Gray Walls [Published under Popfiction]

Aldous Point of View (Part 1)

Hi! Aldous POV is too long, I needed to divide it into two parts. Part 2 will be posted tomorrow!

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I always dreamed of that boy. His mother left him in front of a big house while it was raining heavily. The boy waited until his mother came back but it never happened. He stayed there and cried. He wasn't familiar of that place and his mother had no plan of coming back. Everything was always so vague, that I couldn't tell if I knew the boy or not. Poor boy, that's what I've always thought of him. I dreamed of it for many years.

Turned out, I was that poor boy.

I was adopted. Ang mag-asawang Formentera ay binihisan ako bilang anak nila. Apat na taon ako nang rumehistro sa utak ko na sila ang mga magulang ko. I couldn't remember any memory of my real parents or if I do have siblings. I didn't seek for answers why that mother left that boy in my dreams. Kung gusto niya ako bilang anak niya ay hindi niya naman siguro ako iiwan. Iyon ang naging paniniwala ko. They want me out of their family. They abandoned me for good so why would I still look for them?

Pinangalanan akong Blaine Aldous Formentera ng mayamang mag-asawang kumupkop sa akin. Ang aking kaarawan ay hindi ko sigurado kung iyon nga ba. Minsan ay naisip kong kilala nila ang mga magulang ko kaya nila nalaman ang kaarawan ko. Ganunpaman ay mas pinili kong huwag magtanong ng kahit ano. I just lived with all the information they provided me. I started living the life they gave me for I always think it became my second life.

I worked hard to deserve this life.

"Congratulations, son!" yumakap nang mahigpit sa akin si mommy nang malaman nilang posible akong magtapos nang mayroong pinakamataas na karangalan sa elementerya. "Your adviser called me. I was invited for the Deliberation of Honors next week. You did well, son. Your father and I are so proud of you," tipid akong ngumiti. Everyday I strived so hard to make them proud because I'm scared of being abandoned again.

"Is there a celebration?" si daddy at yumakap din sa amin ni mommy.

"Deliberation of Honors next week, hon. Our son is about to graduate with the highest honor, a Valedictorian."

Tinapik ni daddy ang aking likod.

"Wow! Manang-mana talaga sa akin ang anak natin," biro ni daddy.

"No way, hon! Sa akin nagmana ang anak natin!" hirit naman ni mommy.

They showered me with so much love sometimes it felt like I don't deserve it.

"Dos let's play dolls!" kinunutan ko ng noo si Marelle na ngayon ay hawak-hawak ang mga manika niya. Sinama ako ni mommy sa bahay nila kahit labag sa loob ko. Hindi ko lang pinahalata dahil ayaw kong sumama ang loob ni mommy sa akin.

"I don't want to," tuwirang tugon ko sa kanya.

"He's not for dolls, Marelle. He likes cars more," pag-aalo ni Tita Merlina nang mukhang na-offend ko ata si Marelle dahil sa sagot ko. Totoo namang ayaw ko talagang maglaro ng ganoon o ng kahit ano pang laruan. I have a lot of toy cars at home, but I prefer studying than playing. Kailangang lahat ng marka ko ay line of nine 'kundi ay 100.

"He just doesn't want to play with you," giit naman ng kakambal niyang si Sharmel. Hindi ko alam kung paano sila naging kambal e sobrang layo ng mukha nila sa isa't-isa. Sharmel resembled her mother a lot unlike her. May kambal naman talagang hindi magkamukha subalit wala akong nakikitang kamukha ni Marelle. Minsan ay naisip kong ampon din siya. Nang maisip ko 'yon ay nagsimula na akong mapalapit sa kanya habang si Sharmel naman ay malayo ang loob sa akin kahit lagi kaming magkasamang tatlo.

Nahihiya ako kay Sharmel. Iyon ang totoo, para siyang mamahaling bagay na hindi ko pwedeng titigan at mahawakan. That's when my feelings started developing for her.