When the Stars Lead to You

02

"Really? May balak din sama kami itransfer 'tong mga bata and I haven't decided yet kung saan. But I guess we have made up our minds now."

I was just listening to the oldie's conversation about transferring schools while eating my fried chicken. I really love it when dad cooks for us. It's like we're eating in a five-star restaurant every day.

"Well, Maya and Devin can be classmates since they're the same age. Zae is two years older than Maya and Devin, right? While she's a year ahead of Laurent?" my mom asked.

"Yes. Though, I think our Laurent will continue his home studies until he can talk," tita Sora, the mother of ate Zae and Laurent, said.

After we ate, our parents allowed us to play inside my playroom here in the house. Ate Zae was brushing a doll's hair, Devin was jumping and running around like he's in a park, and Laurent was silently observing us.

"Oh, so you and Devin are cousins?" I asked ate Zae.

She nodded and gave me a thumbs up. "Me and Devin are cousins. While me and Laurent are siblings. Our mother and Devin's fathers are siblings," she explained.

Tumango nalang ako and played with my dolls. Ate Zae is like Sienna, and oh, they're the same age as well. Devin is like Rain, a ball of sunshine. While Laurent, he's like Veronika. Silent.

"Hello!" I greeted Laurent. It looked like I scared him because he looked panicked and scared of me. His eyes immediately showed signs of panic. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

He looked down and hugged himself. I kinda felt guilty because I remember he has trauma from what happened in his past tapos ginulat ko pa. Because of that, I gave him my shark stuff toy.

"You can hug this. I always hug my stuff toys whenever I'm scared." He looked hesitant at first but slowly took the stuff toy from my hand and hugged it tightly.

They didn't stay with us longer because our mom's said it was already our bedtime. I changed into my pajamas and laid down beside my dad.

"Daddy?" I asked him. He hummed in response. "Where is Laurent's daddy?"

He turned to me and pinched my cheeks. "You will know soon."

"When is soon?"

"Soon when you're big enough to know where Laurent's daddy is."

I slept na lang and decided to sleep while daddy and mommy were hugging me. When I woke up the next morning, I immediately went out our house after brushing my teeth. I didn't even bother to brush my hair that now looks like a bird's nest.

"Hello, my friends!" I waved at Devin and Laurent who were playing on the side of the road. I didn't see ate Zae so I looked around, but I didn't see her. "Where's ate Zae?"

"Oh, she hates the sun, so she's inside their house," Devin replied. "If the sun's heat touches her skin, she'll be like... Ohmygosh... am I dying?! The sun is hurting me! Make it go away!" he acted like ate Zae and even made his voice like a girl.

I laughed and played with them. It was just 6 in the morning so the sun is not that hot pa so we had time to play outside. Mom and dad usually lets me play outside until 7 am on weekends. they said the sun has vitamins for my skin.

"Where did you get this wound?" Devin asked me and pointed at my bandages. Laurent also looked at it too.

"Oh, I got it from my bike. I fell," paliwanag ko.

"Cool!" Devin exclaimed. "You know how to ride a bike?! Without training wheels?!" he asked me with wide eyes.

I nodded my head. "Ahuh," I wiggled my brows. "My mom thought me, and they took out the training wheels from my bike already."

"You can teach me and Laurent!" sabi pa ni Devin. Because of that, Laurent felt scared so i held his hand.

"It's okay. Bikes are not scary at all. Maybe you will fall but it's okay. That is how I got my wound! Cool right?!" I asked him.

He pouted and hugged the toy shark I gave him last night. I smiled by myself. I'm happy that my toy gave him comfort too.

After we played outside, pinapasok na ako ni daddy para makaligo na. I had nothing much to do today so after eating breakfast, I just watched cartoons sa tv but limited lang ang screen time because of my parent's orders.

"Mag eat ka na dito, Maya. Naku, kapag ikaw nalipasan ng gutom," Manang scared me.

Mom always scares me that if I skip a meal, I can't eat again like ever! And I'm scared... what if I don't get to eat again? I don't want to die because of hunger.

When it was already afternoon, I heard the sound of daddy's car in the driveway. On Saturday's, mommy and daddy goes out and eats lunch together sa labas. On Sunday's, we go to church and go to different places together.

"Daddy!" I ran outside and reached up my hand to him. He picked me up and kissed me on the cheek. "Mommy!" Mom also kissed my cheek.

"We brought food for you, my love. It's your favorite!" tinaas ni mommy ang dala nilang food.

"Pizza!" I exclaimed.

We went inside and then mommy took out the pizzas from the box and put in a plate. It was my favorite flavor too! I happily ate my pizza while my feet were dangling on the countertop.

"Mommy, can I give some to my friends?" I asked mommy when she got back from their bedroom with daddy.

She smiled softly and nodded. "Of course, do you want mommy to call their line?" she asked me, and I nodded.

Tumalon ako from the countertop and went to where we put our plates in. I looked up and realized that I couldn't reach it. I bit my lip and called daddy.

"Daddy, help!" he chuckled and reached down on me and helped me to get plates.

Not too long after, Laurent and Devin came to the house. Devin was as usual very energetic as well as Laurent, who was shyly walking towards the dining with the shark stuff toy.

"Let's eat! My mom and dad brought home a pizza!" I excitedly said while sitting on the stool. Devin sat in front of me while Laurent quietly sat beside me.

"Thank you po!" Devin smiled at my parents. While Laurent, because he couldn't talk, just looked at my parents and smiled a little.

Oh, he has deep dimples! How cute!

"Eat well," my mom ruffled Devin and Laurent's hair before kissing my cheek and went to the living room with dad.

"This is yummy!" Devin exclaimed and ate a mouth full of pizza. "I should ashk your mom where thish pisha came from sho my mom can buy thish too," he said.

"Don't talk when your mouth is full," I reminded him. "Do you like the pizza?" I asked Laurent and he just nodded. I laughed when the ketchup was smudged on the side of his lips.

"You know... I kind of find it hard to pronounce your name," sabi ko kay Laurent. What do they call that? Nabubulol? I sometimes make it hard to pronounce the letter r. "That's why, I'm going to call you Ali from now on!" I grinned.

It was the first name that came to my mind when I started thinking about what I should call him. When I first heard his full name, ganoon rin ang naisip ko. So maybe it was the perfect nickname!

"Nah, I still prefer Laurent," Devin objected.

"So? It will just be me, who will call him that!" I pouted and ate my piece of the pizza.

Ako kaya ang gumawa nung nickname na 'yun. It means, I'm the only one allowed to call him that. If they want, they can make him a new nickname. Just don't use mine.

After we ate, me and mommy walked Devin and Laurent to their houses to make sure they got home safe even though our house are only a few meters apart. After that, I changed into my pajamas.

But I didn't sleep. I walked up to my window to peak at Ali's room. His room is literally just across from mine. If I climb up to the tree, from our house, I could easily get inside Ali's room.

When I peaked, I saw him on his bed sitting with a book in his left hand. His right hand was hugging the stuff toy I gave him. I just watched him until I felt sleepy and slept after.

The following day, we went to church early. After that, sinama ako ni mommy to this restaurant to meet with my titas and my friends. When we got inside, I saw them seated on one table already.

"Good noon po," bati ko sa kanila. I earned kisses and hugs from my titas and then sat down next to my mommy.

"Do you want?" Rain handed me a cupcake. I nodded and took the cupcake from her hand.

"Oh, before I forget, I have new friends. And I thought that you should meet them!" I excitedly informed them.

"Really?" Rain was the one who looked excited.

I wiggled my brows. "Yes! They're cool! Though Ali can't talk yet," nanlulumo kong saad .

"Why?" It was the first time Veronika asked so I hid my excitedness and just smiled.

"I don't know..." I answered. It's because of his trauma, but mommy said I shouldn't be telling anyone's problems especially if it's not mine to tell.

"Oh, it's okay! I'll tell my mommy to let me go to your house!"

Mommy ordered fillet for me and some sweets for lunch. When we were done eating, daddy fetched me and mommy from the restaurant and we went to the mall.

"The mall!" I held both of my parent's hand while jumping on the tiles. Mommy chuckled.

"You like the mall, my love?" "Ahuh! I love the mall!"

Sometimes lang kami pumupunta nina mommy and daddy. When we go out, we usually go to parks and museums.

"Daddy... carry..." I bit my lower lip and hid behind dadd's legs. I got scared of the mascot that was running on the mall! It has big eyes!

"Daddy..." I started tearing up and hugged dad's neck.

"Shh, my love. It's not going to hurt you, see?" he caressed my back and pointed at the mascot.

"No... daddy..." I almost cried when the mascot turned our way! Ohmygosh, it will start walking our way!

"Love, let's go. She's getting scared," mommy said to daddy. Good thing daddy listened to mommy, and we went outside the mall.

"Do you want ice cream, my love?" Daddy asked me and pointed at manong who was selling ice cream. It says sorbetes on the cart. I nodded and picked the ube flavor before thanking kuya ice cream guy for giving me the ice cream.

"Can we... can we please buy one for Devin and Ali?" I asked them. "Who's Ali?" Mommy asked.

"Laurent. But don't call him that, mommy."

Good thing my parents agreed and nilagay lang sa cup, so it won't spill inside the car. When we arrived home, I immediately ran to Ali's house because the ice cream is melting.

"Becareful, Maya!" gulat na sabi ni mommy but I successfully went in front of Ali's house na. I rang the doorbell and good thing tita Sora immediately opened the gate.

"Hello, Maya," she greeted me and ruffled my hair.

"Hello po, is Laurent in here?" I asked her at nagmano. Baka hindi nya makilala sino si Ali.

"Yes. Devin is here too. Come inside and feel at home, Maya. They're in the living room."

Good because I didn't have to run back to Devin's house. I saw them playing in the living room but turned to me when they heard me coming inside. I smiled when I saw Ali with the stuff toy. He didn't let go of it after I gave it to him, huh?

"Maya!" Devin exclaimed "Ice cream?" I gave them the cups and also the spoons.

Devin gasped. "This is mine and Laurent's favorite ice cream flavor!" My smile widened. I was happy that I get to give them the right flavors. I don't want them pretending to like the ice cream I bought especially if they don't like the flavor.

We started eating our ice creams and then after that, Tita Sora cooked dinner for us. She made us soup and it tastes very good! While we were eating, Devin suddenly choked on is food, so Tita Sora immediately gave him water. I don't know but I want to laugh at his face. I know it's bad, but I can't help it.

"Thank you, Sora. Have a good night," mommy said to Tita Sora when she walked me home.

I didn't disturb daddy when I finished taking a bath because mommy said he's busy. But when I was ready to go to sleep, I peaked at the library and saw him signing some papers.

"Daddy are you busy po?" I asked him, almost a whisper.

He immediately stopped and looked at me. A smile appearing on his lips. "No, daddy's not busy, my love. Why?"

"I... I just want to say goodnight."

He walked towards me and picked me up. He kissed my cheek na parang gigil siya dito. "I love you, so much, my love."

I giggled. "Love you, daddy."

Dad took me to my room and tucked me to bed. He kissed me goodnight and left the room. When he left, umalis ako sa kama and stood next to my window where I can see Ali, who was reading again.

"Pst!" I called him but hindi niya ako narinig. "Ali!" That's when he looked up to me and walked towards his window. He opened it and smiled gently to me.

"Good night!" I shouted. And he shyly smiled more to me which made his dimples appear deeper. He's going to talk soon. I know it.