Latum Alterum (Under construction)

16

“Don’t worry, I’m professional. Isinasantabi ko ang personal ko na emosyon tuwing oras ng trabaho, no need to worry.” Sagot niya na akala mo nabasa niya ang iniisip ko, kaso wala naman akong iniisip na ganon.

“Uh, hindi ko iniisip yan.” Narinig ko ang mahinang tawa ni Sandra, si Ace naman halata na nag pipigil ng tawa.

“Then what are you thinking?” sabi niya at tumaas ang kilay, at binuksan ang pamaypay niyang asul, at akal mo na-stress sa akin.

“Iniisip ko lang kung bakit hindi kayo magkamukha ni lola, tsaka bakit ganon, manghuhula ka rin ba, gaya ng lola ko? Tsaka bakit puro halaman dito?”

“What? medina practiced that one?” I nod, “Well, sa pananalita mo, hindi ka naniniwala kay Medina at sa ability niya?” I nod again, I heard her sighed, tumayo siya at kumuha ng isang halaman, may ibinudbod siya doon at iniabot sa aming tatlo. Tinanggap agad nang dalawa kong kasama ito, pwera sa akin, kunot noo ko lang syang tinignan, she rolled her eyes, “Come on, like what I said, I will set aside any emotions I may have to my clients.”

Bumuntong hininga muna ako bago kinuha iyon at nginuya, pag ako nalason dito, mumultuhin ko agad ang kapatid ni lola na to!

As soon as I chew it, I felt different, she was just looking at me, creasing her eyebrow, with ‘I-told-you’ look. Inirapan ko lang siya at kinain na lang ang binigay niya sa akin.

“I can sense your emotional discrepancy.” Sabi niya bago umupo sa pang isahan na sofa, “You seems afraid, yet excited, yet determined, yet sorrowful,” mukhang gulong gulo na siya sa mga sinasabi niya, ako rin kasi, mas maganda sana kung damay-damay. “Your soul, it reminds me of someone, someone I know.”

‘Yes,” kunot noo akog tumingin sa dalawa kong kasama nang magkapanabayan sila na sumagot.

Ano daw? Yes?

Mrs, Gorman cleared her throat, “Anyway, what do you need, why did you come to this far? It must be a life and death situation to take this path.”

Nakapaka straight forward niya, now that I’m looking at her, she actually has the same features as with my lola Meds. Sa talas ng mata, sa tangos ng ilong, sa labi, kahit sa pagiging straightforward ay parehas na parehas sila.

“Medina was missing.” Sagot ni Sandra, agad na kumunot ang noo ni Mrs, Gorman nang marinig niya iyon, hinawakan niya ang ilong niya at pumikit, bakas ang pag titimpi sa mukha niya, “We are expecting this to happen, but not this early. Nag sisimula na silang kumilos, and we can’t just sit here, and do nothing.”

“I understand.” Buti pa siya, sana all, naintindihan, ako kasi hindi.

“Baka pwedeng paki paliwanag sakin kung ano ang nangyayari? Siguro naman pwede? Unang una, lola ko ang nawawala dito, hindi ang lola ninyo.” Bakas ang iritasyon sa boses ko, pero wala na akong pakielam, ang gusto ko ngayon ay maintindihan kung bakit umabot sa kailangan nilang kunin si lola.

“Our family was well-known for our healing ability. We can heal any illness, from the most curable up to the rarest one. You see that?” she said and pointed one of the framed leaves near my spot, “My mother used that one, while my dad was casting his spell to heal a very rare desease they ever encounter, we thought, everything was just fine, not when I turned thirteen, that day was my coven with the dark lord, when my parents announced that she was pregnant.” Ibinaba niya ang pamaypay na hawak niya at tumingin sa snow globe na nakadisplay sa gilid niya, “We thought she was normal, not until we discover that she can talk and reach out with the underworld, directly.” Ibinalik niya ang tingin sa akin, “We thought that was a myth, none of us can do that, and we ara every afraid of what she can do, so we hid her.”

‘Why would you hide her? I mean, if it’s a myth and she prove you all wrong, still, why would you do that to her? She’s a child, for heaven’s sake!” I almost shouted, I’m so pissed off right now.

"Happiest birthday Jo and of course, Josh. Baka magtampo si Josh kapag ikaw lang binati ko Jo." Nagtawanan ang mga tao kaya I awkwardly laugh at myself.

Hindi

ko rin alam bakit ko nasabi 'yon at hindi ko pa alam ang susunod ko pang mga sasabihin kaya kinakabahan na ako para sa sarili ko.

"Sorry Josh if my speech is for Jo only." He said it's okay and gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled at him too.

"Hi Joan, thank you for being one of my best friends. I didn't ready any speech but one thing is for sure, that I am grateful when you sit beside me on our first day of school and made me a friend of yours. I know from the four of us, that I'm not the vocal one but I hope you know that I always got your back. I will support everything that makes you the happiest including your decisions and choices in life. Also Josh, I know I said that I don't have a speech for you but I guess I do have one now. All the toughest ones have a fragile heart so please do take care of your twin. I know you're doing it but just in case. To more birthday candles to blow to the both of you!" After I ended my speech, nagpalakpakan naman ang mga bisita.

Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwang ng matapos akong magsalita. I don't know if I made any sense during my speech kasi biglaan 'yon pero I hope I somehow did.

When I came back to our table, Glenn and Pat is smiling at me widely. Para nila akong anak at proud na proud sila sa'kin dahil may achievement akong narating even though I just gave a speech.

"I'm so proud of you, Iya!" Glenn is emotional when he said that at dahil katabi niya lang ako ay niyakap niya na rin ako.

"Halos limang buwan na tayong magkasama pero ayon yung pinakamahaba mong sinabi, Iya. You did great." Nang sabihin 'yon ni Pat ay natawa naman ako.

"Thank you both!" One of the best decisions that I made this year was to transfer because I met these three.

Pagkatapos akong tawagin ay sunod namang tinawag si Glenn at si Pat. May tinawag din na ibang kaibigan at kapamilya nina Joan at Joshua kaya itinuon ko na lamang ang atensyon ko do'n.

Malakas ang pakiramdam ko kaya naman alam ko rin na kanina pa pasulyap sulyap si Brian sa gawi ko.

"Aray ko!" Reklamo ni Brian kaya naman napatingin kaming mga katable niya sa kanya. "Ay hehe sorry nabangga ko yung tuhod ko sa table ang tanga ko kasi."

"Tangina ka." Mahinang sabi niya kay Juan? Kiel? Hindi ko rin alam.

Siguro'y Kiel na lamang din ang itatawag ko sa kanya pansamantala. Hindi rin naman kami nag-uusap at hindi ko rin naman alam kung kilala niya ako. O baka naman oo? Bigla na naman tuloy nag-init ang mukha ko dahil sa naisip ko.

"You're such a creepy Bri. Tigilan mo nga." Sabi niya kay Brian kaya agad naman itong humalakhak.