Unheeded Heart

Kabanata 11

When I entered the library, mabilis naman ang mga mata ko para mahanap si Hezekiah. I didn't saw him on the ground floor kaya umakyat ako, some of my friends called me, pero ngumiti at kumaway lang ako sa kanila. Hindi ko alam bakit parang iiyak ako sa mga oras na iyon? I feel like I am having a hard time getting what I really want in life.

When I saw that woman on the book shelf reading a book, I know Hezekiah is around here. She walked while reading a book back to her seat, she's near the window kaya sinundan iyon ng mga titig ko, and from her table, two tables away, Hezekiah was there, staring at her.

I bit my lower lip. The way his face lights up when she arrived on her seat again and started reading a book. Hezekiah looks so focused on her that even my presence can't make him look at me.

"Let's go." naramdaman ko naman ang paghawak ni Kuya Cyril sa pulsuhan ko. Ang mga titig ko naman ay nanatili kay Hezekiah na hindi maalis ang titig sa babaeng iyon.

"Kennedy, tara na." mahinang tawag ni Kuya Cyril sa akin because we were in the library.

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Of all people, ba't sa ganoon klasing babae pa? They said, Hezekiah wants mature one, so I did! Now, he's eyeing a simple and plain woman! What's wrong with his standards?!

"Don't you dare cry, Kennedy." galit ni Kuya Cyril sa akin ng na sa sasakyan niya na kami. Hindi ko naman pinansin ang kapatid ko.

"I don't understand why you're head over heels with Hezekiah." dagdag nito habang pinaabante na ang kanyang sasakyan.

"Just mind your own business, Kuya." mahinang sabi ko at padabog na hinanap ang cellphone sa aking bag.

"Oh, you're one of my businesses." masama ko naman tiningnan ang kapatid ko.

"I am not a baby anymore. Please bear in mind." 

"Kennedy, you're fighting for that right since you met Hezekiah. Sa tingin mo hindi ko napapansin? Kahit sa pagdadamit, ay nag-iba na rin."

"That's my right, Kuya. Of course, I need to fight for it." umiling naman ang kapatid ko sa sinabi ko.

"Why don't move out?" sabi nito na nagpatigil sa akin sa pagkulikot ng aking cellphone.

"Para makita natin kung kaya mo ba talaga na ikaw na lang mag-isa." after that, he never talked to me again. He's pissed, and the same with me. Kaya ko naman ah! They are just overprotective and underestimating me.

When we got home, malakas ko naman na sinara ang kanyang sasakyan. On the living room, dad is already there, there are a lot of paper bags in the floor.

"Good evening po." sabi ko at humalik sa kanyang pisngi.

"Hi, sweetie. How's your day?" tanong ni daddy. If I can open this up to him, I swear, I would. Sana kung ayos lang sa kanya, ay baka sabihin ko lahat ng nararamdaman ko. Kung gaano kabigat ang araw na ito sa akin.

"Good... Kanino naman 'to, daddy? You have a trip?" tanong ko and opened one paper bag to see what's inside. 

"It's for you. You said earlier you don't have enough clothes to wear, so I bought I lot." he said that made me smile.

"Thanks, dad! You're the best!" sabi ko at tumayo to give him a hug. 

While checking the clothes he got me, somehow, I felt light. Gusto ko naman mga binili ni dad, so ayos na, some are dresses, merong iba na medyo covered, but some are pasok naman sa aking taste.  

When my siblings entered the house, and saw all the paper bags on the floor, their sharp eyes stayed on me. What? Dad bought all of these without me knowing. Kuya Cyril, who went down from his room, stare at me blankly. Hindi ko rin siya pinansin.