Barangay Series #2 : Evan Dos Santiago

Kabanata 9

"Mamita, who are you?"

Nanatili kaming magkatabi sa isang gilid ng sapa, nakatuon ang likuran sa batong makinis matapos ang katahimikan sa pag iyak ko.

Her eyes bored on me and shrugged, "don't know."

I didn't move and stared at her seriously. She seems not normal like me. The way she tells everything like she witnessed everything that happened back then.

"Do you know what I am?" I asked, hoping she'll answer my question.

Her lips parted a bit. She bit her lower lip and shut her eyes, "stop asking questions, Hara. You'll find it out soon."

I laughed with amusement at her. Why would I need to find it out soon though she already knew it?

"That's a waste of time," ngumisi ako ng mapait. "Come on, Mamita. Stop making things hard for me," I urge to her.

"Time will waste if you don't know how to wait," she plainly said. "The time for you will come, never ask for it. Let it come to you."

Nagkatitigan kami.

"May oras para sa lahat ng bagay. Hindi kailangan magmadali," her eyes landed on my mask. "All things happened for a reason. It's not hard, you just can't live with it. You're not fighting, hinahayaan mong matalo ka ng takot," she said meaningfully.

Hindi ako nakaimik. Her words always making me speechless. Tama sa parteng hindi ko kayang mabuhay sa ganito dahil hindi ako lumalaban. Palagi akong takot at walang laban, pinangungunahan ng takot kaya hindi nakakalaban.

"You need to protect yourself from them, Hara," sabi niya. "I know you can."

"You know me…" pabulong kong sabi. "How do you know me?"

She didn't open her mouth to speak but I saw her green eyes sparkled. I believe she's not normal. Paninindigan ko ang sinabi ko.

"You maybe watching me all the time," sabi ko ngunit hindi man lamang siya nagbigay ng reaksyon. "You're not just a person."

She sexily chuckled and shook her head.

"I am," tumawa siya. "Not."

Natigilan ako at pinagmasdan ang pagkilos niya sa tubig. Binabasa ng tubig ang kaniyang leeg at buhok gamit ang pagsalok sa tubig ng kaniyang palad na magkasiklop.

"So," muli siyang umimik. "How's your relationship with your husband?" she asked, emphasizing the ‘husband’.

Lalo akong napatawa. She really knew me, I know she is.

"He's not my husband, Mamita," sabi ko. "Hmm, ayos lang naman. Babaero siya."

Tumaas bahagya ang isang kilay niya.

"Babaero?" ngumuso siya. "Have you two already kissed?"

I immediately shook my head and laughed, "we never made a skin to skin contact! Nahawakan na niya ang bewang ko pero sa damit naman iyon. Miski ang singsing noong pekeng kasal namin, ako ang nagsuot sa sarili ko dahil hindi niya kinibo ito."

Evan was disgust of me since our eyes met. He never let himself touch me kaya naman noong kinuha ko ang kamay niya para ihawak sa kurba ng katawan ko ay takot na takot siya.