Paper Memories

Chapter 14-I

Chapter 14-I

Kinawayan ko ulit sila." Ingat kayo."

It's already Sunday, and it's almost 5 p.m.Pagkatapos ng overnight naming tatlo ay namasyal pa rin kami nang halos isang buong hapon. Nakakapagod, pero ang una kong ginawa pagkaapak sa bahay ay umkayat papuntang attic room. I hesitantly touch the door, thinking something would change if I opened it.But everything is the same-the empty canvas of Percival's painting is still there.

Mukang lalabas na lang ulit ako...

Nagpalit na lang ako ng damit sa dumiretso sa baranggay chapel. Kabisado ko na ang mga pasikot-sikot. Ako ang naunang dumating kaya inilabas ko muna ang journal ko at paborito kong writing pen. Dala ko din naman ang sketchbook ko pero gusto muna magsulat ngayon.

But then something cold in my cheeks! Si Ronald!" Nandito ka naman, Sheena."

"Bawal na ba ako dito? You're being possessive of this nice place? "Inumin pala na nasa lata ang dinampi niya sa akin, at may iba pa siyang dala. Inaabot niya sa akin yun kahit hindi siya makatingin ng diretso." D-dapat hindi ka n-nag-abala."

Napahawak siya sa batok niya." Ngayon lang 'to."

I almost hid my face with the paper bag he gave me, its contents aroma and his shy smile made my heart flutter." Is it for my birthday? Thank you? O trip mo lang? Ah! No! I'm grateful----inaasar lang kita."

His face is red as he pointed at the chapel." Dun na lang tayo At-----"

He cut off his words." San? Ano yung sasabihin mo?"

"Sa likod ng chapel. Maganda rin dun, pero halos puno lang..." Ronald did tell he likes urban streets and nature. Pero napapaisip pa din ako sa huling sasabihin niya sana, Sabay kaming naglalakad papalikod ng chapel." Yang sa supot---sinubukan ko lang ulit gumawa. Palagi kasi kami niyan dati nagluluto sa bahay..."

"Steamed siopao?Can you teach me?"

"Huwag na, diba may klase ka palagi?"

But then where behind the chapel, Ronald handed me another box. Umabot siya sa gantong gestures." Thank you, Ronald. May dala din souveneir mula sa pinuntahan namin. Contstellation na lang na design napili ko, you could use that wrist strap on your camera!"

But Ronald cold voice broke." Sorry,nung nagawa ko ng isang araw..."

My mouth twitch remembering that day I told Ronald about how Ricos's inappropriate gesture on how the boy almost lead me to believe he would kiss me. And when Ronald almost did the same, but we were too swayed by our emotions.

Binuksan ko na lang regaling natanggao ko. Isang resin pendant! "It has the same color as the sunset! Did you make this? Diba may mga picture ka ng sinabi mong ginawa mong miniature art? Gusto ko pang makita ying iba!"

"Huh? Pampalipas ko lang yan kasi mas inuuna ko tulungan si Papa..."

I nodded happily admiring his gift as I lift it up towards the skies."You could dream more, you could always dream. Gusto ko pa makita ang photography mo at iba mo pang kayang gawin. Pero-kain na muna tayo? Gusto ko na matikman luto mo!"

"...Pero S-Sheena, hindi ka ba talaga galit sakin?"

"You said were sorry, at masaya na tayo ngayon diba?"

He pop a can of beer of open, and evaded my gaze." Unang nagkita tayo hindi kita naisapang tulungan agad, pag magkasama tayo halos hindi kita pinapansin, at nung isa lang binalewala ko lang ang kinuewento mo-------hindi ko rin nirespeto ang ayaw mo..."

"Nung isang araw pa yun. What matter is now." I explained, admiring his gift. I am not that cruel to judge him for one action alone." Actually you really don't need to be forgiven. Hindi mo kailangan ng kapatawaran ko kapag nagpadesisyunan kong hindi na mali ang ginawa mo."

He sadly stared at me."Pwede ka pang magali----"

I flash the pendant in front of him." I don't need to be angry with you."

"Kung sigurado ka diya, bahala ka." Ganto siya palagi sa akin kung sumagot. Aakalain mo na para siya ba dapat ang magpapaalala ng reality sa ibang tao. " Aalis ka na lang kung ayaw mo na sakin."

"Papalitan ko ang regalo mo, kalian ang birthday mo?"

"Tapos na, Sheena."

Nainis ako sa maikli niyang tugon, kaya mas kinulit ko siya. I was acting childishly like Ellie and as interrogative as Ralph! I already assumed that he might be few years younger than me or year older, because of his maturity, but I want answers. "Sige, sige. Pwes ilang taon ka na ba?"

"Bakit kailangan mo malaman?" Ronald scowled." Porke tumanda ka."

"Masama ba kung oo? Ilang nga?" I said in between the final bites of my siapao. Iiinom ulit sana si Ronald ng beer, pero ng marinig niya ang tanong ko ay sinulyapan niya ako at saka nag-isip saglit."Nineteen ka na ba? O nag-Eighteen ka pa lang? You're younger right"

He glared at me." Katorse."

Katorse? Katorse, paulit ulit na inisip ko. I was grinning ear to ear, because what he said didn't registered instantly." Ano? F-Fourteen ka lang?! Don't tell me you were thirteen when we first me? Eight years kang mas bata sa akin, Ronald!"

"Ikaw lang ata ang hindi nakahalata." My face felt hotter, I didn't know this. He works. He's taller than me even when I'm 5'7 feet. He have this rebellious and mature look--- I forgot teens these day grow up too fast!" Yung kaibigan mo nagtanong kaya."

I grimace." Anong itatawag mo sana sakin kanina?!"

He wasn't still looking at me, but he was confused." Ate. Di lang ako sanay ta-----"

"Maliban sa gusto mo akong pauwiin lang dahil naiinis ka sakin---- pinapaalis mo ako agad dahil sabi mo hahanapin ka ng Papa mo. Dahil pala ganyan ka lang kabata. Isolated and out of school." I started trembling and he sense my mistrust." Hindi mo iniisip kung ano gusto mo sa college dahil hindi mo pa nga nakalahati ang highschool-----bakit hindi ko nagets yun agad?"

He look at me offendedly." Nililista mo talaga?"

I bit my lip to contain all my emotion." And you have no boundary or deceny on how to act towards a lady because you're another hormonal teen. Kaya ka ganto kapabalang sumagot at kumilos!"

"Hindi naman ako nagsinungaling sayo." Pabalang na sabi niya.

"You're just a kid all this time." Mapait na tawa ko.

He wasn't still looking at me." "Lahat ng kinuwento ko sayo totoo."

I clench my fist, I ask again." Bakit hindi ka na nag-aaral? Bakit palagi kang mag-isa? Bakit palagi kang pabalang sakin sumagot kung alam mong mas matanda ako sayo? Bakit sinubukan mo akong halikan kahit kinuwento kong muntik na sana ako mabastos noon? Ano? Masasagot mo ba yung ng maayos, Ronald?!"

Hindi ko alam ang gagawin, pero ng dumapo ang mata ko sa sigirilyong sisindihan niya pa lang--------hinablot ko agad yun at inapak-apakan. Pati na rin ang natitira pang canned beer sa tabi niya niya ay kinuha ko. I want to think he's not really different than me!

But Ronald's fourteen----all this time I'm being lectured by a kid.

I want to trust him for now; he didn't mean to keep it a secret. I tried to brush off that new but insignificant information, but I can't. Earlier, he kept asking if I was angry, and now I can feel it. Sa wakas hinarap na niya akong ng tingin, nanatali siyang makaupo habang ako ay nanginginig na nakatayo. I raised my hand to finally give him the answer he wanted, and I struck him across the face, slapping him.

Namuo agad ang pasa muka niya." Nagalit nga kita..."