Sunglasses

I glance at Phoenix's writwatch. Alas sinko palang pero gabi na ang tawag nila rito. Oo nga pala, buhay probinsya talaga...di tulad sa buhay ko sa lungsod maaga pa ito.

I rolled my eyes, standing up also. "I think ikaw talaga yung mangangagat kesa sa aswang." I chuckled then remembered my dress. "Pano ang damit ko? Maglalakad akong putikan?"

"Hmmm...may kilala ako. Baka matulungan nila tayo." He walked ahead of me and went to the tree where Brownie was tied. With Brownie's rope on his hand, we walked until we reach a house.

"Anong ginagawa natin dito?" Tanong ko.

"Hihiram ako ng damit para sayo." He answered. "Aling Nora?" He called out, knocking on the nipa hut's door. Simple lang naman ang bahay, may naririnig pa akong manok at baboy sa kulungan malapit samin. Bumukas ang pinto at may isang babae na kasing edad ni mommy. "Oh? Phoenix" Nang makita si Phoenixay hindi sya nagtaka at parang sanay na. Tiyahin nya ba ito?

Mukhang marami talaga syang kilala dito ah...

"Manghulam ko sana ug damit nga pambayi ba..para sa akuang uyab..." Maghiram sana ako ng damit na pambabae...para sa aking girlfriend. Phoenixanswered, holding my hands for the show. This guy...

The old woman looked at me and smiled. "Ay mao ba? Sige kuhaon ko lang kay Maria. Dali pasok." Ay ganun ba? Sige kunin ko lang kay Maria. Halina't pumasok.

"Ayos lang po, maghihintay nalang po kami rito, madali lang rin naman..." Phoenixsaid. Ilang minuto lang, may isang babaeng lumabas sa pinto. Nagulat ito ng makita si Phoenix. "Phoenix? Napadalaw ka?" Yinakap nya si Phoenixat natawa. "Namiss mo nanaman ako? Parang di tayo araw araw nagkikita ah!"

I stared at them. Yuck. Girlfrined nya ba to? Makahawak ah..

Phoenixchuckled at Maria. He faced me and said, "kababata ko nga pala." Tumuloy silang mag-usap as if I wasn't there.

Tamang tama ay dumating rin si Aling Nora, may hawak hawak na damit at shorts. I thanked her and asked where I can change my clothes. She motioned me to her room.

Nang magbihis ako, I heard a crack. I looked down and my eyes bulged out of its sockets when I saw my shades, there on the floor, broken. I picked it up and muttered a curse. What a day Sereia! First my dress, and now my glasses!

Looks like I forgot about it, just resting on my chest part and when I took my dress off, it fell on the floor and I accidentally stepped on it..

I went back outside quickly. "Okay na ako, Phoenix. Tara na."

"Baka gusto nyo dito maghapunan? O matulog?" Suggested Maria.

I don't know but I feel irritated just hearing her voice. I smiled. "Salamat pero pasensya na sa abala, Maria right? And Aling Nora...isasauli ko nalang po itong damit bukas."

I look at Phoenixto signal him that I don't want to stay here any longer. Buti nalang at naintindihan nya ako dahil nagdahilan rin ito. "Baka mamiss ako agad ni Lola Nanding, Aling Nora. Sige, alis na kami." Hinila ko si Phoenix paalis at umalis na kami.

Nakita ni Phoenixang damit na dala ko at pilit na kinuha to sakin. "Ako na magdadala." Inayos nya ang pagtupi nito kaya may nahulog, at nag crack. Damn. I was about to pick it but Phoenixwas quick enough to get it. Sobrang gulat sya ng makita nya ang malaking crack at naputol na ito. "Hala..sorry Sereia! Nahulog ko ang shades mo at nagcrack!" Worry was on his face as he was desperate to fix it back. "Sorry talaga! Aayusin ko to pagbalik natin sa bahay. Magkano to? Babayaran ko nalang, damn." Napamura nalang sya.

I smiled at him. Tingin nya sya nakasira? Oh Phoenix, kung alam mo lang...

"Hayaan mo na yan. Bibili na lang ako ng bago." I said to calm him down.

"Pero..nasira ko to..." he said, still desperate to fix my shades.

Balisang balisa pa rin sya. I need to calm him...

Hinawakan ko ang kanyang balikat para pakalmahin sya. At the touch, he looked at me and to my eyes, searching for something. I smiled gently. "Okay lang. Umuwi nalang tayo. Nagugutom na ako."

He sighed. "Fine."

****

Pagkinabukasan, alas otso ng umaga ng umuwi si mommy.

"Tutal andito kana, mag enjoy ka muna. Puro ka work." Ani ni mommy habang inaayos ang kanyang bag, nasa sala kami ngayon naghihintay habang inihahanda ni Phoenixang sasakyan nya since he offered to drive mom home.

I pouted. "Kala ko mag stay ka?"

Umiling sya. "Kailangan ko alagaan lola mo. Naku sa isang araw na wala ako baka nag alala na yun." As she was finishing, she stopped and stared at me.

I raised my eyebrows. "What?"

She crossed her arms in front of her, looking at me like I had done something suspicious. "Ilang taon ka na nga ulit?"

"25?" I replied.

Napangiti sya, "Pwede na. Pag uwi mo, siguraduhin mong may anak ka na."

"Ma!" I look around to see if there was listening. Si mommy talaga! This old woman, lagi nalang yan ang bukambibig since noong nakagraduate na ako. Tinatawanan pa akong walang boyfriend. What can I say? With a dad so caring and protective, kahit saan man sya sa mundo, mahahanap at mahahanap nya ang lalaking kasama ko. Kahit gagawa lang ng project dati, tinawagan nya talaga ang magulang ng lalaki kong kagrupo dahil lang sa magkasama kami maghapon. Mukhang natraumatized yung kagrupo ko kinabukasan nung araw na yun. I cringe at the thought.

She coughed. "I mean siguraduhin mong nakuha mo na ang lupa. I mean...okay lang naman samin kung nakuha mo pati si Phoenix." She wiggled her eyebrows and winked.

I rolled my eyes at that. "Mom..."

"Well...I see you getting close. Tama yan, negotiate pa more anak! Bye, love ya!"

"Tita, okay na po ang sasakyan." Phoenix approached us from the door.

"Sige, wait a minute lang."

After saying more crazy things, mom finally left. Minsan talaga may saltik to si mommy. Anak ba talaga ako nito? At ngayon wala na sya rito, bumalik naman sa katahimikan ang bahay. Hindi ko alam kung masaya ba ako na wala ng may saltik sa utak at kinukulit ako o maging malungkot kasi wala akong magawa at makausap. At si Phoenixlang naman ang kumukulit sakin dito aside from mommy.

"Baka mamayang alas dos pa si Phoenixmakakabalik, Sereia apo. Traffic sa daan lalo na ngayong bakasyon. Hihintayin mo ba sya dyan buong araw?" Lola Nanding said from behind me. Napansin nya ata akong nakatulala sa bintana.

"Hindi ko po sya hinihintay. May iniisip lang po."

She just smiled and went to the kitchen. "Kain nalang tayo..."

Tahimik ang bahay buong umaga, siyempre kami lang ni Lola Nanding, alangan naman na magparty kami..

Nasa tapat lang ako ng telebisyon buong araw kaya di ko na namalayan na nakatulog pala ako sa sofa pagkatanghali.

I woke up at the sound of someone humming a tune. I saw Phoenixsitting on the other sofa just beside me, peeling a green mango. He saw me and smiled. "Hey. Namiss mo ko?"