Paper Memories

Chapter 11-II

Chapter 11-II

"You could still get out, you know."

Nilbot ko ang mata ko sa kabuuan ng kwarto, kaliwa at kanan- kaya nakita ko ang mas maraming reflection namin. Kakaapak pa lang namin sa loob at hindi pa nakakalayo ng ilang metro sa pintuan pero ramdam ko na ang discomfort ni Ricos. I didn't know there people that have phobia with mirrors."Matagal kung hihintayin pa kita lumabas."

Ang tahimik niya, I ask again." Pinipilit ba kita?"

He looked up."You're not..."

Sabi niya hindi, kaya hinayaan ko na lang siya. Kahit simple lang ang magiging daan namin, parang mas maging malawak ang buong kwarto dahil sa magkakahilera at magkakatapat na salamin. There's no other visitor there but us, and the exit is nowhere in sight.

Just the two of us in this abyss.

I saw my reflection, I'm wearing a a sleeveless pink blouse and long pleaded skirt.

Ricos is attire black-themed and he's too small for his own clothes again. Mas lalo niyang sinara ang mga mata niya. Nakataas na ang hoodie niya at yukong-yuko na siya. Kaunting agwat lang ng tangkad namin pero dahil sa ginagawa niya masnagmumukha siyang batang tingnan habang nakahawak sakin.

" Ricos, tell me. Why do you hate mirros?"

"...Mukha ko."

" Others seems to dismiss it anyway. Kinakaibigan at ka pa rin nila." I keep walking and walking while Ricos followed behind me.Our reflection multiplied even more." Mukhang hindi ka naman magiging mag-isa sa huli dahil dyan, kaya huwag mon ang isipin. May maawa naman sayo."

"Unlike you?" Ricos said making me stop.

"You do kno---Do you ever wonder why?" Mariing tanong ko.

"I don't-----just bits...But I what know now is how you drive others away. Mas maraming gusto makalapit sa sayo kaysa lumayo sa'yo Ate." Paliwanag sa akin ni Ricos, and once again its like we're stuck in the middle of the room, as if we're going nowhere." Its as if you commanded everyone else to not got near you and they did. Parang binabasa nila ang timpla mo at sila ang ayaw ma-disappoint ka."

" Bakit maling-mali yung pagkaintindi mo?"I face him. He's not right, but I remember one person who left becaused I ordered him to," Aren't they distancing themselves from me because they're disgusted of me?"

He smiled." Ate Nabi and I wouldn't like you if that's the case."

"Come on, don't bring up the very few people who are sparing me attention. Nabi and I were just project partners once, and if you think she's sticking herself to me, that's because she thinks she can get something from the lonely me."Salaysay ko, mas lumalala ang inis ko sa patuloy niyang pag ngiti." At ikaw naman, hindi mo pa ako kilala. At kung oo man baka nandyan ka lang para maghintay ng kahinaan ko."

"Jeez, Ate.Did you do something so bad you think I'm here for revenge?" Maang niyang tanong." Na tulad ako ng iba-- na maraming hindi makakalimot sa pagkakamali mo at hinihintay ka pa rin nila gumawa ng bago?"

I breathed deeply." Students were expelled of me."

His eyebrow rise." Yung mga kwento po ng ka-block natin?"

This boy, I can't stomach his expression." Ang kwento, kwento lang."

Ricos chuckled." You're making it a small of an issue. How many?"

Napakuyom na ang kamao ko." Twenty."

He pressed me more." How angry were they to you?"

Pinabitaw ko siya sakin at naglakad papalayo. "Ganyan talaga ang mga tao,we can't do anything about it. I don't need their forgiveness, nor they need mine, we just need to move on, but they're not giving me that. I don't need to tell you the truth you won't believe anyway!"

" Ate, not all hurt people could just heal easily. " Ricos screamed at me as I became far from him." Pero parang hindi mo yun iniisip."

"Narinig mo yung ginawa ko pero hindi yung ginawa nila!"

"Then I want to hear it from you, Ate!"

I keep running away, I don't want him to catch up. As I move faster, so does the reflection in the room. Si Ricos di makahabol, pero parang hindi matapos-tapos ang daan. " Leave me alone, Ricos. Puntahan mo na ang mga kaklase natin!"

I almost at the end, nearing the exit." Tingin mo may alam ka, Ricos?"

He yelled at me when he failed to catch up, at dahil sa reflection na lang dala ng infinity mirror ay parang hindi lang iisang tao ang may galit sa akin,"I would if you would just tell me! Hindi ako labas di----"

I felt cold, nanghihimaosk lang siya."Hindi ka apektado."