He's been practicing braiding my hair for weeks. I never complain because I like how he pays attention to me. Nag improve naman siya for me, bumibilis na kasi siya matapos and for me na mahaba ang buhok ang haba ng pasensya niya ha. He kisses my temple and says he's done.
"Bagay na bagay, parang ako." sabi nito at bahagyang tumawa. Tumayo ito mula sa likod ko at pumunta sa harap ko, sinisipat pa nito kung may gulo ba sa buhok ko. He crossed his arm then he put his one hand on his chin as if he was thinking too deep while looking at me. My face always flush whenever he looks at me like this.
"Hmm, parang gusto kitang iuwi." sabi nito sabay tawa.
"..muka ka kasing manika sa puti, masyado kang tinginin, gusto kitang ipagdamot." sabi nito sabay lumakad palapit sakin at inakap ako.
Natawa din akong bahagya sa banat nya."Corny mo naman." sabi ko sabay tayo.
Mag-isa lang kami sa vacant room, half day lang kasi siya at ako naman ay maya maya may pasok na. 4th yr college sya kaya may time na vacant siya, next sem daw ay busy na siya for ojt kaya sinusulit daw niya ang vacant na kasama ako, while me naman ay freshman palang kaya naman everyday ang pasok, may vacant pa din pero mas madalas ang pasok.
He walked closer and kissed me on my head. "Halika, hatid na kita sa room mo." sabi nito sabay kuha sa bag ko. He offered his hand and I immediately took his hand and smiled at him. He smelled my hands before we walked outside. My face crimsoned quickly because of it.
I could see people looking at us while walking. Sino ba namang hindi lilingon? Kasama ko si Caine. Bukod sa basketball player ay top student sa school namin. Saka isa pa, gwapo. I understand their jealousy, ako lang 'to guys.
Mabilis natapos ang klase at hindi nako makapaghintay matapos pa 'to. Caine texted me na hihintayin nya ko at nasa gym lang daw siya ng school nagbobola. Mabilis kong inayos ang gamit ko para kapag sinabing goodbye ng teacher ay aalis na lamang ako.
"Excited na excited umuwi, may maghahatid kasi e." siko sakin ng kaibigan ko na si Bea. Natawa naman ito ng mamula ang mukha ko.
"Next time na lang ako sasabay sa inyo kapag single na ulit ako." sabi ko dito at binelatan. Natawa naman silang dalawa at pinaghahampas ako.
"Landi mo talaga, girl." hitak nito sa buhok ko. Wala kasing mga jowa puro mga fling fling lang sila. Ewan ko ba naman kay Lala at Bea ayaw magseryoso. I'm 2 years younger than my batchmates kasi maaga akong pinasok.
Sabay sabay kaming tumayo ng magpaalam na ang teacher namin. Dumiretso ako sa gym at sila naman ay dumiretso na pauwi. Rinig na rinig ko ang kaluskusan ng mga sapatos sa gym, agad kong natanaw si Caine na asa bench at pawis na pawis. May nakita pakong mga babaeng nagtutulakan para iabot sa kanya ang bottled water. Napa irap na lamang ako sa hangin, mabilis na umiling si Caine ng lumapit ang babae sa kanya at ino-offer ang bottled water sa kanya.
Nagawi ang tingin nito sakin kaya tumayo ito at kumaway kaya naman naglakad nako papunta sa kanya. Sinalubong din ako nito "Hindi ka nag text? Sinundo na lang sana kita sa room mo." sabi nito habang kinukuha ang bag ko. Mukang pagod na pagod pa ito kaya naman pinigilan ko itong kunin ang bag ko.
"Ako na magdadala, mukhang pagod na pagod ka e." I pulled my bag from him at kinuha ko ang panyo ko sa bulsa sabay punas sa mukha nya.
"Magaan lang naman bag mo e, amina." sabi nito sabay kuha sakin pabalik. Wala akong nagawa dahil sinukbit na niya iyon sa braso nya.
Naglakad kami papunta sa inuupuan nya kanina at inilapag nya doon ang bag ko. Nag ayawan na din sila at nagpaalam ito na magpapalit lang daw sya saglit.
Rinig na rinig ko ang bulungan ng mga babaeng papansin kanina pa.
"Akala ko magkakabalikan na si Caine at Reena."
"Akala ko nga din, malupit talaga mga freshman ngayon gusto mga senior."
"Mahilig pala sa bata si Caine, bakit hindi na lang ako." sabi pa ng isa sabay tawa.
"Ay inang, wag kana umasa friend, paputi ka muna ng singit, friendly advice lang." sabi ng bakla nilang kasama at tumawa ng malakas.
Nawala ang atensyon ko sa kanila ng lumabas na si Caine. As always Caine gain my full attention, parang minamagnet nito talaga ang mga mata mo, lakas ng dating kasi e kainis. Lumakad na ito palapit sakin kaya tumayo na din ako, sabay kaming naglakad palabas while he was holding my hand.
Sabay lang kami naghintay sa sundo ko dito sa labas. Hindi ko pa sya nali-legal sa family ko kasi masyadong strict lola ko, humahanap pa ako ng tiyempo kung kailan ko sasabihin sa kanila. 4 months na kami pero still ang consistent nya pa din sakin, never siya nagreklamo sa mga request ko kahit minsan ang arte arte ko.
Ilang minuto lang ay dumating na ang sundo ko. I already thought that kasabay ko si kuya kasi they use the black van, super arte naman kasi non need daw nya ng space, hindi naman ako annoying duh.
Kinuha ko na kay Caine ang bag ko at kumaway na dito, kumaway dito ito at ngumiti saakin. Abot hanggang mata ang ngiti ko hanggang nakapasok ako ng sasakyan.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that our parents decided to have dinner with uncle's resto."
"So?"
"They're in the car behind."
"Okay." I shrugged. He stayed silent for a minute and gave me a look.
"Aren't you worried? They just saw your suitor, stupid." My eyes widened when he said that.
"Why didn't you text me?!" I look at him furiously.
"Oh. Are we close?" He laughed at me.
"...Dad keeps asking me about the guy." He chuckled while showing me the text.
I rolled my eyes at him. He really likes getting me in trouble!
I can feel the tension between my parents and my grandma. And my parents keep looking at me suspiciously. What? Hindi naman 'to teleserye para maging against sila sa whoever I'm with right? Caine is nice, they will like him.
We're almost done with dinner and I keep myself quiet. I already have a plan. Kailangan diretso sa kwarto para hindi ako matanong. Did I just tell you that my grandma is the queen B in this family, I mean she's the rule. She makes rules, disagrees and you're dead. I just heard it from my cousin, I don't know, grandma looks nice to me naman. She treat me well, maiintindihan naman nya siguro na dumadaan talaga ang mga dalaga sa paglandi minsan huhu
"The dinner feels like hell." my brother whispered in my ears. I rolled my eyes at him.
We're almost at home and I feel cold. I just wish na sana mahaba ang byahe pero hindi. I also just wish na sana hindi samin nakatira si Grandma, favorite child niya ba si Papa. Maglayas na kaya ako?
Mabilis akong bumaba, inunahan ko si kuya kahit siya ung malapit sa pinto. I heard him laughing but I just ignored him.
"Eda, sa sala." My Dad said bago pa man ako makapasok sa pinto. My feet get colder.
Ako ang naunang naupo sa sala while waiting for everyone. My little sister ran towards me and gave me little kisses. "Are you okay? You look pale."
I smiled at her and hugged her. "Of course…. she's not." singit naman ng kapatid kong mahilig mambwiset saka tumawa ng bahagya.
My parents took their seats and looked at me suspiciously. My dad looked at his phone then sighs. "Edaliene– " before my dad even finished his words, my grandma walk in that made him stop. She looked emotionless while walking towards us.
"Caine Perez, adopted. Student with no certain future. No inheritance. No social status. A boy who can't even buy a pair of shoes!"
She looks me in the eyes like a beast who wants to tore my inner soul. My eyes are watering, not because she's angry at me but because she just insulted the person who makes me happy!
"...is your brain still working, child? Make it work!" she said and poke my forehead a little hard.
My tears started to fall all at once. "I love him, grandma." I said in low tones but it's enough to clearly hear it. I wipe my tears and look at her eyes as if I am not afraid of her.
"What?!"
"He's good.. grandma. He's smart…he's one of the top students in school. You'll like h–"
I was cut off, I tasted the blood coming from my lips. She slapped me. My parents gasped. My father hugged my mother as she tried to come close to me. They're all scared of her, I am too.
My tears keep falling, but it doesn't matter. "You'll like him..grandma." I continued, she looked at me with disbelief and rage.
And she slapped me again.
"Are you insane? Don't tell me you gave your dignity to that boy?!" she said with rage.
"..DID YOU?!"
I shook my head while my tears kept falling from my eyes, my face was covered with tears and blood. She really slapped me that hard.
"If I found out that you're not pure, you'll get nothing from this family! UNDERSTAND?!"
She was about to come closer again but my brother immediately walked towards her and calmed her down.
After that night, things weren't the same as before. I am almost restricted with everything. I can't even go with my friends alone!
I became homeschooled. If I want to go outside, I should be either with my mother or our housemaid. I can use my phone, I can talk to my friend but all male contact from my phone is prohibited. My phone will be handed before I go to bed. In short I am monitored.
I broke up with Caine through text. My brother told me that Caine tried to enter the house but he got beaten up. He does it multiple times, I had no choice. I begged for my brother to call him so I could talk to him and end things between us so he would stop coming here and get beaten up over again.
"I decided to go abroad to study, Caine. I'm sorry that I didn't say my goodbyes kasi biglaan lang talaga. I don't do long distance relationships so I just called you because I want to break up with you properly." I said like it was nothing, I tried to maintain my voice not to crack up. I need to lie.
"If you want to break up with me properly, why don't you meet me, Eda? You can talk to me...we can talk about this.. we can make it work, p-please.." I can feel that he is trying to be firm with his voice.
"...hihintayin kita. I don't care how long, but I will wait for you, okay? Kaya ko naman maghintay e, please? We can talk about this when you returned." he pleaded. I'm trying to prevent my tears from falling because I might lose it and cry out loud and just tell him that I don't really mean everything I've said.
"...wag ka naman sumuko, Eda, please..." I could hear his voice crack up from tears. He's crying! My tears started to fall as well. I wish I could take everything I've said but I don't want to make it hard for him. The sooner the better, bata pa naman kami, makakapag move on pa sya.
"I'm sorry, hindi naman ako masyadong seryoso sa relationship natin and I don't think this will work for us, Caine. You can still move one, we're young." I said so casually, I can't believe I'm doing this to him. I could hear him keep saying please to me….I can't take it.
"..gotta go, Caine. Take care alright? Bye." I said everything so fast and ended the call. That was the last conversation I had with him.
I thought it was but it's not. Months passed after the broken up phone call happened. I feel shit. My mother might have felt my presence because I've been absent minded lately after that call. I constantly keep thinking about him. The memories, the moments we shared just keep flashing back. This might be my karma for doing this to him. Things might be hard for him, I hope he's doing well after that because I am not.
I'm taking my time washing my hands in the restroom while my mother is waiting for me inside the cinema. I just can't with the dim lights inside, I'm imagining things like seeing him. Argh! I hate myself.
I fix my hair and put on some lipstick. I walked outside and saw a familiar man's back standing outside the girl's restroom. I pinched myself for imagining things again! Ano ba Eda? Pano naman mapupunta yon dito?
I was about to pass this guy when he turned his back while looking at his watch. He raised his head and met my eyes. He looks surprised for a second but it turns back to normal immediately.
My body quickly stops moving. He scanned me from head to foot and stared at me for a second. "Hi.." awkward ko ditong bati.
He didn't answer me, I thought he would just walk away but he walked towards me instead and instantly pulled me into the boy's restroom and locked the door.
He looked straight at me in the eyes for a minute without a blink, he looked serious, sad, confused and happy? What? I mean what am I even doing here with him? I just broke up with him months ago! My imagination is going too far, isn't it?
I gently touch his face. "Am I imagining things again?" I said it out loud.
"Kailan kapa nakabalik?" I almost curse ng bigla itong magsalita. Never akong umalis, nagtago lang ako bhe.
I was about to pinch his cheeks to check but he held my hands and pulled me closer. He put his chin on my shoulders and I could feel his warm breath through my neck.
"You still smelled the same.." he said while his chin rested on my shoulder and his hand still holding my hands and playing with it. I could feel my cheeks turning red. God! He can make me feel something every damn time.
"..take me back, Eda." He whispered in my ears. I immediately pushed him back when I felt his lips almost touch my ear.
"Are you insane?" I said trying to sound casual. He looked down and brushed his hair through his finger.
"Siguro and you're making me insane…I'm trying so hard to move on. Gusto kitang kalimutan kasi I deserve more than your break up phone call." he said while trying to avoid my eyes because he was tearing up.
I'm holding my purse tightly to stop myself from saying something I will regret later on. He has the right to say whatever he wants, I hurt him of course masakit mga sasabihin niya kasi its my fault.
"..but seeing you now? Nakakalimutan ko na dapat galit ako sayo, Eda. Alam mo nakakatawa na akala ko ready ako kapag nakita kita pero I end up saying na take me damn back..." he laughed in pain but I clearly saw that sadness in his eyes.
"You…need to move on, Caine." I said and turned my back.
"Did you, Eda?"
"..I'm sorry I need to g–"
I was stunned. He hugged me from the back and I could feel his tears on my skin. "I will take you back.."