YELO (P.S#6)

26

I ended up staying at the balcony. May sariling balcony ang kanyang silid. I hide here at tinamad na munang lumabas. Alam kong lumabas siya ng silid lalo pa nga at tinawag ito ni Milan.

He did not even bother asking me if I want to go out. Bakit niya nga naman gagawin iyon? Sino kasi ako?

I grabbed my phone and started dialing kuya's number. I don't even care what time it is kung nasaan man ito. I'm sad. I need my kuya. Or should I call Sef or Tof? Kaya lamang ay puro kalokohan lang rin ang mapapala ko sa dalawa ko pang pinsan.

On my first attempt, hindi nito sinagot ang tawag. But a Montez doesn't easily give so I dialed the number again. Tatadtarin ko si kiya ng tawag hanggang sa mairita siya sa akin at sagutin niya iyon.

On my fourth try, he answered on the third ring. I swear I heard a sound of some girl speaking.

Hindi nagtagal ay narinig ko na ang mahinang ungol ng aking pinsan. Umangat ang aking kilay ng mapagtanong mukhang bagong gising ito.

“Who's this?”

“Kuya, you are with a woman!” bungad ko rito. Hindi pa kami talaga masyadong nakakapag usap. Noong tumawag ako nung nakaraan ay babae rin ang nakasagot. I know I wanted to piss of my cousin but I'm genuinely confused.

Umayos ako ng pagkakaupo sa upuan sa gilid at  hinintay ang sagot nito. And like the usual, he was ready to spit fire with me.

“I know. You don't need to remind me, little Smurf,”

Napaismid ako. “You are so busy. Ni hindi mo na ako kinakamusta!”

May narinig akong ingay sa kabilang linya. I wasn't sure what it was ngunit hindi nagtagal ay may narinig akong bumukas.

“Arika, it's just four in the morning here. Are you bored? You can go and ask Bobbie or the other girls to hangout,”

Napasimangot ako. Ayaw ko ngang malaman nila na ganito ang mood ko. This is so not me. Tsaka nakakahiya.

Narinig ko na naman itong bumuntong hininga, “Naiinip ka na ba dyan? Do you wanna go back to Singapore?”

Bigla akong natigilan sa kanyang tinuran. I almost forgot I was only on indefinite leave and is still technically hired. Napayuko ako kahit na alam ko na hindi naman ako nito nakikita.

“I'm still not okay,”

Parang mas hindi nga ako okay ngayon. I mean, dati naman pagtulog lang ang problema ko. Ngayon, my insides feel so heavy. Ang bigat ng pakiramdam ko. I am drowning into this unexplainable sadness that I just can't explain.

“I miss Faye, kuya,” bigla kong turan. Natahimik ito at tanging paghinga na lamang ng bawat isa ang aming naririnig.

“I will go home as soon as I can, Denysse. Just-” huminga muna ito ng malalim. “Just hang in there for a few more days. I will see you soon. Tale care of your self,”

Tumango tango ako at kahit papaano ay gumaan rin ang pakiramdam.

“Sorry for bothering you, kuya. Go back to sleep na,”

He bid goodbye and reminded me once again to take care of myself and I told him the same. Kami kami na lang naman kasi ang magdadamayan.

I put down my phone and stared at the empty space before me. Huminga ako ng malalim at hindi na alam ang susunod na gagawin.

From where I was sitting, I can hear the kids having fun. I can even hear Taias shouting. Sila Zari at Teesha kasi ay nagtatakbuha. Kasama si Baby Khal na madalas na natutumba.