Attain The Sky (Engineer Series #2)

▪ three

A ray of sunlight came through the window that made my eyes opened wide in irritation. I believe that it was my Kuya Cleve's plan. He schemed to open my curtain because he knows that it would make me kill him because of my uncontrollable anger towards him. Ayaw ko nang mas'yadong maliwang and he knows that but he refuses to acknowledge it just to tease me.

But I like dim lights, tho. Maybe I was used to darkness since I was a child. I remember my parents locking me in my room with no gadgets, no light, no anything, to punish me kapag nakakagawa ako ng masama. They prefer to lock the door and let me rot in my room to learn from my mistakes instead of telling me that it was wrong kaya dapat h'wag ko nang ulitin.

Well, that is how they disciplined their son and daughter. I can't do anything about that.

"Sydney, nasa baba na raw si Reeva! Hindi ka na nahiya! Kanina ka pa hinihintay no'ng tao!" I heard my brother scolding me.

"Oo, Kuya. Lalabas na," sigaw ko pabalik.

Coach texted me last night na wala raw munang training ngayon dahil may seminar siya sa ibang lugar. It was a good day because no training, more time to my crush, Sky. He texted me, too, last night and asked me if I want to go somewhere with him. Of course, mabilis akong nag-reply ng 'oo'.

I smiled at myself and giggle remembering our conversation last night. Imagination come true. Ini-imagine ko lang 'to noon, e. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala hanggang ngayon na nakakausap ko siya. Crush ko 'yon, s'yempre, pero kung pinapaasa niya ako, siyempre, ayos lang, at least nakakausap ko!

"Ang tagal mo, Sydney!"

Nabalik ako sa reyalidad nang marinig ang boses ni Reeva na nakadungaw sa pinto. Halos magdikit na ang kan'yang kilay nang makita niyang nakaupo lang ako sa couch at walang ginagawa. I swallowed hard.

Inirapan niya ako at sabay kaming bumaba. Nagtaka ako kung bakit hindi siya nagsasalita, e, hindi naman kami magkaaway. Sinubukan kong tingnan ang mukha niya. Dry. Napatango ako nang may napagtanto. Red days.

"Cleve, sunduin mo mamaya si Sydney," sambit ni Daddy nang makita niya akong kabababa lang. "Take care of your sister. Gabi pa naman 'yan umuuwi kaya ikaw na magsundo."

"Why, Daddy? What happened po?"

"May puting van daw na nangki-kidnap ng pangit," Kuya Cleve answered.

"Wala naman. Napag-usapan lang namin ng Mommy mo na mas'yadong malalim na ang gabi kapag umuuwi ka raw. Everything is okay with me, Sydney, you know that, pero gabing-gabi ka na umuuwi palagi. Delikado sa daan," Daddy spoke calmly.

Napatango na lamang ako at hindi na umalma. Kapag umangal pa ako, mawawalan ako ng social life. Ayos na rin na si Kuya ang magsundo sa akin para may makausap ako habang nasa daan. Besides, wala naman 'yan kuwenta sa pamilya namin. Palamunin na nga, pabigat pa.

I began yawning and looked at my wrist watch. Sinenyasan ko si Reeva na umalis na kami dahil nakapagpaalam na ako kay Daddy. Sa daan ay tahimik lang siya. Hanggang sa marating namin ang school, nanatiling tikom ang kan'yang bibig.

Nagpaalam na kami sa isa't-isa before going to our class. I greeted my friends, aside from Reeva, at umupo. Hanggang sa hindi ko na namalayan ang oras at nag-dismissed na ang aking panghuling klase.

I texted my Kuya to pick me up later dahil may gagawin pa ako. Tinext ko rin si Reeva na mauna na siya. No one knows about my date with Sky. It is not a date, tho, pero sa imagination ko, date na 'yon.