Unanswered Questions

Part 1 - October 1994

Bulacan

"Kailangan ba talagang sumama ako? Pwede naming kayo nalang diba? Bat ba kasi dapat pati ako." asked a grumbling 14 year old Maine as she loaded her duffel bag to the back of the van that will take her and the staff of her high school newspaper to the port in Manila where they will take a boat to Romblon for the secondary schools' press conference.

Her best friend Kat just rolled her eyes. "Ofcourse you have to go Meng. Who else will join the feature writing contest if you won't come along, silly! Ikaw lang kaya ang the great Maine Mendoza, the Great Feature Writer" Kat said as she gently pushed Maine to the door of the van.

"Para kang sira." Maine chucked. Yes she loves to write. But writing is different from joining contests. "But Kat, you know how I feel about crowds and contests. I just ..."

"Yeah I know, I know" Kat butted in. "You're the great pessimist in the world who doesn't have the confidence to win in any contest. But Meng you always win. Kayang-kaya mo yan, ikaw pa!" Kat said as she took Maine's hands and gave it a little squeeze.

"I don't know Kat." Maine said as she stepped inside the van, and positioned her travel pillow on her neck. "If it's only here in Bulacan then I would feel a little more at ease. I just don't like huge crowd you know." She leaned back and fidgeted on the key in her hand which Kat noticed.

"Parang ang liit naman ng key na yan for your bag." Kat took the key from her hands to examine it closely. "Are you sure you brought the right one?" Kat asked.

"Oh no, that is the key for my diary." Meng smiled.

Kat only shook her head and laughed. "Hay naku Maine ewan ko sayo. Napaka secretive mo talaga wala namang may gustong magbasa ng diary mo. Boring kaya ng buhay mo!"

Maine nodded in agreement as Kat put on her earphones and closed her eyes. "My life is boring indeed Kat. And I hope it stays this way for a really long time." She said with a smile as she looks out the window of the van.

"Naku naman bakit ngayon pa umulan." Muttered the van driver as he started the vehicle. Maine smiled as she looked out the rain streaked window. She loved the rain and it somehow brought her comfort that it rained. She found herself slowly drifting into sleep and after a few minutes, she was off to dreamland.

Laguna

"Ma, promise ayoko pong pumunta ng Romblon." Richard said in a gentle voice while cradling his mother's hands putting it close to his chest. "You're sick and I'll just be worried about you during the contests di rin ako makakapag focus, Ma. Please Mommy payag na ikaw na wag ako punta, Ma." He coaxed in his most malambing tone.

"Naku Tisoy ha, di uubra yang mga pacute mo sakin." His mother feigned a scowl on her face but failed. How can she put on that kind of face when her son is so worried about her health? Her heart melted at the thought of how her son would sacrifice not going to the secondary schools' presscon that he had rigorously trained for, just to be by her side now that she is sick. Rio smiled at the boy she loves so dearly. "Nak, last year mo na in high school. You won't have this chance anymore when you go to college. Kaya please anak, please go. For me please, anak. Go and win the contest for Mommy please." She gently stroked her handsome son's tear streaked face with the back of her hand. "Don't cry na, anak please. Mommy will be okay."

Richard's father came inside the room, went to the bedside and kissed his wife's forehead. The couple looked at each other tenderly and smiled, love radiating from their eyes. The boy looked at his parents and smiled. When he grows up he wants to marry someone like his mom. She was the wind beneath his father's wings and she completes him. His father in return is her pillar of strength, her bestfriend and her kakampi in everything.

"Tama ang mommy mo RJ. You should go. Don't worry, everything will be alright." His father, Richard Sr., said.

"Ayan na naman kayo eh kampihan na naman kayo." He pouted and pretended to sulk.

The couple laughed. A vehicle stopped infront of their house and Richard Sr. gestured with his head telling his son to go. The younger Richard heaved a deep sigh, kissed his mother on both cheeks and headed towards the living room where his bag waits.

"Tisoy, smile na anak. Ikaw din kakasimangot mo di ka mapapansin ng mga pretty girls dun." Rio said called out and winked at her son.

He laughed. "Ikaw lang ang only girl sa life ko, Ma" And with that, he closed his parents' bedroom door and went straight to the van that will take him to the port in Manila to board the boat to Romblon.

Manila Port

MV St. Joseph was bustling with life as most of its passengers bound for Romblon are high school students excited for the press conference. All of them are already winners in their respective regions and the time has come for the best of the bests, the crème de la crème, to compete against each other in the national level. Just being to compete in the nationals is already an honor for most of the students.

Maine

"Meng, cge na. Please, please samahan mo na 'ko." Kat pleaded to Maine like her life depended on it. "Ayoko nga Kat eh. You know how I feel around strangers." Maine replied, not bothering to look up, her nose buried in the latest Sweet Valley High paperback she was reading. "Ikaw nalang kasi ang magpasign sa slumbook mo, wag mo na 'kong idamay." The other girl stomped her feet and let out defeated sigh while stepping away from Maine. "Okay fine! Pero jan ka lang muna ha? Wag kang aalis sabay tayo balik sa room natin."

"Okaaaay, not going anywhere." Maine replied, nose still in her book. She doesn't have anything to do in their cabin anyway so might as well stay in the open part of the ship and enjoy her book and the salty ocean breeze. Oh how she loves the sea. There were times that she though she must have been a mermaid in her previous life because of her strong love for the ocean. She smiled and went back to her reading.

Richard

"Yo, RJ! Tara let's explore the ship." Sam called out to him. "Ikaw nalang bro, dito nalang ako, soundtrip." He said as he rummaged his backpack for his portable cassette player and his favorite Queen tape. "Ang killjoy mo RJ. Tara na! Hanap tayong chicks, man!" Sam whispered as he literally dragged an unprepared Richard along with him. After few minutes, Sam was already talking to a beautiful giggling girl and all Richard could so is shake his head in disbelief as to how Sam manage to charm girls around him. He sat on one of the benches in the sundeck and put on his earphones, head moving to the beat of Queen. He was halfway through one song when he felt the urge to look to his right. His head involuntarily turned and there he was the most beautiful girl he has ever laid eyes on. He was listening to Bohemian Rhapsody but it was as if he heard the most romantic instrumental music ever. She was sitting five benches away from him and she was sight to behold. There was nothing special about her jeans and the white tee she was wearing but she wore it with such elegance as if she was in a photoshoot. Her long black hair messed up by the ocean breeze were all over her face, blocking her eyes from the book she's reading. He saw her sigh and pulled up her hair up tying it in a messy bun, with a few strands escaping, falling loosely on the sides of her face as she struggled to clip it. Satisfied that her hair is out of the way, she smiled and went back to her book.

"She looks like an angel." He muttered out loud. "Asan bro? Asan?" Sam asked as he sat next to him. "Ha? Ah wala. Yung lyrics ng song yun." Richard said pointing to his headset. "San ka ba galing kasi?"

Sam grinned and began to tell him of the girls he met on short time he was exploring the ship but Richard's mind was somewhere else. He looked to his right but to his disappointment, she was gone.