CHAPTER 2.2

[SAGE's Point of View]

When I finally decided to do what I want, I thought it was already it. Pakiramdam ko sobrang tapang ko na dahil nagawa kong sabihin sa kanila kung anong gusto ko. Akala ko 'yun na 'yun, e. That everything will fall into place when I chose to be who I am. But I was wrong. Really wrong.

I never thought world could be this cruel, that life could be this hard. Ibang-iba pala ang mundo sa labas ng nakagisnan kong buhay.

"Hoy! Bilisan mo nga d'yan! Napakarami pang kailangang linisan. Ang kupad-kupad mo!" the grumpy manager shouted at me. Wala akong nagawa kundi mas lalong bilisan ang pagma-mop ng sahig habang nililigpit din ang mga silya.

It's already 4 in the morning but here I am, still mopping and cleaning the club's damn floor. Never in my life, not even once, I experience cleaning even a single dust. Pero tinalikuran ko ang buhay na 'yun for the sake of my dreams. And I'm starting to regret it.

"Sage, patulong naman muna du'n sa may CR," I heard Amy, my boy-like co-worker in this club, said. But I was too preoccupied to gave her a look.

"Hoy Sage! Tawag ka ni Amy!"

Natauhan ako bigla nang kalabitin ako ng isa pang katulad ko ay naglilinis din. That's when I realized I was the ‘Sage’ whom Amy was calling. Mas sanay kasi ako sa pangalang Sebastian. But I have to change my name and falsify my identity para hindi ako makilala ng sinuman. Hindi ako makakagalaw ng maayos kung malalaman ng lahat na isa akong Arellano.

It was hard to adjust, yes. I found it funny sometimes, though. People used to call me ‘Sir’. Pero ngayon, ‘hoy’ na lang. At kung ako dati ang nag-uutos, ngayon naman ako na ang inaalila.

"Ah, sige."

Sumunod ako sa bathroom to help Amy. But it was hell. I was a step closer to the door when an emanating and awful smell lingered in my nose.

"Sage, bilisan mo na!" Amy had to pull me inside dahil hindi na ako nakagalaw. At halos bumaliktad ang sikmura ko nang makita ang kalat ng lugar. I immediately covered my nose as my eyes roamed the disgusting place.

"Hays buwisit talaga, no? Ang bababoy ng mga lasing na gumagamit ng CR," she said while picking the cluttered rubbish on the tiled floor like cigarette butts and packs, broken glasses, plastic wrappers and those thin rubber-like sheath used as contraceptives. Seriously?

"Uy! Gumalaw ka na nga d'yan. Hindi magsasariling maglinis 'yan, no!" saway n'ya pa sa akin.

"What... should I do?" I hesitantly asked.

"Linisin mo 'yang sink. Puro suka, bumara na yata. Ayusin mo na lang."

I nipped my lips to prevent my self from saying anything or worst to curse. I'll clean someone's puke. How great.

Mabuti na lang ay may bitbit akong facemask, kahit papaano. I'm actually using this to cover half of my face, still to hide my identity. I also let my brunet hair to be dishevelled and covered my forehead. I bet, no one will notice me being an Arellano with this kind of get-up— messy and miserable.

"Oh ano? Nandidiri ka no?" I almost jump when Amy suddenly appeared beside me while I'm staring at the puke heaping in the sink.

Piniling ko na lang ang ulo ko at nagsuot ng rubber gloves. Pikit-mata kong inilubog ang kamay ko sa sink at pinilit tanggalin ang bumara sa drain.

"Alam mo, nagtataka talaga ako sa'yo Sage," Amy opened up while wiping the mirrors. "Obvious naman na rich kid ka kaya napapaisip talaga ako kung bakit ka nagtatrabahong server at cleaner sa ganitong lugar."

Saglit akong napatigil dahil sa mga sinabi n'ya. I don't know if this tomboy was just being observant or I was being too obvious.

"Bartender talaga ang in-apply-an ko," sagot ko sa kanya habang kinukutingting pa rin ang drain.

"Ah, kaya naman pala! Hulaan ko, wala ka pang experience sa pagba-bartending kaya hindi ka nakapasa no? Kaya heto ka ngayon, tagalinis ng suka ng iba."

I pulled my hands off the sink. I gave up. It was hopeless!

"The drain was clogged. Hindi ako marunong mag-ayos n'yan."

Tinanggal ko ang rubber gloves sa kamay ko at itinapon ito sa trash bin bago s'ya iwan doon. I'm not mad. I'm pissed. Not to that boyish Amy but to my self. I couldn't help but to feel so stupid, so predictable.

"Sage! Ang pikon mo naman," paghabol sa akin ni Amy. Kinuha ko na lang ulit ang mop at itinuloy ang ginagawa ko kanina.

"I am not," pagtanggi ko sa sinabi n'ya. "Hindi lang talaga ako marunong mag-ayos ng baradong sink."

"Alam ko, alam ko. Pero hindi naman tungkol du'n 'yung sadya ko sa'yo." Inagaw n'ya ang mop na hawak ko at iniabot sa kasamahan naming dumaan.

"May isa-suggest akong trabaho sa'yo. 'Di ba gusto mong mag-bartending? Ito parang bartending din pero... hindi alak ang mga hinahalo-halo." May dinukot s'ya sa bulsa ng kanyang pants at inabot sa akin ang isang maliit na card.

"Ayan. Barista ang hanap nila d'yan. Marunong ka namang magtimpla ng kape, no?"

I gave her a perplexed look. Why did she gave me this?

"‘Wag mo nga akong tignan ng ganyan!" saway n'ya sa akin. "Hindi ko na maatim na nakikita kang halos mamatay sa sobrang pandidiri sa paglilinis. At least d'yan, disente ang trabaho. Magtitimpla ka lang ng kape. Pero syempre, hindi ko pa rin sigurado kung tanggapin ka nila. I-try mo na lang!"

She patted my shoulder and left me dumbfounded while staring at the card. What's with her sudden concern? I know there is something off.

Binasa ko ang nakalagay sa maliit na card. There was a printed address on it. The name of the establishment was boldly written at the center and under it was its slogan.

                      DREAMS CAFÉ: 

             Take a sip of your dream!