Not like Us

Chapter 22

“Thank you for bringing my son home,” Lucas’ mother said in gratitude.

“It is no problem, ma’am,” Bella said. “We  should get going. It is getting dark. Grandma must be worried.”

“Why don’t you eat your dinner here? As a thank you for saving my son,” Lucas’ mother smiled. She looked at Lamang. “Who is he? I think he needs to get change, too,” she suggested.   

“He is my friend from the city. He dived to help Lucas. His name is Lamang.”

Lucas’ mother hugged him even though he was soaking wet from the river’s water.   “Thank you for saving my son.”

Lamang nodded but he felt guilty to his kingdom. For just one day, he already saw three women’s faces. Bella, her grandmother, and Lucas’ mother.

“Come in, both of you.”

Bella was supposed to left her slippers but Lucas’ mother stopped her. “It is alright. You can just wear it.”

Bella nodded and they both went in. The house was not as big as Bella’s grandmother house but the house was already enough for three person.

“Wait here,” she said.

Both of them followed what she said. They just stood on where they told her to wait.

They looked at to the direction of the door when the door opened. A man entered the house. He was wearing a corporate attire. The man looked at them. “Oh, visitors,” the only words that went out to his mouth.

Bella bowed her head. “Good evening, sir,” she said. She nudge Lamang’s elbows to give him signal to do what she did.  

“Good evening, sir,” Lamang said.

“Are you two new here? It is the first time I saw both of you here,” the man asked.

“We are just here for a vacation. I am the granddaughter of Lena from the hills and this is my friend, Lamang,” Bella introduced.

“Oh,” the man exclaimed. “Madam Lena, so you are Rose’s daughter?”

Bella’s face turned blank and Lamang noticed it. He held her hand to calm her down. Bella looked at their hands and then to Lamang but he was fast and looked the other way. Bella felt that there was an electricity that flows from his hands to hers. Her heart thumped. It was fast. It was the first time that she ever felt that. Bella went her attention back to Lucas’ father. “Yes,” she answered. They must had known each other since they looked like they were on the same age.

When Lamang felt that Bella was now feeling alright. He let go of her hand. Bella felt that her heart were now returning back to normal and the electricity that flows to her body was gone. She just let her hand fall to the side.

Lucas’ mother arrived with a shirt and a pants with her.

“Darling, you are already home,” she greeted. She kissed his cheek. Bella felt jealous. Why could not be her parents be like that?

Lucas’ parents faced them. “You should meet them. That is Bella and Lamang, they save our son’s life,” she said with please flashed on her face.

Her husband looked at her, “What happened to him?”

“They said he drowned on the river,” the wife said.

“That river is really cursed,. How was he?” Lucas’ father said.

“He was on his room. I will just bring him food later.” Lucas’ mother handed Lamang the shirt and the pants. “Here, there is the comfort room,” she said as she pointed the comfort centered with two different rooms.  

 Lamang went to the comfort room. Lucas’ mother went to Bella. “Come, let us go to the kitchen.”

She directed Bella to the kitchen. She let her sat on the chair. There were already dishes on the table. Three plates.

“It is good that I have cooked a lot today.”

She prepared another plate and put it in front of Bella. The steam from the food kissed her face. “Thank you, Ma’am” Bella said. She looked at the food and it was a porridge. She remembered Lamang. Is he allowed to eat this? She asked to herself.

“Just call me, tita,” Lucas’ mother said.

Bella nodded. “Tita, I am sorry to ask. Do you have any milk? Lamang is only allowed to drink milk.”

Lucas’ mother looked shock. “Oh,yes, we have one.”

She opened the refrigerator and fetch some fresh milk. She poured  the milk to the glass.

“Thank you, tita,” Bella smiled.

“That is no problem. We are the one who should thank both of you. You just save our son’s life. Our only son,” Lucas’ mother faced got sad but she shook it off and smile.

Lamang arrived and he was holding the clothes Bella’s grandmother handed him.

Lucas’ father sat on his place on the table as well.

“Sit down,” Lucas’ mother said to Lamang. Lamang did what she said.

She handed him the milk. “Bella said you are only allowed to drink milk.”

Lamang accepted it. “Ah, yes. I am sorry for the trouble.”

She shook her hands. “Oh no problem, at all. Let us eat.”

Lamang immediately finished his milk so he waited for them to finish eating. They were just quiet as they ate.

After a few minutes, it was only Bella who had not finished eating. She immediately hurry up because she was embarrased.

“Tita, can I borrow your phone? I need to call grandmother,” Bella asked after she drank her water to break the silence.

“Oh, yes, of course,” she handed Bella her phone. Bella did not had a problem using the phone. In a few seconds, she had reached her grandmother. She made sure she memorized her grandmother’s number, just in case.

“Nana,” she started.

‘Bella! Where are you?!’ Her grandmother said on the other line.

“I am at Lucas. I am with Lamang, too.”

‘Why are you there?’

“I will tell you when I get back home,” she said.

‘I will fetch you both there. Wait for me at the church’

“Okay, nana. Take care.”

Bella stood up, “Tita, tito, thank you for letting us join your dinner.”

“You are now going?”

Bella nodded and returned the phone. “Nana is going to fetch us.” Bella looked at Lamang, “ We would just return the clothes soon.”

“It is alright, you do not need to worry. Should I wake Lucas up?”

“Oh, no. It is okay, tita. Just let him rest.”

Lamang stood up and Lucas’ mother as well. Lucas’ father just looked at them.

“All right, both of you, take care. Thank you again for saving my son,” she said as she directed them to the door.

“You can come back, anytime.”

“We will,” Bella replied. Lucas’ mother smiled.

Bella and Lamang went out of the door. Bella waved to bid them good bye as they walked away from the house.

Some people were looking at them. The fiesta was already finished but they were still stalls selling some stuff. Bella saw some girls whispering on each other’s ears while looking at Lamang. Bella looked at him and it seemed he did not notice that girls were talking about him. He was busy looking at every products that he passed by. He looked like he was amazed.

Bella stopped from walking when someone blocked her way. It was the faith healer. She looked at her from head to toe and her attention went to Lamang as well and assessed him from head to toe.

“Uhm, hello. Do you need something?” Bella bravely asked. The way the faith healer looked at her gave her chills to the spine. She felt she was having goosebumps.

“Where was the ‘habak’ I gave you?” she asked.  Bella thought of the red pouch that she threw on one of the corners of her room.

“In my room,” she nervously admitted.

The old woman’s eyes squinted. She held her wrist. Lamang noticed it but he could not pass through. There was a barrier between them and the old woman. She moved between them. Lamang stepped back to not touch the barrier. He would burn.

“I told you to always keep it with you. To protect yourself,” the old woman said as she gripped Bella’s arm tightly.

“You are hurting me,” Bella said as she clenched her left eye because the old woman held her left arm tightly.

“Why are you associating yourself with one of them?” the old woman asked as she turned her head to looked at Lamang.

“I do not know what you mean,” Bella lied.

“You will regret it if you do not heed to my advice,” the old woman warned.  At the same time, the cold wind blew on her face. The old woman let go of her.  “Get away, as soon as possible,” she said and leave Bella confused of what she was saying.

Lamang immediately walked towards her as the old woman was already away. “Are you fine? Do you know her? I could not pass through her. She had a barrier with her.”

“She spoke to me weeks ago. She warned me about something.”

Lamang looked at him, “About what?” he asked.

Bella looked at him in the eyes, “About you.”

“About me?” Lamang asked.

He knew he would not hurt her. Why would she received a warning about me?

“She knows about your kind. She told me to stay away.”

Lamang stepped back.

If Bella would listen to her then Lamang would not have any place to stay if he let him stay away. Bella shook her head.

“Let us just do not mind her,” she said and held Lamang’s wrist. “Nana would be in any minute. She said to wait on the church.”

Lamang just let Bella dragged him. He was thinking about the old woman. She had a strong barrier to let them get away from her radius. She had knew instantly, too, that he was not like them. She knew that he was an engknato and stood between him and Bella to separate both of them. She could be really serious about Bella being in danger with him.