Wakas I

Isaiah’s Point of View

"Hoy Treia, come here!" Chandria said, referring to the girl who went inside their house.

Chandria is one of my brother's friend and we are here in their house. Isagani bring me with him because I will be left alone in our house, it's fine being alone though, I can call Mateo and play basketball with him but my mother insisted and told me to join my brother.

My brother has a lot of circle of friends and I can say that this circle is the most special for him. I've known them for years because they usually hang out in our house.

The girl who was about to go upstairs suddenly stopped walking and faced us. She looks tired, her hair is in a messy bun and her face is covered with sweat. She's holding a bunch of paper on her hand while the other is holding a duffle bag. Dude, she looked like a mess.

"Come here, Treia. Ipakikilala kita sa mga kaibigan ko!" Chandria energetically said, she even pulled the girl towards us. Now, they are standing in front of us. I couldn't help but to stare at her.

Treia, that's her name. As I gazed at her, I realize that she's so easy to read and seeing her right now, I can say that she's bored and annoyed. She doesn't like her sister's idea, she's not giving a damn about it. She plastered an awkward smile, fortunately I stopped myself from laughing. She looks idiot right now but she's cute, too.

"..and this is Niko, Isagani's little brother. He's years older than you but you can play together, for sure bored na ‘tong si Niko rito, can you accompany him?"

Play together? The fuck is that? What am I, a kid? For God's sake, I am already seventeen and she looks three years younger than me. At ano namang lalaruin, barbie? O baka naman bahay-bahayan. Based on her looks, no wonder, she's a spoiled brat. And the way she act in front of me, parang nandidiri siya sa’kin, ah?

She covered her nose and just nodded before going upstairs, rude! I sniff on my shirt, hindi naman ako mabaho. Chandria just shrugged and continue to what they are doing and I am here, still standing and staring at the stairs, waiting for her to go down. Umupo nalang ako dahil mukhang napapahiya na 'ko but I couldn't stop myself from glancing at the stairs.

She nodded, right? I saw it with my two eyes. She nodded and that means she agreed to accompany me today. I patiently waited for her, though, there's a small possibility that she will do what her sister told her. Still, I waited for her. As much as I don't want to, I still wait for her. I don't know what's gotten into me, I just find myself staring at her for a long time as she gracefully went down to the stairs. My heart is beating in its unusual beat like mad crazy. This is wrong, man. What did she do to me?

Just like what her sister said, she accompany me to their garden. She's still holding a bunch of paper on her hand while guiding me up to their garden. No one dared to talk, I don't usually talk a lot in front of strangers or the people I barely knew. Damn, I don't even start conversations! But there's something on her that pushes me to do so. If I'm not gonna speak, who will start, then? The fuck, I badly want to talk to her.

I glance at the paper she's holding. It looks like a research, no, it's more likely a script. Is she a script writer, actress or something? She sat on the chair and placed the papers on the table, I also sat in front of her. Still thinking of right words to say.

"Is that for a theater play or something?" I asked.

God, I'm sweating. I observe her reactions but no one came, she's still busy with the papers, still not looking at me, still treating me like a grass. She knows I'm here but she doesn't even give a damn about me. I gulped, looking frustrated now because of her actions. This is the first time a girl ignored me, heck, this is the first time I started a conversation with someone!

"My sister clearly told me to just accompany you, not to talk to you so please.. let's mind our own business,” she cooly said without glancing at me.

Well, that hurts. I chuckled sarcastically because of that, she's still not paying attention to me. Later that day, I promised myself not to talk to her again. She's too straightforward and she just fucking turned me down, the heck is her problem? I never imagined myself handling some woman like her, sakit lang sa ulo panigurado. Dude, I will never talk to her again.

But I guess, I have broken my promise. I saw her again, after how many weeks of visiting here in their house, finally! I saw her again. Pinilit ko pa si Isagani na isama ako rito palagi kapalit ng hindi ko pagsusumbong kila Mommy tungkol sa pambubulakbol niya para lang makita ko ulit si Treia.

Ngayon nalang ulit kami nagkita pero mukhang wala na yata akong chance na makusap siya. She's looking at me like I am the most disgusting person she have ever met. She even covered her nose and step backwards just to stay away from me.

"Alam mo bang masama ang manigarilyo? Sana man lang bago mo sindihan 'yang sigarilyo mo, iniisip mo muna yung mga mahal mo sa buhay. Para ka nang naghuhukay ng libingan kakaganyan mo!" she scolded and walked away.

Her words stucked in my head, it echoed repeatedly. I should be mad at her for belittling me by her stares but why am I even smiling? She fucking scolded at me yet I am very much happy. He fucking cares about my life.

And just like that, I stopped smoking. Hindi naman ganoon kahirap dahil kakasimula ko palang manigarilyo. I am thankful for her, she made me realize how important my life is.

I got busy the whole school year so I could not get a chance join my beloved brother as he visited their house. Pero tingnan mo nga naman, swerte na yata ang kusang lumalapit sa’kin. I saw her in front of our school wearing her highschool uniform. She's holding a bunch of small piece of paper on her hand while talking to some of our schoolmates.

"Type mo, dude?" Mateo asked, hindi ko namalayang tiningnan niya na rin pala ang tinitingnan ko.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She looks dedicated and very passionate to what she's doing, I can't help but to smile. She may looked tired but the passion is just too overflowing to ignore. For the first time, I saw her smiling.

"What are they doing?" I asked Mateo, pambansang chismoso 'yan kaya sigurado akong alam niya ang pakay nila Treia sa school namin.

This is the first time I saw her in our school and this is also the first time I pay attention to our school. Siguro dapat ko nang pagtuonan ng pansin ang bawat paligid, baka mamaya bigla siyang sumulpot bigla.

"I think they are selling tickets, sila yung school na magpeperform sa plaza next week, musical play yata pre."

After hearing that, I took my wallet and lend him my allowance for the whole week without hesitation. Mateo looks shocked because of what I did and after few seconds, he smirked mockingly at me like I did something against my principles. May suswelduhin pa naman ako ngayong linggo dahil nagtatrabaho na 'ko sa company namin. Hinahanda na 'ko ng pamilya ko.

"Buy all of their tickets, give it to anyone basta siguraduhin mong mauubos ang ticket nila, especially yung hawak niya. Siguraduhin mo rin na mapupuno ang plaza sa araw ng performance nila." I told him with finality.

Mateo mocked at me before doing what I told him. He asked someone to do it for us, ayoko rin namang makilala siya ni Treia at sakaniya pa magpasalamat. I am staring at her the whole time, she looks in awe, napayakap pa siya roon sa babaeng inutusan ni Mateo. Damn, it should be me, ako dapat yung niyayakap mo ngayon.

"May inlove, may inlove sa tabi ni Mateo,” he sang just to mocked at me.

Hindi ko nalang siya pinansin at nanatili nalang akong nakatanaw kay Treia. That's right, my girl.. I will do everything to see that smile all over again, I promise.