Almost Eternally

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Birthday

Kasalukuyan akong nag-aayos ngayon dahil birtday na ni tita mamaya. Lumabas ako sa kwarto ko para ipa-tie ng maayos kay Lola ang necktie ko.

"Aalis ka?" Auntie Setiel asked. Tumango ako. Nakapaikot sa leeg ko ang necktie. Tiningnan niya ito.

Lumapit siya sakin tiyaka inaayos ang necktie ko.

"Sorry pala this pass few days ha?" She's sincere. Pinitik ko naman ang noo niya na ikinainis niya. Buti nalang tapos na niyang ayusin ang necktie ko. "But I'm not."

"Ano ba?!" Sabay hawak niya sa noo niya. I just chuckled.

"Ang sungit mo kasi non. Just took my revenge." Ngisi ko. Napailing na lang siya.

"Anong oras ka uuwi?" She asked. I just shrugged my shoulder.

"Ewan ko. Depende siguro kina tita." I said then she nod.

"Take care." I nod.

"Una na ako. Huwag kayong aalis ni Angelie sa bahay nang hindi nagpapaalam kay Daddy o kay lola." She chuckled. I smile when I heard her chuckled.

"Opo, daddy." Asar naman niya.

Bumaba na ako. Nadatnan ko si Lola na nanonood sa sala.

"Oh? Aalis kana? Nagpaalam na sa daddy mo?" Tumango ako tiyaka humalik kay lola.

Pinaandar ko na ang sasakyan ko para makarating kaagad sa party. Habang papunta ako, nag ring ang cellphone ko hudyat na may tumatawag. It's Cassidy. Nilagay ko ang bluetooth earphone, sa tenga ko and answered her call.

"Adam!" She greeted me happily. I chuckled at her reaction.

"Cass." Natatawang tawag ko.

"I'm just checking on you. On the way?"

"Yup. Did you miss me that much?" Asar ko sa kanya.

"Duh. My mom just checking on you, Mr. Suarez." Maarteng wika niya.

"Oh? But I feel like you're the one."

"Assumero! I will hang up now. Just call me if you are already here, okay? Take care!"

"Okay."

She hang up the call at nagpatuloy naman ako sa pagmamaneho. Nung nasa village na nila ako, I immediately go to their house.

As usual, madaming tao. I called her to inform I'm already outside. Lumabas siya nang may ngiti sa labi and she hugged me. I chuckled.

"I thought your mom?" I teased. Hinampas naman niya ako sa braso.

"Let's go?" Yaya niya sakin.

I put my hand on her shoulder. Inakbayan ko siya. She's wearing a gold long sleeve dress.

Nakita ko kaagad sina tita at tito na may kausap. Paniguradong businessman at businesswomen ang dumalo sa party na ito. Kaagad ding umalis ang kausap nila kaya lumapit na kami sa kanila.

"Mom. Adam is already here." Cassidy updated. Nagmano ako sakanila.

"Good evening po. Happy birthday po tita." Ngiting bati ko. Tumango si tito while tita is smiling to me.

"Let's go inside so that we can eat dinner." Anyaya ni tita.

Nauna naman silang naglakad sa amin at nasa likuran kami ni Cassidy.

Katabi kong umupo si Cassidy sa long table. Mukhang mga kamag-anak nila ang nandito.

"Where's your son?" Tanong ni tita sa isang may edad na babae.

"I told him to get a date. Siguro ay sinundo pa ang ka-date niya." Natatawang wika nito. "Is he your boyfriend iha?" Sabay baling kay Cassidy. Ngumiti ako ng bahagya sa kanya.

"Nope. He's my best friend po." Nakangiting sagot ni Cassidy.

Isang pamilyar na lalaki at babae naman ang nakita kong papalapit sa lamesa namin. Lumapit ang lalaki sa babaeng nagsalita kanina at humalik. Lalong napakunot ang noo ko nang makita ang babaeng kasama niya.

"Sorry I'm late mom." Panimula ng lalaki.

"Happy birthday tita." Sabay baling niya sa mama ni Cassidy.

"So I bet she's your date for tonight, son?" Ngiti ng babae. Agad tumango si Kobe.

"Yes mom." Tumango-tango naman ang mommy niya.

"Oh I see. Sit." Utos niya sa dalawa.

Umupo sila. Katapat ko siya ngayon. Nang mag-angat siya ng tingin laking gulat niya noong makita niya ako. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay. She didn't say this to me earlier.

"Oh by the way Cassidy. You two look together. I'm looking forward for your wedding someday." Ngiti ng babae. Ngumiti lang si Cassidy nang naiilang.

Lumapit ako sa kanya para mabulong ko ang itatanong ko.

"Is Kobe your cousin?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess so. I think that's mom's second cousin." She replied. I nod. "Is she dating Kobe?" She asked me. Like what she did, I shrugged my shoulder.

"I don't think so." May diin na wika ko.

Pinagpatuloy namin ang pagkain, minsan ay napapasulyap ako sa kanila. Sweet. Tss.

Natapos na kaming kumain tiyaka pumunta sa garden nila Cassidy. Naupo kami sa isang upuan doon.

"Are you not bored?" She asked. Umiling ako.

"I'm not. Well, this is not an ordinary party for a teenager." I honestly said.

I looked in their garden. So many roses. That's my mom's favorite. How I hope she's on our side while we're growing.

"Well, i'm bored!" Wika niya. Nalipat sa kanya ang tingin ko. "Let's stroll around?" Nakangising tanong niya. Ginulo ko ang buhok niya.

"Did you drink your medicine?" I asked, she pouted.

"Yup! So let's go? I'm so bored!" Tiyaka siya nag-unat ng kamay.

"Okay. Let's go." I hold her hand at lumabas ng bahay nila.

Pinagbuksan ko siya ng pintuan tiyaka ako umikot para makasakay na.

"So where are we going?" I asked. She put her finger on her chin, she's thinking.

"Hmm? I want to go to the park?" I chuckled. Seriously?

"Park? I thought you're bored?" I started the engine.

"Yup. I just want to look around and observe people." Nakangiting sagot niya.

"Why? Can't you observe people at the party?" She can observe people at her mom's party.

"I can. But they are all businessmen and business women, some of them are wearing a mask." I nod, she's right. "I want to observe normal people." I chuckled.

"But businessmen and businesswomen are also normal people." I told her. She chuckled.

"Ih! Basta! Like you know. Ih. You don't understand me." Frustrated na sagot niya.

"I understand okay? I'm just teasing you." I answered, that's true.

Nakarating kami sa isang public park kung saan marami pang tao ang nandoon. Ang sigla-sigla pa ng park. Sabagay, malapit na ang araw ng mga puso. Maybe others celebrated here.

Pinagkislop ko ang kamay namin ni Cassidy.

"I don't think our outfit fit on this place." Wika niya habang iniikot ang tingin sa mga tao.

She's right. I'm wearing formal attire like her. How can our outfit fit in this place?

Nakita ko ang iba na nakatingin samin. May iba na nagbulungan at tumawa. Oh well, how can I forgot that this is a society? Besides, wala naman sinabi na bawal ang formal attire sa isang park. Nakagawian lang natin na simpleng damit ang suot natin kaya ngayon ay parang bago at nakakatawa sa paningin ng iba.

Umupo kami sa isang bench.

"Did you already observe people?" I asked. She nodded.

"They are looking at us like we created a crime. We're just wearing formal attire. Does this park have a dress code?" She asked. That's why I like her. Our mindset is the same.

"They are not just looking but also laughing at us." I said. She nodded.

"I hope no one will capture us and upload it on social media." She laughed. "That's society, instead na sabihin nila sa atin ang problema they will posted it on social media." She has a point.

"Look like we need to go home? Your innocent mind." Nakangiwing wika ko.

"No, I like it better. I want to observe because I need to." Umiling-iling naman ako.

"New story eh?" She chuckled.

"You already knew me!" Masayang wika niya.

"How can't I knew you? You're my best friend since then." I said. Tumango siya tiyaka ngumiti.

We stayed for about a hour and we decided to go back.

"I learned something tonight." She said.

"What is it?"

"The society can judge us easily." Makahulugang wika niya.

Nang makarating na kami sa bahay nila. Pumasok pa rin ako para makapagpa-alam.

"I enjoyed it! Thank you." Then she hugged me. I chuckled. Her parents saw us and walked toward us.

"Ohh. Good to see the both of you that close." Her dad said. Tumango lang ako at ngumiti.

"Where did you go?" Her mom asked. Agad naman umiling si Cassidy.

"Garden." Ngiti niya.

"Tito, tita. I need to go home." I said. Tumango sila sakin.

"Thank you for coming iho." Nakangiting wika ng mama niya.

"Thank you for inviting me tho." I said.

I bid my goodbye and greeted her mom a happy birthday again. Nang palabas na kami sa bahay, I saw Kobe and Setiel near the gate.

"Puntahan ko lang si Auntie." I said at nginuso ang kinaroroonan nila.

"Sama ako." Cassidy said at humabol sa akin.

Nakita ko na mukhang busy silang nagkukuwentuhan and they are happy. Napatingala sakin si Setiel nang matama ang pagdating ko sa pwesto nila.

"Adam." Tawag niya. I smiled kahit na kinagat ko na ang labi ko.

"Let's go home." Tumayo siya kaagad, ganon din ang ginawa ni Kobe.

"Chill bro, I will drive her home." Nginitian ko siya ng isang sarcastic na ngiti.

"It's already eleven, auntie." Paalala ko kay auntie Setiel. Tumango siya tiyaka tumingin kay Kobe.

"Sorry Kobe, Thank you for tonight! I enjoyed it." Ngiti niya. Tiyaka kinuha ang kanyang pouch sa upuan.

"I will drive you home." Presinta pa rin niya.

"No. I will. Iisang bahay lang naman kami. Remember?" I asked. Nagkuyom ang kamao niya.

"Let's go." I grabbed auntie Setiel wrist at umalis doon.

Sinundan kami ni Cassidy. Pinasakay ko na sa kotse si Auntie Setiel and turn to Cassidy.

"Thank you for tonight." Ngumiti siya sakin, pero parang may mali sa ngiti niya.

"Thank you too." She smiled.

"No worries." I said.

Nagpaalam ulit ako sa kanya tiyaka sumakay sa kotse. Nakita ko si auntie Setiel na malayo ang tingin, mukhang malalim ang iniisip.

"Something bothering you?" I asked. Agad siyang umiling at ngumiti.

"What is it? You can tell me." Umiling siya.

"I can't." Napakunot ang noo ko sa sagot niya.

"Why?" I asked.

"Nothing." I clenched my jaw.

"Why are you with that man? You didn't tell me. What is the score between the two of you?" I asked. Pagod siyang bumuntong hininga.

"He's courting me that's it." She closed her eyes as if she's telling me she will sleep.

I let a deep sigh. Something's bothering her and that's making me bothered.