Wind and Sail

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Dayn’s PoV

“Hey, pretty, wake up.” Naalimpungatan ako sa boses ni Sxan. Niyuyugyog niya nang marahan ang balikat ko.

Kinusot ko ang mata ko at bumaling sa kaniya. Ang amo-amo talaga ng mukha niya, makinis ang mukha at mahaba ang pilikmata, sakto lang ang kapal ng kaniyang kilay at labi.

“I fell asleep?” I asked.

“Yeah, obviously,” he laughed softly then helped me unlock my seatbelt.

Sumilip ako sa labas at natanaw ang bahay namin. Mag-aalas sais pa lang ng gabi kaya medyo maliwanag pa. Bukas na ang mga ilaw sa labas ng bahay.

Lumabas ako ng kotse. Pinatay niya ang makina at lumabas din, inabot niya sa akin ang susi.

“Masakit pa ba?” tanong niya at tiningnan ang likuran ko. “It’s not bleeding anymore. Don’t move too much para hindi na ulit magdugo,” sabi niya at humarap ulit sa akin.

“Hmm.” I pressed my lips then nodded.

“Pasok na sa loob,” utos niya.

Kumunot ang noo nang kaonti. Aba, nasasanay na ata siyang utos-utusan ako?

“Papasok ako kung kailan ko gusto, sige na, mauna ka na,” pilit akong ngumiti at itinaboy siya.

Medyo nagulat pa siya.

“So rude,” he said. He nudges my nose then chuckled. “Yes, Ma’am. Nakakahiya naman sa iyo, e.”

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. “Shoo! Alis na!” Itinulak ko siya paalis.

He just laughed at me. “Oo na, ito na. Wala talaga ‘tong sweet blood, e.”

I scoffed. “Wala talaga!”

“Dati ka bang baliw?” tanong niya habang nakapamaywang at nakatungo sa akin. “Nagising ka lang sumungit ka na.”

“Masungit talaga ko, baliw man o hindi. Layas na!”

He cackled. Tumayo siya nang maayos at nagsimulang maglakad palayo. Ilang metro pa lang ang hakbang niya ay humarap siya sa akin at nakangiting kumaway. Nag-flying kiss pa ang gago, sinalo ko iyon at nilamukos sa kamay saka hinayaang mahulog sa lupa. Umarte pa siya na parang nasaktan sa ginawa ko.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. I looked at him again, he’s now waving his hand and smiling to me again while walking backwards. Sinenyasan ko siya na umalis na at umayos. Bumelat pa siya sa akin.

“Ganda mo!” nagulat ako noong sumigaw siya. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata at luminga-linga sa paligid. Baka may makarinig pa at makakita sa kaniya, para talaga siyang sira-ulo.

I raised a finger at him while laughing.

I mouthed “Just go!”.

“Bye! Pretty girl!” sigaw niya ulit. Tumalikod na siya at sumayaw-sayaw pa habang naglalakad palayo.

Napangiti ako at umiling-iling na pumasok sa bahay.

Noong pumasok ako sa loob ay walang tao sa salas, narinig ko ang mga boses nila sa kusina kaya sumilip ako roon. Nagk-kwentuhan sila roon habang tumatawa.

Paalis na sana ako nang may tumawag sa akin.

“Magandang hapon, del Montecillo,” si Ate. Pinikit ko ang mata ko at huminga nang malalim bago humarap sa kanila.

Kunwari ay wala akong alam sa sinabi ni Ate. Lumapit ako, alam ko na gigisahin ako nito at hindi tatantanan. Nakatingin silang lahat sa akin.

“Hm?”

Ngumiti si Kuya nang nakakaloko. Si Ate naman ay nakataas ang kilay.

“What?” tanong ko.

“Wala naman,” sagot ni Ate habang pinipigilan ang pag-ngiti. Sumisigaw na ako sa loob-loob ko lang. Putangina talaga.

“Yie,” asar ni Kuya. Hinampas siya ni Ate sa braso.

“Oh my god!” Napasampal ako sa noo ko at tumawa. “Nadumihan lang iyong damit ko, pinahiram lang ako ng kaklase ko! That’s it! No big deal!”

Napaamang ang asawa ni Ate. “Mahal, kaklase daw, oh.” Dumikit siya kay Ate.

“Oh, bakit ka nagpapaliwanag? Wala naman kaming sinabi rito ha?” sabi pa niya. Umawang ang bibig ko.

“Yeah, sino rin ba kasi nagsabi na big deal iyon? Wala naman ah,” dadgdag ni Ate. Umikot ang paningin niya at nagkibit-balikat silang lahat.

“What the heck? I’m out of here. You’re done, you’re done.” I surrendered both of my hands then turned to my back.

Naglakad na ako paalis doon. “del Montecillo pala, huh,” pahabol ni Kuya.

Umikot ako sa kanila at inasar sila. They all laughed in unison. Dali-dali na akong tumalikod para umakyat na ng kwarto.

Pumasok na ako ng closet para magpalit sa pantulog. Amoy na amoy ang fabric conditioner sa damit ni Sxan. Parang ayoko na tuloy ibalik. Kapal naman ng mukha mo, Dayn. Sinampal ko ang sarili ko para magising sa mga iniisip ko na wala namang kasaysay-saysay.

Tiniklop ko ang damit niya at ipinatong sa sink. Lalabhan ko muna bago ko ibalik sa kaniya.

Lumabas ako ng banyo at dumiretso sa vanity table. I did my nighttime skincare routine and went to bed. I turned on the tv to watch a movie. I was distracted when my phone vibrated.

I picked it up. Sxan’s name on the screen.

“Hello, miss ma’am,” bungad niya. Maliwanag ang boses niya at siguro’y nakangiti ito sa kabilang linya.

“Anong kailangan mo?” masungit kong sagot.

“Ito naman, galit agad. Tatanungin lang kita kung kamusta na sugat mo.”

“Sus, gusto mo lang marinig boses ko, e,” bola ko sa kaniya. Tumawa ang gago.

“Hindi kaya. Assumerang babae ‘to.”

“Sus, palusot ka pa!” asar ko.

“Ayoko na nga­—”

“Okay,” putol ko sa kaniya at ibinaba ang tawag.

Ilang segundo pa lang ay tumatawag na ulit siya.

“Ito naman, binabaan ako!” he exclaimed as soon as I picked up the phone.

“Sabi mo ayaw mo na?” tanong ko sa kaniya.

“Joke nga ‘diba? Alam mo ba iyon? Pinanganak ka ba kahapon, ha?”

“Joke joke ka riyan, bawal joke dito baka sampalin ko lungs mo,” I replied.

“Tanginang ‘yan,” I hear him curse silently.

“Minumura mo ba ‘ko?” Nakataas ang kilay kong tanong sa kaniya. I know he’s just kidding, but I want to annoy him a lot more than what he’s doing right now to me.

“Ay, taragis na ‘yan. Anong tainga ba ang mayroon ka? Kahit bulong iyon, hindi kita minura,” he replied.

“Alam mo na mga segways ko. Paano na ako babanat nito?” he adds.

“Banatan nalang kita sa ulo.”

“Grabe ka talaga sa akin,” nagtatampo niyang sabi.

“Hoy, aba’t lumelevel up ka ata, tumatawag ka na ngayon, ha.”

“Alis na nga ako, inaaway mo lang naman ako! Siya, bye na! Matulog ka na agad after dinner, take pain killers when you’re hurting, and don’t forget to brush your teeth before going to bed,” mahabang sabi niya.

“Bye daw pero ang daming sinabi.”

“Goodnight, little fighter!” he said in a happy voice.

“Yeah, yeah, dream of me!”

“No, that would be a nightmare for sure, not a dream.”

Napaawang ang bibig ko sa sinabi niya. This b***h! He just dared to roast me! I wasn’t offended though or insulted.

“Hah! Got you there, didn’t I?” he laughed. His laugh when he’s with me in person is the same as his laugh on the phone.

“Panira ka ng gabi, wala nang good sa gabi ko! Peste ka talaga.”

“Yup, ikaw lang ang pepestehin, wala nang iba pa,” he said.

“Harot mo, pinaglihihan ata ng nanay mo si Precious, e.”

“Ayos lang, ikaw lang naman hinaharot, e,” sagot niya.

I am impressed! Oh my god. Ibang klase rin siya mang-asar at bumanat ng mga corny jokes.

“Huwag ako ang guluhin mo!”

“Ikaw? Pinaglihi ka ata sa sama ng loob, e,” balik niya ng asar.

“Oo, pinaglihi talaga ako sa sama ng loob. Nagtatanim din ako ng sama ng loob, umusbong na nga iyong sa iyo, e. Inisin mo pa ako para lumaki na ito at nang makita mo kung anong hinahanap mo.”

He laughed. Ang saya-saya niya, grabe. Kanina pa bago siya umuwi.

“Babye na! Masayang masaya ka na naman sa akin, e. Baka hindi ka na makatulog diyan kaiisip sa akin.”

His laughed grew louder. “Che!” Singhal niya.

Every conversation I had with this guy opens up a new discovery about his personality.

Ibinaba ko na ang tawag at humiga sa kama. I played the movie again pero wala talaga roon ang atensyon ko.

Walang mag-aassume hangga’t walang sinasabi. Hangga’t hindi sinasabi ang magic words walang level up ng status. Napaisip tuloy ako lalo tungkol sa kaniya. Mukha atang ako ang hindi makakatulog kaiisip sa gago na iyon. Teka nga, bakit ko naman siya iisipin at hahayaan na guluhin ang utak ko? Hindi naman siya gold. Umirap ako sa hangin at umayos sa pagkakahiga.

Naalala ko tuloy ulit noong gabi na nandito siya. Noong nagtalo kami rito at sa huli’y bumigay din naman ako. I said to myself na hindi ako marupok. I just gave in once since he was right that night, that I couldn’t do it on my own.  

Maya-maya ay kumatok sa kwarto. Hindi ko na iyon tiningnan pa. “Pasok na.”

Bumukas ang pinto.

“The heck? Nakakaiyak ‘yong palabas pero nakangiti ka riyan!”

When Ate said that, I looked at the screen. Kanina pa naman ako nakatingin doon, hindi lang ako nanonood, as in tingin lang talaga, titig lang pero ang utak ay lumilipad. Umiiyak ang mga tao roon sa harap ng grave. Mukhang may inililibing ata.

Pinause ko agad ang television.

“Huh? Hindi kaya,” I said then hid my smile.

Lumapit siya sa akin at umupo sa kama ko. I know what she is here for. I’m just waiting for her to ask.

“Dayn,”

Iyan na, sa wakas ay nagsalita na rin siya.

“Yeah?” I responded.

“Let’s eat dinner,” I was confused when she said that. That is not the phrase I was expecting.

“O-kay?” alangan kong sagot. Tumayo siya sa kama ko. Bago siya lumabas ay nagsalita ako.

“You’re not going to ask anything?” I said to her.

She smiled genuinely. Her face is soft and calm.

She shook her head. “Nothing. Why? And what should I ask?”

I shrugged. “You know… the shirt?”

“What about it? I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready to be happy about it,” she answered then left my room.

That’s the other side of Ate. She’s in fact a profoundly wise person. I hope to have her wisdom. Kahit na palagi siyang madaldal at opinonated na babae, hindi ko naman maitatanggi na most of the time, she’s right. She’s a figure of the eldest daughter who had no choice but to be a second mother to all her siblings. I really wish her all the best things in life because she deserves it. She may bend but she’ll never break. I hope she doesn’t. She respects boundaries and never forced me to say the things I don’t want. Though sometimes she can be really makulit—that is her personality— still, she knows her limits. Which makes her a good mother. She’s someone I want to be, I once told her that and she answered,

“You can wish to be anyone. You can idolize me or whatever. But you can’t be anyone, so be yourself. That’s going to be your power in this very harsh world. This world is going to punch you real hard on the face when you go out there. Pick your best weapon.” She winked.

“What if I can’t be myself?” I asked her.

“In your world, you are free. You are always going to have a choice, again, pick your best weapon.”

“Which is?”

“You’ll know when you get there. Nothing really prepares you for the battles you’ll be going through,” she answered. She helped me packed my last luggage before going back to States.

“How will I know if that’s my best weapon?”

She chuckled. “You have so many questions. I don’t know the answer to that one. Ikaw lang ang makakaalam niyan.”

I still wonder up until now how the heck will I know what’s the best weapon. I can’t even understand it properly.

Kinuha ko ang phone ko at tinawagan ang telepono sa baba.

“I ate already, so I’m not going to eat dinner na po. Bye!” sabi ko.

Kuya answered, “Yeah, I think you had a date with del Montecillo.”

I heard Ate called him out. “Mahal! Stop! Let her have her moment!”

I laughed then put the phone down.

Nanonood na ulit ako ng tv noong umilaw ang screen ng cellphone ko. Napamura ako dahil hindi ko na matapos-tapos itong pinanonood ko.

Clarene:

HOLY f*****g FRAIL HAVE YOU SEEN PRECIOUS POST ON THE TWITZERS!

Para ko na naman naririnig ang matinis na boses ni Clarene.

I replied, No. What are you talking about? I haven’t seen it yet, like I didn’t use twitzers for like a week now.

Clarene:

GO TO HER FEED NA!!!!!

Ako:

STOP YELLING OH MY GOD IT’S LIKE I CAN HEAR YOU FROM THERE!!! What’s her username? I don’t follow her, e.

Clarene:

@Preciouslikegem like ew girl. No, you aren’t precious as gem, she’s like a stone outside, those on the streets. If I see this disgusting low-class woman again, I’ll rip her stomach open! She better be praying to all gods and saints she know coz I’m about to stick a f*****g knife through her fifth and fourth rib!

Natawa ako sa text niya. Ni-search ko na agad ang username niya sa Twitzers. Nakita ko na she’s following me.

I was in a complete shock when my eyes landed to one of her posts with a picture attached! AND MY BEAUTIFUL BACK IS EXPOSED?! Hindi naman visible ang mukha ko pero kahit na!

Nakita ko ang picture noong nasa cafeteria kami, the day when we encountered the creepy and asshole guy who misinterpreted my dozing off activity.

It says on the caption “What a real slut. Two boyfriends at once, gosh.”

What the f**k?

Ako:

OH MY GOD!!!!! She is insane, Clarene! Kakalbuhin ko na talag itong ulirat na ito!

Clarene:

RIGHT?! What should I do about her? Kulang ba siya sa love from her parents?! Just wth!

Tangina talagang Precious ‘to. Hindi talaga siya titigil sa mga kagagahan niya.

I created a dump account and tagged her.

Guess who kissed her friend’s boyfriend. @Preciouslikegem why did u ran away that day from @MissPerrinotPerry when her boyfriend cheated on her with her friend, she needed you that time.

I posted that. I tagged the friend I was talking about. The girl who cried on the hallway. I can’t tarnish my account just because of this stupid woman who didn’t even think that a dump account can easily tarnish hers since she’s using her real account. Kayang kaya kong ibaling ang atensyon pabalik sa kaniya at pag-awayin itong dalawang ex-friends.

Ilang minuto pa lang ay hundreds na ang retwitz noong post ko at lahat ay nakatag sila Precious at Perri.

Clarene:

Are you the dump acc named gemstone_expert? With the bio “From my professional opinion, @Preciouslikegem is not a real gem, in fact it is fake and should be crushed into powder to avoid reproducing” THAT IS SO f*****g BOMB DAYN!!!!

Ako:

Yeah, that would be me, b***h. Is it halata? I don’t care. No proof, no jail.

Sunod-sunod ang notification sa phone ko.

“Oh my god! Those two were always together, I wonder If this is true.” Somebody replied.

Phrases like that continued to rise in number.

“Oh my god, what a shocking revelation?”

“Hell no. Perri was nicer than her. And now she’s attacking this one girl who has two guys in her hand while literally just sitting there, doing nothing and being pretty!” This one for sure is Clarene. She’s being too specific.

I asked her if she created a dump account or should I say haters account solely for Precious.

“What a shameless woman, Precious should change her name into Trashy.” Somebody commented at Precious’ post.

Maya-maya lang ay nagcomment na rin si Perri.

“Precious the real slut here, she knew that it was my boyfriend, but she still did it with him!”  she said.

Precious replied a dot. A dot? What’s that dot going to do?

It feels like I am in a cinema. Kaya naman pala hindi ko matapos-tapos ang pinanonood ko kanina dahil mayroong mas maganda subaybayan na palabas. Umayos ako sa pagkakahiga at naghintay sa mga susunod na pangyayari. Kakaibang palabas ito, true to life story at ang intense. I recommend everybody to watch this as well.