6. EYES 2

Baguio City, Philippines

January 2018

TRACE

Mabuti na lang at madali kong nahanap ang address ng bahay na nai-text sa akin ni Paige. I am now in front of the gate ng malaking bahay na may dalawang palapag. Kanina pa ako bumubusina pero walang nagbubukas ng gate. The hell! Pasabugin ko na lang kaya ang gate na ito?!

Iniatras ko ang kotse at babanggain ko na sana ang gate nang biglang bumukas iyon at lumabas si Paige. Takte! Mabuti at nagpakita na rin!

“Kuya!” masayang tawag niya sa akin. Paige is always bubbly. Laging masaya, malambing, m*****a at makulit.

Badtrip na inayos ko ang pwesto ng kotse sa gilid ng kalsada at ibinaba ang bintana. “Sakay na!” asar kong utos.

“Wait!!! Ipapakilala pa kita sa best friend ko,” natutuwa na sabi nito. 

“Sakay!” 

“Aren’t you going to say thanks to my BFF first that she let me stay here for three days?” nakapameywang na sabi niya. 

Hindi ako umimik. Naaasar na ako sa kalokohan ni Paige. Tinitigan ko siya at alam ko na sa uri ng tingin ko ngayon sa kaniya ay alam na niyang wala akong panahon sa kaartehan nila ng bestfriend niya. 

Nakasimangot at nagdadabog naman si Paige na pumasok sa bahay ng kaibigan niya at ilang saglit lang ay lumabas na ito na may suot na backpack kasama ang kaibigan na sinasabi niya na ngayon ko lang nakita. Napakunot ang noo ko. Paige’s friend seems familiar, parang nakita ko na siya dati. Parang…

Nakasandal lang ako sa gilid ng kotse at naninigarilyo habang nakatingin sa dalawa na nagpapaalam sa bawat isa. When I gave a look sa kaibigan ni Paige ay nakita ko na agad itong nag-blush na parang nahihiya. Typical teenagers. Isang tingin lang ay agad na kikiligin.

“Thank you for making me stay here, Harriet. You’re such a good friend and I wish I have a sibling like you who is very considerate.”

Nagpaparinig sa akin na kausap ni Paige sa kaibigan niya. I crossed my brows with what I heard. Considerate? Tangina! Kaartehan talaga ng mga kabataan na babae!

Hindi pa ba consideration ang ginagawa ko na pag-intindi sa kalokohan niya na pagmamaldita at pagtakas-takas? Kung gusto niya lumayas sa Salvacion ay dapat tumawag siya sa akin para isinama ko na lang sana siya sa isla. 

“It’s okay, Paige. Sayang at hindi mo makilala mga cousins ko… pero okay na rin since d’yan na ang kuya mo,” pabulong na sabi ng kaibigan ni Paige sa malditang kapatid ko. “Hindi mo sinabi ang pogi pala ng kuya mo…” narinig ko pa na dagdag nito. 

“Eewww… Don’t ever like him, he’s bad.” 

Napailing na lang ako sa pag-iinarte na naman ni Paige, kung hindi ko lang ito kailangan protektahan ay iiwan ko na talaga para magtanda. Ang sabi ng tatay namin ay lumayas si Paige dahil hindi nakabili ng limited edition na bag na gusto niya. Iyon lang ang rason, napakababaw na dahilan, pero dahil kahit anong mangyari ay hindi ako papanig kay Papa ay syempre si Paige ang kakampihan ko. Sinabihan ko pa si Gob na ubusin na lang niya ang pera kay Louisianna tutal wala naman importante para sa kaniya kung hindi ang puta niya kaya napapabayaan si Paige.

I know na unreasonable na talaga ako kadalasan kay Papa, but the fact na kasalanan ng babae niya ang maagang kamatayan ni Mama ang paulit-ulit kong sisingilin at isusumbat. Years had passed but my memory when I was fifteen is still vivid in my mind, I still remember what I saw when I caught my father and Louisianna in my parent’s matrimonial bed doing their immoraal deeds. The memory made me cringe again at muli na namang nabuhay ang galit na naramdaman ko noon. 

“Please message me kapag nasa Salvacion ka na at baka makapasyal kami roon nina Carly at Chloe,” nakangiti na sabi ni Harriet kay Paige that made me cocked* my brow. 

The two continue talking at mukhang wala pang mga plano na tumigil sa pag-uusap. Naiinis akong napatingin sa relo na suot ko, I will give them a minute to bid goodbyes to each other.

When the one minute I gave them lapsed ay tumayo ako ng diretso at tiningnan ang dalawa.

“Sakay na! Daming arte!” pasigaw na utos ko kay Paige at nakita ko na nagulat silang pareho dahil sa galit na ang boses ko. Paige and made a face and pouted. Isa pa na tawag ko rito at hindi pa rin sumunod ay ipapadala ko ito sa Brazil at hindi pababalikin ng Pilipinas hanggang hindi magtanda. Mas mabuti na madisiplina ito sa Brazil nang mabawasan ang kaartehan.

“Bye, Harriet… Thank you again and will message you later.” Kumakaway na sabi ni Paige bago muling sumimangot nang makita ako pero lumapit na rin sa akin at sumakay na sa kotse. 

Saktong kakasakay lang ni Paige nang may dumating na isang van at nakita ko na ngumiti si Harriet na ipinagbukas ang bagong dating ng gate at mukhang nalimutan na kami dahil sa excitement niya. I went inside my car and start the engine. I glance at Paige that made a face again. Tantrums. Sakit talaga ni Paige sa utak ang pagta-tantrums. 

Brat!

****

CHLOE

From a few meters away from the van we were riding in, I saw a man leaning against a car who looked like he was waiting for someone while smoking. Two teenagers were talking in front of his car. The other girl is my cousin, Harriet, and the other is probably the man's girlfriend he might pick up. 

Even though the man was meters away, I knew he was the one I had bumped into at the airport six hours ago. I couldn't forget his ruggedly handsome look and devil-may-care attitude. My eyes moved to his sports car. 

Wow! The man is rich because the value of his car costs millions of dollars.

We were nearing them when I saw that the girl Harriet was talking to get inside the car. The girl wears black shorts, pink tees, a black denim jacket, and white sneakers. Her hair was in a ponytail, and I could see she was charming. She is still young, and I think she is only my age. I pouted my lips irritably. It's funny that the guy who ignored me earlier because I looked young has a girlfriend of my age too, or maybe even younger than me. 

The van that I and my aunt and uncle riding to had already entered the parking area, but my eyes were still glancing at the sports car that was now getting away from my sight until it was no longer outside. Oh, darn me! 

But gosh… My eyes turned bigger with excitement. My wish was granted! Yes, it is! I giggled. Although he didn't see me, still, I saw him again! Nice! 

Then because of that, I made another wish to see him again. Hopefully, next time I will have a chance to get to know him.

I immediately got out of the van and came near Harriet smiling. She smiled back at me. How I miss her.

"I saw you talking to your friends. Who are they?” I couldn't stop asking. I was curious and ecstatic about the man, Harriet’s friend's boyfriend.

Harriet smiled like she knew what was on my mind. Oh, jeez! Am I that transparent?

I suddenly felt embarrassed because of that. I grimaced as I lost my mind that I had just seen Harriet again after years, and the first words I uttered were to ask about her friends.

The last time I saw my cousin was when we were fifteen years old, in California, when she and her parents were on vacation there. We usually interact on social media, so we are still connected even after not seeing each other personally for a long time.

"That's my best friend," Harriet answered my question with a teasing smile. "Her brother just picked her up because they needed to return to their province. She stayed here for three days and three nights,” she informed me, and my smile widened as I heard that my crush was not her friend’s boyfriend but a brother. 

"Oh... okay," I said with slight regretfulness, for maybe if we had arrived earlier, I would have had a chance to meet the man. "Cute siblings. What are their names?”

"My friend's name is Paige. Her brother, if I remember right..." my cousin answered while trying to remember her friend's brother’s name. “Oh yeah! I remember. Paige said her father's name is Patricio, and that is her brother's name too. So that's it! Patricio Dimagiba, Jr.” 

“Patricio… sounds Spanish, but it's a cute name,” I said. “It suits him.”

“He’s more than cute, Chloe. They are half-Brazilian and quarter-Spanish, I think... that was what Paige told me.”

“Oh… that is why!” I smiled when I said that while nodding. Harriet joined me with what I was thinking, and we giggled.

Patricio… Oh, God! I have a crush on a man with only his name I know. His eyes. His hazel brown eyes. How I wanna see him again. How I wanna see him looking at me and making me feel he likes me too.