Hinanda ko na ang mga gamit na kakailanganin ko, tinulungan na ako ni Kira sa paghahanda. "Take care, Cali. Enjoy your vacation! Baka pag-uwi mo may boyfriend ka na, ha..." ngumiwi ako. As if!
"Baka ikaw 'yon!" Hilaw siyang ngumiti saakin. 22 years old Kira is still the same Kira I've met. Halata parin pag may tinatago. It's not new to me, though, I've seen her future. It's good.
"Kailan mo ba ipapakilala saamin iyon?" I'm referring to her long time boyfriend, ilang tao na yata sila ngunit di ko parin kilala. I don't know about Haku, he's not that strict when it comes to boys. He's open minded, of course. Just a little bit silly when it comes to advices. Kaya hindi ko alam kung napakilala niya na kay Haku, anyways, lagot iyon. Hmm... her boyfriend is rich!
"Gaga 'yung bibig mo!" Napangisi ako. Baka pag balik ko...
"Hindi pa alam ni Haku? O alam niya na pero ayaw niya? Alin sa dalawa?" It's not that she's not allowed to have a boyfriend but we know Haku and his standards. Walang nakakapantay. Gusto niya yata ang perpektong lalaki para saamin.
Her chinky eyes slightly smiled.
"Ayaw niya... sinabi rin niya na masyadong mayaman si William saakin, he said that William's family might not accept me... knowing that I'm an orphan."
"Who will not accept you? You're smart and kind!" I said. "Pinakilala ka na ba?"
It's been a while since the last time I talked to her this long. She's always busy in her school. She's a graduating student, silang dalawa ni haku.
"Yes... they liked me." Ngumiti siya.
"Good, then, ano pa ang pino-problema ni Haku?" Well, Haku is really hard to please. Mas lalo pa siyang naging hard to get nitong mga nakaraang araw. He's stress siguro? Palibhasa walang girlfriend... masungit kasi!
"I don't know, I have this gut na gusto niya si William pero ayaw niyang sabihin kasi maiiwan siyang single!" We laughed at him. Typical haku, hopeless romantic. That's what he get for having a high standards! "You know what? The girl na laging bumubuntot sakanya?" Tumango ako.
I remembered that girl, minsan na akong pinag selosan 'non. Akala ko nga girlfriend ni haku, iyon pala may gusto sakanya. That girl is crazy and obsessed! Taliwas sa type ni haku sa babae. I don't know what happened to them, All I know was, haku fell. I've seen that girl's future, I don't know when it'll happen, though...
Nakita ko lang naman na masaya nila ni Haku habang magkasama.
Laging wala si haku sa bahay, si Kira din. They're an adult now and I understand that. Ako nalang madalas sa apartment.
They have something going on with their lives now and I'm completely happy about that, we're not the same, Calamity, Kira and Haku before. We're not caged anymore. We're free and I'm forever grateful for having this freedom to choose, to live.
Nalulungkot lamang ako na ang pagsasama namin ay nagiging madalang.
But if this is for the better, then why not?
I'm forever guilty doon sa mga naiwanan namin. Ngunit kung hindi ako pumayag, kung hindi kami nakaalis. Magiging ganito kaya ang buhay namin? It sometimes requires sacrifices to have a better living.
It feels lonely today but not as lonely as yesterday. I've met a lot of people who I grew up with. They're part of my growth.
Ano pa bang kulang? Bakit parang may kulang? I still feel empty, bakit?
Dumaan ang araw at natapos na nga ang midterms namin kaya hudyat na undas na!
Bumusina ang sasakyan nila Leandra, tanda na andyan na sila para sunduin ako. Kinuha ko na ang bag ko at nagpaalam. Haku kissed me in my forehead while Kira hugged me. "Aww! You're not a baby anymore!" I chuckled.
"Mag-iingat ka, Cali! Tumawag pag may problema." I nodded at them and left.
Honestly, ayaw ni Haku na nagkaka hiwalay kaming tatlo. They're very protective of me. But haku said once that they should not be over protective of me. Na hindi pwedeng nakalaya nga kami doon sa kinalakihan namin kung pagbabawalan ako dito. That's what he said. He said that love must be free. Free to choose, free to live. Hindi pwedeng may harang, dapat mapagbigay. He's right.
Nilagay ko ang bag ko sa likuran ng van nila leandra, dalawa lang naman kami pero nag van pa. Leandra is wearing her wayfarers, binigay niya saakin ang isa pa na sinuot ko naman agad.
"We've got a long ride, Cali! I'm excited! Mag stop over tayo when we get hungry, okay? But I got you a lots of food!"
Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit. She's clingy. I pouted, "Let's get inside!" Napalayo man ako ng kaonti kila Kira, but atleast I have her. My only bestfriend.
Lea and I share one earphone because we have the same taste in music. We love RnB songs especially the old ones.
Lumingon ako sa kanan at nakita ko na tulog na si Leandra gamit ang neck pillow niya while I'm wide awake. A lavender feather fell into my nose and I can't help but to smile. Akala ko nakalimutan niya na ako e.
"Impossible..."
A baritone voice whispered near my ear.
"You're close to the truth, Cal... Take care."
And then I realized, maybe I have something to accomplish yet. Maybe my mission in life doesn't end in just having a premonition and help them. Maybe there's something bigger than that, maybe.
Napag pasyahan namin ang mag roadtrip kaysa gamitin ang chopper nang pamilya ni Leandra. Ani ko'y mas magugustuhan ko ang matagal na byahe, mas makakapag pahinga. Sumang-ayon na si Leandra sa gusto ko dahil sabi niya'y hindi nga kami makakapag pahinga masyado roon dahil sa mga activity raw na gagawin namin. I laughed at her, though.
Activity ka riyan...
Nag stop over kami sa isang restaurant at sinabi ni Lea na 6 hours pa bago makarating sa pupuntahan.
"I love long drives, especially at night..." I agreed. Masarap nga naman tingnan ang paligid lalo na kapag malamig ang hangin.
"Tell me about your childhood, Cali..." One thing about Lea is that, she's always curious. She always asks about things that confuses her.
"It was quite hard." That's the only thing I could say, what we experienced is a taboo, it's not that I'm secretive about it or hiding it to anyone but what we did there is a shame. It's a selfish act, Oo pinag kaitan ang kabataan sa amin ngunit ang i-kwento ang nakaraan na magpapabalik sa dating kami ay hindi na kailangan.
We did what we have to, there's still regrets but we're happy now.
We'll never forget where we came from, It's just that, we had to leave it behind or else we won't move forward.
"Are you happy now, Cali?" tumango ako. totoong masaya ako sa buhay ko ngayon, ngunit may kulang, hindi ko mawari kung ano, pero alam kong mayroon.
Pagkatapos ng mahabang oras ng byahe, nakarating na rin kami sa wakas sa paroroonan. Kagaya ng kinalakihan kong lugar, ang lugar na ito ay may natural na lamig ng hangin at maliwanag na awra. Ang mansyon ng pamilya Ramirez ay nakakalulang tignan ngunit ang dagat malapit sa mansyon ang siyang mas nakaka bighani.
Sinalubong kami ng mga kasambahay para sa mga gamit.
"Andito ba ang pamilya mo, lea?" Ngumiti siya, "Oo naman, sinabihan ko na sila na may idadala akong kaibigan. My parents were so happy to know you, Cali and said that she already had plans for upcoming events."
Upcoming events what? Napalunok ako sa narinig, events for rich people like them means gathering of businessmen. Inaalala ko tuloy yung mga damit na nilagay ko, puro pang-alis, pero wala naman doong pang party?
Pagkatapak na pagkatapak ko sa mansyon, doon ako namangha, sa lawak ng garden, sa lawak ng entrance papasok ng mansyon, tila mahihirapan at magnanakaw at mag dedesisyong wag nalang magnakaw sa haba ng entrance papasok.
The mansion is vintage with a touch of modern style. Nagustuhan ko ito.
"Nagustuhan mo ba, Cali?" Tumango ako,
"I love our Ancestral House the most Cali, I'll show you later our neighbor Mansions. It's much more bigger and expensive houses."
Leandra's mom, Tita Leona welcomed us together with her husband, Tito Karlo, they're both on their mid 50s or something.
Kagaya sa mga napapanood kong telenovela, magara ang damit na suot nila.
"Good morning, Madame, Sir!"
"No need for formalities, hija, We've met you several times!" I smiled at them formally, di ko alam kung paano makitungo sa mga mayayaman, they might think I'm too poor for this kind of situation.
At dahil may hinandang pagkain ang mag-asawa, kumain muna kami para sa umagahan, konting usapan para sa mga plano naming dalawa kasama narin ang sinasabi ni Tita Leona na pagdiriwang.
Pagkatapos ng pagsasalo, napag pasyahan namin ang magpahinga muna, may hinandang guest room ang pamilya nila sa akin. Hindi ko pa rin nakikita ang dalawa niyang kapatid, though I've seen them twice, I think.
Nilapag ko ang mga bag na dala ko at tinignan ang buong kwarto, It's plain but I like it, may kaonting muwebles na nagustuhan ko, may kaonting kulay pink ang kwarto.
A feather fell into my nose, napatingala ako, I know he's with me.