Paper Memories

Chapter 7-III

Chapter 7-III

I run towards the guy under the streetlight in desperation.

Nagulat siya at napaatras. I lifted my head to meet his gaze, pleading. He's much younger than I thought. He's a tall guy, his eyes were unpleasantly sharp, and his brown hair screams a rebellious aura.Nagpabaling-baling siya ng tingin sa mga lalakeng sumunod sa akin. Hindi naman siya basta manonood lang diba?

Bumoses na naman ang lider-lideran nila." Makikialam ka ba dito, bata?"

The guy grimace. Nakapamulsa siya." Hindi ko siya kilala..."

I clutch on his sleeves tighter, contemplating how I'm not worthy of his help, his eyes calculating and cold even if there's a hint of sympathy.Muli akong ininsulto ng bastardong lasenggo." Oh, Senyorita! Who you ka daw sabi nitong bata! Bakit ka pa lalayo kung nandito naman kami? Wag mo na lang pansinin itong takaw gulong pare namin may iba ka pang pagpipili-----------"

"Just leave." I uttered, then I look up to the guy. " Please help me."

"Dinamay mo ako dito." The person I'm leaning on my hope said, antipatiko at malamig niyang sabi. But his eyes I'm sure I'm seeing remorse. " Kahit ikaw naman nagpasok sa sarili mo dito."

Suddenly, a hand grab my hair." Hindi pa kami tapo sa--------"

Aside from that assault, the brown-haired guy pushed me away even farther from him, seemingly to save himself.Mas lalong napahalakhak at nakaramdam na panalo ang mga kalalakihan, lalo-lalong na ang lider-lideran nilang mahigpit ang pagkakasabunot sa akin at nalimutan o sinukuan na nilang pigilan.

Kung di ako pinagkakaisahan, inaabanduna naman ako.

I'm almost kneeling on the ground, guilt flooding over the boy who could be my hero but chose not to.Tama siya, nadamay siya. Hindi siya agad makaalis. O mas tama bang sabihin na hindi niya piniling umalis?May hinagis siya sa direksyon ko.

Muntik ko ng hindi masalo yun dahil naaninag ko na kung ano iyon.

A switch blade.

His next words came out cold and as the deep sea yet his actions were raging like an unpredictable storm. Gulat din ang meron sa mata ng iba." Protektahan mo ang sarili mo, huwag kang umasa sa iba."

"Delusyonal kang babae ka kung tingin mo mapprotektaha-------------"

"Ang sabi ko sa inyo layuan ninyo ako!!!"

In one swift motion I cut a long portion hair that he's grabbing without properly thinking anything. Sa mabilis na pagwasiwas ko ng blade ay naputol ko ang buhok ko at nahiwa ang kamay ng sumasabunot sa'kin. I screamed in frenzy once again as his blood splattered everywhere." Fucking leave me alone!"

"Kayo pa rin ang talo sa huli!" I screamed even when droplets of blood is in my face. Biglaang pumagitna ang kaninang lalake akala ko inabandona na ako, at dahil sa gulat ng lahat ay nalamangan niya ang suray-suray at lasing ng grupo. He punched the bastards bothering me." I'll make you regret this!

"Tangina! Ako ang puputol sa kamay mong babae ka! Pati kang pesteng ba--------"

"I'll make the real world out your reach, bastard."

"Tama na." The brown-haired guy whispered, his knuckles bloodied and bruised. Like me he seems to have done it on impulse. Nakatsamba lang ata kami, hindi na kami bibigyan ng pangalawang pagkakataon ng mga tambay na to. Pero buti na lang narinig ko ang sigaw ng mga tanod." Umalis na tayo."

I gritted my teeth." Problema ko tong mag-isa diba?"

He's afraid to abandon me as much he's afraid to help me." Halika na!"

Natatawa ako." You don't need to help anymore!"

His warm hands touch mine, his lips quivering."Sorry."

We must grab our little luck---natangay ako sa pagsisi sa boses niya.

My uneven hair strands covered my face, I'm barely seeing my saviour's expression but he already pulled my hands to run away. May mga tanod ng nagsisigawan papunta sa direksyon namin. Patuloy lang kami sa pagtakbo ng binata, hindi ko alam kung san kami papunta.He saved me, thus I owe him my a litte bit of trust.

Nakita ko ang chapel ng huminto kami. Uphill. I didn't Baranggay Magsalin has one.

"Akin na."

"Huh? Ano pang kailangan mo?"

He snickered, mockingly." Yung switchblade."

Napakunot ang noo niya, sumenyas sa hawak-hawak ko paring patalim. I held it tighter behind me, it made him curse. He slides his hand on his own hair out frustration. Naging malamig ang naging tanong ko sa kanya. " Tinulungan mo ako...Pero iba ka ba sa kanila?No, should I even think that? Salamat, dapat pasalamatan muna kita?"

"Bahala ka kung ano ang gusto mong isipin." He step back from me, shame is in his face. Hindi siya makatitig sakin o makaalis."Tutal hindi naman talaga kita tinulungan. Bakit pa ba kita hinila hanggang dito?

He felt ironic." Ako? Natulungan ang sarili ko?"

"Ginawa mo yung hindi ko ginawa." He declared firmly." Hindi kita tinulungan."

"Ah. G-ganun ba ang tingin mo? S-Sorry. H-hindi din naman madaling tumulong, what you have done is enough. Really." In a blink my heart just forgive him. His words just click on me. Bigla ko na lang siyang naintidihan na kung nakakatakot humingi ng tulong ay ganun din ang magdesisyon na tulungan ang iba." Thank you talaga, hindi kita sinasarkastiko, sadyang natakot lang nung hindi mo ako natulungan agad----na baka ganun din ang naramdaman mo. Salamat ng marami."

"Tama na, hindi kita pinagpapaliwanag." He stated.

"Wait! Y-yung switchblade mo." Palusot ko.

He slowly turned back. "Sayo na yan, mauuna na ako."

"Aalis ka na agad?" I almost said that in a desperate tone, and my hands in the almost in attempt to grab him so he could stay with me on this dark hilltop."N-nagmamadali ka aba?"

"...Umuwi ka na, lumalim na ang gabi."

"...I'm Sheena. Anong pangalan mo?"

His eyes softened, the wind blew his hair." Uuwi ka na ba pag sinabi ko?"

I held out my blood-stained hands." Kung pwede, gusto kita makilala."

"Ronald." He told his name gently.

"Dito ka rin ba sa baranggay na to nakatira?" I smiled widely for him.

He evade his eyes, his brow creasing." Bakit ka tanong ng tanong?"

I shrug, letting another whim decide for me." Gusto kita makilala, Ronald."

In the end, he decided to walk me home despite his own reluctance. Kaso hanggang sa kanto lang, hindi niya gusto alamin kung saan ako sakto nakatira o iba pang bagay tungkol sa akin. Pero kung magkikita pa kami? Ewan. All I know is how fast my life is changing this year.

Today is a long day of beginnings and conflicts, I met old people in my life and new ones, yhat may either bring chaos and peace. As I open my front door, I thought of Ronald, his aloof eyes and cigarette appears so calming to me. Then there's still the enigmatic Ricos whose burmarks and words sets my mind ablaze with madness. Ang rami kong bagong kakilala, at ang haba pa ng bukas.

Kaso sa gabing to wala akong Percival na dinatnan pag-uwi.