Comes through Raindrops

Wakas

It's been years, but I can still recall the moment I first saw her. I was innocent back then, I didn't even have a fucking idea that it was. . . .  Love.

I was sitting in Tita's Seph'a sofa while waiting for her. But it's not the thing I'm focusing about. It's about the little girl who's eyeing me from behind.

Wala akong natanong kay Tita Seph kung may anak ba siya o ano. Kaya 'di ko kilala ang batang babaeng nasa likod ng pintuan.

Why is she hiding there? Is she affraid of me? And why would she?

I'm kinda upset by that. Walang hindi nagkakagusto sa akin. Everyone whom I interact loves and likes me. At bakit siya matatakot?

I played with my fingers. Hinahayaan nalang siya. But the truth is, I'm thinking about how to interact with her and change her insight about me.

I'd love to know her. I think she's cute. Well, I love cute. Napanguso ako. I never seen cute girls since my mom never let me go outside to play with other kids.

But while I was thinking about how to play with her, I was shocked the moment when someone pushed me hard enough to make me stumble down the floor.

I cried. Of course, I was a kid and I'm fragile!

I just cried and cried. Ni hindi ko nakita kung sino yung tumulak sa akin.

"I was just sitting on the sofa when that girl. . ." Umm. . . . .Cute girl. "-pushed me!" I remember my voice trembling while pointing my finger at the girl that is now in front of me.

But instead of being mad and angry, I  was stunned. The girls red face make me stop crying. Oh, a girl, finally!

Ang buhok niya ay sing-kulay ng mais at sinipis nito. Malaki ang suot niyang t-shirt na hanggang tuhod pa. At ang singkit niyang mata na halos mawala na nakatingin sa akin. Pinaningkitan ba naman ako ng tingin.

I told everything to Tita Seph that day. She just calmed me. Narinig ko pang kinakabahan siya dahil baka mapagalitan daw siya nina Mama.

"Pst! Batang lalaking iyakin, Hindi ka ba kumakain ng suman at umiinom ng gatas?" The first thing she asked me. I thought cute girls have cute voices too, but this one, it's not kinda like that.

I didn't responed to the girl. Gusto ko ng suman at gatas. Pinapakain ako ni Tita Seph no'n. At masarap. Pero hindi ko lang magustuhan ang pagtawag sa akin ng babae na 'to ng 'batang lalaki'. And he addresses me as 'iyakin'. Hell, I didn't even know what that means.

"Take off your hands out of my face and I have my name, so don't call me 'batang lalaki'." I was shocked when she cupped my face kaya bahagya ko siyang naitulak.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." I was taken back when she looked at me, hurt.

I pouted. She has a cute lips.

She talked to me for minutes. And I didn't responded. Earlier, I was thinking of talking with her and now she is, yet I can't even utter a word!

Later on, I was pissed. She keeps calling me 'Batang lalaki' and thats urgh! I made her stop talking and told her my name. But this girl always have her way to pissed me off.

"Ruel Begard Duarte?" Tanong niya ulit. I'm kinda annoyed. My name is so awesome, tapos mali lang ang pagkakabigkas niya.

"Reuel Beauregard." I corrected.

"Ah . . . Ang haba ng pangalan mo." She acted like she gets it even rho she's didn't.

"My parents gave me that name."

"Pwedeng paikliin 'yun. Wala ka bang palayaw?" She asked again. Palayaw? As in nickname?

"Wala. They call me by my first name, 'Reuel'."