DATE THY ENEMY | ES:1

13

Hello, I hope everyone's doing fine. A lot of things happened this month and this year, but hopefully we'll get through it all. Smile and keep fighting! Lovelots.

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Chapter 13
''Comeback''

I feel so ecstatic when I finally stepped outside of our car to once again greet the big mansion of the Sarmientos.

My summer dress was blown because of the vigor air. Kinailangan ko pang hawakan ang malaking sombrero na nakapatong sa aking ulo para hindi ito liparin ng hangin. The afternoon sun's very hot. Good thing I wore my sunglasses to protect my eye.

I inhaled deeply. ''Ah, I miss the fresh air of this place.''

Napangiti ako dahil pakiramdam ko magiging masaya at matagumpay ang muli kong pagbabalik.

''Miss Vernaise!''

Isang lingon sa kaliwa, agad ko nang nakita si Marya. Malapad ang ngiti na nakaukit sa mga labi nito habang tumatakbo para salubungin ako. Matanda lang siya sa'kin ng tatlong taon. We get well a lot, maybe because we're almost of the same age.

''Hi, Marya! It's good to see you again.''

''Naku, Miss Vernaise, na miss kita!'' Tiningngan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. ''Aba, dalagang-dalaga ka na. Lalo kang gumanda!''

Irap at tawa ang aking sinukli sa sinabi ni Marya. Maya-maya pa'y hiniling ko nang makapasok, na agad naman niyang sinunod. She called for a few house men to get my luggage and bags out of the car.

It was a long ride from Manila just to get here. But since I wasn't that tired. Tinulungan ko nalang si Marya at isa pa niyang kasama, we unpacked my bags. I handled the important things I brought while they arrange my clothes. Nakatulog at nakapagpahinga naman ako sa byahe kaya may oras at enerhiya pa akong tumulong.

Nang umalis na ang kasama ni Marya ay binalingan ko siya. She's still busy fixing the few footwear I brought. Lumapit ako sa dala kong backpack at may hinanap doon. When I got the small paper bag, I handed it to her.

Marya looked at me and at the bag with wide eyes, full of curiosity and confusion.

''Pasalubong?'' I shrugged my shoulders.

Huminga siya ng malalim. Kahit may ngiti ay umiling siya. ''Hindi ko matatanggap yan, Miss.''

My forehead creased.

Isa pa naman sa pinakaayaw ko ay iyong tinatanggihan ako. It's just a small gift from Manila. She's the one who has been helping me everytime I'm here. Lalo na't pag wala sina Mommy at Daddy ay siya ang madalas kong kasama. At laging nakabantay sa mga utos ko.

''Just get it, Marya.''

''Hindi ka na sana nagabala pa, Miss Vernaise. Naku, gumastos ka pa! Masaya na ako na makita ka-- ''

''It's not even new. It's old and I don't like it!'' kunwari'y inis na sambit ko.

Hinulog ko iyon sa kanyang hita nang hindi niya kunin. I rolled my eyes when her eyes widened, again. Iniwan ko na siya doon at tinungo ang malambot na kama. I wanted to take a rest for a while but I want to do something, too.

''M--miss! Mahal to, diba? Sa internet ko lang ito nakikita!''

I groaned. Kinuha ko ang isang unan at tinalukbong iyon sa aking mukha. Marya went on with her rants and everything. Nakatulugan ko na lamang ang ingay niya.

I woke up at the middle of the afternoon. The sun's still high pero hindi na iyon kasing init kaninang tanghali. I pulled myself up to get out of the bed.