After that surprise event with Lisa in the storage room, I decided to just not to hide again. I guess Tanya could just be annoying the more I avoided her and maybe I just also have to face Krizzia and not run away from her. I enjoyed those surprised encounter with Lisa. She's a tough girl and it would be cool to be her friend. But sometimes I just can't get through her. Or just I need to reach out more in a perfect timing.
******************************************************************
My newly found friends in the swim team are enjoying the pool in our condo. I brought them over after class today.
"Imagin mo pare Leo, katropa na natin si Brandon?"
"Ngayon lang ako nakapasok sa mga katulad nito." , Don said.
"Hey guys, we did a great job today. Remember, it's all about stamina in the water. The more we stay longer under water, the more it will help us. For the meantime, this week, we will work on that then next week, we will try our country clubs lap pool."
Then there were cheers from the group.
"Brandon, can we hang out for a while?"
"Sure, Jeff. Feel at home."
WE were all jumping, diving and swimming ---enjoying ourselves in the pool when...
"What's the meaning of this? And who the hell are you to invade our condo!!!! Out! Out! Out!!!!"
My evil witch step mom.
"Elizabeth, you don't have to shout at them. They are in my swim team."
"Oh and it's you who are making decision in this household now."
"I told dad about this and said it was okay. "
"Well, I am not gonna approve!"
"And why would you have to approve everything? I can bring anybody I want in here just like I always did."
My friends just pick their stuff and bade goodbye to me. I was so upset to talk to them that I just wave my hand to them.
"Wait guys...I will go with you for a while."
Elizabeth was so furious and if it's not for my sibling inside her womb, I don't care blowing it off to her the whole night. I don't care what my dad thinks either.
"And where do you think you're going, Brandon?"
"I will go wherever I want to go just to leave this crap.!!!"
"Brandon, you will not go......come back in here right now!!!"
I slammed the door behind my back.
*****************************************************************
"Ala e Jepperson, mayaman yata yang skolmet nyo. Nakakahiya naman tong bahay natin", Jeff's mom was talking to her son quite doubting about keeping me for a night in their home.
"Ma, nakakaawa naman po siya. Yung madrasta niya, parang gusto naming ilagay sa zoo...parang tigre kasi."
"I will be fine, Mrs. Delgado. THank you very much for accommodating me."
"Our ples is so smol."
"It doesn't matter how small, as long as you have a big heart."
"Tenk u, tenk u..for the complimentary message."
"Nay, okay na po kami." Jeff assured her.
"So u are half-half....?"
"Yes I am half-filipino, half-american."
"O that's why you have that pogi fez. You no ip jepperson's pader did not make me buntis...a este preggy..you no...one cold night...ay naku, censored na yata to...u know..i no u no...dat ting..mmm...man en woman unayt then dey will hab a bebe. Yun, i hab mered a britis. He is hansam like u mebe."
Jeff's mom is hilarious.
"Ma, ano ba yan? Matagal yata na usapan yan at kinakalkal mo pa ang kasaysayan ng ating pamilya. Matulog na po kayo. Ako na ang bahala kay Brandon."
"Ok, Brendon..ay will go to sleep na to da oder room ....a este wala pala kaming room. Dyan o..ober der..in the korner wid my oder kids. Good night."
"Good night, Mrs. Delgado."
The Delgados live in a single room house where everything is there----living room, kitchen, dining room and bedroom. The only room that is separated from the house is the bathroom. They are a happy family. I heard the father works overnight in the fishing port and comes home only every weekend.
They let me use their one and only bed in the house which I refused a moment ago when I saw Jeff's younger brother and sister. But then, they insisted and even gave me all of their pillows and an old blanket.
I was awake half of the time the rest of the night. I just can't take Elizabeth anymore and maybe getting away from them for a while will help.
Now, my life is just so complicated.
Pagkauwi ko ng bahay ng Lunes ng gabi, nakita ko ang nanay sa labas na wari may malalim na iniisip. Alam ko na tulog na ang mga kapatid ko dahil pasado alas nuebe na. Gabi na rin natapos ang praktis namin sa dance competition para sa Division Meet.
"Ang drama natin yata ngayon a. Para kang nasa teleserye at sinasaliwan ng malungkot na musika." Sabay halik ako sa noo at umupo sa tabi ni Inay.
"May pagbabago lang kasing nangyari ngayong araw na to."
"Talaga? Sana magandang pagbabago."
"Alam kong ikakatuwa mo..."
"Okay...? Pasiyahin mo ako."
"Pumunta kanina si Atty. Elizalde sa tindahan at muli niya daw bubuksan ang kaso ng Tatay mo."
"Talaga? Bakit? Ano ang tumulak sa kanila na buksan ang kaso?"
"Kasi nakakita sila ng koneksyon sa mga gun and drug trafficking hindi lang dito sa Luzon kung di sa Mindanao din. Tapos, nakita nila mahigit na isang taon na may ganyang aksyon na nangyayari at ang tatay mo, matagal na taxi driver pero wala pa siyang isang taon sa Two Brothers taxi company. At isa pa, pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng kaso ay pumunta ng America at 2 magkakapatid na may-ari."
"Baka nga may kinalaman ang 2 magkakapatid."
"Wala silang sinasabi pero kailangan din nila imbestigahan ang kapatid na babae ng 2. Pero sana naman mapawalang sala ang tatay mo dahil alam naman natin na wala talaga syang kasalanan. Ipagdadasal natin yun."
************************************ "Maaga pa yatang HB itong si Miss Tan," bulong ni Iris sa akin habang nakaupo kami sa bleacher habang nagbi-break sa dance rehearsal.
"Kabuwanan yata", dagdag ni Alex. Dance instructor namin si Miss Tan. Palagi siyang masayahin at kwela kaya pag wala sya sa modo, alam na alam mo talagang may isyu siya sa buhay.
"We need to dry the floor for the next routine. Somebody get the mop or any rag from the storage room. We will start in 10 minutes."
Tumayo ako at..."Ako na, Miss Tan."
"THank you, Lisa." Sa hallway kung saan yung storage room, parini't parito si Tanya.
"A Lisa...mm..have you seen Brandon? I've been looking for him e. He's nowhere to be found.
"
Anak ng tinapa, ginawa na naman akong Lost and Found.
"Tanya, alam mo naman siguro kung saan ka pupunta kung may nawawala , di ba?"
"Pero tao yung nawawala, Lisa..di bagay."
"Alam ko. Mahirap kasi hanapin ang nagtatago sa yo."
"Si Brandon? from me? Bakit???"
"Di ko alam. Sige ha..."
Pinagmamasdan ko syang nagdadabog pabalik ng DRamatics classroom nila.
Pumasok ako ng storage pero madilim. Nalimutan kong lagyan ng harang yung pintuan kaya di ko nakita tuloy ang switch. Kinapa ko sa kaliwang banda ng dingding at nahanap ko pero nawalan ako ng balanse at muntik na akong nadapa pero dumapo ako sa isang tao. Napayakap ako sa kanya at ganon din siya sa akin. Para bagang nawalan ako ng ulirat ng ilang segundo dahil feeling ko ang sarap na lang yumakap pero bigla akong pumiglas.
"Teka..sino..?" Kinapa ko uli ang switch at .."BRandon?" ANong ginagawa mo dito?"
"I...I am sorry. It was all accident."
"At gusto mo pa akong chansingan ha."
"It's not what you think, Lisa. I was running away from Tanya."
"Malaki siguro ang mga kasalanan mo sa mga babaeng yan kaya you are running away from them."
"I don't know...I honestly don't know."
"Alam ko na..." Hinawakan ko yung mukha niya sa may panga nya at biglang tinuro ang mukha niya.
"Ito o..ito...itong mukhang yan...yan ang dahilan", saka ko binitawan.
"MY face?"
"OO, the problem is your face."
"I didn't know that."
"Weeee...kunwari pa ito na di aamin na.."
"..that what?" Seryoso yata ang mokong na to na di alam na may itsura sya.
Bigla lang akong natigilan...."may itsura ka..that you have a face."
Sa unang pagkakataon nakita ko siyang ngumiti.
"Everyone has a face including me and I don't find anything special about it. But I do find some faces so angelic."Nilagay nya yung daliri sa chin ko, " ...specifically and specially yours."
"Hoy, wag mo akong utuin. Paalis na nga at hinihintay na ako sa klase", dinampot ko yung mop.
"Lumabas ka na dito at pinapawisan ka na dito."
Hmmm Lisa, ba't ka flattered sa sinabi nya? Matagal ko namang alam na maganda talaga ako a. Wala nga lang nakakahalata.
"Hello Brandon!!! How was your weekend?"
Oh no, not again. Tanya blurted out across the hallway. Then everyone looks my way. I need my invisibility cloak please. I smiled back dryly at her. I am just contemplating for an intervention right now.
"BRandon?" Coach Geganto called. I immediately turned his way.
"Coach , good morning."
"YOu seemed to be in a good mood today."
"I just want to thank you for saving me."
"Saving from what?"
"No..never mind."
"Can I have a bit of your time? Let's get into my office."
You just didn't know how much you save me, Coach Geganto. Tanya such a sweet girl but I don't want that kind of attention everytime she's around. She is so loud.
"I heard that you are in the swimming team in your former school. The reason we don't have a swimming team here is that we lack facilities like a lap pool at saka students here came from poor families, so the best access they have for swimming are the beaches and rivers."
"I understand, sir."
"WE focused more on popular team sports and some individual events that require less funding. Pero I know na isa kang asset...if you don't me talking in tagalog."
"I sure can understand some tagalog Sir. That's fine. "
"It is our goal here to really hone in everyone to the best of their skills and I want to ask you if you have somewhere to practice if we do participate in the swimming competition in the coming Division Meet."
"WE have a lap pool in the country club and I also swim in one of our condo in a midrise in Alabang. In fact, we don't have a lap pool in Blue Ridge--- most of the guys in our swimming team are individually trained but if the competition is close, we basically go to a lap pool available around town with our coach. Of course the school finance the rent."
"WEll, ang mangyayari, Brandon is that you will be your own team. I read your record that you're best in individual medley, so we could put you in that. My wife is also a swimmer when she was in her high school, she could be helping you. Kasi meron na akong soccer pero I will stand as your coach but she will be there to assist you."
"I suggest also Sir that maybe we could recruit 5 more if you want to. I will be the one taking care of the practice if that's okay."
"THat is so great, Brandon! Yes, we will post it and maybe send out permission slips to parents. How's that?"
"Let's do it, Sir."
"THank you, Brandon. I appreciate your help." So this is a responsibility on my back but I am on it. Never did I feel so excited. So at the end of the day, I have 6 students in front of me----6 guys in my team.
" My name is Henry...."
"Ako naman si Greg"......
."Tomas".......
."Leo"......"Jefferson"...and
....."Don".
"GReat!!!WElcome to the swimming team!!!!!"
Good luck to us, I said to myself.
Sabado --kakabukas ko lang ng Internet Cafe. As usual, nagtext si Janet na mali-late siya ng 10 minutes. Traffic daw. Buti na lang, late palagi si Bossing pag Sabado. Ang masaklap nito ay kailangan kong ihanda ang lahat ng sangkap ng shakes sa counter at magkayod ng isang container ng shaved ice. Di naman ako si Wonder Woman na kakayanin ang lahat at saka may customer na sa mga computers. Pero ang alam ko ay madali lang yan pag may music at sabayan ng indak.
Pina-andar ko ang music at para bang nasa music video daw ako na nagsasayaw habang tinatapos ang mga dapat kong gawin. Pinaandar ko ang lahat na computer, inaayos ang mga upuan, nag-shave ng ice, hinanda ang mga sahog para sa shakes at sandwiches. Voila---natapos kong lahat.
Paglingon ko sa may pintuan, nakita ko ang mestisong hilaw na nasa labas pala at papasok. Gusto kong mag-disappear nang sandali at parang gusto kong murain si Janet dahil late siya. Bakit ba? Lisa, kumalma ka. Lalaki lang yan. Wala akong baong maraming english ngayon. Puede ba maging bola at magroll sa ilalim ng counter? Anyway, sige, ako yata si Lisa---may matapang na apog.
Teka, ba't sya ngumingiti? Baliw yata to.
"Hi there. I always caught you dancing. You really love to dance."
"Oh yeah, and I always see you ....see you stalking."
Umiling siya.
"I am not stalking you. I bet next time I see you, you will still be dancing."
"Ay lab..ay lab to dance."
"I see that."
"Why you here? You want to use internet?"
"Oh no, I have my laptop but I like your shakes here. Can I have a large size choco mint shake?"
"21 pesos...."
"Okay."
Ayan ginagawan ko siya ng order nya pero ito pala ang feeling ng pinapanood ng lalaking to. E bakit naman kasi wala pang ibang customer para may iba pang tao dito.
Bigla na lang pumasok si Janet.
"LIsa, hay naku sorry ha. Traffic kasi. Ako na dito dito sa cash register" Lumingon at nakita si Brandon. "Uy, you're back here."
Nagtaka ako sa "you're back" ni Janet. Nakapunta na dito si mestisong hilaw?
"I like your shakes here."
"Oh good. So you met Lisa...?"
"Mmm..yes and met her in school,too."
"Talaga? Aba Lisa, di mo sinasabi sa akin na kaklase mo pala si Mr. Badge saver."
"Ha?", sabay lagay ng straw sa shake at binigay kay Brandon.
Inabot niya ang bayad kay Janet.
"Siya yung nakapulot ng badge mo at binalik dito. Di ka naman pala nagpasalamat."
"Ha a e...salamat...a e thank you."
"No problem. That's why you are so familiar."
Bigla na lang nag-text alert yung cellphone niya at binasa ang message. Tumingin sya sa labas at bigla na lang na-alarma.
"Hey, can I hide somewhere? I need to get away from someone."
"Doon sa storage room. Pasenya ha, mainit don."
"I don't care." Sabay pasok sa storage room.
Pumasok bigla ang ....sa aking ala-ala ito yung babae na kausap niya noong gabi.
"Have you seen a cute guy na pumasok dito? Mestiso, dark hair, kissable lips.....boyfriend ko?"
"Hindi po ito Lost and Found store...Internet Cafe po ito. Baka don sa kabila sa may Pet store.", bigla ko na lang siya sinagot.
"I'm not looking for my lost pet. I'm looking for my lost boyfriend."
Patagong tumatawa si Janet kaya siniko ko siya.
"I swear that car is his."
"Sure pa kayo, Miss? Wala pa kaming customer dito. Masarap ang shakes dito." bungad ni Janet.
"I'm sorry, I don't eat in an unknown place---yung sa tabi-tabi lang. O sige, if he gets lost in here, tel him Krizzia was here looking for him."
"Kanino namin sasabihin? Sa boss namin o sa pulis?"
"Arrggg!! Diyan na nga kayo...unbelievable!!!!" At saka siya umalis.
Lumabas si Brandon nang wala na si Krizzia.
"THanks guys, I owe it to you."
"O ayan, I already paid you by hiding you. Wala na akong utang. No debt anymore because of the badge."
"Ha? seriously, thank you."
"Talaga? Seryoso?, tanong ni Janet,"bakit mo...ah e why are you hiding from your girlfriend?"
"Correction, ex-girlfriend.
"Baka buntis", bigla lang akong sumibat,"I mean ..maybe she's preggy."
"Whoa!!No....", bigla tumaas ang boses nya, "if she is, it's not mine."
"Naku, joke lang!!!"
"GUess I better get going. Thanks for the great service and the help."
"Sure..." sabay ngiti ni Janet.
Siniko ako ni Janet, "You're welcome."
"Come back again! ", pahabol ni Janet.
Kinurut lang akong bigla ni Janet. "Hoy bruhilda, ang mean mo sa babaeng sosyalerang yun. Haha....lumalabas ang pagka-Gabriela Silang mo."
"Hay naku, kung may hahanapin siya, ba't dito sya naghahanap."
"Hay naku pero pag andito si bossing, pagagalitan ka non."
"Alam ko kaya sinamantala ko. At isa pa di naman siya kawalan dahil di naman siya bibili at ayaw niya ng shakes natin dito."
"OO nga, sister....she missed everything pag hindi niya natikman ang shakes natin.
When I got home that day, my dad has just finished talking to a client on the phone. He seems pleased to see me home earlier than I used to in my old school.
"Brandon, son, well I am glad to see you. Maybe the new school has given you a new, fresh and positive breath of air. How was it?"
"Not so cool but I could get by it. They put me in Dramatics as my Elective and that is the worst high school experience. How could a jock like me act? I need to talk to the P.E. and Sports person of the school."
"That's your choice, Brandon. Told you that you were in a good position in Blue Ridge."
"I know right but I need some adventure and I want surprises everyday."
"Okay, son. But hey, Krizzia called 3 times. What happened to you guys?"
"Well, we are only friends right now. There has been a problem and I didn't like what happened. I just called it over for the both of us and who knows."
We were in a good conversation when Elizabeth just came in screaming on her cellphone.
"No!!! Hindi puede yan!!! That can not be. That can not happen. Never!!! The case was close and that's it. We have put the real criminal in jail. Peter will not be happy about this. You need to do everything in your might to stop reopening the case. Dapat nyong pigilan yan!!!", then she put the phone away.
"Elizabeth, that is not healthy for the baby. Just calm down."
"THat is not right!!! One causal group headed by pro-bono lawyers is reopening the case against the trafficking in our taxi business."
"But that was like 5 years ago," my dad said.
"Then Efren is in Chicago and Noel is in San Diego--- they can not go back in here for the reopening of the case."
"Oh well, we can't do anything about it if they wanted to."
"That case has been buried and the real culprit is in jail."
I remembered this case of Elizabeth's brothers. They were running a taxi business before and one of the vehicles were used to smuggle drugs and some illegal firearms. That one vehicle is used by one of their drivers who is in prison now. He was convicted to be in prison for 20 years. They found out that he have not done it once but several times in a year. All that I know that after that happened, her two brothers went to the US as tourists and up to now stay illegally there. That means if they come home, they are already banned to go back to the US.
"Honey, calm down. That is not good for the baby. You should not think about stressful things and cool down. If they are reopening it, so be it. They have already the real criminal in their hands."
Sometimes I always think that there is something fishy about that case. I am only concerned with my baby sibling in her womb. If she's not pregnant, I couldn't care less at all if they opened the case again.
***********************************************************************
When I am alone in my room again, I thought about that dancing girl. There is something about her that I need to know----the sweetness and the toughness of her character when she dances amaze me and intrigue me. But then, behind my mind, I think about what happened to me and Krizzia. WE hit if off so quickly and if there will be a next girl in my life, I will make sure that I will really do it slowly but surely---and maybe I will find a keeper next time.
Hopefully......
Nakakatawa naman ang hilaw na kanong yun pero in fairness, cute siya pero ang alam ko may girlfriend na siya at wala akong laban don. Pero ang alam ko sa pagsasayaw --meron akong ibubuga. Hindi naman na man-hater ako, meron din akong mga crush pero yun nga lang hanggang pangarap lang. Ang tatlong lalaki sa buhay ko ay si Itay at ang dalawa kong kapatid na sina Daniel at Lester. Oo nga pala, bibilangin ko na rin si Rod, ang matiyaga kong "tagahanga" pero matagal ko nang pinagdiinan sa kanya na di kami talo dahil "prends" lang kami. Naks, pang-showbiz epek pa. Pero mabait si Rod at talagang matapat na kaibigan. Sabi ko sa kanya, pag ako ay 30 anyos na at single pa at ganon din siya, sasagutin ko siya.
Pero sa lahat na to, naghahari pa rin ang pangarap ko sa buhay ko at para sa pamilya ko.
"Anak, wag mo namang pagdamutan ang sarili mong magsaya paminsan-minsan. " Paalala ni Inay minsan. "Noong kaedad mo ako, ganito rin kami kahirap pero pumupunta pa rin kami sa sayawan sa kabilang baryo. Minsan, pumupunta kami ng papa mo at barkada namin sa dalampasigan dala-dala ng pagkain at yun, swimming at kasiyahan. Simple lang pero masaya."
"Nay, yan ba yung panahon na nabuntis ka ni Tatay?", tanong ni Lester na nakikinig habang gumagawa ng assignment niya.
Bigla tinakpan ni Nanay ang tenga ni Daniel. "AT sino naman ang nagtsismis sa yo nyan?"
"Sino pa kung di si Lola Choleng. Palagi niya kayong pinagsasabihan ni Tatay noon kapag naghihingi tayo ng tulong sa kanya. " Bigla siyang tumayo at nag-ala Lola Choleng,"Kaya ayan ang kinahinatnan ng di nagtatapos ng pag-aaral at naglalandi-landi, ang mga walang pangarap sa buhay...ayan..wala kayong ginawa kung di ang bumigay sa tukso ng laman. Ayan instant pamile kayo."
Pinigilan siya ni Nanay at patago akong ngumiti sa kapatid ko.
"Ayan, Nay....naisahan kayo ni Lester."
"Oo na. Oo na. Isang pagkakamali namin ng tatay nyo ay tama na. Kailangang matuto kayo sa pagkakamali namin at andito ako para sa inyo. " Bigla na lamang siyang tumigil sa pagsasalita at nalungkot. Alam kong naalala niya naman ang tatay.
"Nay, alam naming walang kasalanan ang tatay at na-frame up lang sya pero ang pangako ko gagawin ko lahat ng makakaya ko na mapawalang sala ang tatay."
"Anak, mayayaman ang nagpakulong sa tatay mo at mahirap silang kalabanin..pero di pa rin tayo titigil sa kakapanalangin para makahanap ng paraan. Kakampi natin ang Diyos."
Sa likod ng pagkamasayahin ng pamilya namin ay ang lungkot na nadarama na wala sa piling namin ang aming ama. Kaya nga maingat kami sa dalawang kong kapatid na wag isipin na pamarisan si Tatay. Pinapaalala namin palagi sa kanila na walang kasalanan ang aming ama.
If there's one thing that I dislike about my new school--it's the fact that everybody sees me. When I am walking down the hallway and when I enter my classroom. It made me feel so alienated. Guys don't talk to me and girls giggle when I look at them. I am not feeling that I am the cutest hunk they have seen, but truly and honestly, it makes me uncomfortable. Everybody is so nice and everyone is offering you even their seats. They need to know that I am also a student like them. Then there's this girl Tanya who is like always, always talk as if she's in a stage play or something. Then, her friends would smile at me and wave. It might sound so nice but I am not used to this attentions. Well, I am not giving up here...maybe it's because this is only Day 1.
Mr. Trillo, our Dramatics teacher welcome me and talked about the forthcoming participation during alumni celebration and the scholarship. I just want an alibi to get out of here for a while so I raised my hand: "I got to use it."
"Do you know where it is, Brandon?"
"I could show you where it is," Tanya volunteered.
"Thank you.I think I know where it is."
Honestly, I don't--- I am not peeing anyway. I just want to get out of that class for 5-10 minutes or more...
I find myself in the auditorium. Nobody was there there and it was so quiet when...plays the intro of Sexy Love by Neyo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0S0uwxaD5o
I move towards the right side of the auditorium which is below the bleachers on the right. It is a wide empty space which is like dance studio with lots of mirrors. It is not conspicuous to the other side of the mini-dome but because there was no one else there and the lights are off in the middle aisle, you could hear the music. Somebody is rehearsing. It's not my habit to sneak and peek but something drawn me to the music. But there she was..the dancer. I could not see her face because of the light that reflects from the mirror. Her hair pulled up and tied in an untidy manner, her bangs and some hair flowing down. Her hair was messy in a good way. She was concentrating on the steps and counting to herself. She was just wearing a simple shirt on, shorts, tights and rubber shoes--but she danced with attitude.
Then, she suddenly stopped and turned the music off.
"Rod, ikaw na yan?"
She sensed somebody is watching her and yes, it's me, nobody else. I walked out of the railings that covered the bleachers and showed myself.
Now I see her face---- an angel's face--- simple, no make up on and she's sweating out. I could see that she's also was surprised to see me there, so she ran at the side and took her towel. She wiped off the sweat from her face and smiled at me.
"I am so sorry. I am just looking for the boy's bathroom...you know that little boy's room." Funny but I was gesturing that "pee-ing" movement in front of her.
She just pointed at my back on the right and there it is--- boys' bathroom.
"Thank you so much." Then I ran but this time I am really doing it. I hope I could talk to her again and get her name. When I came out, she was gone.
