Secrets and Lies

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9 - PHOTOS

MARIA YVETTE AMYLASE DEL FIERRO

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I WAS CONFUSEDLY looking at him and sa photos na nasa suitcase. It wasn't just me but me with Simon, Sandro and Vinny when we were little. I don't remember much of my childhood, kaya ganoon na lang ang pagkagulat ko nang makita ko ang mga litrato na 'to.

"That's me?" tanong ko kahit obvious naman na ako talaga 'yon.

He nodded and smiled, "Yup, when we were little. If you remember when we first met at pumunta ako sa house niyo, and sinabi ng Daddy mo na we used to play together kapag nagbabakasyon kami here. These are the photos that my mom took, and decided to keep just incase we will cross path again. Because when we visit again here in Laoag at tinanong ko kung pwede ka bang pumunta dito sa bahay, they said that lumipat na kayo ng Batac." kwento niya.

I moved closer to the pictures and browse it. Kahit anong tingin ko sa mga litrato ay wala akong naalala na ginawa namin iyon, that I was them and we were friends back then. Sa itsura ko dito sa litrato sa tingin ko ay nasa 5 years old lang ata ako nito. Maybe one of the reason why wala akong maalala, pero it's too imposible na wala akong maalala kasi Simon and I were in the same age lang ngayon, pero siya naalala niya pa rin.

As I continued to browse through the photos, a flood of emotions washed over me. It was strange to see myself in these pictures, engaged in happy moments with Simon, Sandro, and Vinny. The memories were completely lost to me, like fragments of a distant dream.

"I don't remember any of this," I said, my voice filled with confusion and a tinge of sadness. Kilala ko lang si Simon because of his family, not because we became friends back then.

Simon's smile faded slightly as he noticed my distress. "It's okay, Amylase. Sometimes memories can be elusive, especially from our early childhood. But I remember playing with you, and those moments were real. I guess some memories are just more deeply ingrained in our minds than others."

"Ay, sayang naman." ani ko. I just don't know how to express my feelings right now. Hindi ko maipaliwanag, kasi wala naman akong maalala. "Pero ang cute natin dito." sabay turo sa isa sa mga pictures no'ng nasa Suba Beach kami with his Dad and brothers.

Simon chuckled at my comment, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Yes, we were quite the adorable bunch, weren't we? Those were simpler times, carefree and filled with laughter."

I couldn't help but smile at the picture, even if I couldn't remember the moment it was taken. The sight of young me, surrounded by the familiar faces of Simon's family, stirred a warmth within me—a longing to reconnect with a part of my past that seemed lost.

______

After a few hours of browsing, laughing and trying to remember these childhood memories of me, I decided to bid Simon goodbye. Kailangan ko nang umuwi dahil may kailangan pa akong reviewhin para sa school. Nakakaiyak maging lawyer, sa totoo lang!T_T

"Thank you for showing me all of these, Si. I really appreciate it, and I am sorry I couldn't remember all of those happy memories I've shared with you." I said.

He smiled, "It's okay. We can still make new memories with the both of us."

"Of course we can!" I said, my voice filled with happiness. "Oh s'ya, alis na ako. I'll text you na langkapag nakarating na ako sa bahay."

He smiled and nodded. With a final wave, I turned to leave, carrying a mixture of emotions within me. Although the memories remained elusive, I was filled with hope for the future.