New city. New faces. New life. Shari thinks moving to La Bianco will give her the fresh start that she badly craves, but everything seems to remind her of a life she could not even remember.
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Shari
"Ang suwerte ko naman ngayon at may magandang dalagang nagawi sa tindahan ko!"
I casually raised my thumb and continued staring at the little bird inside a brown, wooden cage. It's thin, baby blue wings flapped violently against the air. The bird did nothing but fly around the cage, anxiously looking for a way out.
For some reason, it felt familiar. Pakiramdam ko'y nangyari na ito noon—ako'y nakatayo sa loob ng isang pet shop at nakatingin sa isang ibong lumilipad sa hawla. I think I was even wearing the same denim jacket. Sa huli, naisip kong baka isa lang itong lumang alaala lalo't mula bata pa ay mahilig na ako sa mga ibon.
"Hija, gusto mo ba 'tong ibon ko? May 5% discount 'to para lang sa 'yo."
Napatingin ako sa gilid ko at nakita ang isang matandang lalakeng walang saplot pang-itaas. His grey hair was a mess and his lips were contorted to a sly, flirty grin.
I rolled my eyes, mentally preparing for a fight. Isa pang kabastusan at ilalabas ko na ang pepper spray ko.
"Nandito ka lang pala, Shari! Kanina pa kita hinahanap!"
Biglang may pumagitna sa amin at naramdaman ko ang isang matipunong brasong umakbay sa akin. Kahit hindi ako lumingon o mag-angat ng tingin, I could already imagine the bright smile on Chino's face. The kind of smile na lumulubog at halos pumipikit na ang mga mata.
"Took you long enough." I sighed in relief and casually tugged at the back of his green polo shirt. "Buy the bird for me so we can get out of here."
Mula sa gilid ng mga mata ko, napansin ko ang paglingon ni Chino sa matandang pangisi-pangisi pa rin habang nakatingin sa amin.
"Boypren mo, Hija?" the old man tilted his head just to catch my eyes.
"Bibilhin ko po ang ibon," magalang na wika ni Chino at saka siya tumagilid nang bahagya upang matakpan ako.
Times like this I realize how lucky I am to have someone like Chino in my life.
"Kasali ba ang hawla o—"
Hindi ko na pinatapos pa ang matanda sa kanyang sinasabi. Tutal nakita ko na ang maliit na kableng nagsisilbing lock, agad ko na itong binuksan.
The moment I opened the door, the bird instantly zoomed past us, flying up the air and out through an open window like its life depended on it. For a split second, I was even worried that the bird would hit us in the face.
"Tangina! Ba't mo binuksan?!" umalingawngaw ang sigaw ng matanda. However, his voice was quickly drowned out by Chino's loud, forced laughter—you know, the shaky one we do when we try to keep a situation from escalating.
"Pamahiin po kasi sa pamilya nila para pampabuwenas," Chino was quick to think on his feet. Tuloy, bahagya rin akong natawa.
As soon as Chino was done paying, kumapit ako sa braso niya at pasimple na siyang hinila palabas. However, before we could leave the store, the old man spoke again.
