Maga-alasais na nang makarating ako sa bahay. Dumiretso ako sa second floor para ilapag doon ang bag ko at magpalit ng damit. Lumabas ulit ako para pumunta sa kusina nang makaramdam ng uhaw.
Mula sa gilid ng mata ko ay nakita ko ang pigura ng Tita ko na papasok sa kusina habang umiinom ako. Huminto siya at nagcross arms at malalim na tumitig sa akin.
"I heard you walked." Masungit niyang tanong.
Binalik ko sa ref yung pitchel ng tubig at pinunasan ang bibig ko. "Malapit lang po yung Baltazar-Bonifacio Academy. Hindi ko kailangang magpahatid."
"It's not the matter of 'you don't have to,' Alice. The street are dangerous." Nanatili siyang nakapamewang.
Bumuntong hininga ako.
I'm not used to anyone telling me what to do. And she's just four years older than me. It makes everyone guess if she were my best friend or my sister now that I'm a bit taller than her.
"I always walk when I'm going to Guerrero Felipe High. Hindi---"
"Alice, it's not Guerrero Felipe High. It's not the same."
"....I want to walk, Tita."
"You won't. Sasabihin ko kay Manong bukas na huwag siyang papayag sa gusto mo."
Nagbaba ako ng tingin. "Sure. Take that away too."
Naglakad ako palabas ngunit nang malagpasan ko siya ay hinatak niya ang braso ko. Nanatili akong nakayuko at hindi lumingon sa kanya.
"Alice, we don't have to fight over this. Just please, call Manong if you're going in or out of school. Stop making me worry."
Hindi ako sumagot nanatiling hindi lumilingon sa kanya hanggang sa dahan-dahan niyang binitawan ang braso ko. Dumiretso ako sa kwarto at napagpasyahang huwag nang kumain ng hapunan.
----
Ganoon ang nangyari kinabukasan. Wala na akong nagawa kundi magpahatid kay Manong Louie sa BBA. Nakalimutan ko pa ang tumbler ko sa sobrang pagmamadali dahil kahit maaga akong nagising ay nagcellphone lang ako nang nagcellphone at hindi na namalayan ang oras.
I really should lessen my time with it.
"Magtext na lang ho kayo, Ma'am."
Tumango lang ako sa bilin ni Manong Louie bago ako pumasok sa gate. Hindi ko na nagawa pang magpaalam.
Chineck pa ng dalawang guard yung ID ko bago ako nakapasok. May naririnig akong nagbubulungan na humigpit pala dahil maraming outsider kahapong first day of school.
Outsider sa first day, seriously?
Nilibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid at inalala kung saan nga ba ang daan papunta sa classroom namin. Maglalakad na sana ako ngunit napansin ko ang pagkahulog ng ID sa nakabukas na bag ng isang lalaki. Nagmamadali kong kinuha ang ID at hinabol ang may-ari na tumatakbo. Sinubukan kong sumigaw ngunit lumiko siya ng building.
Huminto ako dahil sa pagkatakot na maligaw at malate sa klase. Napailing na lang ako at tiningnan ang ID.
Sylvester Nox Cooper.
May takip na anime character sticker yung mukha niya kaya hindi ko makita. Napakamot ako sa batok at humarang ng lower grade level para magtanong kung may lost and found ba dito. Nang tumango siya ay nagtanong ulit ako ng direksyon. Nagpasalamat ako ngunit naligaw lang ulit ako.
Kinalaingan kong magtanong sa dalawa pang estudyante at magpasama sa ikatlong estudyante kung nasaan yung Lost and Found. Buti na lang at mababait sila.
Naglakad ako sa hallway kung saan nakita ko ang clear-windowed na office. May babaeng nasa front desk at may dalawang basket na nakadisplay na maraming gamit na laman at may nakapaskil na Lost and Found. Winagayway ko ang ID para senyasan ang nasa loob. Nabigla pa siya nang mapansin ako.
"Ah, wait! ID ko 'yan!"
Napabalikwas ako ng tingin sa sumigaw. Pamilyar na mukha ang bumungad sa akin.
Trace's cousin were running towards me. May black eye pa rin ang mukha niya, ngunit may band aid na ang isang gilid ng labi niya.
Inilahad niya ang kamay niya nang makalapit.
Malalim ko siyang pinagmasdan.
Looking at his shoulder strap, I could see the pins of the familiar anime my cousins from the province always watch.
Ah, that's right. The keychain I found yesterday was his too.
"Sylvester Cooper?" Tanong ko.
Bahagya siyang tumango. Binigay ko sa kanya ang ID niya.
"Thank you!" Kaagad niya iyong sinuot. Sinenyasan ko yung nasa loob ng office na hindi ko na kailangan ng tulong nila.
Trace's cousin plead his thanks again. He was about to turn around when I stop him.
"Uhh, b-bakit?"
Nilabas ko sa bulsa ng bag ko ang keychain na napulot ko kahapon. "Is this yours?"
Napahinto siya at tumingin sa akin kasabay ng dahan-dahang pagtango niya. "U-Uhm, saan mo nakita?"
"...Sa hallway." Maikling sagot ko.
"Thank you ulit," Tipid siyang ngumiti. Kaagad din siyang tumalikod at nagmamadaling naglakad.
He's probably late too---just like me now.
Nang makarating ako sa room ay nakita ko agad ang pigura ni Trace at sinesenyasan akong umupo sa tabi niya. Mabuti na lang at wala pa yung first teacher.
"Bakit late ka?"
Nilapag ko ang bag ko. "I went to Lost and Found. May napulot akong ID."
"Oh, so you got lost on the way there?"
"Hmm."
I heard him chuckled. "Whose ID? Baka kilala ko."
"Your cousin, Sylvester Cooper. So that's his name." Diretsong sagot ko. Tila natahimik siya at napailing.
Hindi na siya nagsalita hanggang sa dumating ang first subject teacher.
I can't help but stay curious.
Nang dumating ang lunch hanggang sa uwian, I kept Trace close to me at all times just so I could avoid my classmates. They kept pinning their eyes on me. I'm not comfortable.
Inaya ako ni Trace sa Park nang makalabas kami ng gate. Walking distance lang naman daw. Pumayag ako at hindi muna nagtext kay Manong Louie.
"So you have a crush?" I asked, confirming, after he bought a pancake for both of us at naupo sa Park Gazebo.
Malungkot siyang ngumiti. "Would you call it a crush if it lasted for four years?"
Nanliit ang mga mata ko. "That's quite a long time."
"Ang tagal ko ring tinago."
"Let me guess," Nilunok ko ang nginuya kong pancake. "He's your friend."
Napailing siya't napangiti. "Typical unrequited love."
Trace told me his story and I sat there listening, fascinated by his journey of finding himself again despite being lost the first time. He didn't told me much about the 'guy' he likes for years. Sa tingin ko'y mabigat pa para sa kanya ikwento iyon.
Napansin kong pagabi na at lumingon kay Trace.
"Maglalakad ka lang ba pauwi?" Tanong niya.
Umiling ako. "May susundo sa akin. But my Dad must be worried if I go home late, so I'm just gonna call him---" I was taking out my phone from my pocket when a sudden realization sinks in.
Napahinto ako at napatitig sa cellphone ko.
My hands trembled as I hold tight of my phone.
Nakita ko ang gulat na ekspresyon ni Trace.
"I...I just forgot sometimes." Sabi ko. Hindi ko narinig na sumagot si Trace.
Nagtext ako kay Manong Louie na nasa Park ako. Nang ibaba ko ang cellphone ko ay binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Trace.
Malungkot siyang ngumiti at bahagya akong niyakap. "It's okay if you don't open up right away. Bukas na lang ulit."
I felt a soft feather touching my heart when Trace whispered.
Hinintay niyang makarating ang sundo ko bago siya umalis. I closed my eyes as I got on the backseat, suppressing all the emotions that build up.
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That day, I didn't eat dinner again.
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