Watermelon Dreams

Tree Planting

CHAPTER SIX

JUNE 22, 2019

Nakangiting nagising si Olivia habang lulan ng bus patungong Real, Quezon para sa tree planting activity ng The 11 Foundation. Wala pa syang masyadong tulog dahil late na syang natapos sa ginagawa nyang report. Four hours ang biyahe patungong Quezon kaya alas kwatro palang nang madaling araw umalis na sa Studio 11 compound ang bus nila kasama ng mga volunteers nya.

When she checked her watch, it was only 5AM and the sun hasn’t risen yet. The bus was quiet. Most of her volunteers were sleeping. She could only hear faint murmurs from the back probably from those too excited to sleep.

She tried going back to sleep but her dream crossed her mind. Watermelon tree. Olivia shook her head. That's riduculous. Of course it wasn't real. Panaginip lamang iyon. Ngunit hindi nya maipagkakailang nakapagpangiti sa kanya.

But that dream made her remember something horrible too. There was a little truth in it. She was kidnapped by her grandmother's trusted helper. But the culprits were apprehended before they could take Olivia further away.

Mabuti na lang umuwi agad ang Lola Esmeralda nya from her Lunch with the town's Mayor few minutes after Olivia and Aika left. May masama itong kutob kaya bumalik ito agad sa farm. Nang malaman mula kay Mang Erning na umalis sila ni Ate Aika, naalerto agad ang mga pulis kaya nahabol ng mga ito ang sinasakyan nila.

Sa tuwing maaala ni Olivia ang nangyaring iyon, hindi nya mapigilang makaramdam ng takot. She was not the same weak child. She was stronger but she was still frightened with that experience. She could defend herself now having a black belt in kickboxing but it didn’t mean she would never feel fear.

Olivia appeared amiable but deep down she hardly trusted anyone. She only had few friends. And a certain beautiful angel, who's face she couldn't remember after waking up, wasn't one of them. Because such amazing person didn't exist in her life.

"Ma'am, nagugutom ka ba?" She heard Coreen, her assistant, whispered. Nakaupo ito sa tabi nya at napansin nitong nagising sya.

"Stop addressing me as ma'am, Koring," Olivia said. "No, I'm not hungry."

Sumimangot ito. "Coreen ang pangalan ko." Her assistant pouted. "Ginagaya mo naman si Direk eh." Natawa na lang si Olivia. "Sayang hindi sya sumama. Busy sya?"

"Yes. Rayanne's wrapping up her movie," tugon nya. Girl crush daw ni Coreen ang kaibigan nya. Marami ngang nagkakagusto kay Rayanne kahit mga straight girls na kagaya ni Coreen. Kakaiba talaga ang charisma nito.

"Akala ko pa naman may makikita akong maganda bukod sa magandang tanawin sa Quezon," nanghihinayang na sabi ni Coreen. "Matulog ka na ulit. Malayo pa tayo." Saka nito binuksan ang hawak na cellphone at inabala ang sarili sa paglalaro.

Napailing na lamang si Olivia. Adik si Coreen sa paglalaro ng Farmville. Lahat na ng klase ng Farmville ay naka-install sa smart phone nito. Pangarap daw kasi nitong magkaroon ng sariling farm at doon magre-retire pagtanda.

"Hanggat hindi ko pa natutupad ang pangarap ko, dito muna ako sa Farmville," paliwanag ni Coreen nang tanungin ito ni Olivia minsang abalang-abala ang secretary nya sa pagha-harvest ng pinya sa Farmville.

Speaking of farm, she didn’t get to visit Grego farm yet. Saka na lang siguro kapag hindi na sya busy. She had to make time and visit her Lola Esmeralda too. Doon nakalibing ang Lolo at Lola nya. May musuleo ang mga Grego sa loob ng farm. Inihabilin ng Lola nya na doon ito ilibing kapag namatay.

Olivia felt a squeeze in her heart just by thinking of her grandmother. Isa ito sa dahilan kung bakit determinado syang protekahan ang kalikasan. Hindi lamang dahil supporter ang Lola nya ng adhikain kundi dahil naging biktima ito ng kapabayaan ng mga tao sa kapaligiran.