Chapter 19: Crescent

19 3 0
                                    

It's him, my father, holding a bouquet of flowers and a food basket.

"You have the nerve to even visit." I said.

"I have to celebrate these two occasions... at least..." He replied in a calm tone.

"A way of compensation?" At nilagpasan ko na siya.

Ngunit hindi ko rin inaasahan ang mga makakasalubong ko. Kabababa lang nila sa mamahaling itim na van na sinakyan nila. Of all people.

"Kahit kailan talaga, hindi maganda 'yang asal mo. Hindi marunong rumespeto sa nakatatanda." My grandma stated, my father's mother. I nonchalantly look at her. She got the nerve to say that.

"Why would I respect people who I don't have plans to respect?" Hindi na siya nakaimik sa sinabi ko. 

They show off because of the expensive clothing and jewellery that they possess, but no matter how costly and elegant they look, they're still short of wisdom and principles. No matter how fragrant their perfumes are, their rotting personality spat out of their bodies.

Imposibleng respetuhin ang mga taong ang tanging dangal ng pangalan at dignidad lamang na sinusubukang magmalinis para papurihan ang dahilan para mabuhay. Nakakaasiwa, nakasusuka ang mga taong katulad nila.

"Ang tabas talaga ng dila mo. Is that how Stara taught you?! Maling-mali talaga ang paraan ng pagpapalaki niya sa'yo!" sabad naman ng magaling kong tita.

"That's quite a word from a person who doesn't seem to have it at all... Just to remind you, you aren't worthy of my respect."

Kita ko sa mukha niya ang panggagalaiti nito sa sobrang galit. I really can't deal with mosquito-brained people.

"Napakawalang kwenta mo talaga!!!" Bulyaw niya sa akin. Phew, that's scary...

"Walang kwenta ang isang tao kung hindi nila napapakinabangan. Yeah, I'm totally aware that you're a gold-digger. I won't take your bait."

Pagkatapos sabihin iyun ay nilagpasan ko na sila ng tuluyan. Halos magwala at mag-eskandalo ang auntie ko dahil sa mga sinabi ko. Rinig ko ang pagpigil ng papa ko sa kapatid niya, and they started arguing about it.

It's all truth. I don't have to hold back and choose my words to say, after all, they deserved it. I wonder how much money they have already from him. Tumatanaw sila ng utang na loob para hindi sila mawalan ng ambon sa kayamanan, so they let him get on his own ways.

I went out of the cemetery at once so I can get rid of the bad mood I've got inside. The moment I step out, I saw someone familiar to me right at the cemetery gate. Nang mapansin niyang nakatitig ako sa kaniya ay mabilis siyang tumalikod. I went closer at bahagyang sinipa ang likod ng tuhod niya.

"ARAY NAMAN! AYAN KA NA NAMAN EH!"

I glared at her before striding on my way.

"T-teka! Saan ang punta mo?"

"What are you doing here?" Tanong ko nang makahabol siya sa akin.

"W-wala lang. Uhmm...sightseeing?"

"At this place?"

Hindi siya nakaimik. She's pouting while looking at her way. Hindi ko na rin lang siya pinansin at naglakad ng mabilis.

"K-kasi a-ano...TEKA!"

I sighed deeply and rested my hands on my pants pockets before glancing at her. "Spill the beans..." Maiksi kong tugon.

She pouted again and started playing her point fingers together. "A-ano...hehe. Sinundan kita, wala ka kasi sa apartment mo tapos hinanap kita. Then ano...uhm, nakita kitang s-sumakay sa tren hanggang sa n-napadpad dito..."

PAINTED CANVAS (Under Revision)Where stories live. Discover now