After Death (TAGALOG)

Kabanata Bente Uno

What is the true meaning of friendship?

The definition of a true friendship is someone who has your back, no matter what. They watch out for you and ensure you are not in danger. They will never purposely lead you into making decisions that aren't good for you. A true friendship will always have your best interest at heart.

That's how Asta describe his friendship with Amir. Bakla mang pakingan pero ito ang totoo. Hindi naman siya loner na tao, sadyang namimili lang siya ng taong kakaibiganin.

Binalikan niya si Patricia kung saan niya ito pinahatid sa kanyang assistant. Naabutan niya itong nakaupo ng tuwid sa sopa ng kanyang opisina.

"Hey," bati niya dito.

Pagkatapos ng napag-usapan nila ni Amir, nawalan na siya ng gana. Tumabi siya dito sa sopa at humiga, ginawa niyang unan ang binti ng babae.

"Let me take a rest for a bit..."

He knows she's also tired. Pero hindi lang naman pagod si Asta, pagod ang lahat sa kanya. His body, mind and soul is too exhausted that he wants to sleep for eternity.

Another information was given to him, another problem to think and solve. Or can he even solve it?

Patricia's scent helped him calm down. Siniksik niya ang ulo sa tiyan ng babae and inhaled her scent. She doesn't seem to mind his action, hinayaan siya nito at sinuklay pa nito ang kanyang buhok gamit ang sariling kamay.

Bit by bit, her caress and scent calmed him.

Nang makabawi ay naisipan na niyang bumangon. He looked at Patricia, matagal na niya itong napapansin pero ngayon niya lang sasabihin.

Patricia's beauty could compete with the greek goddess of beauty Aphrodite. Her features seemed like sculpted with a precise pattern and with a great dedication. She looked like an angel sent from heaven to bring peace on Earth.

"Do you want to go home?" tanong niya rito.

"I thought you know I'm homeless?"

He almost forgot, Patricia once told him she's broke. Hinilot niya ang sintido, sa lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay niya some little details like that was forgotten. Tumayo siya sa upuan at kinuha ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan.

"You can stay at my house for how long you want," saad niya, "Let's go, I know you're tired."

Tahimik lamang sila habang binabaybay ang daan patungo sa bahay niya. Sinulyapan niya ang babae. She's leaning on the door and looking outside the window. Hindi hindi na masyadong mainit dahil papalubog na ang araw.

These past few days he's with Patricia, napansin niyang hindi siya nito tinatanong tungkol sa personal niyang buhay ngunit marami itong alam tungkol sa kanya. For her, he seemed like an open book that she can easily read.

Tahimik ito palagi, patingin-tingin sa paligid, nag-oobserba, hindi niya mabasa kung anong iniisip nito, hindi rin ito pala-kwento. He don't have the guts to ask her about her personal life, may kung ano kasi sa aura nitong tila may pa-mysterious effect.

Nang dumating sila sa bahay niya, pinatulog niya ito sa guest room na tinulugan nito noong minsang tumuloy ito sa bahay niya.

"Are you comfortable here?" tanong niya dito habang nakasandal sa hamba ng pintuan.

"Yeah, thanks."

Napangiti siya. Siguro ay ito ang unang beses na nagpasalamat sa kanya ang babae. Ito ba? Ewan, hindi na niya maalala. Ang alam niya lang, nakakagaan ng loob kapag may nagpapasalamat sa'yo.

Simple little things like this makes him happy despite all the chaos in his mind.

"Are you hungry? Magluluto ako ng pagkain, what do you want to eat?" tanong niya rito.

Patricia stopped arranging her clothes to think. Pinigilan niyang lumapit dito at kurutin ang pisngi ng babae. She's just too cute while doing her 'thingking face'.

Kinagat niya ang labi. Sa totoo lang sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam niya but for some reason gumagaan ang pakiramdam niya habang pinagmamasdan si Patricia.

"Can I have adobo?"

Patricia looked up at him with a wondering eyes, her point finger is resting in her chin while her lips parted. Damn she looked so hot! Pakiramdam niya ay lahat ng kanyang dugo napunta sa taenga niya.

Tinakpan niya ang bibig at umatras. He can't let her see him like this. This is the first time he reacted like a horny bastard in this kind of innocent gesture!

What has gotten into you, Asta?! Get yourself together!

"O-okay..."

At nautal pa talaga siya. Dumiretso siya sa kusina matapos maligo at magpalit ng pang-bahay na damit. Nagluto kaagad siya ng pork adobo, mabuti nalang at may stock siya kahit ilang araw siyang nawala.

Hindi naman niya binilin sa caretaker na mag-stock ng pagkain, siguro ay si Amir ang gumawa nito nang pinabalik siya nito ng wala sa oras.

Malapit na siyang matapos sa ginagawa nang bumaba si Patricia at sinimulang ayusin ang hapag. Nakapag-saing na rin siya kanina at ngayon ay sinasalin na ni Patricia sa plato ang kanin.

While looking at her doing household chores in her pajamas, he suddenly thought of a ridiculous idea. They lookes like a newly wed couple!

Patricia is really cute in her white pajamas. Her hair is in a messy bun and she looked like a devoted wife right now.

Umiling siya para ialis sa isipan ang kakatwang ideyang iyon. Hinain na niya sa mesa ang ulam at umopo. Hindi na niya hinintay na mag-sign of the cross ang babae at inunahan na niya itong magdasal.

He thank the Lord for their safe travel and their food on the table. Pagkatapos ay kumain na silang dalawa ng tahimik. After sometime later, he was finished with his food so do Patricia and when he planned to clean their plates the woman decided to talk.

"Are you okay?"

Napalingon siya rito. "Huh?"

Is he hearing her right? This is the first time Patricia asked him if he's okay. Usually kasi, tahimik lang iting nago-obserba at nagsasalita lang kapag kailangan.

Obvious na obvious bang wala siya sa mood ngayon para mag-abala itong tanungin siya?

"You looked depressed," seryosong saad nito, "What did that guy said to you earlier?"

"You mean Amir?" Bumalik siya sa pagliligpit ng mga pinggan at pinunasan ang mesa ng malinis na basahan.

"I'm not depressed," saad niya dito, "I'm just tired."

"Yeah, and pigs could fly."

He sighed heavily. Patricia seemed to read all of him, she could say when he's lying, when he's okay or not, when he's not in the mood to talk.

Bumalik lahat ng pinag-usapan nila ni Amir kanina. Nilabhan niya ang basahan at piniga ng maayos bago sinampay sa gilid ng gripo. Sumandal siya sa lababo para humarap kay Patricia.

"Amir just found something intriguing..." He started.

"Like?"

Nagdadalawang isip siyang sabihin ito kay Patricia. Right now, he really think that depression is in their genes. He don't want to involve the woman in his issue any further.

But in the first place, she's already involved in this right? From the time she decided to stop him from commiting a suicide, she already involved herself in his mess.

He don't want to be selfish. Should he tell her anything or not?

"Bakit nagdadalawang isip kang sabihin sa akin ang lahat?"

Lumingon siya dito. She's still sitting in the stall and looking at him like he's the only one who matters the most to her.

How could I keep my silence when you are looking at me like that?

"I just think it's too much for you..." sagot niya dito.

"I'm the one who'll decide whether it's too much for me or not. What am I, a kindergarten?"

Napansin niya ang bahagyang pagkunot ng noo nito. Tumingala siya sa kisame para iwasan itong tignan, just looking at her angelic face makes him want to forget all his worries and cuddle with her all night.

But now is not the time for this kind of thing. Hindi stable ang buhay niya, kumakailan lang nang nagpatiwakal ang mga magulang at kapatid niya, he's also currently suicidal but as he think about it now, he thinks it's only now in a minimal condition.

How? All these time he just wanted to leave this chaotic world and be with his family. But right now, he just want to stare at this pretty fella in front of him.

Suddenly having the urge to give her some answers, he opened his mouth to speak.

"My parents got into an accident a few months ago, they sadly didn't make it leaving me and my sister behind," simula niya. He bowed his head, avoiding her eyes. "A month later, my sister got depressed in our parents' death that she drank a whole bottle of sleeping pills to suicide."

Nanatiling tahimik si Patricia at nakikinig sa kanya. Still avoiding her eyes, he choose to continue kahit nahihirapan na rin siya.

This is the first time he talked about his struggles to anyone. He didn't even had the heart to have a talk with Amir but with Patricia all seems in a good condition.

"My sister is the only thing in this world to keep me motivated, she's the only reason why I'm keeping myself cool and composed despite everything. She's only fourteen for God's sake, why did she have to do that?" naiiyak na ani niya.

His sister is eight years yunger than him, they we're close and he love his sister so much. Mabait ito at malambing, she's not hard to love and she's always thoughtful. Why did she need to do that? She's too young to burden herself with those heavyweight things. Why couldn't she just rely on him?

Huminga siya ng malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili. Patricia remained quite and listened to him patiently.

"Amir thought that my parents' accident is suspicious, so he investigated it himself without my knowledge."

He told her all what their conversation took. All throughout his blabbering, she listened intently and not a single emotion in her eyes. She didn't even showed a sign of pity. By the time he's finished, silence sat between them.

He decided to finally look at her to see her reaction, and he didn't expect what he saw.

Patricia's eyes has tears slowly dripping traveling down to her cheeks.