Death Anniversary

"Andreeeeeeeeeeew!!!!!!!" Sigaw ng lalakeng may blonde at spiky hair ng makita nito si Andrew sa di kalayuan na kasama sila Karl, Nelson, at Troy. Agad itong tumakbo patungo dito with his arms wide na ready ng yakapin si Andrew.

"Terry-" agad namang naputol ang pag bati ni Andrew sa kaibigan ng humarang si Karl.

He was stretching his long right arm forward with his palm up-front enough para mahawakan nito ang dibdib ni Terry at mapigilan ito sa tuluyang pagyakap kay Andrew.

"What the he-" Pero agad na tumigil si Terry ng makita nito ang mukha ni Karl with his sharp eyes and cold gaze.

“Andrew!” Isa pang lalake with dark chocolate brown hair ang lumapit kila Andrew. And after him, tatlo pang lalake ang sumulpot smiling widely kay Karl na matagal na nilang di nakikita.

“Karl, sya nga pala si Will. Sya yung vice-captain namin sa dati naming volleyball team nung highschool.” Pakilala ni Andrew sa lalakeng may dark chocolate brown hair.

Tumango naman si Karl. “Nice to meet you.” Tsaka na nakipag-hand shake dito

Sunod naman nyang pinakilala sila Terry, Gary, Brad, at Yakov na hinand-shake din ni Karl. Gary looks similar to Terry na napagkakamalan silang kambal minsan. Brad on the other hand was a bulky man with a silver hair. Yakov is the shortest among the four but a bit taller than Andrew and Nelson. Sya yung pinaka matino sakanila.

Pagkatapos ng mahabang pag-i-introduce sa isa’t isa ay nagtungo na sila sa bahay ng mga Eseguerra.

Natahimik naman si Andrew habang naglalakad sila papunta doon. Nararamdaman nitong bumibigat ang kanyang mga paa habang papalapit sila ng papalapit sa bahay nila Ralph. Napansin naman ito ni Karl kaya hinawakan nya ang kamay ni Andrew ng mahigpit. Napatingin naman si Andrew sakanya; Karl slightly nodded at him.

They walked past some houses until they arrived in front of a big house. Agad na ni-ring ni Brad ang doorbell sa gate at the same time may kumahol na aso sa loob na ikinagulat ni Andrew.

He wasn’t clearly paying attention to the neighborhood and was just staring at the road. Di narealize nito na nasa harapan na sila ng bahay nila Ralph.

"What a house." Pagku-comment naman ni Karl.

"Ang ganda diba?" Wika naman ni Yakov that made Karl nodded.

"Pero mas malaki bahay nila Andrew." wika naman ni Terry. "Thou we’ve only seen it in pictures."

Napatingin naman si Karl kay Andrew. Actually he wanted to know more about Andrew but he couldn’t bring himself to ask him at hindi rin nagkukwento si Andrew ng about sa personal nyang buhay. He only knows little things about him. Aside from knowing he had a psycho bestfriend who killed two of his friends and killing his boyfriend, he knows that Andrew is the eldest son of Sy Incorporation, a big company na nag mamay-ari ng karamihan ng malalaking companies sa bansa, and that he lives independently now. That’s all he knows.

A few moments later, may lumabas na babae sa gate, looking early 50s, with a black hair with few strip of white strands tied neatly in a bun.

"Kanina ko pa kayo hinihintay." She greeted them with a smile.

"Mrs. Eseguerra!" agad namang bati ni Yakov tsaka na yumuko ito tanda ng paggalang. Gumaya din sakanya ang iba pa.

"Nanay sya ni Ralph." bulong ni Nelson kay Karl habang nakayuko sila. Tumango naman si Karl.

Nginitian naman sila nito tsaka na napatingin kay Andrew. "Andrew." Lumapit ito kay Andrew tsaka na niyakap sya nito. "Buti naman nakarating ka."

Niyakap din sya ni Andrew. "Sorry po ngayon lang po ako nakapunta."

"Okay lang. Alam ko naman." Tsaka na tinignan nito si Andrew. "Masaya lang ako na dinalaw mo kami." tsaka nginitian nito si Andrew.

Ngumiti din naman si Andrew but he was already having a heavy feeling.

"Pasok kayo." Pag-aaya ni Mrs. Eseguerra sakanila.

Nauna namang pumasok sila Brad sa loob tsaka na sinundan ni Mrs. Eseguerra. Bago pa man ito tuluyang makapasok ay lumingon ito dahil di pa din umaalis Si Andrew sa kinatatayuan nya. He was staring intensely on his feet.

"Andrew?" wika ni Mrs. Eseguerra.

Si Karl naman ay nakaakbay dito looking worried. "What’s wrong?" Pagtatanong nito. "If you don’t wan-"

"I-I’m fine." Tsaka na sinimulan nitong ihakbang ang mga paa nito papasok sa loob.

It was 5 years ago ng huling makatapak si Andrew sa bahay nila Ralph. It was still the same as back then. He thought.

Pagkapasok nila sa loob ng bahay ay agad nyang nakita sila Will na nakaluhod sa harapan ng isang burial urn. Sa taas nito ay nakasabit ang isang malaking frame kung nasaan ang picture ni Ralph.

"Kamusta ka na pre? Mainit ba dyan?" Pagbibiro ni Brad.

Agad naman itong hinampas ni Yakov. "Pre, miss ka na namin."

"Dalawin mo daw sya." Wika naman ni Terry.

"Hoy! Wala akong sinabi!" Sigaw naman ni Yakov dito.

"Miss mo diba?" -Terry

"Ang gulo-gulo nyo. Malamang di sya dadalaw kasi naglalaro din sila ni Emman sa taas ng psp4." wika naman ni Gary.

"E si Lev?" Pagtatanong naman ni Brad.

"Wala, loner." sagot naman ni Gary na nagpatawa sakanila.

"Kawawa naman si Lev sa taas." Komento naman ni Troy.

"Edi samahan mo." Hirit naman ni Nelson.

"Walang hiya ka talaga!" Tsaka na kinutusan ito ni Troy.

"Oh Andrew! Halika dito, bumati ka kay Ralph. Ang tagal na kayong di nagkita nito." Pag-aaya ni Will.

Andrew felt nauseous. Feeling nya mandidilim na ang paningin nya the moment he stood in front of Ralph’s urn.

Karl gripped Andrew’s hands tightly. He really felt there’s something wrong with Andrew. He’s not yet move on at all. Not a slightest bit, he thought.

Pero naglakas loob pa ding lumapit si Andrew patungo sa urn ni Ralph. Nag make way naman sila Brad para makaharap ni Andrew si Ralph.

Andrew then stared at Ralph’s burial urn.

"Let’s meet tonight, near the bridge. The usual place."

"For what?" Ralph asked him.

"I think I know who killed Lev. But I’m not yet sure."

"Then tell me now Andrew." Ralph urged.

"Ayokong may makarinig satin. I’m not sure yet. What if he’s watching? And I have this feeling..."

"What? What feeling?" Ralph asked.

"It might be you who’s next."

"Andrew?" Pagtawag ni Troy sa kaibigan pero hindi ito nagrerespond.

"Andrew?" Pagtawag naman ni Nelson.

"Andrew, are you okay?" tinapik naman ito ni Yakov sa braso.

Agad namang napamulat si Andrew. He didn’t realize na he was having a flashback of what happened 5 years ago.

Napatingin syang muli sa urn ni Ralph. He bit his lip first. "I’m sorry. I’m really sorry." Tsaka na naglakad ito papalayo patungo sa garden nila Ralph. Hinayaan na lang nila itong mapag-isa. Afterall, it was still too hard for him, they thought.

Matapos kumain ng barkada e tumambay muna sila sa garden nila Ralph. Dati din nila itong tambayan ng nabubuhay pa ito. Tina-try din nilang pagaanin ang loob ni Andrew na kumalma naman ng makakain na.

"Ibabalik ko lang ito sa loob." Paalam ni Karl habang bitbit nito ang baso na hawak nya.

Tumango naman si Andrew sakanya.

Pagpasok nito sa loob patungo sa kusina ay nadatnan nya si Mrs. Eseguerra na naghuhugas ng pinggan.

"Tulungan ko na po kayo diyan." agad na pag-o-offer ni Karl tsaka na itinaas nito ang sleeves ng jacket nya.

"Nako okay lang." wika ni Mrs. Eseguerra. “Samahan mo na lamang sila.”

"I insist po." pag-pupumilit ni Karl.

"Hmm... Sige na nga. Di ko matatanggihan ang isang gwapong binata." Nakangiti naming wika ng ginang.

Napangiti din naman si Karl.

"Paki punas na lang yung mga nahugasan ko na." Pag-uutos ni Mrs. Eseguerra. "Gamitin mo yun." Tsaka na tinuro ang nakasabit na white clean cloth sa pader.

Tumango naman si Karl tsaka na inabot ito. Sinimulan nyang punasan ang mga hinugasan ni Mrs. Eseguerra.

"Karl, right?" pag-uumpisa ng ginang.

"O-Opo." Sagot naman ni Karl.

"Andrew’s boyfriend?" pagtatanong muli nito kay Karl.

"O-Opo." Sagot muli ni Karl.

"Then I need to thank you." Wika ng ginang tsaka na inabot kay Karl pinggan.

Napatingin naman si Karl sakanya tsaka na kinuha ang pinggan mula dito. "Bakit po?"

"I think hindi dadalawin ni Andrew si Ralph kung di dahil sayo. You must have probably gave him strength to come here. And for that, thank you." She then smiled at Karl.

"H-Hindi po." Karl shyly responded tsaka na tinuloy ang pagpunas sa platong hawak nya. "Andrew... Andrew is strong. He has a lot of energy in him. He made me realized a lot of things. He’s one of a kind person. Kung sino man ang nabigyan ng lakas, ako po yun. He gave me strength."

Napansin naman ni Karl na natahimik si Mrs. Eseguerra tsaka na napatingin sya dito. Nakatitig ito sakanya at nakangiti. Agad namang namula si Karl.

He then realized what he had said. "I-I mean-"

"You must have love him that much." Wika ng ginang.

Napayuko naman si Karl. "Y-Yes... I love him a lot." Tsaka na tinuloy nito ang ginagawa nya.

Tinuloy din ni Mrs. Eseguerra ang paghuhugas nito. "Emman might be feeling relieved now that Andrew is in good hands."

"Can you tell me about Emman?" Alam ni Karl na he’s asking for too much information but he want to know more about Andrew’s ex-lover.

"Hmmm... You know that Emman is my son’s best friend right?" pagtatanong ng ginang.

Tumango naman si Karl.

"Emman was... Such a quiet kid. Sobrang tahimik nyang bata. Ni hindi ko alam paano nya napakisamahan ang anak ko." Mrs. Eseguerra slightly laughed mesmerizing about Emman and Ralph’s childhood. "They’re opposite of each other. Should I say, lahat ng kaibigan ni Ralph makukulit, pasaway." Tsaka na napatingin ito sa direksyon ng garden kung tsaka nag-iingay sila Brad.

Napatingin din si Karl sa direksyon ng garden that made him pictured out how quiet Emman was.

"Emman was too quiet but he’s not shy." Pagtutuloy ni Mrs. Eseguerra. "Hmmm, I think 9 years old si Ralph ng una nyang dinala si Emman dito. The kid has a long short black hair. Akala ko nung una nagdala na agad ang anak ko dito ng babae." She laughed.

Tumango naman si Karl. He had seen Emman’s picture sa isa sa mga frame na nakapatong sa cabinet ni Andrew. But Emman was blonde in the pictures but still had those long and silky looking hair.

"Napaka honest nya at napaka straightforward para sa isang tahimik na bata. You know what he told me nung una nyang punta dito? Sabi ko, bestfriend ka ba ng Ralph ko? Sabi nya, hindi ko po sya kilala. Pero sabi nya meron daw syang PSP." At natawang muli si Mrs. Eseguerra.

Karl find himself amused listening to the story about Emman but realized na may pagkakaparehas sila ng ugali nito. Maybe that’s the reason why Andrew liked him back. He thought.

"Hmmm... He was that kind of kid." Pagtutuloy ni Mrs. Eseguerra. "That’s why nagulat ako ng pinakilala nya sakin si Andrew as his boyfriend. I mean I’m not against the same sex relationship. Hindi ko nga mina-mind kung bakla si Ralph." She laughed again. "It’s just that parang anak ko na si Emman. Kung di mo alam e, he’s an orphan living with his grandparents. Kaya tinuring ko na syang pangalawang anak ko." She added.

"Pero di na ako nagtaka ng makilala ko si Andrew. Napaka masiyahin nyang bata. Kaya sumasakit ang dibdib ko kapag nakikita ko syang pinapasan ang mga nangyare. It’s not his fault. I hope marealize nya yun. And I hope you’ll make him realize that." Ngiti nito kay Karl.

"Don’t worry. I’ll protect him with all my life." Sagot naman ni Karl.

"Karl?" Napalingon naman si Karl at Mrs. Eseguerra only to see Andrew na nakasilip sakanila sa may pintuan.

"May kailangan ka ba Andrew?" Pagtatanong ni Mrs. Eseguerra.

"Uhm..." Napahawak naman si Andrew sa ulo nya. "Magpapaalam na po sana kami."

"MRS. ESEGUERRAA!" tsaka nagsulputan sila Brad sa likod ni Andrew.

"Mauuna na po kami." Paalam ni Yakov

"Maaga pa po kasi pasok namin bukas." Pagdudugtong ni Brad

"Luh di ka naman pumapasok!" Pang-aasar ni Terry.

"Pumapasok ako sa school!" sigaw naman ni Brad kay Terry.

"Sa school lang pero di sa classroom!" Pag gatong naman ni Gary.

Natawa naman si Mrs. Eseguerra. She then imagined having Ralph, Emman, and Lev na kasama nila ngayon para kumpleto. She felt emotional thinking about it.

"Then, hatid ko na kayo sa labas." Tsaka na naglakad ito patungo kay Andrew. "I hope next time you come here, I’ll be seeing your bright smile again, Andrew."

Tumango naman si Andrew.