Chapter 3

Kasalanan ng puso ang lahat ng pagkamatay

nang dahil sa pag-ibig – pisikal, mental, at emosyonal.

Nakainom man si Charity, nakauwi pa rin siya ng ligtas. She still had the guts to finish her thesis from dusk until the daylight. Inabot na rin siya ng katanghalian sa pagtatapos ng papel niya.

On the other hand, she is still thinking of her new friend. Her only friend. Matapos siyang tawaging kaibigan ni Jacob kagabi ng paulit-ulit, she had her inspiration. It was a weird feeling for her to have that certain happiness in her heart.

She never felt that before. She never had the same contentment and light feeling that paints a smile on her lips. She feels the cotton-like weight as she was reminded about last night.

Pangiti-ngiti niyang inayos ang bagong print niyang thesis. It was not the typical Charity that she is seeing right now. She never thought of herself having this kind of smile at times that she is stressed. She should have been wearing a frown or cursing right now, but looking at her, she is under an undeniable curse.

Curse. This is what she thought of love. She always tell herself that LOVE is a CURSE and this curse will always put anyone to death. Love and death are two things that are always linked together. If you love, you will die, even if it is physical, emotional, or psychological.

Psychologically speaking, love is a disease of the brain. Hindi talaga galing sa puso ang pagmamahal. Isip ang nagdidikta ng lahat ng bagay na dapat gawin ng lahat ng parte ng katawan ng tao. Heart sends love infected blood to message the brain until the brain falls for its goodness.

Nakakatakot talaga ang mga bagay na nagpaparamdam sayo sa ayos ka kahit hindi naman talaga. Kasalanan ng puso ang lahat ng pagkamatay dahil sa pag-ibig. That is her belief, her principle, that has always kept her eyes shut for years now.

She is murmuring and humming the song with matching instrumentals. She really love music, the dark one. Hindi nakapagtataka na madali siyang malungkot or atakihin ng depression, dala na rin ng gusto niyang musika. Music can easily affect people's emotions as what they say. Dark music, dark aura, though it is her identity. She might have been smiling when hearing those genre but its lyrics keeps banging in her head. No matter what, she still keeps on listening to it. Iyon lang talaga ang pinakikinggan niya. She does not even listen to her own parents. There would be a great miracle if ever she will take commands from somebody else. Never.

He was still in hype after what happened yesterday. Kagabi niya na lang ulit nakita si Mia and luckily, he found out that the girl he had met few weeks ago was really Mia Charity Locquias.

He frequently sees her in the university but she does not pay attention. Siya iyong tipo ng babaeng maganda at mukhang santa pero kapag nakilala mo, mumurahin ka. She looks so innocent yet her mouth is somehow polluted. Though she is commonly seen quiet, she keeps that fearless appearance. Nobody wants to get along with her. They cannot take the non-stop English language firing of words from her mouth and cursing, of course.

While getting the lyrics of his line-up for tomorrow, smile could be seen on his lips. He seemed to be glowing now. Pati ang mga kasamahan niya sa church ay nagtataka sa ikinikilos nito.

"Masyado ka yatang pinagpala ngayon, Bro," sabi ni Israel.

"Syempre, God is good. All the time," he replied.

They are in the church right now to practice for tomorrow. Aside from Club Lavine, they also use their talent in serving the Lord. Esaac is the keyboardist of the group. Israel does the guitar while Seth plays the drums. This was their first home for their talents until some few years had passed and they met each other and VESTIGE was formed.

VESTIGE is surprisingly comprised of seven members, which are all irregular in the way that they are barely seen complete. Van, Ez, Seth, Trev, Is, Greg, El. They all met back in high school wherein a girl named Eniessia had introduced them to one another. Long story, but you will soon learn about it.

"Inspirado ang kapatid ko," ani Seth na kakarating lang mula sa kung saan.

"Stop it Seth. Mabait ako ngayon," anito sabay pakawala ng isang matinding ngiti.

Seth made face as if he does not agree with Esaac. "You are always good Esaac, it is undeniable."

"Huwag ako, Kuya."

Nagsimula silang tumugtog ng mga kakantahin nila bukas. It is undeniable that their harmony is perfect. They are different when in church and club. Music to his ears. It is how he describe the continuous notes that they are playing. Rocker siya sa club pero dito, para siyang anghel.

Masyado niyang mahal ang pagtugtog na kabisado na niya ang bawat pagpindot sa piyesa nito. He sounded so professional. He can even listen to something and turn it into a music sheet. Ganoon ka perpekto ang pandinig niya. But there is something in him, which says that he is not in the right beat, his heart pulsate in no correct rhythm.

Sandali silang tumigil para magpahinga. His co-performers went on their own businesses at saka naman siya naupo sa tabi ng mga gamit niya. Biglang tumunog ang cellphone niya and he felt strange about it. Ngayon lang siya binigla ng tawag ng kung sino man iyon.

"Hello, Pa?" he answered his dad's call. "Yes po?"

After a few minutes, biglang nagbago ang timpla niya. It seems like something bad is happening. Hindi na siya nakasagot and he kept on listening to his father's voice.

"Yes, Pa. We will," he said. "Sasabihan ko na rin si Kuya."

Ibinaba niya ang tawag ng may mabigat na pakiramdam. Parang may pumukol sa kanya pagkatapos niyang pakinggan ang ama. "Uh…" he almost cried in disappointment, causing him to shut his eyes.

"Ez, ano na, game?" aya ni Seth sa kaniya. Napansin ng kapatid ang maling timpla nito. "Why are you like that?"

"Kuya," aniya saka nag-angat ng tingin. "Papi's health is deteriorating. Sinugod siya sa hospital ngayon-ngayon lang."

"Ho–" biglang sabi ni Seth. "Why? I mean, bakit? Akala ko ba ayos na iyong puso niya?" Napasabunot siya sa kaniyang buhok at saka padausdos na naupo sa sahig.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Esaac. "That was the thing Kuya, nanikip na naman ang dibdib niya kanina, sabi ni Papa."

"Let's, I mean, let's go now. Okay na naman tayo para bukas, di ba?" ani Seth na may pag-aalangan pa rin.

Sakto namang dumating si Israel mula sa labas. "Any problem?"

Napabalikwas si Esaac dito. "Is, we have to go now. Papi is in the hospital."

Agad namang pumayag ang iba pa nilang kasamahan. They took a stressful drive from their church to the nearest hospital where their Papi is.

Ang kaninang kilig na nararamdaman ni Esaac ay napalitan ng kaba. He is not feeling well right now. Hindi niya akalaing muling hihina ang katawan ng kaniyang lolo.

He may be living for 78 years now yet the times they had to visit their grandfather in the hospital is just counted on his fingers. Gayunpaman, ang kakaunting bilang na ito ay palaging may malalang dulot.

Nagmamadaling nagmaneho si Seth na mabuti na lamang ay hindi ganoon karami ang mga nasa kalsada. Nakatanaw na lang si Esaac sa bintana at tinitignan ang mga dumadaang sasakyan. Lumilipad man ang isip niya, hindi pa rin matanggal doon si Charity.

She has been his life. Matagal na niya itong gusto, hindi man niya sabihin. They are opposite. Kung si Charity ay may kakaibang awrang matapang, siya naman ay may ugaling mabait. But it is not what he is thinking about. Naroon man si Charity sa isip niya nababagabag pa rin siya ng kondisyon ng kaniyang lolo.

They immediately went to the counter and asked for the room where their grandfather is. Hindi mapakaling umakyat ang magkapatid papunta sa kwarto ng lolo nila. Esaac is shattered right now. Hindi niya alam kung anong magiging reaksyong niya kung makikita man si Papi.

He held the knob and slowly opened the door. Dahan-dahan silang pumasok ng kuya niya at nakita ang ama niyang nakatitig sa lolo nila. He was a bit relieved when he saw the fair condition of his grandfather. This is better than he thought of.

"Pa, my goodness, what happened?" he asked his father.

Agad niyang inakay ang anak papalayo sa ama. Seth was left with his grandfather while Esaac and his father went on the corner.

"How was Papi?"

Napabuntong-hininga ang kaniyang ama. "Biglang sumikip ang dibdib ng lolo mo kanina," his father explained.

Napasabunot na lamang siya. "Why? What was his trigger?" he asked. "Hindi siya magkakaganyan kung walang nag-trigger sa sakit niya."

"Palagi naman, ang Tito mo."

Hindi na siya nagulat sa sinabi ng ama. His blood has been boiling with his Uncle Jousef. Kumuyom ang palad niya sa narinig subalit kinalma pa rin ang sarili bago pa man tuluyang maghuramentado. Alam niyang walang magagawang mabuti ang pagiging mainiting ulo.

"Uncle Jousef still wants his part on the Engineering firm. What makes him think that Papi would give him his wealth that easy?" He tried to whisper every word, the lowest volume possible.

"Jousef wants to get his part because he surely knows that your Papi will give it to someone who deserves it."

"And Uncle knows that he is not deserving of the wealth, kaya niya gustong kuhanin ang parte niya even before Papi's health completely deteriorate," paglilinaw ni Ez.

He had the same thinking with his father. Hindi sigurado si Jousef na magkakaroon siya ng parte sa kahit saang Engineering firm ng pamilya niya sa pag-iisip na walang tiwala sa kaniya ang sarili niyang ama. Santiago has been keeping an eye on his children. He knows who does kindness and he knows who hides his horn.

"Let's just hope good for your Papi's health," sabi ni Juan. "He does not want us to become problematic about his welfare."

"I know, Pa. Papi's strong enough to keep himself alive."

Nakatulog ng mahimbing si Charity matapos niyang tapusin ang thesis niya. She did it in eight straight hours pagkatapos muling magpakalasing kagabi. Paikot-ikot pa siya sa kama niya, katabi ang mga gamit niya sa school.

Nagpakawala siya ng mahinang mura nang magising sa walang habas na pagtunog ng alarm clock. It is already six in the evening when she decided to wake up. Napakamot siya sa ulo at saka nag-inat ng mga braso. She is completely alive when an idea popped out of her mind.

'Not going to the bar', she told herself. Napangiti siya sa nakakatuwnag pagpipigil niyang pumunta sa bar. Nagiging hobby na niya yata ang pagpunta roon para manood ng VESTIGE. She is getting used to it. Hindi na niya matanggal sa sistema niya.

Maliban sa alak at sa musika, ikaila man niya, si Jacob din ang binabalikan niya sa club na iyon.

'Stupid, Charity. You ought to write articles,' muli niyang sabi. 'Fine, fine, write articles instead of clubbing, Mia.'

She is like a weirdo now. Kinakausap na niya ang sarili habang pinapaikot ang dulo ng buhok niya sa kaniyang mga daliri. Nababaliw na ba siya? Because of her mixed feelings of frustration, hype, love drunk, liquor feels, and whatever, she is doing.

No one could blame her. Esaac is unforgettable. Ngiti palang niya, makalaglag mata na. He may not look like any other fictional characters from the books, nananatili pa ring may kakaibang katangian siya na hindi kayang sabihin ni Charity.