[Years ago...]
Lee could vaguely remember the first time they met.
Maaring nagkabatian ang mga yaya nila sa maliit na playground ng 3rd Street ng village. O baka dahil bagong lipat ang mga Decortia, kumatok ang mga ito sa gate upang magbigay ng kahit anong regalo.
"We just moved next door."
"This place has always been our dream place to have a home."
"Great. I have daughters. Siguradong magkakasundo ang mga bata."
The exchange of pleasantries between their mothers was a vague memory. Baka rin ang sarili niyang ina ang bumati, kasama ang tanyag nitong lasagna recipe. Either way, Lee could not properly recall how. What he did remember was what happened a week after that.
"Nika. Veronika Decortia," pakilala ng bisita nila, matapos iwan ng yaya nito sa playroom ni Lee.
She was six and confident, and it annoyed him. Paanong nabibigkas nito ang apelyido at diretsong nakatingin kanya? "Alam ko," sagot niya. Ang isang Bradlee Singson ay hindi magpapatalo. He's seven, and also confident. Mula sa laruang drum set, ibinaba niya ang stick at tuluyang pinansin ito.
Ngunit natunaw ang musmos niyang pride nang humugot ito sa bulsa ng isang piraso ng cookie at inabot. The naïve Lee accepted and ate to the last crumb, not even questioning the way she looked at him with a smug grin.
Don't talk to strangers.
Don't take whatever strangers give you.
All of his mother's reminders were blown by the humid wind that summer. Si Nika ay kapitbahay at mas bata sa kanya. Tinanggap ni Lee ang alok nito, walang ideya na binibili na pala nito ang kanyang pagkatao.
"Simula ngayon, best friend na tayo. Gagawin mo lahat ng gusto ko."
"Bakit?" tanong niya, kasalukuyang nginunguya ang tsokolate. Masyadong matamis, pero pwede na rin.
Who is she? She's just the new girl on 3rd Street. In movies, best friends are fair. Hindi alipin ang isa. Kahit ang Yaya Beth niya minsan gigil sa tigas ng ulo ni Lee, ngunit hindi siya inaapi, ito pa kaya?
"Binigyan kita ng cookie. Kaya akin ka na."
Even the young Lee knew it was stupid. He declared that they had more cookies in the pantry.
"Pero bakit mo tinanggap ang akin?"
"Kasi bigay mo."
"Kaya akin ka na."
"But why?!"
She paused for a moment, unable to answer an easy question. "My Daddy said so," sa wakas sagot nito.
He thought it was stupid. Adults know Math. Ang tsokolate ay hindi tumbas ng buhay, at lalong-lalo na ng buhay niya. So he had to do what he does best—annoy people. Niluwa niya ang cookie sa paanan nito, at ngumisi, bakas pa ang brown ng chocolate chip sa ngipin niya. "Hindi naman masarap."
The next thing he knew, he was down on the carpet, with the girl on top of him, smaller but angrier, lighter but craftier. She knew when and where to pull a punch. Matapos ng sigawan, suntukan at sabunutan sa kwarto, natalo si Lee. She had always been strong despite her build and she was fearless. At nang pareho silang nag-iyakan, doon pa lang narinig ng mga yayang abala sa pakikipag tsismis sa kusinera ng mga Singson.
Isang linggo ang dumaan nang 'di sila nagkita. Dahil sa magkatabing bahay, nakikita ni Lee si Nika, nagbibisikleta sa hardin nito. In his head, he mocked her struggling with her training wheels. She looked up once and caught him sniggering at her struggle. Nika glared and with inattention, bumped into one of the garden chairs. He was already hiding when her whining voice rang even to his room, "Yaya!"
BINABASA MO ANG
Thelieka (TagLish Version)
RandomTwo childhood friends, Lee and Nika, reunited years after a tragic night. One became a politician's disowned son, the other became a mute orphan. One wrote songs about her, the other could never sing the truth to him again. ___________ The last ti...
