Lady Midnight

Chapter 27

'Dollivine'

"Dolly! Bakit ang daming hugasin dito?!" Four-years-old Dolly just looked at the door at ibinaba ang drawing book na hawak niya. "Babe? Marunog nang maghugas ng pinggan si Dolly?" tanong ng isang boses ng lalake.

It was a voice that was familiar to Dolly since her aunt often bring this man home. Having lost her parents early, she was forced to live with her aunt, the only family she has left.

"What do you mean? She's four. Malamang marunong siyang maghugas ng pinggan," sagot ng Tita ni Dolly. Dolly just reached for the doorknob of her room at binuksan na ito tsaka sumalubong sa kanya ang usok ng sigarilyo mula sa boyfriend ng Tita niya.

"Hi, Dolly." Nakangiting bati nito sa kanya at yumuko pa ito para pantayan siya.

"Bagay nga sa 'yo ang pangalan mo. Para ka ngang manika," aniya at sinubukan pang hawakan ang pisngi ni Dolly pero lumayo kaagad si Dolly sa kanya at sinara ang pinto ng kwarto niya.

Her life continued in that routine. Magmumukmok sa kwarto niya hanggang sa makauwi ang Tita niya na lasing na naman at nangangamoy sigarilyo. Dolly would climb unto a chair to clean the table at natuto narin siyang magwalis at maglinis ng bahay kahit ang liit-liit niya pa.

One day, her aunt sent her to pre-school.

She wasn't really used to speaking with anyone kaya nung una niyang araw doon ay nananahimik lang siya. Dolly had bullies surrounding her on her first day because they thought that she was deaf. But Dolly was unpredictable. No one knew that she could be a fighter.

At four years old, she started a fight.

The next day, those bullies stopped bothering her. The following week, Dolly started talking to the other kids and was slowly enjoying her childhood in pre-school. Kahit hindi siya inaalagaan ng Tita niya at hindi naman madungis si Dolly.

In fact, she was the neatest of all the kids. She learned to do her own hair and she naturally smelt nice.

Kung una mong makikita ang batang ito ay aakalain mong galing siya sa isang mayamang pamilya at may yaya na nag-aalaga. Well, her aunt wasn't really poor. She had a lot of money but she spends it all into drinking and drugs.

Minsan ay namumulot nalang si Dolly ng pera na nahulog mula sa ilalim ng sofa at ililigpit ito.

One month after she was in kindergarten, she became their class president. She had good leadership at napapasunod niya kaagad ang mga lalake sa klase dahil natatakot na ang mga 'to sa kanya.

"Alright, everyone! Settle down," sabi ng teacher nila sa harap habang may tinitingnan dun sa pinto pero ang ingay parin ng mga lalake na kaklase ni Dolly kaya tiningnan niya lang ang mga 'to at tumahimik na ito tsaka umayos ng upo.

"Thank you, Dolly." Nakangiting sabi ng guro nila at may tinawag dun sa may pinto.

"Everyone, we have a new classmate today!" Masiglahing sabi nung teacher nila at tiningnan ang batang lalake na tahimik na pumasok sa classroom nila. He was already tall for his age at nakatingin siya sa lalake na nandun sa pinto.

Tumingin narin si Dolly dito. It was a guy with tiger-like eyes and he had those cute cheeks attached to his face at kumakaway pa sa batang lalake na pumasok sa classroom.

"Alright, everyone. This is Xy. He will be your classmate starting today." Tumingin ang lahat sa batang nagngangalang Xy. The girls at the front were giggling as they looked at Xy habang nakasimangot naman ang mga batang lalake sa likod.