Children of Bridgetines II Raven

Chapter 5

Raven | Mall

Ate Nikki and Kuya Hunt's wedding day came. We were all in Tagaytay.

To my dismay, Rich seems to avoid me. He doesn't acknowledge me or talk to me. It's like we've never met. Madali naman akong kausap -- ayaw mo, huwag mo.

This week at school isn't so busy. Midterms just ended. I was under the tree reading when my friend came.

"Hello gorgeous!"

I don't have to look up to see who it was. Only HE calls me that.

"Nate."

Lumapit sya sa akin at agad na umakbay. "Do you want to jam with us this Saturday?"

"It doesn't come for free." nakangisi kong sabi sa kanya

Umasim naman bigla ang mukha nito. "Anong gusto ng mahal na prinsesa?"

"Pag-iisapan ko muna. Madami na akong cleats."

"May klase ka pa ba?"

"Wala na, katetext lang ng kaklase ko. May sakit daw prof, self study na lang daw today. Bakit?"

"Samahan mo ako sa mall. Titingin ako ng bagong gitara."

Magkaklase kami sa ibang subject pero hindi lahat. Napakunot noo ako "Wala ka ng klase?"

"Wala na, last na yung kanina. Ano na?"

"Sige, tara."

"Kotse mo?"

Napatawa ako. "Asa ka. Dun tayo sa kotse mo."

"Napakadamot mo talaga. Bakit ayaw mong magpasakay?"

"Eh ayaw ko nga, marunong ka pa sa may-ari?"

Napailing iling na lang ito.

I broke that rule not too long ago. Pinasakay ko si Rich. Oh well, there's always a first.

Nang makarating kami sa kotse nya ay ipinagbukas pa nya ako ng pinto. May pagka gentleman din naman itong lalakeng ito eh.

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman sya pangit. Mabait. Magaling mag gitara at kumanta. Matalino. At madami kaming pinagkakapareho. Kaya nga naging matalik kong kaibigan si Nate.

Minsan, nahuhuli ko syang nakatingin sa akin pero hindi ko na lang pinapansin at binibigyan ng malisya. Alam ko namang maganda talaga ako. Hahaha!

Umupo ako sa shotgun seat. Bihirang bihira ako umupo sa ganito dahil palagi ko namang dala ang kotse ko. Babalikan ko na lang dito sa campus mamya, tutal hindi naman kami ganoon katagal sa mall. Siguro pinakamatagal na ang isang oras.

Tumingin ako sa relo ko -- alas dos pa lang ng hapon. Maaga pa.

Nang makarating kami sa mall at nagpark si Nate, umikot pa talaga sya para ipagbukas ako ng pinto. Pumopogi points! Nginitian ko na lang sya.

Heto na nga, pumasok kami sa mall at nagtungo sa music store na sinasabi nya. Habang nagtitingin sya ng magugustuhan nya, ako naman naupo dito sa may pinto, glass wall kaya kitang kita ko ang mga tao sa labas. Pinick up ko ang gitara na acoustic, nakaplug sa ampli at sinimulang tumipa. Pumikit ako. 

Narinig ko lang ito sa radio station at nagandahan ako. 

We were in the backseat

Drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar

"I rent a place on Cornelia Street"

I say casually in the car

We were a fresh page on the desk

Filling in the blanks as we go

As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead

Leading us homeAnd I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends

I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend

I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name

And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away

I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

Nang matapos ko ang pagkanta ko ay puno na pala ng tao ang labas ng music store at ang mga nasa loob naman ay pinaikutan ako. Pinalakpakan nila ako. Ako naman, nag-curtsy at nginitian sila. Feel na feel ko talaga.

Humiling sila ng isa pang kanta pero umiling na ako. Lumapit sa akin si Nate at inakbayan ako, iginiya ako sa kinaroroonan ng gitarang pinagiisipan nyang bilhin.

"Talagang nagconcert ka pa kanina, walang patawad." tatawa tawang sabi nya sa akin.

"Inggit ka? Magconcert ka din, tingnan ko nga kung palibutan ka rin ng tao." binelatan ko sya

"Makadila ka, para kang bata." Pinanggigilan nya ang mga pisngi ko at saka nagtago sa kabilang rack para hindi ko sya gantihan.

"Awww! Nathaniel!!! Tatamaan ka sa akin kapag inabot kita!" para kaming mga batang nagpatintero sa loob ng music store.

Nang mapagod na ito sa pag-iwas sa akin ay tumaas na ang kamay bilang pag-surrender.

"Akala mo naman ganyan na lang yan. Manlibre ka ng merienda, ginutom mo 'ko."

"Merienda lang pala hindi mo pa sinabi agad. Pinagod mo pa ako!" reklamo nya sa akin, hingal na hingal.

"Ano na, saan na yung pinagpipilian mo ng makakain na tayo." naiinip na sabi ko sa kanya.

"Eto na mahal ko -- este mahal na prinsesa.."

Narinig ko yun pero binalewala ko.

"Epiphone na sunburst o Fender na puti?"

"Fender." sabi ko

"Okay, Fender it is."

"Teka, bibilhin mo na ngayon?"

"Oo sana -- para gamitin ko sa Sabado."

"Di ba birthday mo na sa linggo?"

"Uyyy... naalala. May sakit ka?" tudyo nya sa akin. Sinalat pa ang noo ko.

"Tarantado. Lagay mo sa counter. Bibilhin ko, regalo ko sa 'yong pangit ka."

Natigilan ito. "Sigurado ka? Mahal yan."

"Ayaw mo?"

"Syempre gusto, bukod sa regalo mo sa birthday ko eh ikaw ang magbabayad." nakangisi nyang sabi sa akin.

"Para ano pa at naging bestfriend kita kung hindi ko mabibili sa 'yo yan. Besides, parang ito yata ang una kong regalo sa yo. Dami mo ng birthday pero wala naman akong binibigay sa 'yo."

"Hindi naman kailangan. Kasama lang kita sa birthday ko -- okay na."

"Dami mong arte, para kang babae. Halika na nga!"

"Babae daw. Pinag-aagawan ng babae ang mukha at katawan na ito!" nagflex pa ng muscle nya, parang tanga.

"Pinag-aagawan -- nasaan?"

"You'll see. Maglakad ka rin kasi minsan sa campus ng kasama ko para makita mo yung mga nagkakandarapa sa akin."

"O sige, subukan natin yan sa Lunes. Kapag nabigo ka, sa akin na lang yang gitara. Deal?"

Ngumiwi naman sya "Akala ko ba regalo mo sa akin eh bakit parang feeling ko gusto mong bawiin?"

Tumawa ako. "Biro lang, sensitive mo. Tara bayaran na natin tapos ilibre mo na ako ng merienda. Gusto ko ng isaw at barbeque."

"Yun lang?"

"Oo nga. Tara naaaaaaa!" I gave him an eyeroll at hinila ang kamay nya.

Richard

Nagpunta kami ni Hunter sa mall para bumili ng pinapabili ni Mommy dahil flight ko na sa makalawa. Pinapauwi na ako ni Dad at tambak na rin ang trabaho sa opisina.

Nadaanan namin ang music store at narinig kong may kumakanta. Parang kaboses ni Raven pero baka guni guni ko lang. Sa sobrang pagkamiss ko sa kanya, naririnig ko na ang boses nya kahit saan ako magpunta.

Simula ng insidente sa condo nya ay pinilit kong iwasan sya. She doesn't seem to mind and she looks content talking and spending time with her friends and family. She played with Lexi on the floor even though she was wearing a nice dress.

"Bud, do you see your girl?" untag sa akin ni Hunter

Lumingon ako at nakita ko syang kumakanta. People are starting to watch her pero iniwang bakante ang entrance ng tindahan kaya napanood namin sya kahit nasa kalayuan kami.

Saglit kaming tumigil at pinanood sya. "Hindi mo ba lalapitan?" tanong nya sa akin.

"Nope, we're okay here."

When she finished, she even curtsied. Cute.

Until a guy walked towards her and put his arms around her. This was the same guy in the club. She said his name is Nate. Mayamaya pa ay lumabas silang nagtatawanan dala ang gitarang nasa soft case. Nakaakbay pa rin. I clenched my teeth.

I heard Hunt sighed. "Let's go bud. Leave them be."

I took one last look and followed Hunter.

Nang makarating ako sa bahay namin sa Lipa ay yamot na yamot pa rin ako.

I started packing when my phone rang.

"Mom.."

"Hey sweetie. How are you?"

"Okay."

"You don't sound okay, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Is it a woman?" I'm so frustrated, I sighed and Mom heard it. "Oh dear! It is a woman."

"Do you know Uncle Leo's friends here? I mean have you met them?"

"Of course! During their wedding. Why?"

"Do you know the Pastors?"

"Rafe and Shelly, yes. They're a few years younger than me but they're really nice people."

"I'm in love with their daughter."

"Raven?" gulat na sabi nya.

"You know her?" F*ck! She knows her?

"Of course! Kapag nagkakasabay kami ng uwi ng uncle mo ay nagdidinner kaming lahat including the kids. You probably don't remember her though."

"What do you mean?"

"You used to play with her when she was little." Double f*ck! Now I really feel old. "Don't you remember? Let me see. She was 2 at the time and you were 11. You saw her playing with the other girls - your cousin Liv, Nikki, the Sevilla twins."

"I really don't remember that."

"Okay. How about the time you were 16 and you went with Liv to the Philippines. We stayed for two weeks. She was 7 then. Liv was to babysit her and give her a voice lesson at the time. And you chose to stay with her and watch.  Her parents were running late and the rain was pouring so they couldn't get her on time. Do you remember that?"

Pumikit ako at binalikan ang bakasyon kong iyon dito sa Pilipinas.

Holy sh*t! SHE’S THE KID WHO ROLLS HER EYES A LOT ON ME! She said she doesn’t talk to stranger and then she started speaking in a two different languages that I don’t understand. She still has to translate that for me now that I remember.

I found her annoying and cute at the same time. But then I grew up and met a lot of different women, I totally forgot about her.

And now she's grown up to be such a beautiful woman.

"I remember her now Mom. She's that kid who rolls her eyes a lot on me."

Narinig ko ang halakhak ng aking ina. "Yup, that's Raven. So, what are you planning to do? She's what 20?"

"21." pagtatama ko sa kanya. God! Mom made her even younger!!

Lalo na itong natawa. "Para isang taon lang naman, affected agad?" tudyo nya sa akin.

"Mom!" I have a very close relationship with my Mom, the great supermodel Cindy Marin as her screen name. Her full name is Cynthia Marin Montemayor - Sanz. Pareho sila ni Lola na Marin ang ginamit sa business.

"That's a big age gap sweetie. She's still in school right?"

"Uh-huh."

"I don't think Rafe will let you marry her while she's still in school. You have to wait. Can you do that?"

"I think so."

"You don't think. If you're really sure about her, then you do it."

"I've been avoiding her."

"Why?"

"She's too much."

My mother snorted. "I think you've finally met your match. No more casual dating for you and your bachelor days are over, my son."

I sighed.

"Okay, I'll see you in a couple days. I trust you got what I was telling you to buy."

"Yes, I have it." Nagpabili sya ng mga batik.

"Okay. Good! Now decide if you're going to see her today or not. You still have a day and a half."

I choose NOT to see her.