Taking Chances

4. You don't know much about my past

“Bastos!” 

Umigkas ang kamay ni Kristine sa mukha ni Pablo. A conceited – he knew it, he was feeling that way – smile formed on his face. 

“Bastos ka!” Muling sigaw ni Kristine sa kanya at saka nagtatakbo paalis. He watched her as she ran away from him. Wala naman bastos sa ginawa niya. He just kissed her mouth to make her shut up. He learned that a kiss was the best way to make a woman shut up at effective pala iyon kay Kristine. He smiled even wider. Bastos daw siya and yet she kissed him back – she totally kissed him back – he felt it. 

Her lips were something else too. 

It was sweet. 

In his head, he knew that he would want to kiss her again. Napailing na lang siya. Kung anu-anong iniisip niya. For the last time, pilit niyang tinanaw ang daang tinahak ni Kristine pauwi sa Villa nito. He couldn’t see her, she vanished into the darkness and yet he knew very well that she was there. Dama niya pa sa kanyang labi ang mga labi nito. 

Tumalikod siya. He will deal with her tomorrow, kung paano, hindi niya alam, but right now, kailangan niya munang palipasin ang gabi dahil baka kung ano lang ang magawa niya dito. Ayaw niyag gumawa na naman ng isang bagay na pagsisishan niya. 

Tinahak niya ang daan patungo sa mansion. He was still thinking about Kristine. Hindi niya maintindihan. Wala naman espesyal sa babaeng iyon pero bakit mula nang makita niya ito noong araw na natalsikan ito ng putik ay hindi na niya ito mawaglit sa kanya isipan. 

Maybe it was because she thought of him as an ordinary man. Hindi ito nangingimi sa kanya. Maybe that was the reason why he couldn’t stop thinking about her. 

“Good evening, Señorito Pablo.” Nakangiting bati sa kanya ni Manang Alberta. 

“Si Fatima po?” He asked. 

“Nasa kwarto na.” Tinanguan niya na lang ito at tinungo ang silid ng kapatid. He knocked three times tapos ay pumasok na siya. Nakita niya si Fatima na nakaupo sa kama nito habang naglalaro ng PSP. 

“Bakit hindi ka natutulog?” Tanong niya dito. Isinara niya ang pinto at saka umupo sa kama nito. Fatima was playing with her PSP. Ibinaba nito iyon at saka tumingin sa kanya. 

“Pinuntahan mo na ba ulit si Papa?” She asked him. Napabuntong hininga na lang siya. Mula nang dumating siya – and that was two months ago – ay hindi na niya pinuntahan ang kanyang ama. Palagi niyang kinakausap ang mga doctor nito pero hindi na niya ito punupuntahan. 

“He wanted to see you.” Sabi ni Fatima. “Gising siya kanina, he was asking about you.” 

“Busy ako.” Sagot niya. 

“Kuya naman eh.” Tumayo ito ay saka naglakad sa harapan niya. “Sige na… please see Papa…” Lumuhod pa ito sa harap niya. “I know how much it still hurts…”

“You don’t have any idea, you were only eight years old back then,” Sabi niya dito. 

“Yeah, but still.” Napakamot ito ng ulo. “Akala ko ba nandito ka para sa kanya.” 

“I only came here for you.” He said again. Fatima sighed. 

“Mana talaga ako sa’yo. Ang tigas ng ulo mo.” Nakangusong sabi ng kanyang kapatid. He just smiled. Tumayo siya at tinapik ang ulo nito. 

“Matulog ka na.” He said before leaving her. Nang makalabas siya ng silid nito ay napasandal siya sa dingding. 

Sinubukan niya naming kalimutan ang ginawa ng kanyang ama sa kanya, pero he just couldn’t bring himself into forgiving him. Galit siya dito dahil ito mismo ang sumira sa pamilya nila. Hindi niya makakalimutan kung paano binawian ng buhay ang kanyang Mama dahil dito.