CHASING HAPPINESS

EIGHT YEARS AGO (ASHLEY) "Baby Ash, pwede bang gawan mo ako ng assignment sa Science?" malambing na pakiusap sa akin ni Dusk. "Gawan mo na din ako pala ng reaction paper sa English." "Sige," malumanay kong sagot na parang nanuno sa punso nang biglang akong ningitian ng pagkatamis-tamis ni Dusk. Si Dusk ay ang aking napakagwapong kinakapatid at kapitbahay s***h classmate. Halos magkasing edad lang kami, three months lang ang tanda ko sa kanya. "Baby Ash, sige na, please. May basketball practice kasi kami nila Xander ngayon kaya hindi ko magagawa," he told me as he looks at me with puppy eyes and cupped my face. "Pwede ba, Cara Mia?" anas niyang tanong uli sa aking habang tinitigan ako ng malagkit "Sige," ipit kong sagot habang namumula ang aking mukha, at paano ba ako makakatanggi kung tinawag niya na akong "Cara Mia"? Cara Mia is an Italian word which means My Love or Aking Mahal. "Salamat, Baby Ash. I know I can count on you," malat na sabi ni Dusk at biglang hinalikan ang aking pisngi. I froze for a moment as my heart beats weirdly. "Dalhin mo na lang sa Monday, ha. Sige, aalis na ako," sabi niya pa sa akin at ngumiti ng pang close up perfect smile. Napatulala tuloy ako at nananatiling nakapako sa aking kinatatayoan habang tinitignan si Dusk na papalayo. Damn! Nalaglag yata ang aking puso sa kanyang hawla. Ako nga pala si Ashely Maine Araneta, sweet 16, pero in a few months, I will be seventeen, panganay sa tatlong magkakapatid. My mom is Jasmin Monteverde, isa siyang famous photographer while my Dad is Martin Javier Araneta, he's a banker and owns a number of banks in the Philippines. Actually, magkaibigan ang pamilya namin ni Dusk, at masasabi kong we have a very close and harmonious ties with their family. Ninang ko si Tita Hera na mama niya. Siya naman ay inaanak ni Mama. Panganay din si Dusk sa kanilang magkakapatid at may kakambal itong babae, si Dawn. Dusk and Dawn were fraternal twins who both possessed a very gorgeous face, aside from that Dusk is also a very famous persona at school, isa itong varsity player ng basketball at pingpong, madami ang nagkaka-crush sa kanya. Of course, pati ako… Yes, crush ko si Dusk. Or I will rephrase it; I think I am falling in love with him. Hindi ninyo ako masisi; he's an Adonis na bad boy ang dating. Yes, he’s seventeen, too but his body physique doesn't belong to a seventeen-year-old boy. Mamang-mama na ang kanyang dating. He stands at 5'10”. He's my crush. Pero secret lang iyon namin nina Mama at ng dalawang kaibigan kong sina Dawn at Abby. ❤❤❤❤❤ UNKNOWN P.O.V Late in the afternoon, while she was doing Dusk’s reaction paper ay biglang sumulpot ang dalawa niyang kaibigang sina Dawn at Abby. Biglang nagtaas ang kilay ni Dawn nang makita niya ang ginagawa ni Ashley. Ashley is doing Dusk’s reaction paper. "Hey, Ashy baby, ‘wag mong sabihin na inutusan ka naman ng walanghiya kong kapatid na gawin mo ang reaction paper niya sa English, samantalang nakita ko siyang naglalaro lang ng basketball kasama ni Xander at Calvin sa covered court," she said as her lips twisted. "Okay lang, Dawny. Sinabi niya naman, eh na magpra-practice sila ni Xander. Saka gagawa din ako ng reaction paper ko, isinabay ko na," palusot niyang sabi. Alam niyang against si Dawn at Abby sa ginagawa niya. "Then gawan mo na din kami ni Dawn, ha para naman may silbi ka din sa amin. Dios mio, Ashley, ikaw na yata ang gumagawa ng lahat ng projects, paper works at assignment niya. Next time, I won't be surprised kung pati exam, ikaw na din ang sumagot," inis na sambit ni Abby habang itinirik ang mata nito. "Look, Ash, my twin brother is not a PWD (person with disability), matalino din siya. I don't understand kung anong gayuma ang ipinainom niya sa ‘yo para mapasunod ka nang ganyan. You’re teaching him to be too dependent on you," sabi ni Dawn na pasalampak na umupo sa may couch. "Hayaan n’yo na ngayon lang naman saka nakiusap naman siya nang maayos," pabuntong-hininga niyang wika, at binasa ang Ibaba ng labi. "Ngayon lang? Haler? You’ve been doing his assignments and work papers since last year. Oh, siguro he kisses your cheeks, ano? Or holds your hands this time! Or nag-puppy eyes siya. Whichever, napatango ka naman. Alam mo, Ash, it’s okay kung magka-crush ka kay Dusk but please be discreet naman. Masyado kang nagpapahalata sa kanya, eh. He knows na baliw na baliw ka sa kanya kaya inaabuso ka niya," pabulyaw na wika ni Abby. "Please, Abby, Dawn, tumigil na kayo. Naiinis na ako, eh. Why don’t you both support me na lang. Alam niyo naman how I really feet for him. It's a no secret sa inyo. Saka, Abby, bakit nang ginawan mo ba si Xander ng term paper niya umalma ba ako? Hindi, ‘di ba? Ikaw din, Dawn. Darating ang araw maunawaan mo ako. I know it’s foolishness but ito lang ang tanging paraan para maging masaya ako. And I don't care if ilan pang term papers or assignment ni Dusk ang gagawin ko. It's the only way I can be close to him," she said in a plea. Sabay na napa-facepalm sina Dawn at Abby; they were shaking their heads in disbelief. "Fine! We will let you but don't blame me kung sasaktan ka lang ni Dusk. My brother doesn't know how to love, not even know the true meaning of it," mapait na wika ni Dawn, saka tumayo at niyakap ang kaibigan. Niyakap na din ni Abby si Ashley, she knows kahit anong gawin nila ni Dawn ay hindi pa rin magbabago ang pag-iisip nito. She will do what Dusk would ask her. "Sige, we will support you, Ashley. Nag-aalala lang naman kami sa ‘yo, eh. Baka saktan ka lang ni Dusk sa huli," nakaismid na sabi ni Abby kay Ashley. "Salamat," naluluhang sabi ni Ashley. Later in night, Ashley is standing in the balcony of her room, smiling sweetly while looking at the dark sky. Yes, tama ang kanyang kaibigan. She's crazy but what would she do when she is secretly and crazily in love with Dusk, na tuwing makikita niya ito, her world is filled with happiness. Hindi niya rin alam kung bakit sa isang kindat, sa isang haplos, sa isang ngiti at sa isang salita lang ni Dusk ay napapaamo at napapasunod siya nito, na kahit ano ang sabihin nito, tumatalima siya. Sabi ng mama niya, she's just only sixteen or barely seventeen para sabihin or isiping love nga ang kanyang nararamdaman para sa binata but she knows she is in love with Dusk he is her air, that she can't live and breathe without him. She was so absorbed with her thought when her phone suddenly rings. Her lips twist into a smile while her heart leap for joy. She answers him sweetly. "Yes, Dusk?" "Baby Ash… gising ka pa, can't sleep huh?" Dusk husky voice made her excited. "Yes..." "I can't sleep too... Come, meet me on the shore," his voice was thick as honey. "I want to see you." Her heart went wild as she heard his last words... She immediately went out her room and out to their house… not minding everything. All she knows, Dusk wanted to see her. Si Dusk lang ba? Or pati siya?