Chapter 3

Surprise

I am still pissed when I arrived here in our apartment. Kaagad akong humalukipkip nang makaupo ako sa sofa. Sa kalagitnaan ng pag iisip, naramdaman ko ang balahibo ni Callie sa may paa ko. Kaagad ko itong binuhat.

She's getting heavier. Parang noong isang araw lang ay namo-mroblema pa si Lissy kung paano ito papakainin.

I suddenly remember what Dr. Alvi texted me earlier. He told me if he can have a picture of Callie. Nakaisip naman ako ng magandang ideya.

Binuhat at niyapos ko si Callie. After that, we took a photo together then I send it to him. Like what I am expecting, he didn't reply quickly again. Bigla ko tuloy naisip kung ano ang pinagkakaabalahan niya ngayon.

"How to be you, Callie?" I asked with a sigh of irritation. She licked my hand like what she usually does every time that I placed her on my lap.

Napawi naman bigla yung inis ko dahil sa ginawa n'ya.

"Wazzup, Amor!" Aziel gushed. Napahawak tuloy ako sa dibdib ko bago ko s'ya binato ng unan dahil sa panggugulat na ginawa niya.

"You're not funny," I mumbled.

Maya maya ay lumabas rin si Lissy na kakagaling lang sa kwarto. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa dala n'yang bagahe na kinuha naman ng pinsan kong si Aziel.

"Relle, I'll be moving to your cousin's apartment this school year. Is that alright?" paalam n'ya sa akin. Kahit pa sabihin kong hindi ako pumapayag, wala na rin naman akong magagawa. They already made their decision.

"Okay lang," tipid na sagot ko bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Callie na ngayon ay mahimbing nang natutulog.

"How's your date with that asshole, Alvidarez?" 

Mabilis naman akong napaangat ng tingin dahil sa tanong ng pinsan ko. Lissy made a peace sign as if she's telling me that she's the one who informed my cousin.

"Just fine. How do you knew him?" nagtatakang tanong ko. Naiinis naman n'yang ginulo ang buhok n'ya na para bang may nangyari sa pagitan nilang dalawa noon.

"Nothing, I just hate him with no apparent reason," hindi ko na nagawang pang makapagsalita dahil sa sinabi n'ya.

Honestly, naguguluhan pa rin ako sa amin ni Alton. What if he had a clock birthmark on his right palm? Paniguradong dadating yung araw na makikita rin n'ya yung tamang babae para sa kanya. 

Is that the reason why he's avoiding me?

If it wasn't because of my feelings, I won't chase him. After kissing him the last time, nagising na lang ako na ganito na yung nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.

Hanggang ngayon gulong gulo pa rin ako na para bang nakikipaglaro sa akin ang tadhana.

After Lissy and Aziel left my apartment, dumating naman sina mommy para kamustahin pa ako. Ti-next ko kasi sila kanina na dito na ako sa apartment ko magste-stay hanggang sa magpasukan. Ilang linggo na rin lang naman.

When I was still in my first year, this is the request that I've told them. I want to learn on how to be independent before I pass away. And now that the date of my death disappeared, I want to stay here again to continue what I have started. Living here in my apartment doesn't mean that I've already decided to cut the ties between me and them. I just want to learn to make my decisions on my own because not all the times, I can lean on their shoulders.

Kung kahapon ay sobra ang pag aalala nila sa akin, hindi ko alam kung bakit parang biglang may nagbago ngayon.

"Mom, are you sure that you're alright?" I asked worriedly leaving Callie in the sofa. Lumapit ako sa kanilang dalawa.

"I am, sweetheart." she excitedly beamed. After that, daddy handed me a small maroon paper bag.

Kumunot naman ang noo ko habang tinitingnan kung ano ang nasa loob nito.

"If you want to know something, everything's written in the book, sweetheart. I guess, your mom and I have nothing to worry about anymore," he exclaimed while the both of them are smiling from ear to ear.

Inilabas ko naman 'yong librong sinasabi nila mula sa paperbag. My eyes widened after it darted to the title of the book.

"Where did you get this?" I asked looking so confuse. This book has only limited copies according to the old man the last time I went to the book store.

"It doesn't matter where we get that, sweetheart. Just promise us that you'll live according to what will make you happy, alright? That's all we want for you," tumango ako sa sinabi nila.

Both of them stayed here for a while to cook for me. After taking a shower, they already left and texted me. Dumapo naman ako ang tingin ko doon sa librong iniwan nila.

I sat in the sofa as I opened its first page. Masyadong makapal ang libro na ito pero kalahati lang naman yung may sulat. The other pages are blank and I'm still wondering why they published this kind of book.

I jumped reading into other pages. Inaantok ako magbasa ng libro kung wala akong kailangan kaya binasa ko lang yung part kung saan may makukuha akong impormasyon.

The 106th page tackles all about the blank clock birthmarks. The absence of date of love on the right palm indicates success. Having no clock birthmarks on the left palm means unpredictable death. While the absence of two clock birthmarks on the two palms indicates freedom. It is stated that here in our world, there are only 2 out of 10 people who are born with the same case as mine.

I suddenly felt happy upon the mysterious disappearance of my two clock birthmarks. It means that I am free to do anything I want and fate has no control to interfere about my life.

It also means that the decision is with me. I will be the one to make my own fate.

Kinabukasan, bumalik ako ng Aestwood dahil ngayon nila ire-release yung sectioning and schedules. I also planned to go the bookstore after to buy all the required educational supplies that I'll use.

Kakatapos ko lang makuha yung schedule ko nang makita ko si kuya Led dito sa carpark.

"Goodmorning, Relle," bati n'ya.

"Goodmorning po. Are you with Alton?"

"Nah. May girlfriend is a college professor here. Hinatid ko lang."

Nilibot ko naman ang tingin ko at mukhang nagsasabi nga s'ya ng totoo. Dr. Alvi is not here.

"I have something to ask if you won't mind. Do you know if there's still a vacant apartment near Aestwood? Naghahanap kasi ang pinsan ko. He needed a place to stay for the whole month of June para hindi na s'ya natutulog sa clinic ko," lumawak naman ang ngiti ko dahil sa tanong ni kuya Led. I'm so sure that the cousin that he's talking about is no other than Alton.

"I know a place, kuya. That is only few meters away here in Aestwood. Si Alton ba ang sinasabi mong pinsan?" Tumango siya sa sinabi ko.

"Here's the address of the apartment kuya. Just tell him to go there right away para hindi s'ya maunahan," excited kong tugon.

"You're really a heaven sent, Amorelle. I owe you one," kumindat ito sa akin.

I already planned to go the bookstore to buy some stuffs but I just decided to go to my apartment and clean it. Sinabihan ko na rin si ate Celine, the owner of this apartment na may darating ditong lalaki mamaya. Aside from tita Serene, she doesn't also have a clock birthmark on her right palm meaning to say that she will grow old single but very successful.

Pagkatapos kong pakainin si Callie, nagsimula na akong maglinis. Pinakamakalat sa kusina dahil doon madalas naglalaro yung pusa namin. After doing some household chores, I proceeded to my room and started doing what will be my surprise for him later.

Kumuha ako ng isang one whole cartolina. Nilabas ko din yung iba't ibang art materials na kakailanganin ko. I'm not good at making this. I'm just watching random tutorials on youtube and I think that's already enough.

Even if I don't have artistic skills but the fact that I put a lot of time and effort to what I'm doing, maa-appreciate naman n'ya siguro ito.

"Callie!" suway ko ng bigla s'yang tumalon rito sa kama. Kamuntikan na tuloy matapon yung acrylic paint na ginagamit ko. I just decided to bring her to her own small bed here in my room.

"Just stay there, alright? May ginagawa ako," paliwanag ko at mabuti na lang pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay nakatulog na rin s'ya sa maliit na kama kung saan ko s'ya inilagay kanina.

It was already 11 pm when I finished doing an art for him. Nakarinig naman ako ng yabag ng paa sa may labas kung kaya't mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti ko. I'm so sure that he's here.

Alton will occupy Lissy's room which is in front of my room. Akmang pipihitin ko na sana kung kwarto kung nasaan s'ya kung wala lang kumatok mula sa labas. I decided to open it first. Bumungad naman sa akin si ate Celine dala yung niluto n'ya.

"Give this to your handsome roommate, Relle," aniya bago ibinigay sa akin yung niluto n'yang rice pudding na ibinigay n'ya rin sa akin n'ong una akong dumating dito. Bumaba naman ang tingin nito sa hawak kong puting cartolina kaya't kaagad ko 'yong tinago sa likod ko.

"Thank you, ate."

"You have the same birthmark, Relle? Ang swerte mo naman," komento n'ya na nginitian ko na lang.

"Sige na ate Celine, may gagawin pa po ako," sagot ko at mabuti na lang hindi na s'ya nag usisa pa.

"Goodluck sa surprise mo," parang nang aasar na wika niya bago umalis sa harap ko.

How did she know it? Do I look too obvious?

Pagkatapos kong mailagay yung pagkain sa counter table, bumalik na ako sa tapat ng kwarto n'ya.

I heaved a deep sigh first. I was about to knock to his door nang bigla itong bumukas. Pareho naman kaming nagulat ng makita namin yung isa't isa.

I cleared my throat after seeing him. Damn, he was just wearing a plain white v-neck shirt and khaki short but still, he looks very handsome on it.

After a couple of seconds, his eyes darted to the cartolina that I'm holding. His full name was written on it. Ti-nry ko ring i-illustrate yung mukha n'ya pero alam kong hindi n'ya ito kamukha. Atleast, he's cute here.

"S-Surprise," I greeted while grinning. Hindi man lang s'ya ngumiti dahil sa ginawa ko.

Napatungo ulit ako dahil sa kahihiyan. I put a lot of time and effort making this but he didn't show me any forms of appreciation.

"It's cute," he commented in a casual tone. Mabilis naman akong napaangat ng tingin. After that, a wide smile plastered on my lips again.

"Thank—

I was in my mid-sentence nang bigla s'yang yumuko. The next thing I knew, buhat buhat na naman n'ya si Callie.

"I'm talking about her. She's cute," napaawang naman ang labi ko sa sinabi n'ya. Pumunta sila ni Callie sa sala habang ako ay naiwang hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

I was just standing there for almost a minute while processing my mind. Maya maya ay inis akong sumunod sa kanila bago itinapon yung cartolina sa trashcan.

Dr. Alvi was seating comfortably at the sofa. Nasa lap n'ya si Callie habang nakikipaglaro dito.

Naiinis akong tumayo sa harap nilang dalawa.

"You are my new room mate so you should be aware about my rules! First, you are not allowed to enter my room without my permission. Second, you'll be the one assigned cleaning starting from monday to friday and I'm on weekends only. Third, you are not allowed to touch my groceries. Fourth—

Napahinto ako sa pagsasalita nang ma-realize kong hindi naman pala s'ya nakikinig sa akin. Sa sobrang inis ko ay inagaw ko sa kanya si Callie.

Wala sa sariling nagmartsa ako papunta sa kwarto.

"Kailan ka pa naging cute, Callie? You're too ugly," naiinis kong sambit bago ko s'ya ipinasok sa room ko. Parang nagpupumilit pa ito lumabas pero hindi ko na s'ya pinayagan.

"Stay there, Callie. You will not be eating your lunch today."

I sigh in irritation before I close the door. Nakakunot tuloy ang noo ni Dr. Alvitarez habang nakatingin sa akin.

Bahala siya! I felt so unappreciated. I won't make any surprises anymore.