Of Lilies Time and Remorse

Chapter 10

“ Lucy dalhin mo na 'tong adobo sa kanila ni Levounne.”

My mom said while stirring her kaldereta. I got up from my seat, and picked my mom's adobo na nakalagay sa mamahaling pirex niya. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad, careful enough to prevent from tripping or spilling the adobo.

Apat na bahay pa ang dapat kong lampasan bago dumating sa bahay nila Tita Lev, isa sa mayayaman talaga naming kapitbahay. Napagkasunduan kasi na sa kanila mag cecelebrate ng New Year s***h Christmas party namin dito sa subdivision which is gawain na namin every year.

Although mayaman ang iba sa mga kapitbahay namin, the adults just agreed to cook different dishes at pagsasama-samahin na lang. They talk about it in their meeting last month.

I passed by Sixto's house. Nakita ko naman siyang lumabas at may dala-dala rin.

“ Ano naman 'yan?” I asked.

“ Dessert”

“ Na?”

“ Secret” he said as he gave me a lopsided smile.

I just frowned and rolled my eyes. Edi 'wag.

“ Paki ko ba”

I walked ahead. Nakakainis. Nagtatanong naman ako ng maayos.

He fastened his pace and now we're walking side by side. Nang dumating kami kila Tita Lev, inutusan niya lang kami na ilagay ang dala namin sa napakalaking table nila. Kahit pa ilang beses na akong nakapasok sa bahay nila, namamangha pa rin ako. Sobrang laki kasi at sobrang ganda.

Nakita ko na rin ang iba sa mga kapitbahay namin na kaniya-kaniya rin ng lagay sa mga inihanda nila.

“ Sabay tayo mamaya pagpunta dito ha?” napatingin ako kay Sixto ng nagsalita siya.

“ Bakit? Hindi ka ba makakapunta dito ng wala ako? Ako bang mga paa mo?”

I bombarded him with silly questions. Naiinis pa rin ako sa kaniya. Gaano ba kahirap sumagot ng matino? I was only starting a conversation kaya.

“ Basta”

I just nodded my head. Hindi naman kasi 'madaling' kausapin si Sixto. I looked at my side,  only to see Tita Lev with her husband Tito Syne. Kinakausap niya ito. I smiled. I kind of envy her. Ang sweet kasi nila. Halatang inlove na inlove sa isa't-isa.

Kahit pa nasa 40's na sila,  they still have that look in their eyes that you can easily determine how in love they are to each other. Sana all.

Tita Lev was staring at Tito Syne while the latter was just smiling and nodding his head,  listening to his wife as she tells him something that made her giddy and excited while he's just staring ahead.

“ Ang saya nila no?”

Nagulat ako ng nagsalita si Sixto. He probably noticed me staring at the couple.

“ Oo. Unta tanan.”

He laughed at my remark.

“ Ang swerte ni Tita Lev diba?” he said as he fixed his gaze toward the couple while putting his hands in his pockets.

“ Gwapo na si Tito, mayaman pa. Sobrang yaman.”

I immediately turned to him and s*****d him.

“ Aray! Ba't ba ikaw nananakit?”

“ Kailangan ba pati status sabihin mo? Hindi ba pwedeng swerte lang?”

I glared at him. Tinawanan niya naman ako. He faced me and bended his knees para magkalevel na kami.

“ Alam mo, hindi naman masyadong halata na number one supporter ka nila.”

I clicked my tongue. Totoo naman. Ako na yata ang pinaka fan nila Tita Lev. Simula bata ako,  gustong-gusto ko na ng marriage ng katulad sa kanila. They became my ideal relationship. 

“ Eh ano ngayon? Swerte din naman si Tito Syne kay Tita Lev.”

He now stood properly and touched his chin.

“ Hmm tama ka naman”

We walked silently. Iniisip ko pa rin sina Tita. Nakakainggit talaga. Hindi naman ako hyper talaga when it comes to relationships pero naiinggit talaga ako kina Tita. Papasok na sana ako sa bahay ng tawagin ako ni Sixto.

“ Luciandy”

I faced him. He leaned in their front door.

“ Yeah?”

“ Malay mo magkaroon ka rin ng Tito Syne version 2.0.”  he winked before he opened their door and went inside.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. Before going in,  I stick out my tongue in their house.

Whatever Sixto, whatever. 

Nakailang balik yata ako sa bahay nila Tita Lev para dalhin ang mga inihanda ni mama. Hindi ko na nakita si Sixto. Siguro ay nagkasalisi lang kami o di kaya ay tapos na sila sa handa nila. Apat na dishes kasi ang inihanda ni mama. Bumalik pa ako para dalhin ang share namin sa rice.

Mabuti na lang at natulog ako nong lunch time kaya hindi ako masyadong inaantok at energized naman kahit papaano. I started to doll up. I decided to wear a red sleeveless fitted crop top paired with a high- waisted denim shorts. I wore my white ankle cut shoes. I made my hair into a messy bun with loose hair strands to frame my face.

I decided to wear make-up din. Minsan lang ako mag ayos pero sinusulit ko na. I started by putting moisturizer in my face. I then put a little bit of concealer and foundation to cover up some of my blemishes. I set it with my 24k gold loose powder. I curled my lashes and applied mascara for volume.

I settled with a brown eye shadow na lang din. I applied a winged eyeliner, and put on some blush. I just brushed my brows upward with a dark brown shade, topped it with a brown eyeshadow and applied a brow gel.

I put lip balm on my lips first before putting on a nude matte lipstick. I then sprayed a makeup setting spray. Over all, I looked like a bad Asian girl. Not that I'm bad,  but I used it as a makeup inspo.

I spayed some perfume before I grabbed my phone and my paper bag. Ibibigay ko pa 'to sa manita ko.

Tinatawag na ako ni mama kaya bumaba na ako.

“ You look pretty,  Lucy” I smiled at my mom.

“ You too ma”

My mom's wearing a red and white bodycon dress. She straightened her shoulder length hair too. Mom and Tita Lev are in the same age actually.

Mom is actually beautiful. She's the perfect example for a voluptuous woman with all the curves in the right places. She had deep set of brown eyes, a pointed nose, pouty lips, fair complexion, brown curly hair which she straightened for tonight and a fairly chiseled face.

She got it from my grandpa with Spanish features. I got everything of her facial features except for the lips.

I got thin and cute lips which I got from my dad. Hindi din ako sobrang puti. Morena ako, which I also got from my dad. And lastly I've got straight jet black hair which, I also got from my dad.

I saw my dad enter our house. Saan siya galing?  I just shrugged my question. Baka may pinuntahan lang. He approached us and gave my mom a peck in the lips,  while he kissed my forehead.

“ You both look beautiful as always.” I smiled and said my thanks.

“ Let's go? Magsisimula na ang party”

We went outside and my dad closed our door. Lalakarin lang namin since malapit lang naman. Lumampas na kami kina Sixto ng may naalala ako.

“ Una na lang po kayo, sabay po kasi kami ni Sixto”

My dad smiled and gave me a weak push. My mom raised her brow at me and yet smiled later on. Naglakad na sila at narinig ko pang nagtanong si mama kung saan galing si papa. I didn't here his explanation na. They were out of earshot.

I went to Sixto's house. Siya pa ang nagyaya na sabay kami pero ako pa ang pupunta. Ang galing naman.

“ Sixto? Tao po”

Lumabas si Tito at Tita. Nagmano muna ako.

“ Oh,  si Sixto ba?” tanong ng mama ni Sixto.

“ Opo.”

They smiled at me.

“ Nasa kwarto niya. Sabay ba kayo?”

“ Opo Tita”  they smiled at each other again.

“ Napapadalas na ang pagpunta mo dito kay Sixto Lucy, ah? Kayo na ba?”

Nasamid naman ako sa tanong ni Tito.

“ Po? ” pagulat kong tanong. Hinampas naman siya ni Tita at pinanlakihan ng mata.

“ Ay haha nabanggit ko yata ang pagpunta mo dito Lucy” natatawang sabi ni Tita. Tumawa na lang din ako.

“ Wala namang problema sa akin kung kayo na Lucy” nagulat na naman ako sa sinabi ni Tito.

“ Naku,  hindi po. Friends lang po kami. ” nahihiya kong tugon. Nasaan ba kasi si Sixto?! Pa chicks naman siya masyado para puntahan pa.

“ Hmm ganon ba? But friendship is where it starts Lucy” 

Ngumiti na lang ako kina Tita at hindi na sinagot si Tito. Nagpaalam naman sila na mauna na.

I went upstairs at kumatok muna sa kwarto ni Sixto. Binuksan niya naman ito. I was greeted with his worried face.

“ Buti nandito ka na”

Hindi pa ako nakakasagot when he pulled me inside and closed his door. He looked at me feeling stressed.

“ Pakibalot naman ng regalo ko.” Jaw dropped. Nagpapasabay siya para lang dito?

“ Sige na Lucy tulongan mo na ako”

I crossed my arms across my chest.

“ Wala ka bang mga kamay?”

He sighed as he gestured at me to look at his table.

What...

What a mess!

Sobrang gulo ng mga wrapper at ng mga pinag guntingan. You can clearly see the creases na halatang paulit-ulit na ginawa.

“ Eh mama? Wala ka bang mama?”

“ I'm old enough to figure out things on my own.”

“ Yes. Old enough but you can not even wrap your gift properly. ”

I gave him an annoyed look.

“ Edi sana pinabalot mo sa department store.”

“ Paano ko ipapabalot kung last month ko pa yan binili para sa sarili ko? Hindi ko naman yan ginamit dahil hindi ko trip”

“ So hindi ka bumili ng bago?”

He just raised his brows in response.

“ Ang kuripot mo talaga”

“ Practicality.”

I rolled my eyes. Paano nga naman mababalot ng maganda eh hindi naman nilagay sa box man lang ang belt bag niya.

“ Wala ka bang box?” umiling lang naman siya bilang sagot.

“ eh paper bag? ”

“ wala din”

Napasapo na lang ako sa noo ko.

“ Mas maganda naman sa regalo yung pinupunit diba?”

“ Oo nga eh hindi ka naman marunong. Siguro naman may wrapper ka pa diyan?” tanong ko habang sinusubukan isalba ang mga wrapper. Hindi siya sumagot kaya tumingin ako sa kaniya. Konti na lang at masasapak ko na 'to si Sixto.

Rinig na rinig na namin ang boses ni Tito Sabby-Tita pala. Napakamot naman ng ulo si Sixto.

“ Wala na rin.” And for the tenth time I rolled my eyes.

Nag-iinit na ang dugo ko sa kaniya. I heaved a deep breath para kumalma.

“ Ganito na lang. Kumuha ka ng paper o kung ano man yun. Basta yung ginagamit niyo sa flower arrangement. ”

“ OK lang yun?”

“ May choice ka?”

“ Sabi ko nga kukuha na”

“ Pati na din ng red na ribbon.”

Iniisip ko na kung ano ang gagawin sa regalo ni Sixto. Bumaba na lang muna ako at tumakbo papunta sa bahay. Hinanap ko yung box ng rice cooker na binili ni mama last week. Hinihingal pa ako ng makabalik sa kwarto ni Sixto.

“ OK na to?”

He showed me the one he's holding. Silver na may print na bulaklak pero hindi naman makita dahil parang pressed lang. May dala din siyang ribbon. Tumango na lang ako.

Inilagay ko ang bag sa loob ng box. Hindi naman ganoon kalaki iyong box kaya okay lang.

“ Maghanda ka na kaya? OK na ako dito” sabi ko sa kaniya habang sinusukat ang wrapper sa box. Naramdaman ko lang na umalis siya at pumunta sa banyo.

Nang matapos ako ay naghintay na lang ako kay Sixto. Ilang sandali pa ay lumabas na siya sa banyo niya. Mukhang doon lang siya nag ayos. He styled his dark brown hair upwards. His wearing a dark red long sleeved polo which he rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. He paired it with his black shorts and a leather top shoes. I watched him wore his silver watch.

Sixto actually looks Chinese even though he's not. He's got this really black orbs and are really chinky that when he smiles,  you'd wonder where his eyes went. Nawawala kasi. He's really fair too. Akalain mong bampira. Matangos ang ilong niya and his lips are pressed in a cute yet manly way. When he smiles his dimples show with his set of pearly white teeth. He has this gummy smile too. He really looks cute if he want to,  but can look handsome if he wishes too.

Lalo na kapag suot niya ang glasses niya. He's a STEM student kaya one time he was our school's representative in the SIP. He looked really brainy and handsome with his white lab coat on.

Lumapit siya sa akin at kinuha ang regalo niya. He smells really nice and manly yet with the spice of youth. Ano kaya ang perfume niya? I sit still in his bed. Nagulat na lang ako ng ilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin. Itinaas niya ang kamay niya at hinawakan ang bandang mata ko.

“ Mag wish ka”

Napakurap ako ng ibinigay niya sa akin ang isang pilik mata ko. Umalis naman siya at pumunta sa table niya. I heaved a deep breath. I didn't know I was holding my breath when he went near.

I looked at my eyelash in my thumb. I said a wish before I blew it away.

Lumabas na kami. He closed their front door first. Nagsimula na kaming maglakad ng huminto siya. He looked at me and said.

“ Thank you Lucy”

I gave him a thumbs up.

“ And”

“And?” paguulit ko.

“ You look really mesmerizing tonight.”

I bit my lip to prevent  smiling. But damn my lip almost felt numb from my biting, I still couldn't contain my smile.