Wind and Sail

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Dayn’s POV

“Did you have fun, Chivas?” I asked him while his eating his mango flavored ice cream.

“What about you, Sir? What are you having for today?” the staff asked the customer behind me.

“Vanilla coconut please,” he answered. I immediately recognized the voice.

Disgusting, who eats vanilla-coconut ice cream?

There were two staffs assisting the customers. She asked what I am going to have so I answered, “I’d like the mint chocolate chip, please.”

“Disgusting, who eats chocolate with mint in it?” somebody murmured, he might be thinking that no one heard it, but I did! I did!

Oh my gosh, the audacity! I pursed my lips and closed my eyes… trying to hold everything inside. I turned to the man behind me.

“Me!” I squinted my eyes and pointed my finger to myself. “Is there any problem with that, Mr. Sxan Atticus del Montecillo?” I do have to lower my voice when I said that.

Tumabi siya nang kaonti nang may dumaan sa tabi niya. “Uhm, what are you talking about?” he denied.

I scoffed, “Really? You are going to pull that card?”

He put his hands on my shoulder and turned me back around. The staff was handing my ice cream in front of me. “Paghihintayin mo siya, Dayn? Hindi lang ikaw ang customer.” Lumapit sa sa tainga ko at ibinulong iyon.

Kinuha ko ang ice cream sa staff nang nakangiti pero nung pagharap ko sa kaniya ay magkasalubong na ang mga kilay ko at masama ang tingin sa kaniya.

Inaya ko nang umuwi si Chivas dahil mag-aalas otso niya ng gabi. Nagpabili muna siya ng kakainin naming sa loob ng sasakyan pauwi. Pizza ang pinili niya, Zagu naman ang napili namin na inumin. Tinanong ko rin siya kung kailangan niya gumamit ng restroom bago kami umuwi, hindi naman daw.

Habang nagd-drive ako, kumakain na si Liquor sa likod ng sasakyan, kapag humihinto dahil sa traffic o red light ay lumalapit siya sa akin para subuan ako. Ipinaalam ko na rin kay Ate na pauwi na kami at nakakain na, kaya huwag na nila kaming hintayin pa para kumain.

“Tita,” tawag niya sa akin.

“Hmm? Yes, what is it?”

“What’s the name of the guy again earlier who was behind us and bought vanilla coconut flavor?”

Napa-oh ang bibig ko sa tanong niya. “Uhm, as I recall, it was Sxan, I think?”

He sipped his drink first before asking another question. “He was the one who came with you to play with me the hostage-an play, right?”

“Uh, yeah. Why?” I engaged my foot to the accelerator when I noticed the light switched to green.

“Nothing. He just looks so cool, and I like him a lot. Is he your boyfriend, Tita?” I almost pressed the brake a little too hard when he asked that.

Why does he keep interrogating me about him?

“Cool? Is he though? And no, he is not my boyfriend Chivas. Just eat there and stop asking questions,” I uttered.

This boy really knows how to put me off guard.

“Eh tita what abou---”

“… do not talk while you are eating,” I cutted him off. He understood that and finally, the car was filled by silence---

“Uh Tita?” Oh my gosh! Kids are… ugh!

“I told you to not speak when your mouth is full,” I said without taking my off the road.

“My mouth is completely empty from foods.” I saw him on the rear-view mirror

 opening his mouth to show me.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is it?” I surrendered.

“Uhm, what is soulmate po?”

Okay, how am I supposed to answer that?  Kids do like to ask serious question and I know he is not going to stop bugging me unless I fulfill his curious mind.

“Soulmate could be the person you are going to marry, your friend, your mom, it could be anyone, but it would surely reconstitute your world. Soulmate will turn the blaring beats of the drum to an introspective, halcyon, and tranquil sound of a violin. Soulmate can turn a badly written book to an eloquently written poetry. It is someone who knows you better than anyone else, who could recognize the pain behind your generous smile, the sorrow behind the radiant eyes, and the love behind your anger. The one you share your struggles and wins with; soulmate is the one who burns for you. Soulmate bleeds for you,” I explained as if he would understand everything I just said.

I glanced at him and he’s fast asleep with pizza stains on his clothes.

“Liquor.” I gently tapped his shoulder. “We have arrived, let me help you get down.” I held his hands tightly but gentle as he stepped out of the car. He almost tripped, good thing I got a hold of him. I think his half-asleep.

“Oh, mabuti naman at nakauwi na kayo,” bungad ni Ate.

I shushed her by placing my finger on my closed mouth. “He fell asleep in the car, help me bring him upstairs,”

She stood up and went to us.

“Be careful ha,” she said when we got to the stairs. We have finally brought him upstairs.

“Punta na ako sa bedroom ko Ate ha? Ikaw na bahala riyan, inaantok na ako, e,” paalam ko. Tango lamang ang isinagot niya kaya umalis na rin agad ako.

Pagbalik ko sa kuwarto ko ay dumiretso na agad ako sa banyo para maghilamos at magtanggal ng make-up. Maaga pa pero antok na antok na talaga ako, baka dahil na rin sa pagod noong naglaro kami ni Chivas sa arcade.

Paano naman na nandoon si Sxan? Sinusundan niya ba kami? O nagkataon lang talaga?

Natigil ang pag-iisip ko nang may kumatok sa pinto ko. “Dayn? Your uniform has arrived, Here oh.” She then handed my uniforms to me, I said thanks before she left though.

I sat in front of my vanity table and started doing my skincare, nang natapos ay kinuha ko ang laptop ko at lumipat sa study table. Binuksan ko iyon at nagsimulang maghanap ng impormasyon tunkol sa D.S. May nalakap din akong impormasyon tungkol sa pagkamatay ni Dark. Balita ko nagkagulo raw sa Undergound noong gabi na iyon.

May mga tinanong na rin ako tungkol sa D.S na iyon. Naghahanap pa ako nang may dumating na email sa akin. It was from the other investigator I hired, I opened it and started reading its content. It says here that D.S. means…

“Dark Society? Dark Society is the new name of the group, it was changed due to some rumors that someone left without notice and made the boss fusing mad,” I read it loudly. It’s me, I am the rumor.

After some time, another email has come through. It was about Dark’s daughter, Karina Alvarez, she is 24 and is now settled in Australia and working as a model? There was also an attached picture of her. In a short span of time, she has grown a little bit too much. She indeed looks like a model. She is very pretty, but she’s surely wicked just like his father.

Dark was also buried the day after he died. Sabi rito, hindi na raw nakaabot si Karina sa libing ng tatay niya dahil sa sunod-sunod na delayed flights. I shut my laptop down and went to sleep.

“Damn, let me sleep for just another five minutes?”

“Five minutes? Your alarm was going to ring in five minutes.” I recognized Clein’s voive.

“Ate naman, e. Bakit mo naman inuunahan yung orasan ko? Asan na ba?” Kinapa ko ang orasan sa side table ko habang nakapikit pa ang mga mata. Nang nahawakan ko na ay mayroon nalang biglang humablot kaya naidilat ko ang mga mata ko. I saw her standing beside my bed, so I asked her, “What are you doing?” I irritay asked.

“If I let you hold this clock, we all know what’s going to happen when this finally rang. This would surely break into pieces and dead.”

“Alright, I’ll get up na,” I said then sat right up, my eyes are forced open. I watched her remove herself in my room. When she wasn’t there anymore, I lay back down, but I got up again so fast that everything spun for a second when she entered back again.

“You stupid ass. Get up or swear to God, bubuhusan na kita ng kumukulong tubig. Tingnan ko lang kung hindi magising diwa mo riyan.”

Kakamot-kamot ako sa ulo na bumangon kahit na hilong-hilo talaga ako. Papasok sa banyo ay nauntog pa ako sa glass door ng shower. Maiyak-iyak na ako sa frustration lalo na noong hindi ko mabuksan ang shampoo.

Pagtapos ko maligo ay nag-ayos na ko para makapagbihis ako, isusuot ko na ang bagong uniform ko na dumating. Mabuti naman at nalabhan na ito. Pagkatapos kong tuyuin ang buhok ko ay isinuot ko na ang knee length na palda, white blouse with black strips going down from the 5 inches from the shoulder and has two pockets in lower part of the blouse, at 1.5 inches heels closed toe black shoes. Inayos ko na ang mga dadalhin ko at saka itinali ang buhok ko nang mataas.

I checked mysekf at the mirror and I saw perfection. It fits me well and compliments my body, it doesn’t look awkward. It’s pretty and neat looking.

Kahapon lang dinala ang uniform kaya noong first day ang suot ko ay jeans, sneakers, at white printed shirt na may print ng The 1979.

Bumaba na ako para kumain. Nakita ko sila na nasa hapag-kainan na at ito naman si Ate, dating gawi, habang ang lahat ay kumakain, inaasikaso niya si Liquor.

"Wow! Tita the uniform looks perfect on you,” bati ni Liquor sa akin.

"Ang iksi naman niyan. Pang mayaman ang eskwelahan mo tapos walang pambili ng tela," umiiling na puna niya.

Ayan na, nagsimula na naman siya. Kapag si Liquor, puring puri ako. Kapag si Ate, lait na lait ang kagandahan ko. Parang hindi kapatid, e.

"Stop me, Ate. Inggit ka na naman, don't worry I have 3 more skirts. Kung gusto mo manghiram sabihin mo lang at ika’y pahihiramin ko, alam mo naman na hindi matitiis, ‘diba?" 

She rolled her eyes at me. "Ay talaga ba? Hindi ko ata alam ‘yan. New knowledge, ha. Grabe, so helpful.”

“Ano ba iyan, late ka talaga lagi, no?”

“Alam mo, Dayn. Manahimik ka na lang puwede ba? Tigilan mo ako Dayn. Agang-aga, oh,” her voice now sounds irritated. I’m going to annoy her more.

Napataas ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya.

"Iinisin mo na naman ako, Dayn. Araw-araw na lang bang sakit ka sa ulo ko?" Dugtong ko sa mga sinabi niya.

"Dapat sa’yo hindi na pinapakain." Nalaglag naman ang panga ko sa sinabi niya.

"What the heck? Aba gumagrabe ata ang parusa mo sakin, hindi na makatarungan. Mga magulang ko nga tiniis ako tapos ikaw hindi?" Sagot ko. “At saka ikaw ‘tong unang pumansin sa akin noong bumaba ako. Duh.”

"Akala mo naman sinusunod. Tss,” she hissed. Why does she hiss like a snake?

"Syempre alangan namang sundin ko ang hindi pagpapakain sa sarili? Edi na-deads na pinakamaganda mong kapatid sa buong universe." I defended.

“Ikaw lang naman kapatid kong babae sa buong universe, Dayn. Wala akong choice. Sa tingin mo kung ampon ka ikaw yung pipiliin nila Mama?”

Nilagay ko ang kamay ko sa dibdib ko at umarte na para bang nasaksak sa puso. “Napakasakit mo naman magsalita! Ganiyan ka na ba talaga? You are done! You are done!” I said then walked out of there while stomping my feet lightly.  

Inirapan niya lang ako at inibutan ako ng hair pins. “Anong gagawin ko rito?” I asked.

“Kainin mo. Malamang ilalagay mo sa buhok mo? Ano ba, Dayn? Hilo ka ba?” pagkasabi niya noon ay umalis na siya at hindi ako pinansin.

Sinubukan kong ilagay ang pins sa buhok ko pero hindi niya nakukuha kaya bumabagsak na lang ulit. Lumapit sa akin si Ate at hinablot ang mga hair pins na hawak ko at siya mismo ang nagkabit sa akin.

Niyakap ko siya bago pa siya makalayo. “Yie, thank you! Love na love mo talaga ako, noh?”

“Oo na, bitawan mo na ‘ko.” Pagkasabi niya noon ay saka ko pa lang siya binitiwan.

Pinagpagan niya ang palda ko bago niya ako papasukin sa sasakyan papuntang school. Pagbunot ko ng panyo sa bulsa ko ay may kasamang nahulog na maliit na papel.

Ingat, do well in school. Love you!

-Ate

Napangiti ako sa nakalagay at itinabi iyon sa loob ng wallet ko.