(La Mémoire #1) NOSTALGIA

XVII

XVII
condo

Pagkatapos ng mariing pag-igting ng panga ay muling pinagulong ni Lyon ang bola. Nang matumba ang lahat ng bowling pin ay nilapitan ako nito.

"Oo naman. Minsan bumibisita ako sa inyo."

He grabbed his water bottle and drank from it. Parang wala lang sa kanya ang deklarasyon habang labis ang kaba ko dahil roon.

"We're your family friend. Madalas kaming maimbitahan roon ng Tita mo."

"Do you know me back then?"

"Of course. I think everyone knows you. Sikat ang pamilya ninyo." He gave me the same safe answer.

Pinalis ni Lyon ang nabasang labi bago ako tinalikuran.

"Uwi na tayo, Lia. Baka hanapin ka na sa akin ni Zeke."

Iniwan ako nito upang lapitan si Stav. At syempre, nang kasama na namin si Stav ay hindi ko na nagawang magtanong ulit.

Nag-aya na rin itong umuwi kaya hindi na muling nabuhay ang usapang iyon. Hindi na rin ako nangulit dahil mukha namang hindi siya nagsisinungaling. Lyon's a nice guy and I trust him.

Kinaumagahan, nabulabog ako nang sumugod si Linn sa kwarto ko.

"Liaaaa! Wake up! I have a surprise!" She jumped in my bed and removed my blanket.

Nakapikit pa ako nang hilahin niya palabas sa sala. Hindi ko malaman ang magiging reaksyon nang ilahad niya ang isang maliit na kulungan na may lamang kuting.

"Look. Isn't this baby so cute? Nanganak kasi ang pusa namin sa bahay. Sa'yo na 'to. Ano'ng ipapangalan mo?"

I can't believe I just woke up and I'm suddenly a cat parent. Ni hindi man lang tinanong ni Linn kung gusto ko ba iyon. To be fair, I love cats but I'm not sure my brothers will do.

"Kuya, si baby G." I forced a smile before my brother, Zephaniah.
Napangiwi lang iyon sa maliit na Persian cat.

"Why baby G?"

"Short for baby girl?"

"We don't have a regular housemaid, Z. Paano kapag nagtae iyan?"

"Well, that's why cat litters are invented."

If Zeph was indifferent, my older brother Zach did not like the poor kitty at all. All of a sudden, allergic daw siya sa pusa! But I can't say no anymore, I'm already attached to it.

"I guess some of us will have to adjust, then."

"Ano?" Eksaherada ang pagtatagpo ng kilay ni Zach.

"She's living with me, kuya. Mag-cetirizine ka na lang kung talagang allergic ka."

"Seryoso ako Zhalia, get that cat out."

"If you don't want her then kick me out too." Todo drama ako.

Tinitigan ako ni Zach bago umangat ang gilid ng labi nito.

"Oh I see where this is coming. If this is your way of living with Zeke again, you're not winning. Hindi ka aalis rito." With that, the tall strict arrogant brute walked away.

Gosh, I hate his guts! I wish Zach would be as lenient as Zeke sometimes.

The next day, I have decided to push through studying in UP. Matagal ko nang naasikaso ang automatic admission ko roon bilang foreign student at natanggap naman ako. I went there for advanced registration on my first semester.