Luna

UNO

LUNA | UNO

TUNOG ng pagkiskis ng sandok sa kawali, ang pagtalansik ng mantika at ang maingay na pag-iyak ng takure ang gumising kay Isabel.

Sa pagmulat ng kanyang mga mata, mula sa nakabukas nang bintana, sinag ng haring araw ang sumalubong sa kanya. Isang maliit na ngiti ang sumipol sa manipis na labi niya dahil doon.

Lalong lumawak ang ngiti niya sa kanyang labi nang bumangon siya at nag-inat.

Her mother taught her to be thankful every day she woke up for a new beginning. Dahil hindi raw lahat ng living things sa mundo ay nabibigyan ng pagkakataon para mabuhay.

She stayed on her bed for a second, sitting, before she decided to get off the bed to start doing her morning routine. Mula sa pagligo, pagsuot ng uniporme at sapatos, pagsuklay sa lampas balikat at kulot sa dulo na kanyang buhok hanggang sa paglagay niya ng kaunting pulbo sa kanyang makinis na mukha. Naglagay din siya ng kaunting pabango sa likod ng kanyang tenga at pulso. And once she’s ready to leave her room, she glanced at herself in a full-length mirror once again before she headed toward their small kitchen.

But Isabel paused from entering the kitchen. The sight of her mom serving the cup of coffee to his father who is sitting in front of the dining table, reading a daily newspaper made her heart filled with happiness and contentment. Kahit na isang linggo pa bago ang kanyang kaarawan, hinihiling na niya na sana, kada umaga ganito lagi ang naaabutan niya.

Her mother, Ella Ruiz, is a good housewife. A five feet and five inches tall. Mukha pa rin itong dalaga kahit na nasa apatnapu't pitong taong gulang na ito. Suot nito ang hanggang sakong ang haba na kulay lila na bestida na napapatungan ng puting apron at pinaresan ng itim na flat shoes. Mas lalo itong nagmukhang dalaga dahil sa itim na itim nitong buhok na lampas hanggang balikat ang haba. Her black hair really suits with her latin skin tone. Her almond-shaped eyes seem to always express patience, love, and contentment. Ella always put a sweet smile on her thin lips, making her really approachable. Well, even if she’s not smiling, she always looks kind and a helpful woman.

Her mother’s smile is one of her favorite things in the world.

Nang mapansin siya ng kanyang ina na nakatayo lang siya sa pintuan, nginitian siya nito at tinawag. “Isabel, gising ka na pala. Halika, maupo ka na rito nang makapag-almusal ka na.”

Ibinaba naman ng kanyang ama ang binabasang diyaryo saka nito tinupi iyon at tinabi sa gilid ng lamesa. Her father then looked at her as he adjusted his eyeglasses, a smile crept on his lips.

Napangiti na rin siya. Nakakahawa ang ngiting binigay sa kanya ng kanyang magulang. She rushed inside to clung onto his nape and hugged her father lovingly. “Magandang umaga, Papa.”

Tumingin naman ito sa asawa nitong naghapag ng isang mangkok na kanin sa mesa. Ella smiles, nodding her head. His eyes softened when he felt Isabel tighten her hug as he wrapped his arm around his daughter’s waist. “Mas maganda ka pa sa umaga, Isabel.” He trailed off sincerely.

Mabilis na kumalas ng yakap si Isabel dahil sa narinig mula sa ama. She pouted her lips and jokingly patted his arm. “Si Papa ang aga-agang nagbibiro,” turan niya at saka umupo sa bakanteng upuan.

Naiiling na natawa ang kanyang ama sa inakto niya.

Her father really loves teasing her about her beauty. She got her mother’s almond-shaped eyes, shining with cheerfulness. Her small pointed nose, small mouth and thin pinkish lips make her look pretty cute. Her skin tone was similar to her mother. Maraming nagsasabi na nakuha niya ang features ng kanyang ina, maliban sa kulay ng kanyang mata. Ella’s eye color’s black while her father’s chestnut brown. At the age of seventeen, Isabel got an almost perfect face ratio. But she has something that her parents do not have—her mid-back length red hair. It’s straight and soft pero kulot sa dulo. Her red hair shines whenever she’s under the sun.

Despite the pout formed on her lips, there’s a glint of shyness and joy on her orbs. Nobody is perfect. Her father believes that there must be someone who should always notice and make Isabel remember how beautiful she is despite her imperfections. And he knows, someday, his daughter will meet someone who will compliment her more than he does. Pero sa ngayon, ito muna ang gagawa niyon.

“Mamaya na ‘yan.” ani ng kanyang ina saka nito hinapag ang kanilang almusal: fried garlic rice, sunny side up eggs and sausages.

Nang maihanda na ng kanyang ina ang kanilang pinggan at kubyertos, masayang nag-almusal ang pamilyang Ruiz. Hindi nawala ang kwentuhan at pangungulit ng kanyang magulang sa kanya. Her parents like teasing her. She might be complaining a lot about it but she loves it.

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“Bye, ‘Ma!” Isabel and her father said to her mom in unison as they’re a block away from their house.

Nakatayo sa labas ng gate si Ella habang kumakaway sa kanila. “Galingan sa eskwela at mag-ingat sa trabaho!” She shouted back.

Sabay din ang pagtango na ginawa ng mag-ama. Isang kaway pa bago nila tuluyang tinalikuran ang butihing may bahay at saka na naglakad sa sidewalk.

Every weekdays, ganito ang routine nilang mag-ama — sabay nilang nilalakad ang 813 station, isang bus station, at doon sila maghihiwalay ng landas. Papasok siya ng eskwelahan habang ang kanyang ama’y sa trabaho.

Isang daily newscaster ang kanyang ama na si Ismael Ruiz. Kapag papasok na ito sa trabaho, nakagayak na ito ng itim na suit at itim na pants na tinernuhan nito ng isang pares na leather shoes. Lagi rin nitong dala ang kulay abo nitong sling bag na ang laman ay puting T-shirt, wallet, telepeno at ilang mga papeles o dokumento — na kung hindi siya nagkakamali ay mga news script iyon.

It only took them ten minutes before they arrived at the bus station. Sa mga oras ng umagang iyon, mayroon nang mga pasahero ang naghihintay sa mga sadya nilang bus.

Hindi lumampas ang dalawang minuto nang huminto ang bus na sasakyan ng kanyang ama patungo sa trabaho nito. Ismael patted her head — a sign of his goodbye — before he got on the bus.

Unti-unting umusad ang sinasakyan nitong bus. Nakasibi na kinawayan niya ang ama na bahagyang nakadungaw sa nakabukas na bintana ng transportasyon para bigyan din siya ng isang kaway.

Nang tuluyan nang nawala sa paningin niya ang sasakyan, hinawakan niya ang strap ng kanyang bag at saka pabuntong hiningang tumingin sa kanyang kaliwa. Sakto naman paparating na ang bus na maghahatid sa kanya patungong eskuwela. Mahigit isang kilometrong layo lang naman ang eskwelahan niya mula sa bus station at sakto lang ang oras niya para hindi mahuli sa klase.

Nang huminto ang kulay asul na bus sa tapat ng waiting area na kinatatayuan niya, kaagad na siyang lumulan. Hinulog niya ang bayad sa isang cleared box na nakasabit sa may pole na malapit sa driver bago siya naghanap ng pwestong mauupuan. Hindi naman masyadong puno ang bus kaya nakapwesto agad siya ng upo sa pangalawang upuan sa dulo.

Gusto sana niya sa may tabi ng bintana pero may nauna nang lalaki ang nakaupo sa paborito niyang pwesto.

The usual bus scenario starts happening again. May ilang pasahero na busy sa pagse-cellphone, ‘yong iba naman ay may kanya-kanyang kausap, may nagre-review, at may ilang tulog. Hindi na bago sa paningin ni Isabel ang ganito. Kung sana ay siya ‘yong nasa malapit sa bintana ngayon, edi sana nakatingin lang siya sa labas. Iyon ang palagi niyang ginagawa kapag nasa byahe siya. Hindi naman niya ugaling gamitin ang cellphone habang bumibiyahe dahil nakakaramdam siya ng hilo.

Wala sa sariling sinuri niya ang katabing lalaki. Kahit na suot nito ang itim na hood at nakatingin ito sa labas, kapansin-pansin pa rin ang matangos nitong ilong, may kakapalang kilay, at mapungay na mga mata. Hindi niya alam kung estudyante ba ito o hindi pero aaminin niyang may hitsura ito at mukhang hindi nalalayo sa edad niya.

Maybe that guy felt her staring. Without saying any word, he moved his head to look at her. She startled. Her lips slightly parted and she almost jumped on her seat. His honey coloured eyes scream innocence and kindness.

“Gusto mo bang magpalit tayo ng pwesto?” He offered.

She smelled the scent of the cigarette from him but despite it, he has a pinkish plum and a soft voice that could be used for serenading.

She could feel her cheeks burning red as she heard his voice. In her seventeen years on earth, this is the first time she can feel the idiom ‘butterfly in stomach’. She encountered different guys in her school but none of them seemed to impress or make her feel flutter but this guy right beside her made her feel what those girls usually felt whenever their crush is around.

“Miss?”

She came back to her senses when she heard his voice filled with hesitation. Bahagya niyang iniling ang ulo para alisin ang mga bagay na tumakbo sa isip niya.

Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago sumagot. Narinig naman niya ang alok nito kaya hindi na kailangang ulitin pa. “A-Ayos na ‘ko sa pwesto ko,” pagtanggi niya. “Salamat.”

Tumikhim siya at saka mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin. Pinokus niya ang sarili sa harap, kung saan kita ang highway na tinatahak ng bus na sinasakyan niya at ang driver sa harap at ang likod ng ulo ng pasaherong nasa harap ng kinauupuan niya.

“Estudyante ka ng Kingdom High, Miss?”

Kung gaano siya kabilis nag-iwas ng tingin kanina, gano’n din ang paglingon na ginawa niya rito. She hesitated to answer at first but she told him, “Opo, Kuya.”

“At huling taon ko na lang po sa Senior High.” she added.

He hummed as he nodded his head. His nearly clear as water or dark as molasses pupils looked away as if he was constructing a question only to continue their conversation. And when he finally found his voice, he looked at her again.

“Kung gano’n, ano ang kursong balak mong kunin sa kolehiyo?” he asked.

Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang niya pero Isabel excels at every written works. She may lack social skills but expressing herself through paper and pen is something she can be proud of. Lagi siyang sinasali sa mga journalism, poem or essay writing contests sa loob at labas ng eskwelahang pinapasukan niya. She is even part of the Journalism Club of Kingdom High and she really enjoy writing.

“Journalism po, Kuya.”

And that is what she sees herself in the future— a Journalist. Hindi man niya namana ‘yong pagiging ma-voca ng kanyang ama, at least there is something she excels at. And one day, both she and her father would be relieving the truth that hasn’t been told.

“E, ikaw po? Ano’ng pinagkakaabalahan niyo?” Wala sa sariling naitanong niya.

She shouldn’t be asking some questions about what this guy is doing in his life. She limits herself by doing it but maybe because of getting comfortable with this guy makes her want to know something about him. But she suddenly regretted asking when she saw the glint of calmness faded and replaced by guilt, loneliness, and exhaustion.

He immediately averted his gaze. The guilt onto his eyes became more visible to her as he stared at his palms. Isabel could tell that there is something going on to this guy that he regretted doing.

“Hindi mo magugustuhang malaman kung ano ang ginagawa ko,” pautal na sagot nito sa tanong niya. He doesn’t sound angry but his voice sounds with the mix of hesitation, helplessness, and fear — fear of getting judged. Wala namang perpektong tao kaya wala siyang karapatang manghusga ng kapwa niya.

“Okay, Kuya. But for you to know, I won’t judge you.” She assured him.

Isabel earned a glance from him. Her heart thumped as if there’s someone drumming it at the same time made her feel at ease when she saw the light of hope shine on his honey eyes. Akala niya hindi na ito magsasalita kaya ikinabigla niya ang sinabi nito pagkatapos nitong isandal ang ulo sa likod ng upuan.

“Hindi ako mabuting tao,” anito at saka tiningnan ulit ang mga palad. “Nabahiran na ng kasalanan ang mga kamay na ‘to at gusto ko nang tumigil pero hindi ko alam kung paano. Para bang nasa isa akong madilim at maliit na kwarto na ‘ni katiting na liwanag ay wala akong makita.”

Tinutok ni Isabel ang mata sa palad nito at saka nakinig dito. This is the least she can do to him, to listen and understand him.

“Sa totoo lang, Miss, nasasaktan ako para sa sarili ko. Para bagang naghihintay na lang ako ng tao o isang bagay na makakapagligtas sa’kin sa madilim na kwartong kinalalagyan ko.”

Why do people need to suffer into something they don’t want? Is it because they are destined to be like it or the choices they made to become?

Isabel believes that this guy is a kind-hearted person. And no matter how much he thinks of himself as a bad person, he should put on a smile to feel there’s still hope for him.

Before she could tell something to him, the bus stopped where the high school students of Kingdom High were getting off. Sinabi niya rito na hanggang doon na lang siya at kailangan na niyang bumaba ng bus. Pinasalamatan siya nito sa pakikinig niya at bago siya bumaba ng bus, inabutan niya ito ng isang band aid.

“I know you’re not hurt outside but this band aid will remind you to try to put on a smile, Kuya. Smiles can hide the pain, But yeah, it still hurts pero promise ko. As the time goes by, maghihilom ka.”

Hindi na niya hinintay ang reaksyon nito at mabilis na nakipagsabayan siya sa mga estudyante na pababa nang bus. As she stood at the bus stop, she smiled genuinely as she watched the bus depart.

She hope, she helped him somehow.