Until We Meet Again [COMPLETED]

Chapter 22

L I A

"Luis?" I whispered to myself, staring carefully at the written name of the picture.

"May gusto ka bang daanan bago kita ihatid. . ." Lumingon naman ako kay Pilak na kasasakay lang dito sa kotse. ". . . Lia," he continued in a low voice nang makita niya ang hawak-hawak ko.

Ngumiti ako sa kaniya ng bahagya bago tumingin ulit sa hawak ko na litrato. I wanted to know who's this another Luis pero hindi ko pipilitin si Pilak kung ayaw niyang sabihin sa 'kin.

"Napulot ko lang sa ilalim," saad ko sabay abot sa kaniya nung pic.

Kinuha niya ito at tiningnan. I was just observing him when he suddenly looked at me. Umiwas agad ako ng tingin at nagkunwaring may tinitipa sa phone ko. I heard him let out a heavy sighed kaya tumingin ako sa kaniya ng palihim.

"He's my brother, brother from my dad," he said while smiling at the picture.

I don't know why but even though he's smiling, kitang-kita ko sa mata niya ang kalungkutan. Hindi ko naman maiwasan ang malungkot din, well, hindi ko alam kung totoo nga ang nakasulat sa likod pero sino naman ang matinong tao na magsusulat ng gano'n, hindi ba. So, I think, it's true.

"He's. . . Uhmmm. . . He's. . ."

"Dead," pagpapatuloy niya sa dapat kong sasabihin. "Yeah, he died at the age of 18."

My lips parted after hearing what he just said.

Shocks, ang bata niyang namatay.

I bit my lower lips. "I'm sorry."

Bakit ko pa kasi in-open up ang topic na 'to. Hindi pala ako ang nag-open pero sa 'kin pa rin nagsimula kung bakit nagkuwento si Pilak.

He avoided my gaze at tumingin na lang sa bintana nang may namuong luha sa mata niya.

"Don't be sorry, hindi naman ikaw ang may kasalanan kung bakit siya namatay," he said still facing the window.

Umiwas ako ng tingin kay Pilak dahil kita ko pa rin siya sa reflection ng window, I'll just give him some privacy first. But to be honest, I wanted to ask him more pero ayokong makitang nasasaktan siya. I really want to know bakit Luis din ang pangalan ng brother niya. Except if they are twins, pero imposible. Half brother lang sila.

Hindi naman siguro sabay na inano 'yung mom nilang dalawa, hindi ba?

We stayed quiet for awhile. Nakatulala lang ako sa labas ng bintana habang si Pilak naman ay nakapikit habang nakasandal sa upuan. I think he's relaxing himself a bit.

"Xenon. . ." I glanced at him and to my surprise he's looking directly to my eyes. "Luis Xenon is his name," he smiled.

"Parehong binigay sa 'min ang pangalan na Luis and it's both our nickname before we met each other." I just listened to what he is saying.

He suddenly looked away and just stared at the front, watching the kids playing outside.

"But I gave up on that nickname. Hinayaan ko na lang na siya ang gumamit. Do'n nagsimula kung bakit Silver na ang ginagamit kong pangalan."

Oh, kaya pala binago niya ang palayaw niya from Luis to Silver. I didn't know that.

Nakatulala na lang ito ngayon, zoning out with his thoughts. He looks so sad though, 'di ko alam kung pa'no siya i-comfort. I just stretch my arms to reach for his hand. I intertwined it together and squeeze it just to make him feel that I'm always here by his side.