Florescence

Chapter 1 Malaya’s POV “Give me the screw.” Mahing extended her arm to me while facing my Schwinn String-Ray bike that was lying on the ground. Naka squat siya nagyong at mas tinuon niya ang pansin niya sa pag-a-asikaso sa nasirang bisikleta, kaysa sa akin. Bigla kasi siyang nag-aya na pumunta sa lawa para maligo. Our bikes are usually what we use if we want to go anywhere. Mine is colored black, and Mahing got the colored orange one. Now that I’m looking at her as she maked herself comfortable squatting in front of my bike, napansin ko na bihis na bihis siya. She was wearing her favorite pop colored blouse that I gave to her during her thirteenth birdthay. Naka tucked in ang blouse niya sa isang kulay yellow na high-waisted pants. She was also wearing her white shoes, kung saan ginagamit niya lang ito kung may special na okasyon. My lips pouted, and I fixed my braided pigtails. Hindi ko kasi ito natapos nang maayos dahil sa biglaang pagsulpot ni Mahing. “Bakit mo kailangan ng screw?” I asked, making her head turn to me. Kinunot ko ang noo ko, ganoon din siya. Wala namang may birthday ngayon o kahit anong okasyon. Sa April pa naman ang thirteenth birthday ko. She wouldn’t dress up like that, especially going to the lake. There must be something going on. I tilted my head a bit and crossed my arms, making the confusion on her face more evident. Agad naman niyang iniwas ang kanyang tingin sa akin at napakagat ng labi. “Your bike is flat,” she said, and eyed my bike again. Napabalik din ang tingin ko roon. Tinumba niya ito kanina na ikinagulat ko, pero hinayaan ko na lang kasi baka may binabalak siyang gawin na mas mapapadali sa pag-ayos ng bisekleta ko. “Yeah, I can see that. My bike is flat, which is why I am asking you why you need a screw for?” She stood up, ignoring my question. Imbes na sagutin ako, naglakad siya palapit sa pintuaan ng aming bahay. We have a door to our house inside the garage, so dad can easily access the garage without going through to our main door. Iikutin mo pa kasi ang buong bahay para makapunta sa porch namin. Nakita ko na kinuha ni Mahing ang isang toolbox na nasa ibabaw ng lamesa malapit sa pintuan. Nagtaas ako ng kilay nang naglakad siya pabalik sa bisekleta ko. “Mahing, you know you can fix the bike without a screwdriver.” I eyed her suspiciously. Natigilan siya at tinignan niya ako na parang siyang naiihi. “W-What?” she stuttered. Napabuntong hininga ako saka nilapitan ang bike. Itinayo ko ito gamit ang stand nito, saka kinuha ang pamboma ng guma. Umupo ako saka hinarap yung guma nito na nasa likuran. Iyon kasi ang flat. Hindi ko alam kung paano nagkaganito. Hindi ko naman ginamit ang bike patungong skwelahan kahapon kasi nasa mood si daddy noon na ihatid ako. Mommy wouldn’t use it because she doesn’t know how to ride a bike. Kaya nakapagtataka na ang bike na nasa loob ng garahe maghapon eh bigla na lang naging flat. I always check my bike before going to bed, and yesterday was no different. I made sure it was in a good condition. Napahinga ako saka tinanggal ko ang roskas ng guma nito saka agad na inilagay ang hose ng bomba. I can feel that Mahing was watching me. Binalewala ko na lang siya saka nag-pump habang naka squat. After a few times of pumping with my current position, I realize how difficult it was. Tumayo ako saka muling binomba; mas madali na ito kumpara kanina. “So that’s how you do it?” Mahing knelt beside me and felt the tire while I’m pumping it. “It’s so simple. How come you’re not familiar of fixing a flatten tire?” Medyo hiningal ako sa pagtatanong kaya huminto muna ako, pero agad ding bumalik sa pagbomba ng guma. Nakita ko sa peripheral view ko ang pagkibit-balikat ni Mahing sa tanong ko. “Dad’s tire was flattened once. He detached it from the car and put a new tire in it. I thought I could do the same,” she said nonchalantly. I stopped pumping. Agad kong iniligay ang roskas ng guma para hindi mawalan ng hangin ito. I closed it tightly just to make sure it was secured. Ganoon din ang ginawa ko sa harap na guma. Tumayo ako pagkatapos, at bahgyang pinunasan ang pawis na namuo sa noo ko gamit ang likod ng kamay ko. Mahing stood up also. She held the handle of my bike and rode on it. Napaatras ako dahil sa biglaan niyang ginawa. Pinagmasdan ko siya habang tinetesting ang bike ko. “Wow! You really did fix it.” She plastered a grin as though it was her first time seeing a fixed bike, and then put weight on my bike to test if its tires were not as soft a while ago. Pinagpag ko ang kamay ko, saka ibinalik ang bomba sa kung saan ko ito kinuha. Mahing was still smiling weirdly. I shook my head and walked towards her. Inagaw ko ang bike ko sa kanya, then I squinted my eyes and looked at her cautiously. “You dressed up nicely today. May okasyon ba sa inyo?” Hindi ko na naiwasang magtanong. Napatingin siya sa kanyang suot, at tumuwa nang mapakla. “Eh…” Napakamot siya sa kanyang batok at pilit i-iwas ang tingin sa akin. I creased my forehead and sat on my bike. I leaned on its handle using my arms as I watched Mahing tried to think a lie she will tell me. She had been by my side ever since I was born, the same goes with me to her. So, every move she makes, I could easily interpret it. Especially lying. She can’t lie. She’s too obvious. “Uh, k-kasabi ko lang k-kanina. Pupunta tayo sa lawa. Iyon ang o-okasyon.” I twitched my lips as I looked at her avoided my eyes. Well, she didn’t lie, but I know she was really hiding something. “Right,” I said slowly and nod. Pansin ko ang paglunok niya, at ang pagbuo ng butil ng pawis sa kanyang noo. Walang umimik sa amin kaya mas lalong tumaas ang tensiyon kay Mahing. Nang hindi na niya nakayanan ang pagmamasid ko sa kanya, tinalikuran niya ako habang sakay ng kanyang bisikleta. “Come on. Let’s just go before it gets dark,” matamlay niyang sambit saka nagsimulang magpedal papalayo sa akin. I groan and start pedaling my bike, trying to catch Mahing’s pace. Medyo nakalayo na siya sa akin kaya binilisan ko rin ang pagpapatakbo sa bisikleta ko. Our path was a little bumpy, kaya kahit binibilisan ko ang pag-pedal, tinitiyak ko pa rin na kontrolado ko ang manibela ng bisikleta ko para hindi ako matumba at madisgrasya. “Mahing!” I shouted, and my echo awaken the silence of the nature. Narinig ko ang paglipad ng mga ibon sa kung saan, at kasabay nito ay ang pagihip ng hangin. Good thing I braided my long hair before going out. Ayaw ko kasi na naguguluhan ng buhok. Habang bumibilis ang pag-pedal dahil pababa ang daanan, I let my left hand go, and felt the gentle breeze of our weekend. May pasok na bukas kaya susulitin ko na ito. Kung ano man ang problema ni Mahing, alam kong kaya niya itong harapin. It was just that, I hoped that she will reach out to me if it was something she can’t face alone. Para saan pa ako sa buhay niya hindi ba? “Woah!” I yelled again, and this time, it was louder. Kaya hindi naiwasan ni Mahing na tuminigin sa akin. She quickly faced front though, kasi pati siya bumibilis na rin. “Malaya! Stop shouting!” Napangisi ako. I let my right hand be free, so both of my hands were now extended upward. Despite the speed, I could still balance my bike, and it is something I am proud of. Ever since dad gifted me a bike when I was three years old, this thing has always been special to me. “Just let it out!” “What?” Mahing shout back. Alam kong gusto niya akong tignan pero takot siyang mabunggo. “I know there’s something wrong. Just let it out!” Her shoulders flinched a bit, and I saw how it goes up and slowly goes down. She was breathing deeply. Something she would do if she got anxious, angry, and scared. Which one you’re feeling right now, Mahing? “Mahing—” “Ah!” Agad akong napahawak sa manibela ng bisikleta ko dahil sa pagsigaw niya. She screamed again, and I could feel the tension in it. As if she had been keeping something so long. “I’m sorry!” Mahing yelled it so loud that her voice cracks in pain. “For what? Mahing!” Lito kong pinagmasdan ang likuran niya habang pareho kaming binabalanse ang mga bisikleta namin. Malapit na kasi ang lawa. I slowed my pace, and she did the same. Pareho naming tinungo ang malawak na lambak, hindi kalayuan sa lawa na dapat sanang pupuntahan namin. Mahing quickly gets out from riding her bike while it was still on its momentum. Agad niya itong itinigil at hinayaang matumba sa lupa. Ginaya ko ang ginawa niya, at agad na nilapitan siya. Nakatalikod siya sa akin. Her shoulders were trembling, as she lets out a sob. “I’m sorry,” she said with so much regret. Hinaplos niya ang mukha niya at umiyak. I gently hold her shoulders, making her face me. Her hands were covering her face, but I saw how red it was because of crying. “What’s wrong?” I cautiously asked. Kinakalma ko ang sarili ko dahil mukhang mahihirapan din akong huminga habang pinagmamasdan siyang ganito. “Mahing…” I clenched my jaw when she freed her face and looked at me directly in the eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she stared at me like she was pleading something. Her lips trembled in distress, like she wanted to tell me everything, but she couldn’t, or maybe she was afraid. “Come here,” I said and closed our distance so I could offer her a hug. She huged me back tightly, that I could almost feel her longing. Why would she long? For what? For whom? “I’m sorry, Malaya.” Finally, she spoke after a moment of just us hugging. This was the longest physical touch we ever gave to each other. I would gladly tease her if we were in different situation. “Why are you sorry?” Kalmado na siya pero mahigpit pa rin ang yakap niya sa akin. She withdrew from the hug and avoided my eyes. Napaatras siya sa akin dahilan nang paglunok ko. Nag squat siya sa lupa, at niyuko ang kanyang ulo para hindi niya ako matingnan. Tahimik naman akong lumapit saka umupo sa kanyang gilid; hinihintay na sabihin niya kung ano ang nangyayari. She inhaled deeply, then breath out. Pinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata nang mariin saka binukas ang mga ito at idinerekta ang tingin sa kalangitan. I slowly turn my head upward and saw how the sun painted warm orange tinge to the sky as it set and faded, letting the night sky slowly reigned. This should have been a peaceful moment. Another good memory I would keep, just me and her with this panoramic view of our village. Unfortunately, I had this feeling that this moment could be a nightmare I would probably want to forget. “I’m sorry I can’t keep my promise to you,” she whispered just enough to make my heart twinge. “What promise?” She looked at me with weary eyes, and courageously mustered a small smile. “A promise to be there for you forever. You’re my best friend, and you will always be, but…” Agad niyang pinalis ang luhang pumatak sa kanyang pisngi, saka huminga nang malalim. “But we’re leaving. I’m leaving.” “What?” I asked in deep confusion. “What do you mean you’re leaving?” Mahing reached for my hand that had been on my lap and held it as tight as how she hugged me a while ago. “Mommy is sick. She has stage 3 stomach cancer, and we’re immigrating to the US.” I reach for her face and swipes the tears that keep on invading her cheeks. I let her talk. “I didn’t tell anything because mommy doesn’t want the village to know. You know her.” She chuckles. I remain silent; still processing what she’s telling me. “She doesn’t want to appear weak, ever since dad died. She had always been trying to be brave and strong, emotionally, for me.” She shook her head and covered her face with her hands. “It’s my fault. I should have said anything or done anything. I should have comforted her more; help her more. Now she’s sick. I can’t…” Humikbi siya. Ramdam ko naman ang pagpatak ng luha sa pisngi ko habang pinagmamasdan ang kaibigan ko na unti-unting mawawala sa akin. “We have a relative who is willing to help us, especially mom. Pero nasa US siya, and he thinks that it’s better for us to live there so we could easily access their health facilities to help help my mom.” Napalunok ako. I reached her hand so I could see her face. Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak kamay naming dalawa. I wished she could have said something to me. Kahit ako lang. I thought alam ko ang lahat tungkol sa kanya, but she was dealing with this alone, and I didn’t have any clue on what was happening. I pulled her for a hug, and this time, I’m the one who was tightening it. “You will always be here for me, Mahing. Kahit saan pang sulok ng mundo ang puntahan mo, alam kong mananatiling akong best friend mo.” I faced her, and I showed her my warmest smile. “Because, Mahalia, you’re not just my best friend. You’re also a sister to me. A family. I’m always here for you wherever you are, and I love you.” Muli siyang napaiyak. I huged her again, so tight as I deeply and secretly hope she will not leave me. Ever.