Her Heart

Chapter Five

"ATE!" her sister screamed at the top of her lungs.

She rolled into the other side of the bed and groaned in agony. Her head is throbbing like a b***h, ilang araw pa lang siya sa pinas ay puro inom lang ang ginawa niya. Last night she went out with her college friends, they had a blast last night. It was fun that for a short period of time she had forgotten about her five years of heartbreak.

"What?!" she asked in annoyance.

"Sabi ni Mama bumaba ka na raw para sa tanghalian," naramdaman niyang lumubog ang kamang hinihigaan. "Ate?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled, still closing her eyes.

"Nagkabalikan na kayo ni Von Rix?" bulong nito.

Napadilat tuloy siya ng wala sa oras, "Anong pinagsasabi mo riyan?"

She saw her sister looking at her, "Nagtatanong lang ano!"

"Ikaw talaga napaka chismosa mo!" saka binato ang unan na nasa tabi niya.

"Grabe siya! So wala kang boyfriend ngayon Ate?"

"Ang aga-aga ha!" reklamo niya saka pinandilatan ng mata ang kapatid niya.

"Tanghali na po, Madame! Sagutin mo na lang kasi, Ate. Napaka-showbiz mo naman, ha."

She rolled her eyes, "Wala kaya manahimik ka. Ang sakit-sakit ng ulo ko dinadagdagan mo pa."

"Wow parang kasalanan ko pang nag-iinom ka kagabi?!"

"Isa sa sabunutan talaga kita," pagbabanta niya.

"'To naman 'di mabiro. Kumain ka na sa baba, Madame. Maligo ka na rin, manunuod tayo ng liga Ate. May palaro kasi ang barangay ngayon, baka maraming gwapo."

"Kuu! Kalandi-landi, ah. Sumbong kita kay Papa."

Umupo siya mula sa pagkakahiga at inayos tinali ang buhok niyang magulo. She stood up and left her annoying sister in the room. Magkatabi kasi silang matulog, mayroong apat na kwarto sa lumang bahay nila. Isa para sa mga magulang niya, ang isa ay para dalawang kapatid na lalaki. Ang natitirang kwarto ay sa Lola niya at sa kanila ng kapatid niyang babae.

When she went down she saw her mother. Nag-aayos ito ng mesa.

"Kumain ka na, nagluto ako ng sabaw para sa 'yo."

"Si Papa, Ma?" she asked and walked towards the chair.

"Nasa shop niya. Wala ka bang lakad ngayon?" her mother asked.

"Hmm. Wala naman, bukas pala Ma aalis tayo. Mag-lunch na lang tayo sa labas for Nics birthday. Para hindi na kayo magluto pa."

"Ikaw bahala, Anak."

Nginitian niya ang ina at nag-umpisang kumain. Masakit pa rin talaga ang ulo niya, nasobrahan siya sa inom kagabi. Bunti na lang at inihatid siya ng kaibigan niya pauwi.

Kung wala siya sa bahay ay inaasikaso niya ang bahay na binili niya. She makes sure everything is going smoothly, the last time she saw Von Rix was a few days ago. Kahit na magkapit-bahay sila ay hindi niya ito nakikita. It was a good thing, seeing him makes her go crazy.

"Ate!" sigaw ng kapatid niya habang pababa ito ng hagdan.

"Ano? Makasigaw ka akala mo nasa kabilang baranggay ako,” she stated and rolled her eyes.

“Manuod tayo ng basketball ngayon!”

“Nah. Hindi ako mahilig riyan—”

“Eh, yung player gusto mo?” pabiro pang tanong ni Nikka.

“Tse!”

HINDI niya alam paano pero napapayag siya ng kapatid niya. Well, her friends were there too. To cheer for their spouses. She was sitting on the bench, crossing her legs. Katabi niya sa kanan ang kapatid niya at si Ishie sa kabila. The game was held at the barangay covered court. Hindi kagaya ng dati na walang kabuhay-buhay ang covered court ay mayroon na itong bench at closed hall na ito.

“Sino pala players ngayon?” she asked while pinching the cheeks of Ishie’s son.

She couldn’t help but wonder what her child would look like. Back then, her plan was if she reach the age of twenty four she will have a baby but that time. Kaso ilang hakbang na lang at mag-ti-trenta na siya. What she had planned and pictured out didn’t happen. Lumagapak ang mga plano at pangarap niya.

“Kasama si Kuya at si Tony sa isang team. Kalaban nila iyong mga taga pitong kanto,” sagot Ishie habang nagtitipa sa cellphone nito.

Napalunok siya sa kaba. Kapatid ni Ishie si Von Rix hindi malabong kasali ito sa laro.Abot hanggang langit ang kabog ng kanyang dibdib. Ngunit hindi niya ipinahalata at nilaro-laro ang buhok ng kanyang inaanak.

"Kuya!"

Putang ina. Unang salitang naisip niya nang marinig ang salitang kuya. Masyadong gago ang tadhana sa kanya. Gustong-gusto talaga nitong nahihirapa siya

"Ate si Von Rix, oh!" biglang bulong ni Nikka sa kanya na ikinagulat niya.

Kamuntikan niya pang mabitawan ang bata sa gulat. She was about to curse her sister to death but she saw Von Rix walking towards them holding a towel and energy drink in his hand. Their gaze met, agad niyang iniwas ang kanyang mata. Iba-iba na talaga ang itsura nito kumpara dati. Kung dati-rati'y payat ang katawan nito ngayon ay halatang nag-gi-gym na ito. He wasn't the bulky type but it was way different when they were still together. Kahit nga siya ay nagbago rin ang katawan.

"Papa Tito!" sigaw ni Theo at kumalas sa pagkakahawak niya. Kumaripas ito ng takbo papunta sa tiyuhin nito. Iniwas niya ang tingin. Abot langit ang kaba niya.

Napalunok siya nang makitang nakatingin sa kanya si Ishie. Nakangisi ito sa kanya.

"Bakit?" pautal-utal niyang tanong.

Ngumiti ito ng napakatamis bago tumugon, "Hmm. Wala, mas gumanda ka ngayon. Fresh na fresh!"

"Pinagloloko mo lang ako," she said between her laugh.

"'Di ba Kuya? Mas gumanda si Ave?" Ishie asked, she was taken a back for a few seconds. Saka lang nagrehistro sa isipan niya ang sinabi ng kaibigan.

Kaibigan niya ba 'to? Ang sarap talagang bigwasan minsan. She plaster a fake smile, tumaas ang kilay ng binata at pinagmasdan siya habang karga-karga nito si Theo.

"Pumayat siya," he stated. Bumalik ulit ng tingin nito sa pamangkin nito. He played with his nephew and didn't bother to look at her again.

Pumayat. Hindi manganda payat lang.

"Eh 'di don't!" she thought.

She know she isn't pretty like any of his exes, hindi rin siya sing sexy ng iba. She just know few little things in life. Pag dating talaga sa binata ay bumababa ang pagtingin niya sa sarili. There was no competition, but she was too afraid to lose.

Hindi na lang siya nagsalita ulit at nanahimik na lang habang kinakalikot ang cellphone. When the game started saka pa niya binitawan ang cellphone. Von Rix is a good basketball player, he knows his ways and moves on the court. Kahit mismo sa kusina magaling ito. Kaya nga kung anu-ano ang pinapakain nito sa kanya. She hates vegetables and he would cook for her everytime they would have a date. Kaya nga nagtaka siya bakit IT ang course na kinuha nito noong college. But things happened and he didn't finish IT. They're family was in a huge problem and he had to stop studying. Kaya noong naging sila ay nagtatrabaho na ito.

He was a happy go lucky man.

"Go Kuya!" Ishie cheered when Von Rix was dribbling the ball.

Saglit itong sumulyap sa gawi nila bago i-shoot ang bola. The ball fell onto the basket perfectly. Pumapalakpak na lang siya. There were girls cheering for Von Rix too. Hindi niya maiwasang ngumiti ng mapait. She didn't have the chance to cheer for him. They may have been together for years yet their relationship was hidden. It was ironic, they live in the same place yet it feels like they were too far from each other. Tuwing nagkakasalubong sila ay hindi sila nag-uusap at nagpapansinan. Her parents were against being in a relationship, especially with Von Rix. For her parents Von Rix didn't pass their standards. Hindi ito nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo kaya sa tingin nila ay hindi ito nababagay sa kanya. Her parents were rooting for someone that is financially stable. But despite of her parents being against with them they still loved each other, pinagkakasya na lang ang sarili sa kakaramput na oras na magkasama.

Her heart clenched in pain when a woman screamed for Von Rix's name. Hanggang ngayon ay nasasaktan siya sa kaunting bagay ang pinagkaiba lang ay wala na siyang karapatan ngayon. She's already an ex, baka nga nobya ni Von Rix ang sumigaw o 'di kaya asawa na nito. Von Rix is already thirty-one and he is at the marrying age.

Maybe he already have kids, like what he really wanted. . . good for him— ouch for her.

Kung sana pumayag siyang magpakasal rito noon.

Kung sana lang. Kaso hindi ganun kadali ang sitwasyon niya noon. She was the eldest and she had to do her duty.

The thought of Von Rix being married pains her, hanggang kailan ba siya masasaktan sa isang kahapong hindi na nila maibabalik?

Makakalaya kaya siya sa kahapon? O habang buhay ng titibok sa isang lalaki ang puso niya?

Right now she couldn't see herself loving someone, si Von Rix pa rin hanggang ngayon.

He will always remain as her first love and greatest heart ache.