CROSSROAD LOVE

CHAPTER 4

PROVINCE

As the cold breeze of the serene night touch my skin, I can't help but to think that maybe I should give it a try.

Though I don't want to totally embrace the truth that my parents set this punishment for me.

Luckily nalinawan rin ako nang naka usap ko ang mga kaibigan ko. Kaya kahit labag sa loob ko na sumama kay manang papuntang probinsya ay wala rin akong nagawa.

"Ayos ka lang ba Janna iha? Nagugutom ka ba o na uuhaw?" baling sa akin ni manang   "No manang. I'm fine, don't worry about me."

We're at the bus right now going to the province of bicol. Naki usap ako kay dad na kung pwede ay ihatid na lang kami ng driver namin sa province nila manang using our car but dad said that I should experience the beautiful trip going to province.

" Iha, alam kong labag sa loob mo ang umalis at pumuntang probinsiya pero masisiguro Kong mag e-enjoy ka. Marami ring sikat pasyalan doon na paniguradong matutuwa ka."  smilingly manang talked like as if may na aalala pa siyang nakakatuwang pangyayari.

"Manang, what kind of place does your province have?" baling ko kay manang. Napansin kong bahagyang natigilan si manang but later on nag kwento rin.

"Gaya ng mga ibang tipikal na probinsya ganon rin ang sa aming probinsya. Pero masisiguro ko na mag e-enjoy ka.... Meron doong ilog at talon na pwede mong paliguan, mayroon ding taniman ng ibat ibang gulay na pwede mong anihin ng sariwa, may mga palaisdaan din doon. Maaari kang mamingwit. " masayang turan ni manang.

" Pero hindi po ba mapapagalitan tayo kapag nangialam tayo ng hindi natin pag mamay - ari? " na ikinatawa naman ni manang sa tanong ko. " What's about it? Did I say something wrong? " naguguluhan Kong tanong kay manang.

" Alam mo iha, sa probinsya nagbibigayan ang mga tao roon. Hindi sila marunong magdamot. Kapag panahon na ng anihan nagtutulong tulong ang mga tao at kapag marami at sobra-sobra ang naani nilang gulay ay ipamimigay nila ang iba sa mga kapit bahay kaya para sa akin masayang mamuhay sa probinsya. Simple, tahimik, sariwa ang hangin at higit sa lahat ma aliwalas ang tanawin. "

Based on manang's descriptions, all I can imagine is a boring vacation.

I respect manang's perspective about her province but I am not a province girl, Instead I love watching the city light during  night and I love to stroll everyday in the city, going to mall, to the park, in every boutique, and going to every retso or coffee shops also I love to bonding with my friends than  to go in a province to relax because truly province Is not my things.

I easily got bored everytime I am in a province. Maybe because I don't know anything that I can enjoy about province. I can't think of anything that can poke my interest.

Later on we arrived at our destination but that's not what I think dahil ng nakababa na kami ni manang, sinabi niya na antayin muna namin ang anak niya dahil papuntang na raw yon dito.

Medyo matagal ang naging byahe namin ni manang dahil kagabi kami umalis at nakarating kami dito ay umaga na.

" Manang, is your house  still far from here?" manang look at me and pointed at a seems like private road.

"Medyo malayo pa tayo sa bahay iha. Sasakay pa tayo ng tricycle para maka punta roon. Yang kalsadang papasok na yan, diyan tayo dadaan. Nasa kabilang barangay pa kasi ang bahay ko, kaya kung may aalis samin at sasakay ng bus o kaya service van ay kailangan munang bumaba dito sa barangay na ito para sumakay dahil walang dumadaang sasakyang bus or van doon"

I surprisingly looked at manang.

"So before you could reach you're house, you need to transfer in a tricycle." that's very tiring for me.

"Mas mabuti na nga ngayon dahil sementado na ang daanan namin. May nakakapasok ng sasakyan. Ma laking tulong iyon para sa amin. Alam mo ba iha na dating ay naglalakad lang kami patungo rito kaya malaking bagay na narinig ng gobyerno ang hiling ng aming barangay. "

I suddenly realize how lucky I am to born with a golden spoon in my mouth, cause I can't imagine my life if I were in that situation that manang said. Kahit papano naisip ko na hindi man ako pinalad sa pamilya atleast kahit papano binigyan ako ng magandang buhay.

"nay...."  a petite woman who are riding in a tricycle that abruptly stop in front of us called manang.

"Anak..... Kamusta?"  manang hug her when she got off  in the tricycle. "Ayos lang naman po nay, ikaw po kamusta? Parang pumayat po ata kayo?" she worriedly ask manang

" ano ka bang bata ka, wag kang mag alala dahil ayos lang naman ako at ano bang sinasabi mong pumayat ako eh halos tumaba nga ako" manang pulled me near her "eto nga pala si Janna. Siya yung alaga ko, Janna ito naman si Marife, ang bunso ko."

"Hi, I'm Janna. Nice to meet you" then I offered my hand

"Hello Janna, ang ganda mo, ang puti at ang tangkad mo pa. Pwede mo pala akong tawaging ate Fe, masyado kasing mahaba ang pangalan ko" namamanghang turan niya sabay tanggap sa kamay ko.

Actually, I think Ate fe is kinda beautiful. It just that I am a little bit taller than her. I guess she's just around my nose, she also has a fair skin but I can tell that I am whiter than her. I think it's because of the temperature here in province.

I also notice that  some of the people here in province are having a fair skin while other are darker, well maybe it's because of their work. Like what manang told me, some of the common work here of everyone Is farming that's why they looked liked that. But I'm not degrading them instead I am amazed by how they can keep up on working in the midst of the sun.

"Halina kayo. Janna, iha sakay na. dito ka umupo sa loob at baka malaglag ka jan sa may driver seat."  pumasok na ako sa loob, katabi ko si manang while ate fe sit on the driver seat, nasa likuran lang siya ng driver.

She insisted to sit there. Sanay na daw kasi siya at mas enjoy daw doon sumakay, I want to try it also but manang said that it's more safe here inside at wala pa raw akong experience doon kaya baka daw malaglag ako.

"Manang, how many hours do we need to travel before we can get to your house?" I asked manang when the tricycle start moving.
" Ikaw talagang bata ka napaka- mainipin mo, huwag kang mag alala mga kalahating oras lang ang kailangan nating baybayin at makakarating na tayo sa bahay... "

If that's the case, I think we travel for more than eight hours going here. Medyo natagalan kasi kami sa byahe kasi may traffic pa kaming na daanan,  then  another thirty more minutes to finally arrive at manang's house.

The farthest that my eyes can see my surroundings , the more that I rediscover this province but I know that it's not enough to make me entertain and keep my interest for a long time.  So all I can say to my self is that...........

"Goodluck self, I hope you can stand this situation for so long. fighting!!