My Destiny (Book 1)

MD 22 - WISHES

CHASE POV

"Hi, Dad, Mom," bati ko kina mommy at daddy pagdating sa bahay. "Hey, li'l bro," bati ko rin sa kapatid ko sabay fistbump.

"Hi, anak!" bati rin ni mommy.

"Ginabi ka ngayon ah. Detention again?" asked dad, or rather teased.

"No, Dad. I won't let that happen again."

He laughed at my answer. "What's wrong with detention?"

"Dad!"

"Okay, okay. Why are you late, then?"

"Sinamahan lang namin si Kaiden sa mall then we saw our classmate. Sinamahan na rin namin mukhang may problema eh."

"New friend, kuya?"

"Uhmm...no, Hunter. Just...a classmate." Bakit ba lagi nagtatanong 'to kung may bago akong kaibigan?

"Well, that's good na sinamahan niyo siya. Maybe he needs someone to talk to."

"She's a she, Mom."

"Ohhhh..."

"Yeah, she's that girl."

"Who?"

"Detention girl?" Dad asked.

I nodded.

"Hmm..." My mom looked at me teasingly.

"Mom..." My voice was warning.

"What? Wala naman ako sinasabi, ah. How is she? I mean after you comforted her?"

"It's not just me, kasama ko sina Kaiden at Kenji. Si Kaiden pa nga humila sa 'kin and he did most of the talking. So, pretty much, he's the one who comforted her, not me."

"Wala naman akong sinabing ikaw lang. What I mean by you was the three of you."

"Oh..." Nag-init ang mukha ko.

"Yeah, ohhh, anak. May tawag diyan eh." She pretended to ponder. "Aahh! Defensive!"

I gave her a flat face which made her laugh. "So, how was she? After you, Kaiden, and Kenji comforted her." She accentuated my friends' names, obviously teasing me.

I decided to just let it go. Walang katapusang asaran na naman 'pag pinatulan ko pa. "I'm not really sure. She said may naalala lang siya pero ayaw naman niya sabihin kung ano."

"Or sino." My forehead puckered. "It could also be a person, Chase. Maybe someone very special to her kaya gano'n siya."

Napaisip ako. Pwede, pero bakit gano'n na lang ang epekto sa kanya? To the point na hindi niya namamalayang umiiyak na siya. Worse, sa public pa. That person must be really special.

Pagdating ko sa parking lot kinaumagahan, may naka-park na sa spot ko. Sino pa nga ba?

"Pinagbigyan na kita kahapon—"

"Hep!" pigil ni Yesha. Hinarap pa ang palad sa mukha ko na agad ko namang tinabig. "I know this is your self-proclaimed spot and I still don't care. Next time, agahan mo para ikaw mauna or better yet mag-camping ka na lang dito." Tinalikuran ako nito at naglakad na.

My jaw fell. What the hell? Mag-camping sa parking lot? For what? Sa parking space? Who in his right mind would do that?

Oh well, I think she's okay now.

Dahil wala naman akong choice, I parked my car somewhere else.

Pagdating sa room, Lucas, caught my attention. He obviously, was annoying Yesha but she didn't react. Not even a single word.

Akala ko ba okay na 'to? Bakit ang lungkot na naman niya?

"Sa'n ka pupunta?" tanong ni Lucas nang biglang tumayo si Yesha.

They both stilled.

Yesha recovered after a few seconds and as expected, she roasted Lucas. But then, she answered his question sweetly. So sweet that Lucas seemed to have been taken to another world. In the end, pinagtawanan lang ulit siya ni Yesha at sinabihang magpatingin na sa doktor.

I watched her walked out the room. She just stood in the hallway, looking at the sky. I also went out, not minding Kaiden's question about where I'm going.

She sighed for the nth time. I guess she's still not okay. She's trying but still, it shows that she's not.

"Kaya ko 'to," she mumbled. "Kakayanin ko," she added but her tears say otherwise.

Sumandal ako sa railing. "Baka dumating na si Miss Castillo. Pasok ka na, baka mapagalitan ka na naman," I said and handed her a handkerchief.

YESHA POV

Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pag-e-emote nang may nagsalita at nag-abot ng panyo sa 'kin.

Moment ko' to tapos may maninira?  Ang mas nakakagulat pa...si Chase 'yon eh. Si Chase!

Mabilis kong pinunasan ang pisngi gamit ang palad. Ayoko ng panyo niya!

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at nilagay ang panyo roon. "Paborito ka pa naman no'n," aniya saka ginaya ang pwesto ko at tumingala rin sa kalangitan.

Katapusan na ba ng mundo? Kailangan ko na rin ba magpakabait?

"Nasa'n 'yong masungit na SC President?" pang-aasar ko.

"Shut up! I'm trying to be nice here."

I chuckled. "Hindi bagay."

"Bakit ka ba umiiyak?" he asked.

Hindi ako nakasagot dahilan para lingunin niya ako. And I don't know why but the moment our gaze met, tears escaped my eyes again. Dali-dali kong pinunasan ang mga iyon at humakbang paalis sa tabi niya. But I was stopped by a hand holding my arm. He carefully made me face him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

And I just stared. If it's because he said sorry sincerely or because he's staying with me, I'm not sure.

"I miss someone," I whispered. "So much. So much that it hurts." More tears from my eyes and I don't even know why I'm telling him the reason for those tears.

"Hindi mo ba siya pwedeng puntahan?"

A bittersweet smile crept into my face. "Someone once told me that dandelions and four-leaf clovers can grant wishes. Ang hirap maghanap ng four-leaf clover pero kung makahanap man ako, hihilingin ko na sana mayakap ko 'yong taong miss na miss ko na. Kahit saglit lang.  Sa bawat dandelion na hinihipan ko, hinihiling ko na sana umabot ang mga iyon sa kanya at maramdaman niya kung gaano ko na siya ka-miss. Kung makakakita ako ng falling star, hihilingin ko na sana makita ko siya. Kahit saglit lang. Sabi nila, 'pag unang beses mo sa isang simbahan, mayroon ka raw one wish. Sa bawat bagong simbahan na pinupuntahan ko, I always wish he'd come back to me." I held my head down and whispered, "pero kahit isa sa mga 'yon, walang natupad. Alam ko rin naman na hindi but even so, I still keep on wishing. Even if it breaks me every time."

Tinakpan ko ang mukha gamit ang kamay. Gusto ko nang umalis sa harap niya dahil alam ko, mas may ilalala pa ang pag-iyak ko. But then, he held my chin up and looked straight into my eyes. Siya na rin ang umiwas at huminga nang malalim. "He's one lucky guy to be on all your wishes."