Holding on to His Promises

Chapter 16: More Than That

Nag-unat ako nang makabangon ako sa kama ko. Naniningkit ang mga mata ko nang silipin ko ang bintana. Tirik na ang araw at halos magtatanghali na rin. Tiningnan ko ang kama ng kasama ko rito sa dorm, maayos na ito at wala na ang bakas nito roon dahil palagi 'yon wala rito at gabi na lamang ito dumarating.

Saktong pagtayo ko ay narinig ko ang mga katok sa pintuan kaya napalingon ako roon. Lumapit ako roon at pinagbuksan ang kumakatok dahil baka supervisor ng dorm iyon. Ngunit pag-bukas ko ng pinto ay mukha ni Dylan ang bumungad sa harapan ko. Nanlaki ang mata ko at hindi makapaniwalang tumitig sa kanya.

"Hi," he greeted me without any facial expression.

"Paano ka nakakapasok dito?" kunot-noong tanong ko. Noong mga nakaraang araw ko pa iniisip 'yun eh. Hindi naman kasi kaagad-agad nakakapasok ang mga outsider dito sa dorm.

"Just simply, I took a one room here," aniya at ngumisi.

"What? Lumipat ka na rin dito?"

"No, I'm just paying for it and so that I can go here anytime I want."

I looked at him like he did a weird thing. "You're unbelievable." He was just wasting his money.

He just shrugged like he didn't care. "So . . ." He stared at my face, which made me confused with my looks at this moment. Oh my gosh, I hadn't washed my face and brushed my teeth! "Can you take a bath now and ready yourself? Let's have a Christmas vacation in hacienda," he said.

"H-ha? Now na?"

"Yeah."

"O-okay," sabi ko at mabilis na tumalikod sa kanya.

Dumiretso ako sa banyo at tiningnan ang hitsura ko sa salamin. Okay naman ang mukha pero parang bruha ako dahil sabog ang buhok ko. Napanguso na lang ako.

***

As the car took the way to the Hacienda Remirez I couldn't help but be excited to see a green surrounding and fresh air again. I wondered how was Lolo Max now.

"I texted Auntie Jessie. Now she's asking me where will I celebrate Christmas," I told Dylan who was driving.

"What's your response?"

"I don't know where."

He took a glance at me. "Don't you want to be with them?"

"I want but . . . I'm just missing my parents," malungkot na saad ko at bumuntong hininga.

"Then what's your plan?"

"Maybe, I'll just stay in the house."

"What?"

"I think that's better than being with someone's family."

"They are your relatives."

"Kahit na."

"Then just be with us."

"What? Mas lalong ayaw ko!"

"Tss! Sa mansion lang naman tayo maglalagi. Kilala ka naman nila."

"No! Nakakahiya," maktol ko. He just heaved a sigh and sneered.

Napakatahimik ng hacienda nang makarating kami roon dahil tanghaling tapat na at siguradong nasa loob ng bahay ang mga residente. Walang nagbago sa lugar.