Taken from Chapter 31 of the still-untitled novel. Mariel is Wel's (Samuel) younger sister.
Mariel breezed in into Wel's room--as usual. "Haler!"
Fiddling the ear of Teddy Wel, Wel wasn't in the mood of haler-ing back.
Mariel sat on the bed, facing her brother, examining his eyes. "'Yang mga mata mo--nakagat ba 'yan ng ipis-bato?"
Wel nodded. "Nasa study table ko pla 'yong titulo ng bahay natin."
Mariel's eyes grew round. "Na-payola mo na ang kalahating milyones kay Ethan?"
"Sa'n ako kukuha ng anez?"
"So bakit n'ya 'binalik sa 'yo?"
"Kebs. Basta babayaran ko na lang s'ya."
"So, fa-fly ka na nga papuntang
"Malamang."
"Kailan?" Mariel's tone was excited.
"Bukas." Wel's wasn't.
"Parang 'di ka masaya."
Wel exaggeratedly stretched his lips, showing his white teeth. “Eh kasi naman po, mai-iwan ko ang aking kambal-tuko.”
“Excuse me! Apat na taon ang pagitan natin, ‘no.”
“Tsk.” Wel’s face crumpled. “ Ang slow mo talaga. Hindi kita kambal pero tuko ka.”
Mariel threatened a slap. “Aalis ka na lang, tina-tarantado mo pa ako.”
“Hiwalay na kami ni Ethan.” It was almost a whisper.
“Ano?”
“Splitsville na kami ni Ethan.”
Eyes closed, Mariel sighed heavenwards. “Salamat naman at natauhan ka rin.”
“
“Bakit—hindi pa ba?”
“Hindi pa ‘ko maka-get over.”
“Ilang beses kitang sinabihan pero ‘di ka nakinig.”
“May tenga ba ang puso?”
“Eh bakit ‘di mo ipaglaban?”
Wel scratched the back of his head. “Sa’n ka ba talaga—sa pula o sa puti?”
“O, ba’t napunta sa sabong?”
“Hay nako! Sinasaputan na naman ‘yang utak mo.
Deciphering her brother’s riddle, Mariel chewed on her lower lip. “Ah! Gets ko na.”
Wel sighed. “Sa wakas. Anong petsa na!”
“Do’n ako sa pink. Ba’t ‘di mo nga kasi ‘pinaglaban?”
“Because, hindi naman pala ako mahal ni Ethan, that’s why.”
“Kung gano’n, ba’t kinukulit ka n’ya?”
“Gusto n’ya lang ako bumalik sa shop n’ya. He needed me as his designer—nothing more, nothing less.”
“Wait—don’t tell me nakipagbalikan na s’ya kay Ate Sam?”
“Isa pa ‘yon. Lamang na lamang s’ya sa ‘kin dahil totoong babae s’ya.”
“`Yon na nga, eh. Bayot ka na nga, nagmumukha ka pang ebak nang dahil sa lintik na nararamdaman mo.”
“Mahirap ngang maka-get over.”
“Bakit—may nangyari na ba sa inyo?”
“Wala. Bakit—‘yon ba ang basis?”
“`Yon na nga, eh. Kahit may nangyari pa sa inyo, hindi ka naman mabubuntis. Bakit ako—“ Mariel suddenly fell quiet
Wel waited for its continuation. “O, anong bakit ikaw?”
Mariel’s face glowed red. “Wala,” she wryly answered.
“Anong wit? May ibig sabihin ‘yon, ha.”
“Ibig kong sabihin, bakit ako—pwedeng mabuntis pero ‘di ako maghahabol. ‘Yon lang.”
Wel frowned. “Andaya mo. “’Di naman ako naglihim sa ‘yo, ha. Wala ka bang tiwala sa ‘kin?”
Those words struck Mariel’s heart. “`Di naman sa gano’n. Natatakot lang akong baka ‘di mo maintindihan.”
“Pa’no ko maiintindihan eh ‘di mo nga sinasabi?”
Mariel considered and reconsidered whether or not to spill the beans. “Hulaan mo.”
Wel stroke his hands over a pretend crystal ball. “Isinuko mo na ang
Mariel nodded hesitantly. “Pero hiwalay na kami nung naka-una sa ‘kin. May bagong jowa na ‘ko.”
Wel didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or choke her. “Buti ka pa.”
“Ma-inggit daw ba. Eh ‘di balikan mo si Ethan.”
“Wit. Give-up na ‘ko sa kanya.”
Mariel raised a brow. “Akala ko ba, hindi ka maka-get over?”
“Asus! Ikaw nga, more harvest na, dedma lang sa ‘yo. Ako pa kaya.”
Mariel clutched her hands to her sides. “Hoy! Anong akala mo sa ‘kin—kalapating tambay sa bubong? Minahal ko rin ‘yon, ‘no.”
“Kung minahal mo s’ya, ba’t mo hiniwalayan?”
“Ayoko sa kanya. Walang future.”
“Eh ‘yong ipinalit mo?”
“College boy—pero chaca.”
Wel laughed. This was the only consolation he could get for the time being—and he was damn grateful. “
“Kerek!” Mariel flicked her hair off her shoulder. “Joke lang. Tanggap ko naman ang fezlak n’ya, eh. We’re meant for each other. Likes attract.”
The truth really hurts. Wel could never have Ethan because they were different. “Bingo! Talagang give-up na ‘ko.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment