ko? Sus. 'Yun lang pala e. Alam ko na 'yon, matagal na." pagyayabang nito.

"Bobo, tanginamo. Pilengerong ututin!" pang-iinis niya rito.

"Tanginamo, Chiron kain kulangot!" bawi nito sa kan'ya.

"Ulul, ututin. U-tu-tin! U-tu-tin!" paulit ulit niyang sabi rito.

"Ew, kain kulangot na nga, ta---" naputol ang sinasabi nito, nang mas nilakasan niya pa ang sigaw ng ututin.

"Kain kulangot, ta's 'di pa maalala nang ina nang mga anak niya. Aruruy!" inis at bwisit na bawi sa kan'ya ni Kriel.

Nainis na siya rito kanina pa, pero nagtitimpi lang siya.

"Ututin." bawi niya.

"Ulol, 'di ka lang maalala ni Epione e." pang-iinis na ulit nito.

'Kalma, Chiron. Kalma. Breathe in, breathe out.' sabi niya sa sarili.

At nang kalamado na siya ay nagsalita na ulit siya.

"Tangina mo, at least may pag-asa pa kami. Maybe she can't remember me, but I know her heart does. Eh, ikaw? Ang lalapit lapit mo na kay S, 'di mo pa rin malapitan kasi kinakain ka ng guiltness mo." bawi niya rito.

Biglang natahimik ang kabilang linya, at ang alam niya nalang ay nag-tut-tut-tut na 'yong tunog ng cellphone niya.

"Gago, binabaan ako. Asar talo. 'Kala 'ko pa naman magb-bonding kami. Bonding nga e." sabi niya sa sarili.

At nang may biglang narinig siyang tumama sa mga halaman niya.

Pero binalewala niya lang ito. At nang maglalakad na siya papunta sa kusina ng bahay niya, nang biglang.....

"Tanginamo, Chiron! Lumabas ka dito! Hoy! Putanginamo!! Lumabas ka!" si Kriel, na nagsisisigaw sa labas ng gate niya, habang nakangisi.

Pagtingin niya sa mga kapit-bahay niya ay nakatingim ito kay Chiron na tila ba may ginawa siyang masama.

"Tss. Mga chismosa't chismoso." bulong niya sa sarili.

Lumabas siya para papasukin si Kriel.

Ngumingisi-ngisi namang pumasok si Kriel, at pagpasok nila sa pinto ng bahay niya ay kinaltukan siya ni Chiron.

"Aray!" reklamo nito at sinamaan siya ng tingin.

"Sinasamaan mo 'ko ng tingin?" at tinaasan niya ito ng kilay.

Tinaas naman nito ang dalawang daliri, at, "Peace, joke lang, Chiron." sabi nito, at tinapik tapik pa ang balikat niya.

Tinignan ko siya nang makabuluhan.

"Ay, sorry Master Chiron." at tinigilan nito ang pagtapik sa balikat niya.

"So, bakit mo ginawa 'yon?" tanong niya rito.

"Para lang pansinin mo 'ko," biro nito, sabay tawa. "May balita rin kasi ako sa'yo." pagseseryoso nito.

Umayos siya at tinanong si Kriel.

"Tungkol saan?" tanong niya rito.

"Tungkol kahapon." sagot nito.

Tinitigan niya ito, at hinayaang magsalita.

"May hinala na ko na kung sino yung mga nagtumba kagabi ng mga gamit gamit do'n, at 'yung mga nagbasag do'n." sabi nito.

"Sino?" tanong ko.

"Kakambal mo." seryosong sambit nito.

"At bakit niya gagawin 'yon?" naguguluhang tanong nito.

"Kasi alam niyang nanay mo ang....." 'di na nito tinuloy ang sasabihin nito.

Napatahimik siya.

"Chiron, ay's ka lang?" tanong nito.

"Oo, salamat Kriel." pagpapahiwatig nito na maaari na siyang umalis.

At pagkaalis ni Kriel, ay 'di matanggal sa isip niya ang mga pangyayari noon.

Nasa sasakyan kami noon, nasa likod kami nang sasakyan ni Xan. At nasa harapan namin sila Mommy at Daddy, at sa harapan naman nila ay yung driver namin.

Narinig namin silang nag-aaway. But we're clueless about what are they fighting for.

"Ano?! Hindi mo pa din ba nakakalimutan 'yang lintik na first love mo? Ha?" sabi ni Zari, the twins Dad.

"Oo! Bakit? May angal ka ba? Hindi naman kita minahal!" sabi ni Gio, their Mom.

"Can you please at least low the tone of your voice? The kids might hear us!" pakiusap ni Daddy.

"So what? I don't care." pagtataray ni Mommy.

Tinignan ko si Xan no'n, at kinausap.

"Hey, Xan. Do you have any idea what are they fighting?" I innocently asked him.

He put down his headphone, and then he give a irritated look and he answered me, "You know, what? Just mind your business." then he put it again his headphone.

"But, Xan... They are our parents. I think there's something wrong, may---" he cutted me off.

"Just follow what I said. And don't you ever try to suway me. Don't you ever meddle with Mom and Dad. Especially with Mom." his voice was full of authority, so I try to stay quite.

I just listened to them. I can't even sleep. We're supposed to have fun. By the way, we're off to EK. The whole ride was full of chaotic fight between Mom and Dad.

"You know what can I do, Zariel Erix. You know." Mom said, with her voice full of athority.

My Mom was a super strict. And you know her favorite between me and Kuya Xan? Kuya. He would do everything for Kuya. He would give anything to Kuya. While me, I'm just starting to tell what I need she would easily cut me off, then she has this so many reasons.

I remember something, when I'm trying to request a helicopter. The one that have been controlled, she said this, "You know Eurico, you request so many. Eurico, boreíte na proteínete eán boreíte na nikísete ton Anaxagoras stin táxi ton polemikón technón. Kai an échete ypsiloús vathmoús, ópos o aderfós sas." Mommy said.

trans: Eurico, you can suggest anything if you beat Anaxagoras in your martial arts class. And if you have a grades like your brother.

She tells me, that I need to beat Kuya, and even have a grade like him. "Mamá, allá o Evan échei apotychiménous vathmoús Oi vathmoí tou eínai gemátoi F, gramménoi stin kárta tou. Giatí tha éprepe na écho étsi? Den se apogoitévo mamá. Kai epísis bampá." I worriedly said.

trans: Mommy, but Evan has a failed grades. His grades are full of F, written in his card. Why would I need to have like that? I don't to fail you Mom. And also Dad.

After I said that, I felt an stinging pain and pain in my right cheek. Then I looked up to Mom, as I look at her eyes, it is full of irritation, madness and angst.

"Bástarde! Pígaine sto domátio sou. TORA!" Mom said while her eyes are glaring at me.

trans: You bastard! Go to your room. NOW!

"Yes Mama." I plainly said.

Then she followed me going to my room, then he push so I'll be lying in one's stomach. Then She hit me with her thick stick. Then she hit me to my butt, legs and my hands.

After that I need to act normal, it took 3 weeks to me to straightly walk again.

While Dad is fair I think? I'm the one who's his favorite when it comes to academics, while Xan is when it comes to sports.

Just like that.

Then, we arrived to EK, we go to the rides. I actually like enjoooooyed. While Xan, finds it boring.

When I was about to go to comfort room, I heard Mom talking over the phone.

"Y'all need to do it, faster." Mom said.

"But, Ma'am don't I have a clock." the man in line replied.

"You need to kill 'em, or else I will kill you." Mom sharply said.

"Yes, Ma'am!" mabilisang sagot nito. Mamabakas din dito na natakot ito.

At do'n siya natakot. W-what? My Mom? May papatay siya?

Hindi na siya natuloy sa pag-ihi, umurong na ihi niya.

Tumakbo siya papunta sa kinaroroonan nila. Hingal na hingal at pagod na pagod.

Tinanong siya nang Daddy niya kung okay lang ba siya, pero umiling lang siya.

Hanggang sa pag-uwi nila ay nanahimik nalang siya.

Inisip niya nang inisip kung sino 'yon. Baka mapagilan or mabalaan niya.

Akala niya, okay na. Not until he heard the news about what happened to parents of Epione. And Epione, was came from a break-up with Evan.

"s**t, kawawa naman si EA." sabi niya habang kumakain sila sa hapag.

Tinignan siya nang ina niya.

"How come? What happened?" usisa ng Nanay niya.

"Her parents were ambushed." he sadly said.

Then, nothing tried to talk.

My flashbacks end with there. And then, I heard my phone ringing.

Unknown number

0969 siya'y tanga.

Pinindot niya ito at sinagot, "Hello, who's this? And how did you get my number?" he said.

The one in line sighed, "Iro, we need to talk." Evan said.

Then, I sighed with sadness.