Matias: The Forgotten Civilization

Chapter 9

Valerie's

Everything na nangyari sa 'kin yesterday ay fresh na fresh pa rin sa aking memory. Hindi pa rin ako makaget-over, as in. Well, kahit sino naman siguro, if you put them sa gan'ong situation, it would be mahirap din para sa kanila na maka-move on. Not to mention na it's the beauty na si Valerie, in short me, that had to go through sa gan'ong klaseng hell. Napakahirap talaga for me. Do I deserve ba n'on? Syempre hindi, not even a single happening. Did God forsake me na ba already? What did I ever do wrong.

But out of those pangit na nangyari sa 'kin, may good things pa rin naman kahit papaano. Na siyang dapat lang kung tutuusin, I deserve something na magkakapagpasaya sa 'kin. Who would've thought na ang answer n'on ay ang Green Villa. Because right now I'm living in one of the top villas sa Philippines, Green Villa, na siyang matatagpuan sa Annapolis, Quezon City. I have been always a fan of mga villas that's why I know kung ano name ng Villa na ito ang who owns it.

I have always wanted to buy a villa ever since, kaso ang expensive talaga. I mean there are villas naman na less expensive, pero ang chaka nila. Ang no way na Valerie deserves to live sa gan'ong villa, but in villas like these. Kaya naman ang yaman talaga ng family ng Partreon. To be one of the top ten wealthiest family sa Philippines, afford na afford talaga nila ang villa na nagkakahalaga ng almost a billion, which is the Green Villa. No wonder na always present sa pag-sesend ng stars si Danerie sa 'kin. He is actually a Partreon.

"You really are Mr. Partreon's son," I can't help but iboses talaga.

Right now ay kumakain kami ni Danerie. Pagkagising na pagkagising ko ay may food na sa hapag and he invited me na kumain, online delivery from McDo lang naman at ang dami. I am staring at Danerie lang kasi I'm done with my food na, while him is not tapos at kumakain pa at the moment. He is really taking his time to stuff himself or he is shy kasi it's me, Valerie, who is around. At I won't deny ha, na this Danerie Jace is a good looking person. Matangos ang ilong, mestiso, mahaba ang pilik-mata, makapal ang eyebrows. At idagdag na natin of course ang identity niya bilang Partreon. Lalo siyang pumupogi in my eyes.

"Yes," plain niyang answer.

Napakatipid naman sumagot ng Danerie na 'to. And I can see ha na he is blushing—namumula ang pisnge niya as in. For sure, I am his crush. For him to protect and keep safe na ginawa niya yesterday even though we just met. That kind of sacrifice, something talaga pinaghuhugutan niyan at hindi lang pagiging fan ang rason na 'yon. Kasi, like, you are willing na i-risk ang life mo for your idol because you are a fan? Maybe more than a crush lang ang nararamdaman nitong Danerie sa 'kin.

"You said 'di ba na fan kita. Since when pa?" I curiously inquired talaga.

"For 5 years?" Di pa siya sure.

Na-shook naman ako nang bonggang-bongga. Five years? He is an avid fan pala since then. To be a follower nang gan'on ka long. I was a teen pa 'ata n'on, e. Pero kahit naman teen, maganda talaga ako. Wait, no, let me rephrase because ever since when I was bata pa, maganda talaga ako. I didn't have to undergo the process of glow up because I'm such a maganda. No wonder na naakit ng taglay kong ganda itong si Danerie and became my fan despite I was 15 pa. I was nangagarap pa n'on to become a celebrity. Anyway, just wow… Now, I am certain talaga na he's in love with me and it's not just a crush. Oh my gulay.

Now, I don't really mind ha if manligaw siya sa akin, kasi he's got everything. I mean kung riches ang pag-uusapan, check na check. Ang yaman ng kaya ng Partreon being one of the top ten richest person sa bansa. Looks naman, pak na pak, dahil ang gwapo niya I wouldn't deny it talaga. Popularity, check na check, although hindi man now, but if lumabas siyang isang Partreon, magkakagulo talaga ang Philippines. No one would expect na ang pogi ng anak ng isang mayaman na si Mr. Partreon. In short, worthy talaga siyang manligaw sa akin, no doubt about it.

IT HAS BEEN tatlong araw that passed na rin since nakatira ako sa villa na ito. I really enjoyed the villa, ang ganda niya. Nalibot ko na everywhere ang lugar, at in fact, nakapag-picture na rin me in every angle. If only I could live here forever, gagawin ko talaga. However, these mga nakaraang araw I find it really like nag-da-die out ang spirits ko. I miss streaming na for real. I miss my clout. It has been my life for how many taon. I find it hard to cope up knowing na-remove na ito sa sistema ko. Lahat ng iyon, it's gone. I can't go back to my previous life na dahil sa Matia ako.

Nakatingin lang me sa cellphone ko while reading now sa comments ng mga fans ko nag-spam sa aking mga old posts. They miss me na talaga. Of course, it's me, Valerie. No fan of me talaga who wouldn't miss me. However, Danerie advised me na I can't post anything o kahit mag-live man lang. I can't even inform any of my friends nga or family members ko kung naa saan ako. Because if I do so, the police will come at us again na naman. I don't want na mangyari 'yon, I've had enough.

I really need to breathe na talaga now. Because honestly, I'm slowly losing my sanity. I should go for a lakad-lakad na siguro. Wala namang masyadong houses sa place na ito kaya okay lang siguro ang maglakad-lakad. I immediately gathered change clothes na binili lang din ni Danerie for me at decided na lumabas ng villa. Danerie is asleep pa kaya 'di nako nagpaalam. I don't what Danerie is doing, but tired talaga siya every morning. Kaya naman I should not disturb him muna.

I'm actually naglalakad around Annapolis street. Wala ngang masyadong tao because I'm only seeing a few. Pero I need to be makasigurado, kaya I raise the hood of my suot. Right now, I think kailangan kong i-face ang pagiging Matia ko. This is ang reason kung why nagkanda-leche-leche ang aking life. I've been avoiding this topic talaga, because I am afraid to face it. Pero I now is the time to think thoroughly sa pagiging Matia, else I will be suffocated.

First, ano ba kasing reason why I did become a Matia. Does it something to do ba about my genes? Pero my parents ay hindi talaga Matia. They are normal people at 'di rin. Does being a Matia ba nangyayari to people randomly? I don't really have any knowledge. What I know lang is according to Cody, Matias are aggressive na people, but honestly I dont believe it na, because as a Matia myself, hindi naman ako aggresive o nakitaan ng pagiging aggressive. Plus the fact na Danerie is very sweet at loving sa 'kin, I'm now starting to doubt it.

"Ouch!" I unconsciously nasigaw.

Napabalik me sa aking ulirat, because someone literally binangga ako. That bangga really hurts at parang intentional talaga sa lakas ng impact. Nang mag-abot ang gazes namin, masama talaga ang look ko towards sa kanya, but she looked down lang at nagtuloy sa paglakad. It happened na isang girl na mas bata sa 'kin ang bumangga to me and adding the fact na she is so ugly, I am very nandidiri talaga. Oh my beach, very ew talaga. Its the audacity for me.

"Hey! Hindi ba you mag-so-sorry?" I shouted.

She literally walked past sa akin nang hindi lumilingon. Mabilis siyang humarurot without begging for a sorry. Doesn't she feel remorse ba na banggain ang nag-iisang Valerie? People really ay nakakalimutan na ang salitang respect these days! I would also hindi makakalimutan na that bangga was intentional one. It's really audacious sa kanya. And the fact na she is ugly? Triple ang nagiging kasalanan niya sa akin!

"May karma ay sumama sa life mo!" I can't help but sumigaw ulit.

This day ay napakahindi kaaya-aya for me. May iniisip me now at sumasama pa 'tong person na ito. Dagdag isipin lang siya. Nonetheless, I shouldn't mind it nalang. There are so many things pa 'kong dapat pagtuonan ng pansin. Later din ay magpapalit me ng damit because I couldn't stand that person's touch. I decided nalang na ipagpatuloy ang pagwalk to ease my displeasure today.

After that encounter sa pangit na babae, parang nawalan na ako ng will na gumala. Naging pangit na ang lahat ng nakikita ko in my environment. I should probably go back nalang ngayon. Baka gising na rin Danerie right now. For sure, mapaparanoid 'yon if ever wala ako around the house. Sa kabuuan, wala akong nakuha sa paglakad-lakad na ito, but sama ng loob lang talaga.

"Hi, Miss," pagtawag sa akin ng isang boses na pangmanyakis sabay pito.

When I looked sa direksiyong ng nag-catcall sa akin and oh my gulay, isang pangit na creature na naman ang right under my eyes. may katabi rin siyang another fugly person. I can therefore say na talaga na sira na ang day ko. Legal ba ang existence ng mga ganito ka pangit na tao? And the fact na manyakis pa, like, oh my gosh. These people should pick a struggle talaga or dapat mamatay nalang sila. Their ugliness at pagiging manyakis doesn't deserve a place sa world na 'to!

"Ay s**t lumingon pa. Ang ganda, tinitigasan kaagad ako. Akala ko ang katawan lang ang masarap pati mukha rin pala," sambit naman ng companion ng fugly manyak na isa ring fugly manyak.

Birds of the same feather ay nagsama-sama talaga together. Ang babastos ng mga pangit na manyak na people na ito. Period. Nagsitayuan ang aking feathers n'ong binanggit nila ang word na "tinigasan". They are creeping me at its finest na talaga. Why do these people have to exist. God, you should you know patayin ang mga people na ito. To explicitly bastusin si Valerie, it should be considered as malaking kasalanan. I should literally go back to the villa. I immediately turned back at mabilis na naglakad pabalik.

"Miss, five hundred tiga isang round. Kantot na kantot na kami. Game ka ba?" pahabol pa ng isa.

Mas lalo ko pang binalisan ang aking paglalakad—I'm like nag-j-jogging na. I am afraid at I'm disgusted at its finest. Diring diring ako na I'm breathing the same air as mga sexualizer na ito. Wala pa namang people na nakikita kong naglalakad din sa road na ito. I thought good thing for me na hindi matao ang place place na ito, but parang masama siya sa situation ko now. I could seek help if may people lang sana around me, pero wala talaga. Oh my gulay. I just hope na hindi ako sundan ng mga people na ito.

"Saglit lang, Miss. Hintayin mo kami."

I can literally feel na parang hindi nalalayo ang voice na 'yon sa likuran ko. I do like have the guts na right now ay may sumusunod sa paglalakad ko. Hindi ko knows if nag-ha-hallucinate lang me, but parang may naririnig akong footsteps papalapit. Are they like trying na habulin ako. I don't like them. Don't they understand na I have no interest sa kanilang pinag-uusapan? I am really afraid of looking back nalang right now and instead binago ang pace ko from jogging to running.

"Valerie!" sigaw ng taong tumatakbo rin toward my direction. Finally, I'm safe, it's Danerie.

"Miss, pakantot ka muna sa 'min bago sa boyfriend mo." Di pa rin tumigil ang dalawang manyak.

Kaagad akong tumakbo towards Danerie's direction. I can see a puzzled at the same time nag-aalalang facial expression mula sa kanya. When nasalubong ko na ang kanyang embrace, I decided to look back, at tama nga ako dahil sinusundan ako ng dalawang manyak. They are running patungo sa direksiyon namin. Aren't they afraid ba sa powers ni Danerie? But well, they deserve Danerie's wrath as Mr. Partreon's son has this serious face na ngayon. For sure he is galit na talaga because they dare na bastusin ang nag-iisang Valerie!

"Minamanyak nila me, Danerie. They deserve na maparusahan." Sinabayan ko pa ng nalulungkot at natatakot na mukha ang sinabi ko.

After I said those words, nag-ilaw ang eyes ni Danerie in an instant. I witness then at the same time ang unti-unting pamumuo ng butil-butil na pawis sa noo ng dalawang manyak. Later pa, fear is evident na sa kanilang facial expression. Nanlalaki ang kanilang eyes at nangingig ang kanilang buong katawan. Parang they are seeing something na kinatatakutan nila in front of them. Shouts can be heard from both of them at they lost their balance na at natumba.

"Let's go home now," Danerie uttered with his walang ekspresyon na mukha.

"YOU NEED TO be familiar with the sensation of absorbing the light to use your ability. You will know that you are doing it right when you can feel a tension building up in your left eye," Danerie instructed.

Tinuturuan ako ni Danerie how to use my Matia powers. I really need to explore nitong aking ability kasi wala naman ako say about dito since heto na nga siya—I'm officially a Matia. What I need to do is to learn more muna about this power of mine and use it. Kasi I don't really with what to do—wala pa akong plans on what to do with my career. I really need to divert my attention as much as possible. Maybe, discovering my identity will makatulong in my diversion tactic.

"Don't you have a some sort of practice ba or training. Because hindi ko talaga siya ma-gets na," bugnot kong saad.

It's been how many minutes na kaya since he is teaching me, pero wala pa ring improvement. I can't understand how to gather light in my eyes talaga no matter how he simplify his explanations. Ilang beses ko rin na pinalaki at pinaliit ang aking eyes, may pagkakataon pa na binulikat ko talaga, but the result remains the same. Now I doubt if I am really a Matia or I am just having a hard time na intindihin ang instructions ni Danerie.

"I think I know where we should start," while keeping a straight face he replied.

Ever since dumating kami ng house, his facial expression remained the same—he is showing an unbothered na facial expression. I don't know what is wrong with him. Is he upset with me kaya? He didn't inquire rin if I did go out to chill ba or para tumakas sa house. N'ong nag-ask naman ako to him na teach me how na gamitin ang aking powers, tumango lang siya at nagsimulang i-teach ako. Wala talaga siyang ipinapakitang emotion and it bother me talaga.

Nakatayo kami sa balcony ng villa after he said na he found a paraan to make me practice of the situation sabay sabing, "You stare the sun with your left eye. Familiarize the heat sensation."

"What? Gusto mo ba na I will be mabulag?" I said in disbelief talaga. Staring at the araw ang ikakawala ng eyesight mo! Danerie's humor is really bad.

"No, I'm serious. Use your left eye when you stare the sun. As a Matia, our left eye is the conduit of our power. We gather energy from the light of the sun using our left eye and we use that light that we gather to channel our power," kalmado siya as he said those salita. "This is how my power as a Matia works. I don't know if it's the as you, but I suppose we share the same mechanics on how to use our power. It's just that our ability that differs from one another."

I also notice ha na he has been using English only all the time, is he no Tagalog speaker. When nagsasalita naman kasi ako I'm like conyo, I speak in Tagalog tapos nagta-transition into English, vice versa, and he always understands me which means na nakakaintindi talaga siya ng Tagalog. Maybe lang he can't speak the language or he doesn't want to speak it? Who knows ha, but well, fluent siyang mag-English at ang ganda pakinggan ng accent niya.

Nonetheless, I started doing kung ano ang ni-say niya. Mukhang serious siya sa pag-stare ko sa araw and it's not a joke at all. As per him, dapat left eye ko lang ang naka-focus sa sun because my right eye at hindi immune sa blindness. Kaya I closed both my eyes at tinakpan ang kaliwa kong mata. I then decided to slowly open my kaliwang mata to test if masakit siya at eyes. Surprisingly, it doesn't hurt at all habang tinititigan ko ang ang sun, but at the same time wala akong ma-feel na kung ano.

"Should I do this for ilang minutes kaya?" I said after sixty seconds na nakatutok sa sun.

"It's your choice. But, I hope you get to familiarize with the burning sensation."

Matagal ko ring tinutukan ang sun at wala namang nangyayari. Can I really gather light sa aking left eye? Narealize kong parang si Raflesa pala 'tong power ng Matia. Raflesa ay hero ng isang laro wherein ang special skill niya ay nag-ra-rush ang light sa body niya at nagiging invincible siya. Sana gan'on lang kasimple maging Matia 'no. I then started imagining na nag-ra-rush ang light ng sun sa left ko. Suddenly, I am starting na maramdaman ang isang unpleasant na bagay sa mata ko. But it is not the burning sensation ang na-feel ko kung hindi, discomfort. Nag-end na 'ata ang trial card ng free stare ng aking left eye sa sun at humahapdi na kapag tumitig ako.

"Danerie, we should ipagpatuloy nalang natin 'to tommorow, pagod 'ata ako," pagdadahilan ko naman.

When he happened to look at him ay gulat siya, "You are doing great familiarize that sensation. Your eyes is doing gathering right now."

"What? Legit? Nag-gathering ako now which means nag-i-ilaw ang left ko."

"Yes," he answered back ang got his phone then showed it to me. Oh my gulay, my left eye is like a light bulb at umiilaw right now!