Paper Memories

Chapter 10-II

Chapter 10-II

"Hello, who's calling?"

School is already over and I can't recognize this breathy voice over the phone, 'muntik ko na siyang babaan ng tawag."It's me, Nabi. I gave you my contacts before. Gawin na nating yung project natin ngayong hapon."

"Nakauwi na ako, Nabi." I closed my eyes in annoyance, nakababa na ako ng taxi. Ilang araw na naman kasi siyang absent at walang paramdam, nagkanda ha-haba ang ang pag-uusap namin hanggat napasabi na lang ako ng hinaing ko." "Palagi kang absent tapos ngayon magmamadali ka?"

"I'll text you where we'll met, bring a car."

Being stuck with leeches like her makes my blood boil

May personal car naman akong nakaparada sa garahe ng bahay, inakala ata ni Nabi na may pwede ako kahit anong oras para lang mapuntahan siya. I was about to text her about it, but my eyes spotted someone familiar. So I followed person until he arrived at where his other friends are. I badly need a driver, any of them will make do.

"May marunong bas sa inyo mag-drive? I'll hire you."

They all look at me in disbelief, their widening eyes questioning why a girl like me would bother with drunkards like them. When they are almost wasted when it's barely 3 p.m.Their pseudo-leader spoke first again, Kenneth: " Sa iba ka maghanap, huwag kami ang hingan mo ng pabor."

"Magbabayad ako kaya magsabi kayo kung meron ba." They apologized right? Then they should make it up to me." Pwera na lang kung may dahilan kayo para tumanggi."

"Tangina, hindi tayo magkakaibigan noon o kahit ngayon." Sagot ulit ng bayolenteng lalake. His violence is all I could attach to him, nothing else. " Kapag nainis na naman ako diyan sa bunganga wala na akong pake kung sino ka pa."

"Oy, tirhan niyo naman ako!" Suddenly that tall guy arrived. It's him again. Parang hindi siya marunong magbasa ng sitwasyon. " May ambag din naman ako jan ah!"

"Tumahimik ka gago." Kenneth snarked.

He's the tallest among all of them but he is lanky. He does looks mischievous but he I can't see malice. Nakapagangat lang sa kanya kung paano buong katawan niya ay puno-puno ng tattoo. Napatingin siya sa akin ng inilipag niya ang paper bags sa lamesita sa gitna nila, saka sabay kuha ng isang bote ng alak." Oh, anong bang meron? Pinagt-tripan mo naman to?"

His friends look at me." "Naghahanap nang magmamaneho sa kanya."

He spit his drink on the ground.

I hired him on the spot. On the next half hour my head is hurting because of Nabi, she suddenly changed the location where I'll meet. That girl is the one who convinced me to bring a car, but she's very inconsistent and demanding.

"Dito pa, pumasok pa tayo dito." Turo ni Nabi sa antique shop. Napagdesisyunan kasi niya na isang victorian-themed doll house ang main design ng miniature building namin." So have you decided if we'll do this together? O ako na lang?"

Nawalan na ako ng gana." Ikaw na lang..."

Napalingon siya." Akala ko gusto mo?"

"I change my mind, our schedule doesn't match." Pagsisinungaling ko. I wanted to care about teamwork, but maybe not witht her." Ako na ang bahala sa gastos."

"I see, I'll send you a picture when it's done, but if you want you watch me do it just say so." Nabi spoke later on as she shove me deeper insdie the shop, lilingunin ko sana siya pero tinutulak lang niya ako para maglakad." Unless you're going to be busy being pathetically sad and be comforted by your boyfriend?"

Sinarkastiko siya." I don't know, he's not home."

Her lips twitch, she glared at me." Home? You're living together? O out of town siya? I thought you still have some finesse on you, but you're acting like that with guy you're dating for short a time. Hindi ko alam ganya ka ba ma-obssess sa lalake. Bigla na lang. Kadiri."

"I'm not obsessed with Percival."

"So you'd just settle with anyone-----mga out desperada nga naman.

"I don't understand why you're so interested in the men in my life, Nabi." Kaswal na paliwanag ko habang nililibot ang kabuuan ng store. Then the doll section caught my eye, and even Nabi became enamoured at its sight." At wala kang karapatan magsabi sakin ng ganyan lalo na sa hilig mong dumikit-dikit sa mga lalake. Sino pa ang gusto mong i-link sakin ha?"

Her eyes widen." Si Ricos..."

I watch how Nabi's annoyance turned into a childish glee, as she step closer to the dolls. Kaya naging malumanay ang tanong ko. "Ano tungkol sa kay Ricos? You know he literally calls me "Ate", don't you?"

Nabi brows raised."Bulag ba siya?"

"Huh? Are you trying to make a joke?" Gulat na tanong ko. Inaaway niya pa lang ako kanina." Gagawa ka ng chismis ganun? At idadamay mo pati ako?"

"I don't mean it in a joking manner, Sheena. Or your gross men anymore! " Sagot niya habang napapalibutan kami ng hile-hilerang life-sized ball joint doll, maputi ang complexion ng manika dahil gawa sila porcelain at sa detailed ang features nila." Being here remind me about it. Ricos right face is burnt isn't it? Iniisip ko lang na baka may glass eye siya."

Glass eye or prosthetic eye." Paano mo nasabi?"

"Nag-r-react ang pupils ng mata depende sa emotion or reflex ng tao, pero yung sa kanya hindi." Paliwanag ni Nabi habang dinadampi niya ang daliri niya sa mata ng manika sa harapan." I don't want to refer him as an emotionless doll like this one, but it's just so weird."

"He's ill, let's not say that in front of him."

"These dolls are beautiful, even more alive than that kid."

"They say the eyes are the window to the soul..."

"And people are just dolls, don't you think Sheena?"

"I don't. Maiba ako, yang tinitingnan mo masyadong malaki yan para isama sa doll house." I replied, trying to get out all me from our conversation and back to our project. Unless you could find smaller doll or make a bigger house, it might fit. Do you collect dolls?"

She timidly glance upwards."N-Napabili ko na collection ko."

Oh, maybe that's why she looks like one. It's already eerie that it almost hard to differentiate between Nabi and the dolls in the counter. Baka obsess siya sa mga manika, kaya kahit totoong tao ay isang laruan lang din sa paningin niya ." Just buy it if you're interested. Not for the project I mean."

"You know I can't afford it." Nabi scoffed, I don't know if Nabi stuttered she felt ashamed revealing about something I genuinely don't know. "Babalikan ko na lang sa ibang araw, this is an antique store anyway."

"... If you agree, I could buy it for you." Alok ko.

Nanlaki ang mata niya, pati ang ngiti niya." W-Why would you?"

One moment she hates me, the next she'll act this close." Hindi ba pwede?"