CHAPTER TWO

“ANDY wake up! Let's go to the beach!” Mahihinang tapik ang nagpamulat sa mga mata ni Andreana ng araw na iyon. "Good morning, sleepyhead!"

"Oh Andre," aniya ng makita kung sino ang tumatapik sa kanyang pisngi. Dahan dahan siyang bumangon.

Wala na sa kanyang tabi ang kanyang ina. Pumasok na ito sa trabaho. Pang limang araw na niya sa L.A. Nadadalas nga ang pamamasyal nila ni Melisandre sa dalampasigan. Kung saan maraming katulad nilang teenagers na namamasyal rin doon. At mukhang doon na naman sila pupunta ng dalaga.

“My boyfriend, Steven will be there too." Natutuwang hayag ng dalaga.

"You have a boyfriend?" She asked in shock. In the Philippines, when a girl is only sixteen, you are too young to be in a relationship.

"Yeah. Why? Is that surprising?" Kunot noo naman nitong saad.

"H-hindi naman." Saad niya nalamang. Sabado nang araw na iyon at wala silang pasok ni Melisandre.

"Go fix yourself in the bathroom then we'll go. Wazel wanna come too, but, his math tutor just arrived. So, only two of us will go to the beach, as usual. Plus, my boyfriend." Anito. Tumayo na nga siya at nag-ayos ng sarili.

Mabait si Melisandre at talagang sinasamahan siya nito sa dagat sa tuwing umuuwi sila galing school. Oo, nakalipat na nga siya sa paaralan. Talagang inayos ng daddy nito ang mga papel niya para makapasok siya sa school ni Melisandre.

There, she was admitted to the school where Melisandre studying. And it’s no joke to have a lot of American classmates. Mabuti nalang at matangkad siya, kahit papano ay kaya niyang makipagsabayan sa mga ito.

She’s thankful because Melisandre became her classmate. She can talk to someone somehow. The school is a private school. The facilities are really good compared to the public school in the Philippines where she attended. Walang uniform sa school nila kaya naman binilhan rin siya ng kanyang mommy ng mga bagong damit.

Ayaw pa sana niya dahil gastos lang iyon pero sabi nito ay mas maganda ng maayos siyang pumapasok sa eskwela.

Si Wazel, parati rin nilang kasama ni Melisandre. Siguro close talaga ang magkapatid kaya laging nakabuntot si Wazel rito. Si Matthew, parang walang pakialam sakanya. Dinadaanan lang siya sabahay at tila isa siyang hangin na hindi nakikita.

Sure enough, Matthew doesn’t like her at all. She even wanted to tell her mom that it would be better for them to just leave the mansion and rent a place to live. But, every time she thought of Nathan, she always changed her mind.  Ayos na rin na nakikitira muna sila. Dahil kapag umupa sila, mababawasan lamang ang maipapadala na pera sa Pilipinas. Kaya pagtitiisan nalamang niya ang malalamig na trato ng binata sakanila.

They were picked up by an American about their age. Steven is Melisandre's boyfriend. When they got to the beach she could barely get close to Melisandre and Steven.  Parati kasing naghahalikan ang mga ito at hindi niya kayang panoorin kaya lumalayo na lamang siya.

She's wearing a two-piece bikini that Melisandre gave her. Umupo na lamang siya sa buhanginan habang pinapanood niya mula sa malayo ang mga ka edad niyang nagse-surfing. Nakakatuwa din kasing panoorin ang mga ito pati na mga matataas na alon.

Hey Andy!" She turned to Melisandre. Sumisigaw ito mula sa malayo habang buhat buhat pa nga ng boyfriend.  "Are you okay there?"

"Yeah! Don't worry about me!" She shouted back.

"Okay! We're going to swim! You can join us anytime!" Melisadre was still shouting so she just smiled.

Since she couldn't do anything, she just took the cellphone from her tiny bag and took a selfie. She sent it to her brother. Then she sent a long message; Hi Nathan. Andito na si ate sa US. Alam mo si Mommy, nagta-trabaho siya for you. At kahit na nandito ako sa beach, hindi ako masaya. Dahil namimiss ko kayo ni dad. Mag iingat ka diyan ha. Magpagaling ka. Pag uwi namin ni mom, bibilhan ka namin ng maraming pasalubong. Okay ba iyon?

She burst into tears as she typed that.

“Andreana!” Isang sigaw sa likuran niya ang nagpalingon sakanya. It’s Matthew. Magkasalubong ang mga kilay nito. Napatayo siya dahil sa gulat. Napansin naman niyang hinagod siya ng tingin ng binata. “I told Melisandre not to go out today! Why are you here again? Wazel is looking for you at home.”

“Oh, big bro. What brought you here? ”si Melisandre na nasa likod na niya. Hindi na nito kasama ang nobyo.

“Go home, Melisandre!” Pansin ni Andreana na sakaniya nakatingin ang tingin ni Matthew. Sinalubong niya ang mga tingin na iyon.

“You're overreacting again, big bro. Alright, we're going home.” Melisandre said. She noticed Matthew's gaze dropped to her chest. There is malice in those looks.

“Melisandre, go home first. I will take Andreana home.” Matthew commands the sister.

"But kuy—”

"I just have something important to say to her!" he added so Melisandre left first. Naiwan nga sila doon ni Matthew at maya may pa ay hinila siya nito papasok sa sports car nito.

***

"I THOUGHT we were going home?" Andreana asked Matthew rudely. Magdidilim na rin at nandoon parin sila sa loob ng kotse. It looks like Melisandre and she has been at the beach for a while. The young man looked at her. His gaze went to her chest again.

"W-why are you looking at me like that, Matthew?" She even bowed herself.

“You’re almost fully breasted!” Walang pakundangang saad nito. She bowed herself again.  Nagulat man pero hindi niya iyon ipinahalata. Instead, she looked at him with her forehead high.

“Why? Hindi ba ganito sa America? Huwag kang magkaila na ngayon ka palang nakakita ng dibdib ng babae,” Kapag si Matthew ang kasama ay parang nakakaramdam siya ng kakaiba. She couldn't figure out what it was. There seemed to be tiny electricity pulsing in her stomach.

“What?” Hindi makapaniwalang bigkas nito. "I didn't know you thought that way, Andreana."

"Why aren't we going home yet?" She just asked. The young man stared at her. Napansin pa niyang pataas baba ang adam’s apple nito. Hanggang sa hinalikan siya.

Those kisses were passionate. She was shocked by what Matthew did kaya pilit siyang kumalas. He just stole her first kiss! Nagpumilit siyang mag pumiglas. Later, she felt Matthew's hand on her chest so her eyes widened and she pushed him.

Is this how men in America are? Aggressive? Not a single man has touched her yet.

“Is that good?” ngisi nito sakaniya. Nakita niyang namumula pa ito gaya niya. "Let’s go home. I may not be able to control myself anymore.”

Napalunok nalang siya at napatahimik. She was holding back her tears the whole trip to the mansion.

***

ANDREANA hurried into the bathroom when they got home. She took a bath. She couldn't quite imagine what Matthew had done to her and what had happened earlier. She burst into tears while taking a bath. She just lost her first kiss like that!

"Anak?" Her mommy knocked on the bathroom door. Kaya naman inayos niya ang sarili.

"M-mom."

"Ayos ka lang ba? Bakit parang umiiyak ka diyan sa loob?" Her mom’s voice was concerned. Sasabihin ba niya sa ina ang ginawa ni Matthew?

"O-okay lang po ako mommy." Pagsisinungaling niya.

After taking a bath, she got dressed. She saw her mom who was currently sitting in front of the computer.  Mukhang itinutuloy nito ang trabaho mula sa opisina. Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama. How could she tell her that her friend’s son kissed her and even touched her chest?

"Mommy." Tawag niya na nagpalingon naman sa ina. Her tears are starting to drip.

"Anak, anong problema?" Dali-daling tumayo ang ina at tinabihan siya sa gilid ng kama.

"N-namimiss ko na si N-nathan at si Daddy." Iyon nalang ang nasabi niya. Niyakap naman siya ng ina.

“I see. I understand you, Andreana.” bulong ng ina. “Sorry ha? Isinama kita rito. You know what? Crying is normal, Andreana. Ako rin ay namimiss ko sila. Pero kailangan nating gawin ito, anak. Naiintindihan mo ba ang mommy? Malayo ang America sa Pilipinas kaya alam ko ang nararamdaman mo.”

"Naiintindihan po kita Mommy. Lahat naman ng ito ay para kay Nathan, hindi ba?" Lumuluha niyang tanong. Tumango naman ang ina.

"Thank you for understanding me, Andreana?" saad ng ina. "Teka saan ka ba galing kanina?"

“Galing ako sa dagat, mom. Kasama ko si Melisandre.” sagot niya sa ina.

"Talagang palakaibigan ang batang iyon. " saad ng ina kaya ngumiti siya. "Tahan na ang pag iyak. Hayaan mo, bukas, tatawagan natin sila."

"Salamat mommy!" Bulalas niya sabay yakap sa ina.

***

"WHAT the hell are you doing?" Andreana looked up when she heard Matthew's voice. Since she had nothing to do at home, she decided to carwash Matthew’s car. And other vehicles there.

"Car washing?" He answered with a question. From the moment he kissed her, she noticed that the young man was avoiding her. So, she makes a way to talk to him about it. Nakita naman niyang nagsalubong na naman ang mga kilay nito.

Even if Matthew is avoiding her, she notices that he is always looking at her from a distance. Ganun din siya. She always stared at the young man. Parang gusto niya ulit matikman ang unang halik na ibinigay nito sa kaniya. Sa palagay niya ay habang tumatagal, humahanga siya sa binata.

“You are not a maid. Stop doing that!” Tila nagalit pa yata ito sakanya ng agawin sakanya ang sabon at hose na ginagamit niya pang carwash. “Just go to the library and study! Your mommy is sending you to school and don’t waste her godamn money!”

"I'm smart even if I don't study." Wika niya at inirapan pa niya ito bago pumasok sa loob ng bahay. Bakit ba napakasungit ng panganay na anak ni Faustine?

The days continue to pass in L.A. Her mommy is really busy at work. At madalas si Melisandre at Wazel lang ang nakakausap niya sa bahay.

"Hey, Andrea, wanna go shopping?" She was surprised when Melisandre entered the library.

"Shopping again? Mommy hasn't given me any money yet. And we're also saving for Nathan." She replied. Sumimangot naman ang dalaga at tinabihan siya.

“Okay. But I have something to tell you, Andy.” The girl's face suddenly became excited. Lumingon naman siya rito. "We're going to a party tonight, are you in?"

“Ha? Party? Kaninong party?” tanong niya.

“It’s my boyfriend's 17th birthday celebration. Pool party.  So, wear your pretty two-piece tonight.” saad nito.

“Ha? Hindi ba tayo papagalitan nila Tito kapag umalis tayo ng gabi?”

"Nakapag paalam na ako kay dad. I said we will do a project with Danielle. And he agreed. I'm sure he also told this to aunt Amanda.”

“Seriously?” Tanong niya kaya tumango naman ito.

"Yeah. So, let's have fun tonight. Doon muna ako sa kwarto ko." Paalam pa nito bago tuluyang umalis.

Party? Bakit ba napakahilig ng mga ito sa party?

***

DAHIL nauuhaw si Andreana ay lumabas muna siya sa library at tinungo ang kitchen. Kasalukuyan siyang nagsasalin ng tubig sa baso.

"Andreana..."

Dahil sa gulat natapon niya ang tubig sakanyang t shirt. Tiningnan pa niya nag natapunan. Nagulat siya ng makitang bakat doon ang kanyang dibdib dahil manipis lang ang kanyang soot na bra. Hindi rin naman kasi niya alam na matatapunan siya ngayon ng tubig.

"What are you doing?" Si Matthew na nakatitig sakanya lalo na sa kanyang dibdib. Nakita nanaman niyang napapalunok ang binata.

"N-nothing. Iinom lang sana ako ng t-tubig pero..."

Nagulat siya ng bigla siya nitong hinila sa kung saan. Sa kawarto siya nito dinala kaya naman nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Natatakot siya sa binata.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked nervously. Lumapit pa ito sakaniya at hinawakan siya sa mgkabilang braso.

 “L-let me go!” aniya na nagpupumiglas.

"I'm getting horny whenever I see you, Andreana." Deretsa nitong saad. Kinakabahan siya sa nakikita niya sa mukha ng binata. His face is full of lust.

"I'll scream!" She threatens.

"Do it. Your mommy and my daddy are gone. Melisandre is outside. Wazel is in his room. And the maids are really busy right now." The young man smirked.

"What the hell are you doing Matthew?! Are you gone crazy?" Tanong niya rito.

"Your seductive way is making me crazy, Andreana. I never felt this way before." Saad pa nito. Then he kissed her. "I've never forgotten the taste of your mouth. You’re so sweet, Andreana."

Gagahasain ba siya ng binata? Kumakabog na ang kanyang dibdib at nanginginig na siya sa takot.

“Matthew! Ano ba!” umiiyak na siya. Saglit na natigilan ang binata sa pag halik sakanya. Nakatingin ito sa kanyang mga mata.

“I'm sorry, Andreana.” He said. Akala niya titigil ito pero nagulat siya ng muli siya nitong halikan. "I can't stop myself from you anymore..."