Within the Walls

Chapter 18

 The sun danced through the curtains and onto my squinting eyes that adjusted to the sudden gleam of the morning light. I sat up from the bed, stretching every limb on my body. A sudden pop jolting me awake. Wait, did I die? I thought to myself as I patted every inch of my face. Still warm. Good. Wow, I woke up feeling stupid. I giggled to myself as I shoot up from bed, the curtains frolicking from my entrance.

 I slid on my bakya, gliding through the polished wooden floor and onto the capiz windows. I took a sharp breath with closed eyes, letting the musky scent of the mango tree, along with its sweet tang infiltrate my nostril, into a satisfying exhale. Suddenly, I’m face-to-face with the lone mango tree branch, swaying in the gentle breeze.

 I gulped, staring into the branch. Flashes of what happened last night played like a video camera in my mind. Gazing down on the grass, Aurelio and I sat with our hands propping us forward. I felt my heartbeat quickened as his hands inched closer to mine, almost touching until the servant broke our moment. I placed my hand on my cheek, feeling my hot skin that grinned subconsciously.

 “Magandang umaga, Ligaya.” He greeted me with a good-morning with a small smile. His body leaning on the door frame with crossed arms.

 “Ma–magandang umaga–Aurelio.” I blabbered, my gaze not meeting his as I occupied myself with the other stuff in the room. Examining every little thing even the speck of dust that floated in front of my face. Curious, I tried to find where it came from. Not even realizing when I looked back up was my reflection.

 “AHH!” I jumped, falling into the ground bottom-first, dazed for a short while.

 “Ligaya!”

 I could hear Aurelio’s hurried footsteps growing closer and closer, then, seeing his black leather shoes. I gazed up, his hand offered to me, gesturing for me to stand up. Hesitantly, I gripped his warm, tender hand, trying to pull myself up. But, I didn’t realize the strength I have or how light Aurelio is.

 He stumbled to ground. “Wo–aah.”

 Closing my eyes to mentally protect myself from the impact, until, a warm breath jolted my fluttering eyes wide open.

 Aurelio’s body…on top of mine. His piercing, dark brown eyes sparkling. His rapid breathing, feeling the upward and downward motion of his chest on mine. My whole body clenched, as I am pinned down by his figure.

 “Uhh…” Aurelio muttered, his eyes still agape and staring at mine.

 “Uhh…” I did the same, my hands clasped at the center of my chest.

 “Ligaya!” A familiar voice boomed from the doorway. Both of us turned our heads. We quickly stand up, brushing off the imaginary dust. The two of us not looking at each other.

 The room fell silent, but my father’s fuming anger lurked inside the room as he stormed inside, almost shoving Aurelio off my side. “Nakahanda na ang almusal, halina.” He wasn’t inviting me to eat breakfast, rather, he was commanding me. He didn’t budge until I walked outside the doorway. I glanced to Aurelio’s direction before leaving, he stood there, one hand rubbing his nape. “Let’s go.” My father fumed.

 I sighed, but there’s nothing I can do.

 “Pa,” trying to call his attention and stopping in the middle of the bedroom hallway, “aksidente lang po yun, nahatak ko po siya nang malakas kaya–” I tried to explain it was an accident from my overpowered pull. But he cut me mid-sentence, raising a flat palm. I pursed my lips, quieting myself.

 Helpless, I walked forward and into the grand doorway where the massive living room decorated with beige couches lined with metal flourishes, polished furniture from the coffee table to the center table that housed a blazing blue china vase. I didn’t see these before, I wonder where they came from.

 “Like the vase?” A proud, loud voice boomed from behind me.

 I took a sharp breath before replying. “Opo, it’s beautiful.” I agreed, remarking about its beauty as well.

 “Found it last night, it just sat there at the door.” He looked far away, as if reminiscing the time he got it.

 “Last…night.” My father muttered. Suddenly, his eyes gaped, rushing to the vase and clutching it to his body. Dashing to one of the capiz windows that I think led to the lawn. He hurled the vase outside, then, tumbling near us. A few seconds passed, a loud explosion erupted, along with the cracking of ceramic. Aurelio swung his head from the doorway, as if trying to listen in on what happened

My father traipsed to Aurelio’s father, his eyes widened from shock. He placed his hand on his shoulder and sighed while looking down. “Gregorio, gamitin mo naman utak mo.” Lightly scolding him about using his brain with a glare.

 “But–” Gregorio, Aurelio’s father’s name apparently, dumbfounded.

 “Tayo’y nabibilang sa mga,” he turned his head and in a hushed voice said, “rebolusyonaryo, maraming maaaring mangyari.” My fathet explaining them being part of the revolutionaries comes with drastic events.

 “How should my father know?” Aurelio stormed to the front of my father, anger present in his face.

 “Listen here you brat, one wrong move and we’re going to be executed, hear me! So just shut up and be smarter than this.” My father hissed, all while not raising his voice. He isn’t like this. He’s supposed to be happy-go-lucky, always smiling, and he’s much more gentle than this. What happened to my father in those weeks? I looked down on my hands, feeling Aurelio’s stare at me as he scoffed. Turning his heel as he shook his head, rushing down the stairs and opening the entrance door, slamming it shut behind him.

 Gregorio stood up, a scowl formed on his face, but not directed to my father. He glared at the window where the vase was flung, he walked towards it, and gazed down. He looked back up, then turning to us.

 “Paumanhin Placido, hindi dapat ako nabulag sa mga walang katuturang bagay tulad na iyon, kailangan pa tayo ng ating bayan.” Gregorio preached about he shouldn’t be blinded by such feeble things for he is still need by the country.

 The two men nodded and shook hands. “Si Aurelio?” Greogorio asked about his son.

 An idea popped into my head. “Me, me, me. I’ll find him.” Without even awaiting their reply, I rushed down the stairs in an almost skip-like manner, a smile forming on my face and a surge of energy pulsing through me.

 “Ligaya Josefina! Di ako papayag!” My father barked, saying he doesn’t approve, it's as if he knew what i was thinking.

 “Bu–”

 “Hindi, ako ang maghahanap!” 

 As he said those words, he descended the stairs past by me. I felt like my feet’s glued to the wooden steps and my body stiffened.

 “You know," Gregorio paused, staring onto the open door, "he’s changed, he wasn’t like this.”

 If I could just say I already knew. He would c***k a joke at times like these, always lighting up the mood. But now, he always had a permanent scowl on his face. And the outgoing father that pushed me to mingle with other guys...vanished.     

    "What happened to you, tay." I muttered to myself with tears almost pricking my eyes.