Curse of the Hidden Place

Episode 24

Manolo

It was five o' clock in the morning but I'm still Lying on my bed. I'm still thinking about that girl named, Lucilla. I still can't get over in her beauty. Until now, I just can't get over her. I don't know why, but, I'm can't stop thinking about her.

"What are you still doing there, Manoy? Are you just turning and turning your body in your bed, all day?" said my mom while her two hands are in her waists.

I took a deep sigh and then I seat down on the edge of my bed.

"You're not a prince. We're not in a fairytail. You have to work in able to get money to buy for our needs." She said. Her face was so serious.

I don't understand why I have to work in the farm. In the first place, to be a farmer is not my dream job. I want to be a doctor. Or a police, or a teacher, or maybe a manager, or anything I want except being a farmer. I don't want to be like my dad. The salary of being a farmer, even if the farm is yours, the salary that you will get are still low.

"Are you just gonna seat there all day?" She said.

"In case you won't remember, you are the one who's in charge for the farm in a whole week. So, if I where you . . . I won't do anything just to stop your father for extending the time you will spend in the farm." She added. Her eyes are getting bigger.

I started to stand up. My footstep are so heavy. My body wants to stay in bed.

I'm holding my head and scratching it over and over. My mother follows me and suddenly, she pinched my ears while I'm walking. She allow me to seat in the chair that made in bamboo and then, she started lecturing me.

"You are not rich! You are not allowed to be lazy, Manolo! You need to work harder for us. To have a better future." said my mom while she's standing in front of me.

I took a deep sigh befor I speak to her.

"Mom!" I whispered.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to be like dad! I don't want to be a farmer. I want more, Mom! I want more than this!" I added.

She looks at me badly. It was like, she's angry at me.

I heard her deep sigh before she seat down in front of me. Her hands are in her lap.

"Someday, you will realize it, Son! When me and your father died, you will take over all of this. This house, the farm, and all of the things that are listed under our name. All of that, will be all yours!" She said while looking at me.

I chuckle. You will never convince me, mom! I don't want to be like you, and dad! I want more in my life! I want more.

I stand up and look at her straightly.

"I have to fix myself before I go to the farm. But my mind didn't change! I still don't want to leave like this in the future! Excuse me." I said then walk away from mom.

I don't think why I still need to deal with this. I don't understand why they don't want to get more workers to work for us, instead of me. I have to focus on my study. But it looks like, my study is not their priority. They are so selfish! They want things only for themselves, but not for me. I just want them to be proud of me but now, I didn't see any marks of being proud in them.

I have nothing to do but, just to take a deep sigh everytime my mind thinks about how my life right now.

I really want to explore my life in other opportunities. But now, I don't think so! . . . I never experience the feeling of being a child who choose to accomplish things they want and yet, their parents are so proud of them. Because me? I never experience that kind of situation. Life is so unfair.

Our farm is not that far in our house. It takes five to ten minutes of walk, from our house. I saw some of my schoolmates hanging out with their friends, while me, . . . Spending time working at the farm..

After a few minutes of walk, I'm finally here. I take off my hat and spread my arms and shout, "Good morning Philippines!" and took a deep sigh.

I started doing my job again. With the help of this buffalo, the soil becomes soft. This is what I always do since the day, they punished me.

After a few hours, I decided to take a rest for a while. After I turn, I accidentally hit a girl caused her to fall in the mud in the farm.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Miss! I didn't mean to hit you. It's just happened that, I didn't notice you coming." I said when in panic. Then rush myself to help that girl.

I gave my hand to help her but she refuses it.

"Come on, Miss! Hold my hand. I'll help you. Come here!" I added.

She stand up very quickly with only herself. She suddenly pushed me, caused me to fall in the mud too.

"I said I didn't mean to . . ." I said. I become speechless when I saw who is the one I got hot earlier.

She looks at me, so badly.

"It's you again!" She said while trying to remove the mud in her skin.

I heard her deep sigh while looking at me badly.

"You know what, Mr, or whatever who you are, I don't care what's going on with you but, will you please, stay away from me? Because everytime I see you, there is always bad things coming to me. Maybe you had a mark on your butt!" She said then sneer to me.

I chuckle. She is just looking at me. Her looks are so sharp.

"Look," I said their raised my two hands.

"I'm sorry! I don't want to ruin your day, and I don't want to messed up with you. It was just an accident. Can't you see? I'm from there," I added. I'm pointing my fingers to where I came from before I hit her.

"I didn't see who's walking or if there's any person at my back!" I added.

She rolled her eyes while she crossed her arms in her chest.

"So now, you're blaming me, huh? For the things you just did earlier. I don't know where you get that hard face that you're carrying right now, but, nevermind." She said.

She close her eyes and take a deep breathe and open it again.

"I don't want to spend even just a little of my time talking to the nonsense person like you." She added while raising her eyebrows.

"Wait! Miss Lucilla, right? Why you're so rugged at me? What's wrong with you? I did nothing to you. Everything that happen was just an accident. I didn't mean to do it." I said while looking straightly to her.

"Wow! So now, you're denying it, huh? So now, you're saying that I am crazy, huh? That I'm just hallucinating all the things that you did to me. And now, you're accusing me. Am a liar? Do I look like a liar?" She said while raising her eyebrows.

She looks at me from my feet to my head then she sneer her eyes to me.

"Between you and me, you were the one who look like a liar than me." She said.

Her hands are on her waist.

"Just come to think of it." She added.

She walks beside me and she suddenly pushed me before she stop.

"Excuse me, next time, don't block on my way or else, I will tell to your boss, so he won't hesitate to terminate you.

She turn around and walking away but she stop because she heard my laugh.

"What's funny? You're such a rude guy!" she said.

I turn my body towards her.

"This farm that you are currently standing, are mine. All this hectares of grains that you see and are reaching by your two eyes, are all mine." I explained.

She laughs at me.

"You must be kidding, right? Poor boy! You're just hungry that's why you're imagining things." she said while laughing sarcastically.

I chuckle as I was looking at her that is still laughing.

"I'm serious. We own this farm. And all the things that you see with your two eyes, will be mine in the near future." I said with a serious voice.

She look so shock.

"Really?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I guess I'm taking your way, and still, I became bad to you. Sorry!" ahe said.

"Since the day you first met me, you never stop saying bad things to me, even though I did nothing to you. And now, you are judging me based on how I look." I said.

"Yeah! I'm dirty. And I'm spending the rest of my day working under the sun despite of the heat of it. It doesn't matter how hard to work under the heat of the sun, but for the country who needs a rice in their table, I choose to do it." I added.

I took a deep breathe before I speak again.

"I won't ask how your parents raised you. I will not treat you the way you treated me. But please Lucilla, change your habits. Always remember that, don't judge the book by it's cover. Don't judge the person based on how you see them on the outside. You never know the story until you don't ask for it. Don't wait, before it's too late." I said.

I'm just looking at her. I know my word hit her heart so much because I see it in her eyes.

I took a deep sigh.

"Now, I will never block your way. You can take it anytime you want. Just please remember that, don't judge the person based on how he or she looks. Stay silent even when he or she did not pass your standards!" I said while looking at her.

I didn't wait what she will say, instead, I nod before I walk away.

After a few steps, I stop and look at her again. She look so stuck in her place.

"I'm studying college with a B S B A major. Yeah! I'm spending time working here, but it doesn't mean that I don't have education. Next time, just be nice to others!" I said.

"Excuse me! I said before I leave.

I didn't wait what she will say. Instead, I walk to the mango tree and rest in a few minutes under on it.

I still can't believe that I say that to her. The one who I admire yesterday, is now my enemy called.

Hayst! But despite all of it, I will never regret that I say it to her because that is the right thing to do.

*End of first way back*