Chapter 12

Rita touched Kurt's face and said, "Kurt, kung ano man 'yang trip mo, tumigil ka na. Di na nakakatuwa." And just like that, kumalma agad si Kurt at huminto sa pagpupumiglas. He coughed up all the sand na nasubo niya and he had no idea bakit niya ginawa 'yun.

Sinamahan namin siya pabalik sa cottage at pinamumog namin siya ng maraming tubig. Pops, Mamita and Auntie Edna asked what happened pero tahimik lang kami. Rita looked away with guilt in her eyes.

Bumalik din sa dati ang sigla ni Kurt after we had lunch and then we all jumped into the water. We all just tried to forget what happened.

Kahit napakainit at maaliwalas ang panahon, the icy water shocked my system and my chest tightened like it squeezed the breath out of me. Kami lang tatlo nina Rita at Kurt ang nagsi-swimming habang nagbabasa lang ng libro si Pops in his foldable beach chair and Mamita and Auntie Edna were busy talking to the other people at the beach.

Everything went well until that day. I guessed nothing would really last forever.

Nakaraan ang lampas isang buwan ay nakasanayan ko na rin ang bagong buhay namin as students of Puerto Estrella University. It was a routine: attending classes, having lunch at the cafeteria with Rita, seeing Kurt with his co-athletes, History assignments, and ignoring Raven's bullying. It was weird because according to him, hindi niya maalala kung bakit siya umuwi nung araw na nagkasagutan sila ni Rita sa hallway. But that didn't stop him from annoying us. All we ever did was just ignore him and pretend he didn't exist.

Until school got a little bit boring . . . and lonely. Dumating sa point na madalas mag-isa na lang ako. Both Rita and Kurt became very busy. All of a sudden, may kanya-kanyang buhay na kami. Abala si Rita sa pagpro-produce ng musical theater sa school habang lagi namang nasa basketball practice si Kurt. Nagsisisi tuloy ako. Sana nag-join ako ng mga clubs for extracurricular activities. Now it's too late because they're all closed for registration.

Nagkikita-kita na lang kami tatlo during PE at History. Di na rin kami masyado nagkakasabay umuwi minsan. They're both staying late at school because of their own activities. So, I was driving home alone and started to get used to it. Pag-weekends naman, naging sunud-sunod rin ang lakad nila kaya nasa bahay lang ako, binge-watching on Netflix.

There was also one time na nakita kong magkasama sina Rita at Kurt after school and they were with Jake, Ana, and Seth. The five of them didn't know I saw them. But what were they up to? Tinanong ko si Rita about it the next day pero sabi lang niya, it was just all because of the school projects by the Student Government and Ana needed their help for some aspects. And I believed her.

One Friday at school, Mr Barrientos went on again and talked about the history of Puerto Estrella. Feeling ko hindi sapat ang isang semester for all this stuff.

"The first formal settlement was established in July 24th 1786. That is why we are celebrating it annually as Puerto Estrella Day . . . The Foundation Day. Now, speaking of Foundation Day, I have a little assignment for all of you for the weekend," sabi niya and indistinct conversations began, meaning the students were having a little protest.

"First, do a research of your family history and create a family tree. You can trace your farthest ancestral lineage as much as you can. Second, tell us how your family got here. Are you part of the natives? Are you part of the well-known founding families of Puerto Estrella or is your family one of the migrant birds? And lastly, tell us about your family's contribution to this province.

"Submission is on Monday," sabi pa niya at lalong lumakas ang ingay ng mga kaklase ko na nagrereklamo. I heard some of my classmates said, "It's Founders' Day tomorrow." "How can we enjoy the celebration?" "Kelan ba tayo nawalan ng assignment sa History?" "We need time for shopping."

Speaking of shopping, inaya ako ni Rita na bumili ng damit bukas ng umaga para naman sa Founders' Night. At first, I kind of disagreed because I didn't feel the need to attend. Pero sabi niya, we're part of the founding families so we should be there and dress up like our reputation precedes us. Siyempre, I couldn't say no 'pag si Rita na nag-aya.

"I know that tomorrow is the Foundation Day and everyone will be busy," Mr Barrientos tried to calm everyone down. "But this should not stop you from meeting the deadline. Good luck, students."

Everyone was disappointed hanggang matapos ang History class at nagsiuwian ang lahat.

When we had our dinner at home, I asked help from Pops regarding the assignment at tinanong ko siya kung may list siya ng mga pangalan ng ancestors namin.

"Hmm, well, I know some of them. Pero 'yung mga napakalayong henerasyon na, di ko na alam." he said.

"Saka may mga lumang pictures po ba tayo na pwede naming gamitin sa family tree?" Kurt asked. "Warning, gugupitin po namin."

"Lahat ng family photos natin ay nasa lumang kwarto ng Mom and Dad n'yo. It was converted into a library long time ago. Meron din dung mga copies ng mga old newspapers saka documents about our ancestral history. Pero 'yung mga pangalan, I think you should go to the Town Library. You can ask help from the registry office."

Bigla kaming nagkatinginan ni Kurt like we were thinking the same thing. "We can ask help from Rita," sabi niya.

"Right. I'll text her," I nodded. We both knew that Mamita was the head of the Town Library, so Rita was the key.

Pagkatapos naming kumain, dumiretso agad kami ni Kurt sa kwarto nina Mom and Dad, now turned library. I also texted Rita about the registry office and she said she'd take care of it.

The room felt and looked entirely different. It seemed like everything about Mom and Dad and this room completely vanished and replaced with all kinds of books. Ang mga dingding ay napalitan na ng mga bookshelves at ang dating lugar kung nasaan ang bed ng mga magulang namin ay napalitan na rin ng isang office table at isang swivel chair. The brown carpet was made thick and comfy and the books were organized by genre. It also smelled different, from the antique smell of the pages of old books and the woody smell coming from the shelves.

Pinakita agad sa'min ni Pops ang mga lumang dyaryo na featured ang mga Vergara. He also showed us where all the family photos were bago siya lumabas at iwan kami ni Kurt. We both decided to work together as partners kahit individual 'yung submission at scoring ng assignment. He took care of the newspapers and articles habang sa collection ng mga pictures naman ako.

"Alfredo Vergara, the first lawyer in Puerto Estrella," basa ni Kurt mula sa isang lumang dyaryo.

"Is that Pops' father?" tanong ko.

"I think so. This is dated May 1914."

Our family came from a lineage of lawyers. Pops was the oldest person that I knew in the family who was an attorney, then our Dad, and Mom, at ngayon gusto ni Kurt na ipagpatuloy ang legacy ng pamilya Vergara. I chose to take a different path. Even before, I didn't remember getting myself interested in law. I always had passion for cooking. And our parents had no problem with it.

Nagpatuloy si Kurt sa pagbabasa ng mga articles habang nagti-take note siya gamit ang kanyang laptop. Nasira ko 'yung akin nung nasa Manila pa lang kami when I accidentally dropped it pagkababa ng school bus. I didn't ask for a new one kasi di ko naman masyado nagagamit. Nanghihiram na lang ako kay Kurt 'pag kelangan.

I scanned all the photos starting from the old ones, black-and-white pa 'yung kuha. Some of them were already faded through time at amoy luma. I also couldn't figure kung kapamilya pa namin 'yung ibang nasa pictures, buti na lang may naglagay ng mga pangalan sa likod ng ibang mga litrato. Tinabi ko 'yung mga na-confirm kong ninuno namin. Nakita ko rin ang mga litrato ni Pops when he graduated college kasama ang mga parents niya at nung kinasal sila ng lola namin who we never met as she died when Dad was still young.

I proceeded to view Dad's photos as a kid. Medyo colored na ang mga litrato at 'yung iba ay kuha pa ng Instax. He really looked like Kurt nung bata pa siya. Kahit anong angle at expression ng mukha, they looked like twins. I could tell that Pops was very fond of taking Dad's photos in his entire life. Kumpleto kasi ang mga kuha from his childhood, adolescence, until he got married with our Mom. Pinakita ko rin kay Kurt ang mga wedding pictures nila and he took time looking at them.

I found one photo kung saan teenager pa si Dad at may mga kasama siya, maybe his high school friends. They were all wearing PEU's uniform and looked like they were in a school club, or something. There were thirteen of them in the group photo, seven guys and six girls.

"Kurt, check this out," sabi ko sa kanya at pinakita ko 'yung picture.

Dad was in the middle of the photo katabi ang isang babae na halos kamukha ng mama namin.

"Is that Mom?" tanong ni Kurt.

"It looks like her," sabi ko naman, "But she's like someone else."

"Yeah, kamukha mo siya, actually," sagot niya. And he was right. Late na nang na-realize ko na para akong nakatingin sa salamin habang tinititigan ko 'yung babaeng nasa picture katabi ni Dad.

Could it be? Siya kaya si Diana Montoya? Our Mom's older sister?

I shrugged it off at tiningnan namin 'yung iba pang mga teenagers na nasa larawan at merong iilan na medyo familiar din ang mga mukha.

"That is Jake's Dad, sa tingin mo?" I asked him. Kamukhang-kamukha kasi ito si Jake.

"Yeah, that's him, no doubt," sabi naman niya.

We also identified the others. There was Seth's look-a-like which we presumed his Dad, then Pastor Henry from the church, and Principal Navarro. At may isa pang babae sa picture na may kamukha rin at kilala ko . . .

"Rita's Mom," I muttered. And I was pretty sure it was her because they had the undeniable resemblance.

So, they were actually friends since then. Looking at the picture, it gave me a silly thought na parang nag-teleport kami nina Rita, Kurt, Jake at Seth papunta sa past at nagpa-picture with these other high schoolers. Sounds crazy, right?

Bumalik si Kurt sa pagta-type sa laptop niya habang nagsimula na'kong iligpit ang mga photo albums. I was thinking I already had enough photos of our ancestors. We only needed the names of the oldest members of the Vergara clan at nag-confirm na si Rita that Mamita gave her access to view those files in the Town Library. Pupunta kami dun sa Sunday kasama siya pagkatapos ng celebration ng Founders' Night bukas.

Binalik ko na isa-isa ang mga albums sa shelf nang biglang may isang picture na nahulog sa sahig. The image was facing down the carpet and when I picked it up, binaligtad ko agad ito para tingnan. There I saw a young couple, maybe in their early twenty's. They looked sweet together in the photo while the guy was hugging the girl from the back. They looked happy like they were so in love with each other.

I couldn't take my eyes off the photo while my heartbeat was racing fast. And then biglang umulan ng mga tanong sa utak ko.

"What did you find?" tanong ni Kurt while he was still on the desk.

Sasabihin ko sana sa kanya kung anong totoong nakita ko but there was something in me telling that I should keep it for myself. For now.

"Nothing. Just another old family photo," I tried to hide it from him. Tiningnan ko ulit ng isa pang beses ang picture and it gave me a weird feeling full of curiosity.

Then I thought I saw something that's written at the back of the picture when it fell on the carpet. So, binaligtad ko ulit ito.

And I was right. May naka-drawing na heart shape sa puting surface nito sa likod. At sa loob ng heart, nakalagay ang mga pangalan nila --- Edward + Diana.