SEVEN AND ARROW (Montana Series 2 | BXB)

01: Serendipity

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"Don't tell any of this to my mom."

He shot me with his piercing and hostile stare. Unang beses ko pa lamang siyang nakita matapos ang sampung taon, ngunit hindi na maganda ang kutob ko sa kanya.

"Am I clear?" he asked and walked slowly towards me. He sucked the cigarette he was holding, and when he reached me, he blew the smoke in my face.

I coughed and said, "Yes. I won't tell your mom about this."

"Good," he said, smiling like a vampire in the middle of the night.

After sucking his cigarette for a few more times, he threw it and went inside. Mabilis akong nagpakawala ng mabigat na paghinga nang makaalis siya sa balcony.

I was looking forward to meet him, but I didn't expect our first meeting after ten years would be like that. He's Arrow James Castellan, the son of Tita Meryl.

I knew his existence since we were younger because our moms were best friends. The last time we saw each other was summer ten years ago. Walong taon pa lamang kami noong huli kaming magkita at ibang-iba siya ngayon sa Arrow na kababata ko noon.

Laging bumibisita sila Arrow sa aming probinsiya noon, sa Luisa Valley, ngunit natigil lang ito nang naging abala na siya sa pagaaral. I never saw him again, but after ten years, we reunited.

I stayed at their house, not only for summer. I had to live with him in one roof for the rest of his life.

"Seven," said Tita Meryl while having our breakfast. "This is your first day at school, kaya kumain ka ng marami."

"Yes po, Tita," I replied.

She slid a plate of omelette in front of me. "If anything happened in school, just call me okay?"

Tumango naman ako bilang sagot. I was quite confused with her reminder. It was as if I was going to have my first day at the jungle full of wild animals and not in school.

"Anyway, nagustuhan mo ba ang kwarto mo?" tanong ni Tita.

"Yes po. Actually, mas malaki pa 'yong kwarto ko ngayon kumpara sa tinitirahan ko noon."

Napayuko siya sa aking sinabi. I knew what she was thinking. The pity in her eyes was plain as daylight whenever she looked at me. She knew the hardships I had to endure since my parents passed away.

Walang naiwan kahit piso ang aking mga magulang. Maging ang sarili naming bahay ay naisanla dahil sa mga gastusin sa ospital at sa kanilang libing.

I had to live, so I stopped going to school and worked different jobs. The bank took our home, so I rented a tiny apartment where a bed could barely fit. Isang taon na naging ganoon ang aking buhay, ngunit nang malaman ni Tita Meryl ang aking sitwasyon ay nagdesisyon siyang patuluyin ako sa kanilang bahay upang ako'y pag-aralin.

"I know life has been difficult for you, but don't worry, you are not alone anymore." She touched me on my shoulder with her smiles flashing by the sunrays.

"Thank you po, Tita. Balang araw ay babawi ako sa inyo."

She shook her head. "No, you don't need to do that. Nangako ako sa puntod ng Mama mo na kahit anong mangyari ay hindi kita pababayaan. Your mother helped me so much in life, and this is the only way to give back everything she did for me."

A bittersweet smile crept across my face as her kind words about my late mother echoed in my mind. For a moment, it felt as if my Mama was still with us, smiling and laughing with her silly jokes.