The Other Half

CHAPTER 24

ALLIE

Months passed, and finally, the school year is over. I'm proud to say that I made it to the 'Dean's List'. Mas masarap iclaim ang much awaited vacation because I did well in class.

Almost four months na ang relationship namin ni Rodel and in four months, wala, kahit one day, na hindi ko naramdaman ang sobrang happiness at love sa puso ko.

Everyday, lalo ko lang minamahal si Rodel. Everything about him - his joys, his sorrows, his dreams, his fears - everything - mahal ko with every beat of my heart.

As days passed, para bang nakasanayan na ni Tatay Robert na magbyahe ng bangka mag-isa at siya pa mismo ang nagsasabi kay Rodel na huwag na siyang samahan and instead, ilaan ang free time niya kasama ako. Nakakatuwang isipin na his parents like me that much, na pakiramdam ko, in the absence of my real parents, nagkaroon ako ng mga magulang in Tatay Robert and Nanay Lisa.

Rodel's sisters also did well in school. Aside from being part of the honor roll, they also received academic awards (Kevin being the best in Arts and Mathematics, while Charlie's the best in Music and Science). Rodel is a proud Kuya.

Dumadalas din ang pagbisita nila Nelson at Martin sa isla although hindi pa naman sila totally nagpaparamdam na may balak silang manligaw sa kambal. OK naman din kina Tatay Robert at Nanay Lisa yung idea, lalo pa't they already know my boys pero lagi pa rin silang nagreremind sa kambal na unahin muna ang pag-aaral so they could make their dreams come true.

Everything seems perfect doesn't it? Para bang if you'll look at life in general, nothing could go wrong. Life is so much better and more beautiful than before. Sobrang laki ng nagagawa ng love na siyang nagiging reason para maging madali ang pagcreate ng dreams at gawin ang lahat ng makakaya para maabot ang anumang pangarap.

This love that Rodel and I feel for each other is overflowing that's why hindi namin mapigilang ishare sa iba and let the others feel its warmth. It somehow radiates. This is the love that, despite of all the differences, let us find the way to each other to become whole because that's already written in our book of destiny.

I removed my shoes and I folded the hem in my pants upwards and then I decended to the mud kung saan ay itinutulak ni Rodel ang isang maliit na bangka papunta sa dagat.

"I'm excited." I said. "It will be my first boat ride. I mean, yung sa ganyan ka-narrow na boat."

Ngumiti si Rodel at ipinagpatuloy ang pagtulak sa bangka. "Matagal ko na 'tong gustong gawin kasama ka. Ngayon lang ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na humiram ng bangka kay Mang Julian."

We pushed the boat until the water's already as high as our waists.

"Ayan, sakay ka na, Allie. Tulungan kita." He held my hand and let me step on his lap para makaakyat ako sa bangka. After that, siya naman ang sumampa. Napahawak ako sa magkabilang gilid dahil naging shaky ang bangka.

Magkahalong takot at excitement ang nararamdaman ko. This is an extraordinary experience because unlike the boat rides that I used to know, sobrang narrow ng boat ngayon at abot kamay ko ang tubig ng dagat sa labas ng bangka.

Si Rodel, maybe to show me na sanay na sanay na siya at walang takot na nararamdaman, stood while rowing the boat.

"Mayabang ka Rodel, ha!" I said and then, I shook the boat as hard as I could. He had no choice but to sit back down.

"Loko ka, Allie. Sige ka, pag tayo tumaob, pababayaan kita." nakangiting biro niya.

"How far will we go?" I looked around. Puro dagat na lang ang nakikita ko.