Million Words

Word 06

Kanina pang nakatitig si Neil sa kanyang cell phone na nasa tabi niya. Flashing with an unregistered number, the cell phone was ringing for a while now receiving a call. His brows were meeting each other closing the small gap in between it, frowning. He already declined the call for a couple of times, yet it keeps calling him. He didn’t even remember giving his number to anyone his number recently and no one asked for it from him. So, he really had no clue of who is on the other side of the line that keeps bothering him.

He was supposed to shut down the mobile phone when his thumb accidentally swiped the answer button. There was a sudden silence after he realized he unintentionally answered the call. A familiar voice echoed through the speakers of the phone.

“Finally! Sinagot mo rin, babe,” bungad ng taong tumatawag sa kanya.

His fingers swiftly ended the call in no time. Kahit iyon pa lang ang nasasabi ng nasa kabilang linya ay alam na niya agad kung sino ito. He took a deep breath, massaging his temple with both hands. Hindi ba siya nito tatantanan? At saan ba nito nakuha ang phone number niya?

Tumawag itong muli na kinainis niya lalo rito. Pinatay niya ang naturang telepono at hinagis niya ito sa kanyang kama. It’s better this way. He might consider changing his number too. Kaunti lang naman ang nasa contacts niya kaya madali niya lang masasabihan ang mga ito na nagbago siya ng phone number.

He left his room, leaving his phone on the bed. His mom was calling him already to go downstairs. Kanina pa siya hinihintay ng mga magulang niya sa sala upang pumunta na sa bahay ng bagong kapitbahay nila. Natagalan lang siya dahil nga sa tumatawag sa kanya. He took some time to finally decide to shut his phone down.

“Coming, mom!” he yelled back, taking his steps at the stairs.

“Ano bang ginagawa mong bata ka? Ang tagal mo bumaba. Nakakahiya naman kina Mercy,” sambit ng mom niya.

“Mercy?” nagtatakang tanong niya.

“Iyong nakausap ko kanina at nag-aya sa akin. Sila iyong bagong lipat,” his mom explained.

“Ahh okay,” sagot na lamang niya. Wala talaga siyang plano na pumunta pa roon kung hindi lang siya pinilit ng mom niya. Mas pipiliin pa niya na maglaro na lang ng online game sa loob ng kuwarto niya kung siya ang masusunod.

There were only few people inside the new house when they stepped in. Mostly, mga kapitbahay lang din nila ang nandito. Some were having fun at the garden and the others were at the dining and living room enjoying their plates of food. It looked like they came late.

A beautiful youthful woman approached them, smiling, with a frowning guy following her. The guy was murmuring something to her that they couldn’t hear. The woman welcomed them having a cheek to cheek with his mom.

“Akala ko hindi na kayo pupunta rito, mare,” paunang sabi ng babaeng sumalubong sa kanila.

“Nako, mare, pasensya na. Ang tagal kasi nitong binata ko na lumabas ng kuwarto niya,” hingi ng paumanhin ng mom ni Neil. Tumingin ito sa kanya nang bahagya bilang pagturo nito sa kanyang direksyon.

Neil was only watching them talk until his eyes shifted gaze on his right most peripheral vision. He was slightly had taken aback on his feet. The guy was looking at him intently like he did some kind of a crime. He composed himself and countered the guy’s sharp look. His eyes focused on countering the guy’s unexplained gaze. He then realized that he looked so manly with his broad shoulders. He assumed they’re on the same age. Hindi kasi ito ganoon kabata tingnan at hindi rin matured looking. Matured looking in a sense that his already at mid-twenties.

“Ito na ba ang magiging CPA mo, mare?” tiningnan siya ng babae nang maigi sa mukha. Sa tingin niya ito ang nakausap ng mom niya kanina. The one she called Mercy. Hindi halata sa mukha ang edad nito lalo na kung anak nito ang lalaking nakatayo sa lakuran nito’t nakasunod.

His mom nodded proudly.

“Naku, mare, ang guwapo rin naman pala ng anak mo,” pagbalik nito ng pansin sa mom niya. “Oo nga pala.” Tumingin ito sa likuran nito at hinawakan sa braso ang lalaki. “Ito pala ang anak ko, si Russel,” pakilala nito sa kanila.

“Ang guwapo rin ng anak mo, mare. Mukhang magkakasundo sila nito ni Neil lalo na’t parehong university pala ang pinapasukan nila.” His mom glanced at him. “You know him, Neil?”

“Maybe. Maybe not,” he shrugged. Sa laki ba naman ng paaralan nila ay makikilala niya kaya ang lahat ng students dito? Maybe he just knew some of the students by face, but not their names. His mom elbowed him on his side, unnoticed.

“Ikaw ba, Russel, you know Neil?” hirit ng mom niya.

Russel took one last scrutinizing look at him. “Of course, I know him,” with a smile on his face, almost like a grin, he replied.

“Really?” Neil’s mom almost couldn’t believe it.

“Sino ba ang hindi makakakilala kay Neil, tita? He’s one of the surviving accountancy students in our school and the best friend of one of our school’s top accountancy student, Xavier, am I right?” Tumingin ito kay Neil. In a snap of a finger, the smile on his face vanished turning into a serious one the moment he turned his back on both of their moms. It was just a matter of seconds when he smiled again.

Weird. Neil said to himself.

Talking about some other stuff in life, their moms left them standing in silence like they forgot they’re with their sons. Neil doesn’t know what to do. His mom left him with someone he just met. He smiled awkwardly. This is one of the reasons why he doesn’t want to attend celebrations like this. He will be just left on his own once his mom and his dad finally start a talk with other people on their age or so. “So, what now?” napangiwing sambit niya.

Russel moved closer to him. Umakbay ito sa kanya na ikinagulat niya. “Samahan na lang kita sa table. Hindi pa kayo kumakain, ‘di ba? Kakarating niyo lang.” Hinapit siya nito papunta sa kung nasaan ang mga pagkain. He handed him a plate. “Grab in.” Naglagay na ito ng pagkain sa plato nito kung kaya’t sumunod na rin siya.

***

“Russ, ano pala course mo? Wala kasi akong maalala na nakita na kita sa school,” tanong niya sa kanyang katabi. Currently, they were sitting at the pool side; their feet hanging on the cold steady water of the swimming pool at the other side of the house- Russel’s house.

“Secret. I don’t want to be famous like you,” Russel teased, gently smirking.

“Ayy gago,” hindi makapaniwalang usal ni Neil. “Famous mo mukha mo. Wala nga akong ginawa na nakakabilib sa school. Sikat pa sinabi.”

“You’re friends with Xavier, best friends to be exact, right?” nakataas ang mga kilay nitong tanong.

Napakunot ang noo niya. His eyes squinted, intently looking at Russel, questioning. “Oo. Ano naman connect?”

“Xavier is famous. You’re his best friend. So, you’re also famous just like him.”

He laughed. Hindi niya alam ngunit ang gaan ng pakiramdam niyang makipag-usap dito. Nasapak pa niya ito sa braso dahil sa logic nito. “Ewan ko sa ‘yo. So, ano nga course mo?”

“Bakit mo ba gustong malaman? Hindi naman na iyon importante. Lowkey student lang din naman ako.”

“Maniwala. Baka nga sikat ka sa course niyo. Hindi ko lang alam kasi nga may sariling mundo kaming mga accountancy students.” Tiningnan lamang siya nito na tila nagsasabi na, “Kailangan ko pa ba talaga sabihin? Big deal?”

“Anong year mo na lang?” pagsuko niya rito. There’s really no chance he’ll get an answer from him on what degree he’s studying.

“Graduating na ako ngayong taon,” ngumiti ito ng nakakaloko.

Naloko na. He thought he can trick him and get some information with that question. If Russel simply told him he will be fourth year or fifth year this coming academic year, he could trim down the courses offered at their school. Elimination method. Naisahan siya nito.

“Nice try, Neil. But I know what you are thinking.” Russel patted his head. Nainis lamang siya sa sinabi nito’t tinanggal niya ang kamay nito sa kanyang ulo. Doon pa lang niya napansin na silang dalawa na lang pala ang nandoon sa pool area.

“Anong oras na pala, Russ?” out of nowhere he asked.

“Uuwi ka na? Mamaya ka na umuwi. Magkaharap lang naman mga bahay natin. Usap muna tayo.”

“Ano naman pag-uusapan natin? Ayaw mo nga akong sagutin,” tila nauubusan na ng pasensya sa kanyang kausap.

“Bakit? Nanliligaw ka ba sa akin para sagutin kita?” seryoso ang mukha nitong sabi.

Nasapak niya ito nang wala sa oras. “Russel, naman. Seryoso tanong ko.” Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin.

“I’m serious too, Neil.” Tiningnan din siya nito ng seryoso pero unti-unting napalis ang pagiging seryoso nito. Napalitan ng ngisi at natawa ito.

Tumayo na siya. Walang kwenta ang kasalukuyan niyang kausap. He better go home now.

Russel stopped him having a grip on his wrist. “Ito naman hindi na mabiro. Inaalis ko lang naman ang awkwardness sa pagitan natin. I know you felt it too when we were introduced by our moms. Pinagagaan ko lang paligid natin.” Kumamot ito sa batok nito. “Okay. I’ll answer your questions if you have. Pero hindi ko pa rin sasabihin kung ano ang course at year level ko.”

Russel is really serious about not telling his degree. Neil sighed. Ano pa nga bang magagawa niya?

Nagtatawanan silang naglakad papasok ng bahay nina Russel upang ligpitin ang mga wala nang laman na bote. Hindi nila namalayan ang oras sa pag-uusap nila kasabay ng pag-inom ng flavoured beer. They became comfortable on each other already as they were having a conversation. Malalim na ang gabi nang napagpasyahan na nila na umalis na sa pool area. The lights outside, at the garden area, were out already. The lights on both sides of the gate were the only ones left turned on other than the lights from inside the house.

“Russ, uwi na ako ah,” paalam ni Neil nang maayos na nila ang dapat na ligpitin.

“Wait up. Hatid na kita sa labas. You’re still a guest though.”

“Well, if you really insist that, then, okay, suit yourself, Russel,” natatawang sagot niya.

Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto paglabas nila ng bahay. Pinaninindigan talaga nito sa kanya na isa siyang bisita na kailangan pagsilbihan. Hindi na niya napigilan ang tawa nang pati ang gate ay pinagbuksan pa siya na tila isa itong guard na nagbabantay dito.

“Dami mong kalokohan. Tabi na nga. Uuwi na talaga ako,” sambit niya habang palabas ng gate. Napahinto siya sa pagtawa at nangunot ang kanyang noo at nagsalubong ang kanyang mga kilay. May lalaki na nakatalikod sa kanila. Nakatingin ito sa bahay nila. What is he doing here at this hour?

“Oh! I thought you’re going home?” Russel followed him out the gate, laughing silently. Nahinto rin ito sa pagtawa nang mapansin nito na napatigil siya.

May hindi maipaliwanag na ekspresyon sa mukha na lumingon sa kanila ang lalaki. Si Shawn. Mabibigat ang hakbang nito na lumapit sa kanila.

“Oy, Shawn, bro, what are doing here?” Russel greeted. Hindi siya pinansin ni Shawn. Instead, Shawn roughly pulled Neil closer to him.

“I’m warning you, Russel. Don’t you ever make a wrong move. Neil’s mine.”