Napatakip ako sa bibig, pinigilan ang sariling madala sa nandidilim kong tingin. I never thought floating in the sea could be this hard. Floating in the sea using a cruise ship, I mean.
Pumikit ako, naiiyak. I hate the thought of vomiting. Why is everything steep? Sweat ran down my cheek from my temple.
"Are you okay? We're getting nearer to your cabin." I feel sir Johannes' eyes linger on me.
"I-I'm..." Tears pooled in my eyes, feeling the vomit in my throat. Nagmulat ako ng mga mata at natungo sa railings. At sumuka ako sa dagat.
When the unfortunate incident finished, I looked at sir Johannes coldly. "Never tell a soul I did that."
He chuckled, surprise etched on his old face. "Wow... Just wow! You have this kind of side. Good. Good." Tumatango siya, natatawa.
"Don't tell anyone."
Natigilan siya. We are locked in a staring contest before he blinked and laugh again, this time, with assurance on his face. "Okay, fine."
Kumurap ako. "Malayo pa po ba ang kwarto ko?"
He said to me earlier at the parking lot (it's beneath this ship), that it will take weeks to arrive at Elecia. So he booked two rooms for us since he supposed I don't want to share a room with anyone. Of course, I would not want to share! Kahit sino pa 'yan!
"It's just two doors away, hija. Fret not."
Ngumiti ako ng matamis. I actually feel better now after I vomitted. Pero kadiri dahil lasang-lasa ko pa rin ang sinuka ko. It send shivers to my spine.
"And here's your room." Sambit ni sir Johannes, tumigil kami sa harapan ng pulang pinto. May nakasulat sa gitna no'n na Room 25.
"I guess," Humarap si sir sa akin. "I will leave you here." Pinatong niya ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang balikat ko at binigyan ako ng ngiti, pekeng ngiti. Nabahala ako nang makita 'yon. "You're luggages will be send twenty minutes from now," He leaned closer to my ear. "They have to check our things thoroughly, it undergoes so much process." Umayos siya ng tayo at binigyan ako ng tinging 'alam mo na'.
Tumaas ang mga kilay ko. I don't know what to say.
"A-Ayos lang naman sa akin." Kumurap ako, hindi alam kung maniniwala ba o hindi.
"I just think you are the kind of person who changes clothes after a long ride. I guess I did not know you well." He groans. "Well, I will head to my room. See you at dinnertime!"
Sinundan ko ang papalayong likod ni sir Johannes habang kunot ang noo.
He's kinda weird today. I mean, he is already weird, based on my observation, but this exact time and moment, he is weirder. I don't know what happened. Hindi ko na nga mababasa ang susunod niyang kilos simula noong may katawag siya kanina.
Nagkibit ako ng balikat. Pinihit ang knob. Nagkasalubong ang mga kilay ko nang hindi ko 'yon mabuksan. Realization dawned me, napatingin ako sa bawat gilid.
The key!
Tatakbo na sana ako para habulin si sir Johannes nang may bagay na nahulog galing sa pants ko. Lumikha iyon ng matinis na ingay. Nang tumingin ako sa sahig, ang susi pala 'yon ng kwarto ko.
I picked it up, while in deep thought. I don't remember putting this in my pants.
---
The bed shrink when I sat on it, my eyes looking straight at the sea from the window in front of me. The room was not that big or small, just perfect for a single person.
Isang bed, cabinet, table and a couple of chairs, and a bathroom. Lahat ng gamit ay halatang pangmayaman kahit ganito pa kasimple ang set up. May mini version ng chandelier at malaking salamin sa gilid ng kama.
It was perfect for me. Living on a cruise ship for two weeks would be magnificent if I'll keep seeing this setup every day.
Bumuga ako ng hangin.
The silence makes me sad. Although I am indeed happy about all of this happening, I miss the comfort of my room. The presence of Chamber... And my mother's cooking.
Hindi man lang ako nakapaghanda ng libro na dadalhin...
What do I do here? Two weeks is long!
Bumigay ang katawan ko at humiga sa kama. Matagal akong napatingin sa magandang chandelier.
Bakit kaya ako pinagtake ng test ni mama? Ano kaya ang maghihintay sa akin sa Elecia? Kumusta na kaya si Chamber? Maraming tanong na umiikot sa utak ko, hindi ko alam kung may makapagbibigay ba ng sagot.
I never thought that one day, my simple life would turn into this. It was like it was turned upside down, like cooking pancakes. After the other side cook, you switch it to another uncooked side! Just plain easy! Gusto kong i-explain that way ang bilis nang pagbabago ng buhay ko.
Mabuti nalang at mabilis akong maka-adapt sa sitwasyon.
I sighed. Kanina ko pa nararamdaman na parang may bumabara sa puso ko. It keeps on making me overthink things. Umabot ako sa puntong sa aking paningin, gumaganito lang ang katawan ko—ang puso ko dahil bago sa akin ang lahat. Malayo ako sa bahay, malayo ako sa taong nakasanayan ko. At malayo sa aso.
Nevertheless, I am quite thrilled to find out more about this homeland, Elecia. Bakit ang layo nito sa Cebu? At bago lang 'to sa pandinig ko. O baka... Hindi lang sinabi ni mama sa akin. My eyes widened. Hindi nga niya sinabi sa akin!, I thought, remembering sir Johannes' question about that matter.
From the times my mother and I talked, it is all about learning new things. And also, strategies. She teach me anything she knew, experiments, and try doing arts. That's why the present me loves painting! My mother is so talented! She teaches me many kinds of fields on her own!
Kahit na minsan ay nagagalit ako sa kanya dahil sa pagtrato niya sa akin, malaki pa rin ang pasalamat ko sa mga itinuro niya sa akin.
She was never afraid to let me go. Because she knew, she raised me well.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit wala akong takot na nararamdaman ngayon. Despite knowing all of the survival tips through reading (and my mother's teaching), I am confident I can survive. I can, can't I?
Malayo ang narating ng isipan ko hanggang umabot sa punto na hindi ko namalayanang nakatulog na pala ako. Nagising ako sa sunod-sunod na katok galing sa pinto.
Inaantok pa ang mga mata, nagmadali akong nagtungo sa pinto nang marinig ang boses ni sir Johannes.
"Florentine! Here are your things! Florentine!"
Binuksan ko ang pinto at bumungad sa akin si sir at isang lalaking hindi ko kilala. Pamilyar ang suot niya... Parang uniform ng crew dito. Bitbit ng lalaki ang dalawa kong maleta. I step aside and let him in into my room. Nagpaiwan si sir sa labas.
"Oh, you regain your energy power." He eyed my hair. I think he mean, I slept. My hair is probably disheveled.
Tumitig lang ako kay sir hanggang sa matapos malagay nang lalaki ang mga maleta ko sa harapan ng cabinet. Nang lumabas na ang lalaki, ngumiti si sir sa akin at siya na ang nagsara sa pinto.
My head tilted sideways, confused.
Lumingon ako sa aking bagahe. Wala naman akong gagawin kaya mag-aayos nalang ako ng gamit. Since, matagal-tagal pa naman kami dito, pwede ko naman siguro ilabas lahat ng gamit?
Lumapit ako roon at nagsimulang buksan ang black kong maleta.
My mother packed this for me, I thought.
As I was busy humming my favorite song while putting all of my clothes into the cabinet, a piece of paper slid through the side and slowly landed on the marble floor.
Yumuko ako at kinuha 'yon. Teka, hindi ito maliit na papel. A letter. It's a letter! And it's from my mother!
---
YOU ARE READING
The Proud Gia
AdventureShe likes reading books. It makes her feel the outside world, whether it is fictional or not. She's been homeschooled and always stays indoors. Her seventeen years of life only involve learning different things from her mother, reading, playing with...
