Book Of Unknown

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Bellia’s Point Of View

The air was fresh yet relaxing, I left the room because Gabriel was no longer in the room where we were together. Matthew, on the other hand, has his own room but I noticed that he went to our room earlier before I even got up, I don’t know what he took and his purpose earlier in the room.

At seven o’clock, I told Aling Ria not to prepare me breakfast and I would rather just go straight out of the mansion. She didn’t insist though, and she let me do what I wanted to do. 

When I left the mansion, lots, sprawling, endlessly flowers here on the side and front of Matthew's grandfather's mansion. Mostly I know their names, there was a Jade Vine, this was called an emerald vine, I know this is one of the rarest and most expensive plants. Hooded Orchid, was lilac-colored and it was placed on the side of the mansion. Foxtail Orchid is stunningly beautiful. There’s also Narra, Monarch Rosemallow, Passiflora Moluccana, and Mussaenda Philippica.

As I took a look and peek at every flower I saw three gardeners and then I was greeted with good mornings, while the others were watering the flowers which were beautiful. Matthew’s grandfather’s people were really reliable.

As I walked I looked behind me and then looked up because the mansion was so high, my two eyes narrowed as the sunlight and my vision met. The breeze and the sunshine were fine, not hot on the skin, but very fine on the skin.

“Magandang umaga, Senyorita. Kung hinahanap niyo po sina Senyorito at Senyoro, e, nasa likod po sila ng mansyon, maligaya po silang naglalaro ng bilyard. Ang sabi po ni Senyorito Gabriel, e, sabihin ko raw po sa ‘yo kapag nakita kitang lumabas na ng kwarto ninyo.” A man in a large brown hat approached me and then pointed the way to the back of the mansion, “Dito po ang daan, Senyorita. Sundan niyo lang po ang mga bulaklak na mayroong katapusan sa dulo.”

I put my two palms on both legs and slightly bent in front of it and then gave it a sweet smile and said, “Salamat po.” I urged and then I followed the man’s gaze walking away from where I was standing.

I glanced at what the gardener had pointed out. It was a long walk because I could see so many different colored flowers towards the back of the mansion. My walk was light and slow towards my destination, I savored every breeze and then the flowers and plants that were stealthy when I looked at them.

The windows of the mansion are large, every corner of it is clean but things are not visible inside because it is blocked by long curtains. Malinis at maganda sa paningin ang daan na kulay asul at may pagkakulay kape na hugis kwadrado,  mayroong mga kakaunting d**o sa bawat gilid ng mga hugis kwadrado ngunit hindi naman ganoon kakapal at dagdag pa ito sa ganda sa paningin.

“Good morning.”

Inilingon ko ang aking sarili sa aking tabi at nakita si Matthew na lumabas sa isang pintuan ng mansyon, nakasuot siya ng sandong kulay puti ngunit maluwag at kita ang kanyang gilid ng katawan hanggang sa kaniyang baywang, habang ang kanyang suot na pang-ibaba ay kulay itim na pantalon. Basa ang kanyang buhok at dumadaloy sa kaniyang noo, ganito ba talaga kapagod ang paglalaro ng billiard?

Nginitian ko siya nang umayos ako sa pagkakatayo at saka tumigil sa paglalakad. “Good morning, too. Naglalaro raw kayo ng billiard? Bakit parang pagod ka? Tumakbo ka ba?”

Tumango siya bago niya hinablot ang dulo ng kanyang damit at saka pinunasan ang kaniyang pawis na nanggagaling sa kanyang noo. “Yep, we played billiards, actually kanina pang 5 o’clock. Ang aga nga nag-aya ni grandpa, he was too excited, halos hindi raw siya nakatulog nang maayos. I also couldn’t stand on my own when we carried the billiard table out of the mansion, I was too sleepy lately, and I bet Gabriel too.”

“I didn’t know that you are a sleepy-headed, too, huh? But, you’re sweating all over your face, Matt, aside from playing billiards, ano pang mas nakakapagod ang ginawa mo?” Tinuro ko ang kaniyang noo, naibaba ko ang pagkakaturo ko sa kaniya nang nadama kong masyado akong feeling-close sa tinanong ko. “So, yes, pupunta ako ngayon doon, ikaw ba?”

My mouth sniffed a little when I saw the color of his eyes, they were pure black. I barely heard him answer my question for reasons I don’t know.

I closed my mouth. “You wanna go with us after these months in California?” I ejaculated.

He frowned. “California? What will you guys do there? In September?”

“My mum and dad lived there, and they also has business in California, kaya hindi sila basta-bastang uuwi rito sa pilipinas, they just can’t leave their business just for me. So, I would like to visit them with my few friends, gusto ko na rin kasi silang makita in personally.” I laughed as I caressed my bandaged palm. “Actually, hindi ko pa nasasabi o nababanggit ‘man lang kay Gabriel tungkol dito, but I know that he would like to, and so are you?”

The sounds of the birds, the relaxing air passing us, the breeze, and the sunshine were on us.

He stared at me for a second and sniffed his mouth, “I don’t think it’s the right idea. You both should enjoy the trip together, I shouldn’t be a third-wheeler. Well, that’s nice, California is a nice country, I admit. He might get jealous, his jealousy might get high, too.” He adduced while fixing his hair.

I agree with him. After this, we talked about Mang Sinlac’s case, and Jordan’s words to me. Gabriel suddenly showed up in front of us while we’re having a deep conversation, they took a few steps away from me, when I looked at Gabriel, he did not even turn his gaze to me but his smirk didn’t fade on his face as if he meant it as he noticed that I was taking a peek on him.

After a minute, Matthew left us, he walked straight to the back of the mansion.

Finally, Gabriel turned his gaze to me. “Good morning.” He greeted me with his low voice.

He’s wearing a plum-silky long-sleeved tuck-in, paired with his dark-black pants. His first button was unbuttoned, his hair that pure colored black was so nice on the sight because he’s sweating just like Matthew.

“Good morning.” He greeted as he put his other hand in his pocket and licked his lower lip, “Is there something new?”

I got nothing to do and say but to stare at him, what’s with that question? May iba ba siyang ibig sabihin? Iba ang dating sa akin sa kaniyang tanong. “What do you mean by something?” I carried the courage to ask him this question.

Seconds after, he shook his head and a thin smile suddenly appeared on his face. “What I mean is, wala ka bang k’wento sa ‘kin? Maybe you had something there that you want to tell me these past hours, meron ba?”

“I got nothing? Oo wala naman,” tumingin ako sa kaniyang suot. “Bagay talaga sa ‘yo ang mga silky long-sleeves, huh, then you paired it with you dark-black pants, you really have fashion.”

Bahagya siyang tumawa at saka naglakad nang mabagal at sumunod naman ako. “Come on, Belle, nasa ibang henerasyon na tayo, we should have our own fashion, ang lanta kung wala kang fashion, ‘di ba? By the way, nine o’clock uwi natin, may oras pa naman para ma-enjoy mo ang pagpunta rito, you wanna let me to show you my favourite spot here in the mansion? I’m sure you will love it, too.” He adduced and kept turning himself to me while we’re walking.

“How could I say no to you? Kailan ba? Ngayon na ba? Ang lawak ng mansyon, mukhang malayo yata rito?” I excitedly asked.

Tumingin siya sa kaniyang ibaba at saka muling umiling. “No. Actually malayo nga rito, maybe we will took 5 minutes to get there if we only walk. Gusto mo na ba ngayon?” Sumulyap siya sa akin habang nakayuko ang kaniyang sarili at bahagyang ngumisi, nakataas pa ang magkabila niyang kilay, as if he’s saying that I should respond him a “yes”.

“Mm-hmm, I wanted to, pero ikaw ang bahala, may gagawin ka ba ngayon? Kung meron, mamaya na lang bago tayo umuwi,” sinabayan ko ng tango ang sinabi ko. “What’s with your favourite spot, then? Is there a lot of butterflies? Big trees? Uh- flowers?”

He turned when we reached the back of the mansion. I saw Matthew playing billiards with his grandfather, not far away but it looked like more than a hundred would still be a walk to get close to them. It’s fresher here, the taste of the air on the skin, it was like the season is winter.

“Wala naman. Magpaalam muna ako kay lolo, and then we will go straight there, ‘kay?” He said as he ran towards to them.

I watched him run towards the seat of the two. He immediately approached the old man, just a few seconds later and he motioned me to approach them. I could see the smile on his face as he talked to his grandfather. While Matthew was busy playing billiards, he seemed interested in practicing billiards.

I stopped next to him and the old man glanced at me, he smiled at me as it was hard for him to glance at me because of the breeze. “Are you going there now, Gabi? I haven’t played billiards yet with your best friend, we might run out of time and we can’t really play anymore.”

He shook his head and caressed its back. “She can’t play billiards, ‘lo. Don’t worry, I’ll teach her how to play billiards so that you both can play billiards soon. Next time we will visit you here, expect us to invite you to play with us, okay?” He said to him nicely.

He’s so nice with old peoples, pati rin sa lola ko rati, he always making fun with lola back then when we were a child. Hindi ko lang alam kung pati sa mga bata ay gusto niya.

Nagpaalam siya rito at pinayagan naman kami, lumapit siya kay Matthew at parang may binulong, sumulyap sa akin si Matthew habang hawak nito ang cue stick at saka tumango, bigla naman nawala ang ngiti sa labi.

I followed him as we walked away from the two, also just behind the mansion. It was very wide here, but farther away the ground was already grassy, not so thick and just right, you could lie down here.

Tahimik lamang kaming naglalakad habang nasa likuran niya ako, nakatingin lang ako sa aking mga paang naglalakad habang magkahawak ang dalawa kong kamay. I should say sorry to him, from everything I’ve done, this is the right time for that, Belle. I was just walking straight when I suddenly bumped into his back as he stopped walking. Napahawak ako sa aking noo habang nakatingin sa kaniyang ulo, ang tangkad kasi.

He turned himself to me and a wide smile appeared on his face, oh, my god, that smile you are wearing right now, Gab, it’s killing me inside. Bahagyang niyang iginalaw ang kaniyang ulo na parang sinasabi niyang lumingon ako sa kanyang harapan.

When I looked in front of us, dahan-dahang nawala ang pagkakahawak ko sa aking noo dahil sa nakikita sa harapan namin ngayon.

“That’s our kites?” I murmured.

There is a cradle, two blue and green kites are tied to it, only one tree is here, the rope of the cradle is supported by a tree branch. On its side there is a wooden chair, there are five small pots on it with various flowers planted, that’s cute. The two kites are in sync in the wind, they are dancing under the tree.

He suddenly appeared in my side vision and I could see his wide smile. “How was it? Do you like it?”

Lumingon ako sa kaniya at muling ibinalik ang tingin ko sa favourite spot niya, lumapit ako sa duyan at hinawak ito habang tinitingnan ko ang mga bulaklak na nasa maliit na paso, gawa niya ba ito? I thought he don’t like flowers?

Ang isang saranggola na kulay pula ay hindi na nanggaling sa akin ‘yon, gumawa siya ng bago dahil hindi ko na naiuwi ang sa akin galing sa ibang bansa. Sa pagbalik ko roon, kukunin ko at ibibigay ulit sa kaniya para mas mabuo ang alaala ng saranggola namin.

“Thank you,” ani ko nang bahagya akong tumingin sa kaniya, inilibot ko naman kaagad ang paningin ko sa puno. “This is so nice, pero dulo na ba ito ng mansyon? Malayo na sa puwesto nila. But really, thank you for showing me this, Gab, I really do appreciate i—”

“I miss you. I was really, really, madly worried about you yesterday.”