Kabanata 5

His Own Way

We are heading to the music room. He pushed the large door and let us in. Various types of instruments are here. Each sibling has its own forte in terms of music. But Alexander knows how to play each of these instruments.

"You're going to play?" I asked him.

"I'm going to teach you how to play. What do you like?" Tanong niya sabay muwestra sa lahat ng instrumento na nasa aking harapan. I looked at all the instruments one by one and asked him.

"What do you like the most?" Tanong ko pabalik sa kanya.

"Hmm. Piano, I guess." Sagot niya.

"Then, teach me how to play piano. I just know the basics of it from my school way back."

"When you say basics, what do you mean by it?" He asked as he started pressing some keys.

"Well, I can show you." Sagot ko sabay lapit sa kanya. I pressed some keys until it started making a melody of Stand by Me.

"Not bad." Alexander commented. I only grinned at him. He then let me set on the chair and flip the music notes to find a piece we can try.

We spent an hour in the music room. I don't know what's got into him but he looks serious the whole time. Until a house help came for him.

"Sir Alexander, pinapatawag po kayo ng papa niyo."

"Alright. Susunod ako, mauna ka na." Sagot ni Zander. Tumalima naman ang katulong.

"You stay here, Hera." Bilin niya sa akin. "You better master that piece." He added. He's been teaching me to play some classical songs. And it's quite difficult.

"Alright." I answered. He smiled and pinched both of my cheeks. "Alexander!" Alma ko sa ginawa niya. He only laughed at my reaction.

"I gotta go. Babalik din ako kaagad." Saad niya.

"Oo na. Stop being silly. It's as if you're going out somewhere far." I mumbled. He glared at me after hearing that and said,

"Tss. You really don't care about me." he said,

"Stop being dramatic, Zander." Sabi ko na natatawa sabay tulak sa kanya papalabas ng pintuan. Bago siya tuluyang umalis, hinatak niya ako papalapit sa kanya at niyakap.

"Grew up fast, little pumpkin."

"I'm taller than most of the girls my age, Zander." I said as a matter of fact. I heard him sigh and release me from his embrace. He then walked down the hallway.

I stayed for almost two hours in the music room before I decided to leave. Zander hasn't come back yet but I'm already thirsty.

As I walked through the dining room, I heard voices that weren't familiar. Bago ako tuluyang nakalapit sa dining ay tinawag ako ng aking Lola palapit sa kanya.

"May mga bisita ang pamilya, Hera. Huwag ka munang pumunta doon." bigay alam niya.

"Iinom lang po sana ako ng tubig Lola."

"Sa kwarto mo muna ikaw uminom. Halika." sabay yakag ng aking Lola sa akin.

"Who are the visitors, Lola?" Tanong ko habang papunta kami sa aking kwarto.

"Malapit na kaibigan daw ng pamilya. Isang pamilya rin ata ang kanilang bisita ngayon." sabi ni Lola.

"Nana, si Sofia ayaw lumabas ng kwarto. Sinumpong na naman." ang humahangos na sabi ng isang katulong.

"O Sige, ako na ang bahala." Sagot ni Lola. "Pumunta ka muna sa dining Sara baka may iuutos pa don."

"Sige po." sagot nito sabay Ali's papuntang dining room.

"Pumasok ka muna sa kwarto mo, Hera at doon ka na uminom ng tubig. Pupuntahan ko pa ang batang may sumpong ngayon."

"Okay po, La."

Agad namang umalis si Lola upang puntahan si Sofia. And as for me, I went to my room to drink.

As I looked at my wall clock, the time was past twelve and I didn't have my lunch yet. Hindi pa naman ako gutom at may pagkain din naman sa mini fridge ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako mapakali.

I decided to go out of my room and outside the mansion. There I saw a luxurious car.

"Helena!"

Napalingon ako sa tumawag sa akin. It's Rico with ate Mela, his mother.

"Hi Rico. Hi po, ate Mela." Bati ko sa kanila sabay baba sa may portico ng mansion.

"May lakad ka?" Tanong ni Rico.

"Wala naman." Sagot ko sa kanya.

"Kumakain ka ba ng minatamis na saging at kamote?" Tanong niya. "Gumawa si mama at naparami ang ginawa niya." May saya sa boses niyang sabi.

"Ah,"

"Gusto mong sumama sa amin Helena? Malapit lang din naman ang bahay na tinutuluyan namin." Nakangiting sabi ni ate Mela.

Mabait naman siya at close sila ni Lola. Mag-iisang taon ko palang nakilala si Rico kasi kakalipat niya lang last year dito sa ranch. He grew up with his grandparents. Sinama na siya ni ate Mela dito sa ranch dahil isinama ng kapatid ni ate Mela sa Manila ang kanilang mga magulang upang doon na tumira.

"Kung hindi po nakakaabala sa inyo." Sagot ko. Sa tagal ko dito sa ranch, hindi ko pa nasubukang pumunta sa bahay ng mga nagtatrabaho dito. Kilala ko naman halos lahat.

"Naku, hindi." Sabi niya.

We walked around five hundred meters, I think bago namin narating ang kanilang bahay. More than ten small houses greeted me. Lahat ng bahay ay gawa sa semi-concrete design.