Opposite

Chapter 23

A wide smile formed in Tyson's lip the moment he saw Amora. Truly, there was always a rainbow after the rain. She was the rainbow, and obviously the rain was Farris, he thought.

But, Amora was more than a rainbow. She was like an angel sent from above in her dress. Add as well her sweet eyes that made everything so perfect!

As they met each other's eyes, the wind swayed with their emotions.

"Amora," Tyson spoke her name again. "Bakit ka nandito?"

"Nais lamang kitang bisitahin, gayon na rin sina Ate Lully at Kuya Lupio," she answered. "Nandiyan ba sila?"

"Wala, eh. They went back to their works already."

Her smiled suddenly faded away, pero wala pang ilang segundo ay bumalik iyong muli.

Amora was a girl who loved to smile, so, every man of their village would find her attractive. Many of them tried to court her in different ways, but no one had ever caught her heart. Who would catch easily a beautiful butterfly?

"Nakakalungkot at hindi ko sila naabutan," wika niya, "pero ayos lang din!"

Tyson smiled. "Pasok ka muna, baka gusto mong mag-kape."

Amora agreed and when they entered in, Harlow and Farris looked at them. Amora was a bit confused of their stares, but still managed to hold a smile on her eyes.

When they finally arrived at the kitchen, Tyson made her a coffee. Actually, she was done drinking when she was still in their house, but she didn't tell him anyways because he might find her rude for not accepting his offer.

They had a small talk until Amora finished drinking up all her coffee. After some time they decided to left the place. When they reached the sala, Harlow and Farris were still there. Since Tyson already expected for it, he told Amora not to mind them just before they left the kitchen.

Again, the two looked at them as they passed by, but Amora did her best not to show off her confusion. When they finally exited the house, that was just the time the she asked Tyson about the two.

"Sino sila?" tanong niya.

"Harlow and Farris," Tyson answered.

"Ah... magkasintahan sila?"

"I don't know, maybe soon."

"Bakit? Nanliligaw pa lang ba 'yong lalaki?" she chuckled. "Ang tsismosa ko, dami kong tanong."

Tyson giggled. "Oo nga, eh."

Then, they just found themselves giving soft chuckles to one another. Mayamaya'y nagsalita namang muli si Tyson.

"Well, just kiddin'," he said. "You can ask me anything that confuses you."

"Eh, kayo?"

"Anong kayo?"

"Kayo ni Harlow, ano kayo?"

"Tao lang, kasi hindi kami bagay."

Amora expressed hesitation.

Dire-diretso lamang sila sa paglalakad, hindi alam ang patutunguhan, habang iniisip ni Harlow ang sinabi ni Tyson. She was sure something was different between them two, or three.

"Gusto mo siya?" she asked.

Tyson laughed.

"Bakit ka tumatawa?" A pucker formed between her eyebrows. "May nakakatawa ba sa tanong ko?"

"Surely there is," he laughed as he held his tummy.

Amora expressed again some hesitations. There was really something wrong, sho could figure out.

"Nagseselos ka?" she asked.

Tyson stopped laughing and looked at her. "Ano ba 'yang mga tanong mo?"

"Sinabihan mo ako na itanong ko lang sa'yo ang mga bagay na gumugulo sa'king isipan, kaya heto... nagtatanong ako."

He stopped from walking, gayon din si Amora. Ang kaninang masayang atmospera sa pagitan ng dalawa ay napalitan ng katahimikan, na maging ang mga puno'y tumigil sa pagsasayaw.

"Patawad..."

"You don't have to say sorry," Tyson said, "and to be sorry."

"Pero mukhang hindi ka na natutuwa sa mga katanungan ko."

"No, it is just that I am guilty..." Tyson turned his back at her and went to the nearest sitting area.

Amora followed him.

There was silence for a bit when they finally had seated. Amora just looked at Tyson's disappointed face. With that, she could easily figure out the matter, but still she wanted to ask some questions, only if he was ready to answer.

Minutes had passed but Tyson wasn't speaking yet. He might still afraid to speak, or not ready. So, Amora just let him be silent because sometimes, you could also find answers in silence.

"Gan'to ba talaga kapag gusto mo ang isang tao?" Tyson finally spoke.

Amora took a deep breath and looked for answers she could give to his questions. Ano nga ba ang isasagot niya eh kung siya mismo ay hindi pa naranasan ang magmahal?

Instead of answering, she just ready her handkerchief in case he would cry in any time.

"I didn't love any girl as much as I do with her," he said. "But I guess we aren't for each other, we are not meant to be."

"Ang bilis mo namang dumating sa isang bagay."

"What do you mean?"

"Nandito ka pa lang, pero naroon ka na."

Nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay ni Tyson. For some time he didn't speak because he trying to figure out what she was saying.

"Ang bagal mo namang mag-isip," she said. "Ang ibig kong sabihin, wala ka pa ngang napapatunayan, bumubuo ka na kaagad ng isang ideya."

Tyson didn't speak.

"Eh, nasabi mo na ba sa kaniya ang nararamdaman mo?"

"Not yet."

"Oh 'yon naman pala," she smiled. "Paano niya ipaparamdam sa iyo na gusto ka rin niya kung ikaw mismo ay hindi mo kayang iparamdam, hindi mo kayang sabihin?"

"Hindi ba puwedeng iparamdam na lang nang hindi nalalaman?"

"Hindi naman, baka lang naman kasi nagkakahiyaan lang kayo, naghihintayan..."

He didn't speak.

"Eh, natanong mo na ba siya?"

"Saan?"

"Sa nararamdaman niya."

Tyson took some time to remember things. "One time I asked her in a kidding way if there's any chance na maging kami..."

"Tapos, anong sabi niya?"

"She said there's none."

"Nakasisigurado ka ba ro'n?"

"Yes, maybe..." he said. "Wala naman siyang ibang pinaparamdam sa'kin kundi pagkakaibigan lang."

"Kaya ka rin nagseselos kay Fa... Fa-"

"Farris."

"Kay Farris," she chuckled. "Salamat."

"Siguro nga nagseselos talaga ako," he replied. "Oo, nagseselos talaga ako... kasi hindi pinaparamdam sa'kin ni Harlow ang ipinaparamdam niya kay Farris. At, hindi ko rin kayang iparamdam sa kaniya ang ipinaparamdam ni Farris."

"Alam mo, ang pinakamahirap talagang bagay sa lahat ay ang hindi masabi-sabing emosyon."

"Paano mo nasabi?"

"Hindi ko pa naranasang magmahal talaga, pero nagkagusto na rin ako. Gusto ko ang isang tao, pero ni minsan ay hindi ako nagsabi ng nararamdaman ko, hanggang sa mamatay ako dahil sa isang aksidente.  Lumipas ang mga araw na natagpuan ko rin dito sa Heallven ang taong gusto ko."

"Wow," Tyson said in amazement.

"Pero hindi 'yon kamangha-mangha gaya ng iniisip mo."

"Why?"

"Namatay siya dahil da isang sakit," she said, "at noong nakita ko siya rito sa Heallven, doon ko rin napag-alaman na gusto niya rin pala ako."

"So what's the not amazing part with that?"

"Gusto niya ako noong buhay pa siya, pero hindi niya rin nasabi sa akin," she said. "Pero noong namatay siya't nakarating dito sa Heallven, nakatagpo siya ng ibang babae na kaniyang mamahalin. Ngayon nga ay masaya na sila sa isa't isa at masaya na rin ako para sa kanila."

There was a bang inside Tyson's chest.

"Kaya kung ako sa iyo, hangga't may oras pa, sabihin mo na."

Tyson got confused of Amora's words, he was amazed as well to the point that those made him think, not just thousands but a million times. Aamin na ba siya kay Harlow?

Every act has its consequences. So he was afraid he might got rejected once he confessed. But, he could not also deny the fact that he could have a chance.

He was still in the middle of his thinking when Amora told him to get back to work and help the people of Willow. He concurred with her statement, so they leave the place afterwards and spend time working.

Harlow and Farris, on the other hand, went to Lully and Lupio's workplace. Harlow decided for this because she did not want to see Tyson's face, and Amora's as well.

The morning she woke up and saw Tyson at the sala, holding a bouquet of flowers really made her confused. She had an idea, but she didn't want to assume. She thought, maybe it was a peace offering. But when she saw Amora, her mind suddenly changed. Baka trip-trip lamang 'yon ng binata dahil wala siyang magawa.

So, she just didn't mind it anyway and moved on since she was with Farris. Ang pangit naman siguro kung so Farris ang kasama niya, pero si Tyson ang nasa utak niya. She didn't want him to feel like he was out of place.

In the couple's workplace, Harlow and Farris helped. The people in Heallven were not getting paid for working, so they have the freedom to choose where they wanted to work or help.

The reason why they were not getting paid was that there were no moneys in Heallven, but there were plenty of foods. Walang problema ang mga tao roon dahil lahat ng mga pangangailangan nila ay tinutustusan ng mundo. Besides, money would just be a root of greediness and lust. It would be better to live in a place wherein there was no money but only love and peace.

Lumipas ang buong araw at hindi muling nag-usap sina Harlow at Tyson. They were done on their duties, and at exactly seven at the evening, they took their dinner with the mate.

The table was silent except for the clunking of the utensils. No one of Tyson and Harlow dared to talk nor just look at each other's eyes. Lully and Lupio however, were looking at them while eating, still confused of what was going on.

"Hindi pa rin ba talaga kayo nag-uusap?" Lully finally spoke.

No one of the two answered.

"Hindi naman siguro halata, Lully," Lupio said.

Lully gasped. Maging siya ay nag-aalala sa kalagayan ng dalawa. She wasn't just afraid of the possibility that the friendship of the two might be ruined, but she was also scared of them not fulfilling their mission.

Though the couple wanted to fix the issue themselves, they thought they were not in the right place to do such. Hihintayin na lamang siguro nila ang dalawa na magkaayos.

When they were done eating, Harlow volunteered to wash the dishes.

"Ako na," Tyson said. "Magpahinga ka na lang do'n."

"Hindi na, ako na."

Pasalit-salit ang tingin ng mag-asawa sa dalawa. Sa pagkakataon na iyon, sa paghuhugas naman ng plato sila hindi magkasundo.

"Alam n'yo para wala nang away, ako na ang maghuhugas," Lully said.

"Hindi, magpahinga na po kayo!" sabay na sambit ng dalawa.

Napatikom na lamang ng bibig si Lully, maging si Lupio. They didn't know what to do with the two. Walang gustong magpaawat sa kanila. Walang mananalo dahil walang nagpapatalo.

So in order to get away from the fight, the couple decided to go back to their room and just leave the two, kasi kahit nandoon sila ay wala rin namang silang magawa.

When they finally arrived from the room, Lupio locked the door while Lully got the Oril below the bed. Oril was a watch that could only be found in Heallven. It was used by the people to communicate with Harra Granta, the goddess of Heallven.

Lupio made sure the two would not hear them. When everything was already fine, he sat down on the bed with Lully.

Lully pushed the button in the side of Oril which made a small screen to pop-up. As soon as Harra Granta's face was shown in the screen, they started exchanging pleasantries.

"Kumusta na ang dalawa?" Harra asked.

"Hindi pa rin po sila nagkakaayos, Harra," Lully said. "Ewan nga po namin kung may balak pa ang dalawang 'yon na magbati."

"Tunay po, Harra Granta," Lupio said. "Maging sa paghuhugas ng pinggan ay nagtatalo sila."

The goddess smiled. "Huwag kayong mag-alala, magkakaayos din ang dalawang iyan. Malamang ay nakuha nila sa mundo ang ganyang kaasalan."

"Nag-aalala lamang po kami, Harra, na baka dahil sa tampuhan na iyan ay hindi nila magawa ang kanilang misyon. Napakabait pa man din po nilang mga bata."

"Lully, nakakatuwa't mahabagin ka," bigkas ni Harra, "ngunit hindi pa rin natin maipagkakaila na sa bawat laban ay may natatalo. Kung matapos nila nang maayos ang kanilang mga misyon, matutuwa ako nang lubusan. Ngunit kung hindi, ikalulungkot ko't mararanasan nila ang kasuklian ng kanilang mga gawi."

The couple gasped.

"Huwag na kayong malungkot, hindi pa naman natin batid kung ano ang mangyayari. Sa ngayon, huwag muna kayong sumuko sa pagpapaalala sa kanila ng kanilang misyon, ngunit paalala lang, huwag kayong magbibigay ng mahahalagang impormasyon."

"Masusunod po, Harra!"

The screen disappeared then. Lully was about to to bring back the Oril from its original place, when someone knocked on the door. Napatingin na lamang ang mag-asawa sa bawat isa.

They knew it was Harlow knocking, so it took them a hard time to decide whether to open the door or not. But then, they made a final decision...

Mabilis na isinauli ni Lully ang Oril sa ilalim ng mesa samantalang binuksan naman ni Lupio ang pinto. Bumungad sa kaniya ang naghihinalang mukha ni Harlow.

"Sino pong kausap n'yo ni Ate Lully?" tanong niya.

Lupio looked at Lully who was sitting on the bed already. They didn't know what to say.

Lagot na.