Chapter I

Distance

Chapter One

The Start

Kusot-kusot ang matang bumaba ako papuntang kusina nang marinig kong sinabi ni Ate Prim na nakahanda na ang pagkain sa mesa mula sa intercom. Yesterday was the day Mom and Dad left for their trip, and today is the day the girl Dad talked about will came. Nagtataka parin ako sa kung sino ito dahil lahat ng kaibigan ni Dad ay kilala ko at nameet ko na ang mga anak. Wala naman akong kilalang galing sa America ang mga anak nilang babae. Bahala na nga.

We all ate together while discussing tomorrow's schedule. We're gonna buy some supplies for school. Saturday na ngayon at start na ng first sem sa Lunes. Grade 11 na ako this year, at ABM ang strand na kinuha ko. Hindi ko din alam sa kung bakit. Maybe because my skills aligned to that strand, or so I believe.

Matapos kumain ay nagprisenta akong maghugas ng pinggan dahil tuwing weekend ay wala ang mga katulong sa bahay. Kami-kami lang ang kikilos. Hindi ko maaaring iwan kay Ate Prim ang mga pinggan dahil malamang mababasag lang ang mga iyon. Magaling magluto si Ate, pero clumsy siya at madalas makabasag ng plato. Mas okay nang ako na ang maghugas kung gusto pa naming sa plato kumain mamaya.

After washing the dishes, I immediately gone up to prepare for later. Sabi ni Dad ay mas magandang sunduin na daw namin ito diretso mula sa airport dahil baka maligaw pa ito. Maiiwan ang kambal habang kaming dalawa ng Ate ang susundo sa babae na hindi ko alam ang pangalan.

Pagkatapos ko magbihis ay kumatok ako sa pinto ni Ate Prim. "Ate, tapos ka na?"

"Oo, saglit na lang. Ihanda mo na ang kotse," utos niya sa akin habang 'di parin binubuksan ang pinto.

At dahil nga sa isa't kalahating clumsy si Ate Prim, hindi siya pwedeng magmaneho. I am ought to drive always, if I can, for her. Minsan kasi, ginagawa niyang racing track ang mga kalsada sa Pilipinas, at hindi iisang beses na may tumawag kina Dad na hospital kung saan nako-confine si Ate dahil sa mga aksidenteng kinasasangkutan niya. It was also because of that that I need to become Ate's driver for today.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal ng makaalis kami sa mansyon at naupo sa passenger seat ang bihis na bihis na Ate ko. I asked why she wore a skirt and a loose blouse like some Kpop artist when we're just going to go to the airport, but she just rolled her eyes at me and hissed, "First impression!" Hindi ko siya nagets, pero hindi na rin ako nag-usisa.

Nagtungo na kami sa airport at dahil traffic ay inabot kami ng almost 3 hours sa kalsada. Buti na lang ay sakto lang ang dating namin dahil late din ng one hour ang flight from America.

Agad kaming pumwesto ni Ate sa arrivals kasama ang ilan pang mga taong nag-aabang sa mga mahal nila sa buhay. I was holding a card that says, "Aliyah Jane de Guzman", a name I never heard of, so it must be my father's new friend's daughter, or just someone I never, maybe because she grew up outside the country.

Kumunot ang noo ko ng lumipas ang halos sampung minuto ay wala pa ding lumalapit sa amin. Naligaw ba ang kung sino mang babaeng iyon at hindi kami makita? Hindi rin naman ganun kaliitan ang card na hawak ko kaya imposibleng hindi niya ito makita.

"Seig, I'll be going to the restroom saglit, wait here and don't you dare leave." Hindi na hinintay pa ni Ate Prim ang sagot ko at agad na umalis para mag-cr. Mas lalo tuloy sumama ang mukha ko. How dare her left me when she's the only one who's excited about whoever-that-girl-is' arrival.

Nagulat ako ng may kumalabit sa akin. Handa na sana akong singhalan ang kung sino mang taong iyon ng makita ko ang mukha niya. I've seen models before, dated some of them, too, even if most of them are older than me. But I never saw such beauty before, like the one in front of me. She had a natural untame eyebrow and long eyelashes that makes her blue eyes unnaturally satisfying to look at. Maliit ang ilong niya ngunit may katangusan. Her cheeks are quite chubby, enough for me to want to pinch both of her cheeks. Her black hair shines with the help of the airport lights and it lays beautifully on both her shoulders. She's not the most beautiful, internationally speaking, but her beauty is rather rare. Nakakawala ng katinuan at hindi nakakasawa.

"I'm Ali de Guzman. Sorry, I just had a small problem with my luggage, so I was late. Are you Mr. Lopez? Wait, that's impossible. Mr. Lopez is about 50 years old. Are you perhaps his son or secretary?" Her eyebrows knotted adorably as she rested her chin on her right hand, that was supported by her left arm. She, then, smiled when she asked about my identity. Ngumuso ng kaunti ang kaniyang mga labi matapos magtanong habang taimtim akong tinititigan.

"Yes, I am indeed his son, Segundo Lopez, nice to meet you." Inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa harapan niya bilang pagbati matapos kong ibaba ang card na hawak. She also extended her hand to shake mine, and I was rather shocked to feel it's kinda rough but still kinda soft. Halata sa kutis niya na mayaman ito at alaga, ngunit base sa kamay nito ay parang hindi. Malambot ang kamay ni Aliyah, ngunit hindi kasing lambot tulad ng ate ko, ng mga babaeng nakakasalamuha ko.

"Nice to meet you, too." I felt my heart skipped a bit when she grinned at me, making me let go of her hand and look away. She actually have dimples on both of her cheeks. Sakto namang dumating si Ate Prim galing sa cr.

"Ow! Hi, are you perhaps Aliyah Jane de Guzman? I'm Primo Lopez, first born of the Fedal-Lopez family." Inilahad ni Ate ang kamay niya kay Aliyah na tinanggap din nito. "Was that too formal? Sorry, you can just call me Prim."

"You can call me Ali, then." Ngumiti si Aliyah, or Ali, kay Ate Prim. And for some reasons, I still find her so alluringly adorable, if that makes sense.

"So, should we go home?" pagsingit ko sa kanila. Humarap silang daliwa sa'kin, si Ate ay masama ang tingin habang si Ali ay muling ngumiti sa akin. For some reasons, I felt my heart skip a beat looking at her smiling at me, cute and all. Muli akong nag-iwas ng tingin sa babaeng ngayon ko pa lang nakilala.

"Yes, please lead the way," sinabi ni Ali at kinuha ang bagpack niya galing sa cart na hindi ko pansing hila-hila niya kanina.

This is the first time I saw a girl without a handbag or shoulder bag outside school. Kahit sa school nga ay may ganun paring dala ang ibang babae. Terron told me that girl just like it because it's fashionable and all those shits. I don't really care about them at all, just that even my sister is like that so I came to ask Terron about those things.

Kinuha ko ang dalawang four wheel luggage niya at itinabi ang cart. Tahimik na naglakad kami patungo sa parking lot at inilagay sa likod ng sasakyan ang mga gamit niya.

"I'll just hold the bag. There are a few important things inside that might get broken." Tumango ako bilang sagot at sinarado ang trunk, habang naglakad na siya para makapasok sa sasakyan. Lumapit naman si Ate sa'kin ng masigurado ko ng safe ang mga gamit sa likod.

"I will be sitting behind para may katabi si Aliyah at hindi masiyadong awkward," bulong ni Ate sakin bago sumakay sa sasakyan. I just shrugged before I walked towards the door beside the drive's sit and comfortably sit on it and started the car's engine.

At the first few minutes, naging tahimik ang sasakyan, until we hit the traffic and Ali decided to open a topic. "So, Segundo and Primo, that's some cute names you have."

"Please, don't be too kind. Our names are plain weird, considering that four of us in the house have names related to numbers," sagot ni Ate Prim habang tumatawa ng mahina.

"Four?"

"Yes, four, we have a twin at home. They don't usually attend any parties that need our presence because they think me and Dos are already enough, so not everyone knows that we have younger siblings."

"Dos? That's you Segundo, right?" Tumingin ako sa rear-view ng tanungin ako ni Ali, at nakita siyang nakangiti sa akin. Obviously expecting an answer.

"Yes. Segundo sounds a bit old, so I prefer people calling me Dos. You can do the same or still call me Segundo, but please don't," I tried to joke which rewarded me a cute laugh from Ali. I can't stop smiling, knowing I somehow made her laugh, I'm seriously weirded out.

"I'll think about that." Aliyah once again smiled before shifting her attention back to Ate Prim. "So tell me more about your siblings!" she enthusiastically asked.

Muli akong humarap sa daan ng makitang umandar na ang traffic at tahimik na nakinig sa usapan nila Ate Prim at Ali. I answered some of her questions about me, but focused on driving most of the time, while glancing at her once in a while. Okay, just what the hell is wrong with me?

"So you are Third, and you are Four? You two don't look alike but you have the same expression," Ali stated as she examine the twins, very unlikely of her formal gestures when she met me and Ate Prim. Napaatras pa si Third ng lumapit ang mukha ni Ali sa kaniya, at hindi rin nakaligtas sa akin ang pamumula ng kaniyang mukha bago siya yumuko. Four eyebrows met when Ali did the same to him while also blushing. Nagpipigil naman ng tawa si Ate Prim dahil sa pagkakapahiya ng dalawa, habang inaasar ang dalawa na may crush sa aming bisita.

"And we will take that you are Aliyah de Guzman?" tanong ni Four at kiming ngumiti, bakas pa din ang pamumula sa mukha, at umatras ng dalawang hakbang bago umiwas ng tingin.

"Yes, but Ali will suffice." Umatras si Ali ng ilang hakbang at inilagay ang dalawang kamay sa kaniyang likod at ngumiti. "Pleased to meet you two."

"Should we call you Ate, or do you prefer just being called Ali? Afterall you grow up in the western, no offense meant," Third asked seriously, overcoming his shocked to Ali's advances awhile ago.

"None taken, and I would love to be called Ate Ali! That will be a first!" Ali replied happily. "So you two are 15, like your Ate Prim said?" I left them downstairs as Ali inspected the twins enthusiastically and changed back to my clothes at home. I took a nap after hitting the bed, didn't even think that it will turn into a deep slumber, making me skip lunch and dinner.

Nang magising ako, tahimik na sa buong bahay. Sanay na ako sa ganito kaya hindi ko na rin binuksan ang ilaw habang bumaba ng hagdan. If I'm out in traffic for too long, I can get easily tired and fall asleep 'til late at night. Hindi ako ganito kapag physically worn out ako from gym or workouts. Normally kapag dinner, nagigising na ako. Pero kapag traffic at more than 6 hours akong naipit sa kalsada, ibang usapan na. Madalas na mangyari sa'kin 'yun at nasasanay na lang ang mga kapatid ko kaya hindi na nila ako ginigising at hinahayaan nila. They do keep the leftovers in the ref though, for me to reheat and eat.

Pagbaba ko ay dumiretso ako sa kusina at nangalikot sa ref. I found an apple and bite unto it. Habang kagat-kagat ang mansanas ay inilabas ko ang pasta na nasa ref at pinasok sa microwave. Isinaksak ko ang machine at nagset ng time. Habang hinihintay na matapos ang microwave ay inubos ko na ang apple. I was having my last bite when a voice suddenly broke the silence of the night.

"So you're awake now." Napatingin ako sa pintuan ng kusina at nakita si Ali. She smiled at me, which I timidly replied with another. Muli na namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko tulad kanina.

"Yup. Can't sleep?" I asked as I took the plate with pasta out from the microwave after throwing the remains of the apple. I took a fork from the washed silverware on the side of the sink, definitely not my sister's doings.

"Pretty much. Time zones suck, you know," she groaned, which I found very cute, as she sat on the chair.

"I guess I can agree to that." I chuckled as I sat in front of her. "Mind me asking why are you here im the Philippines? Not that you're not welcome here." Ngumiti ako ng pilit nang maisip na baka iba ang maging pag-intindi niya sa tanong ko. She smiled in return, making me feel relief because her smile is warm and has no indifference, indicating that she was not offended by what I asked.

"Nah. It's just that I wanna have fun, and I can't do that back at home. So I decided to come here in my mother's homeland. My mother's mansion is under renovation so I need a place to stay. Your father, my mother's bestfriend on her youth, or as they say, suggested for me to live here with his children. So yeah, here I am." She shrugged before standing up and took a glass. "I hope you won't mind me having a milk." She briefly looked at me expentantly.

"No, please feel at home," sagot ko at nag-umpisang kumain, habang siya'y kinuha ang gatas sa refrigerator at tahimik na nagsalin sa kaniyang baso.

We sat in front of each other that night, engulfed in a comfortable silence. It was a first for me, to have a peaceful private moment with and be at ease around someone I just know and meet that day.