Chapter II

Distance

Chapter Two

Weird

Kinabukasan ay hapon na ako nang gising. Nakatapat na silang lahat sa tv nang magising ako. Wala ang kambal at malamang nasa kanilang mga kwarto at naglalaro ng PUBG o nasa library ang mga iyon at nagbabasa.

"May pagkain sa ref, Seig. Just reheat it if you're hungry." Tumingin ako kay Ate Prim na hanggang ngayon ay nakatutok parin ang mata sa tv. Sinilip ko ang pinapanood nila at isa iyong teleserye. Paborito ito ni Mom at ni Ate Prim, kaya ganiyan na lang din ang atensiyong binibigay niya dito.

Napatingin ako sa katabi ni Ate at nakita si Ali na nakatingin sa akin. Napangiti na lang din ako dahil malamang sa malamang ay hindi siya makarelate kay Ate. I find it cute how she was looking at me, silently pleading for me to steal her away from Ate Prim's grasp.

"Ali, do you want snacks? I'm actually hungry, so if you'd like, we can eat together." Tumingin siya kay Ate na ngayon ay napatingin sa akin. Her eyes glinted in a mischievous way, clearly teasing me, before looking back at what she is watching. Napailing na lang ako bago muling bumaling kay Ali na ngayon ay nakatingin na ulit sa akin, naninigurado sa paanyaya ko. "Ate Prim and the twins don't usually eat snacks and can't be disturbed at this time of the day, so we can leave them be." Napangiti ako ng agad ng mabilis siyang tumayo at halos tumakbo patungo sa akin. Her smiles are big, showing how happy she is leaving her bored and awkward self back at the living room.

"Thank you so much. You don't know how Prim tortured me the whole morning," exaggerated niyang sinabi sa akin. Napangiti naman ako sa sinabi niya habang pasalpak na naupo sa mataas na upuan sa counter island ng kusina.

"Your actually about to cry so I felt bad and save you back there," natatawa kong komento. I walked towards the refrigerator. "You actually need to learn Tagalog real quick, if you're gonna stay here for a while," I advised, matter-of-fact-ly. Naglabas ako ng pagkain at nagsalang sa microwave ng ulam. "At least you can relate to Ate Prim's addiction to Filipino dramas." Ngumisi siya sa akin.

"Addiction?" Pinasadahan niya ang buhok niya ng kaniyang kanang kamay bago nagpahalumbaba sa kaniyang upuan. Curiousity filled her eyes as she look at me.

"Addiction, yes. Anything dramatic is like a drug to her." Tumaas ang kilay niya, waring nagtatanong, habang may multo ng ngisi sa kaniyang mga labi, para bang nasisiyahan sa nalalaman niya patungkol kay Ate Prim. "Do you know that she watched A Walk To Remember once, for 5 days straight? The movie was on repeat." Nanlaki ang mga mata niya, lumabas ang ngiting pilit niyang tinatago. "With sleeping only her rest and going to toilet for that 5 days? She's crazy!" Tuluyan siyang natawa sa aking sinabi.

"I didn't expect that from her!" she exclaimed, her eyes smiling while holding back her laugh.

"Many thought she's a tough girl and all, but the truth is she's a drama queen like my Mom." Malaki ang ngiti ko dahil sa mga nakakahawa niyang ngiti.

"Does that mean you're also a drama king?" Ngi-ngiting tanong niya bago ako tumalikod para kunin ang pagkain sa microwave nang tumunog ito.

"Nope, I'm the most sane person here in this house..." Humarap ako sa kaniya, hawak-hawak ang tupperware na may ulam. "And the most handsome." Kumindat ako sa kaniya at natawa ng tumawa din siya. Her laugh is something I didn't expect from her. She doesn't laugh like a normal elite girl with hands on her mouth. Malaki ang mga ngiti niya 'pag tumatawa, at umaabot ito sa kaniyang mga mata. Her laugh is cute though. Nakakahawa din.

"Your younger brothers won't agree," natatawa niyang komento.

"Hmmm... really? But I think I'm really the most handsome Lopez here, my Mom also said that. Don't you think so?" I posed a few poses for Ali while she hysterically laugh on my silliness. Nababaliw na yata ako. Parang noong isang araw lang ay naiinis pa ako dahil may dadagdag na naman sa bahay na mangugulo, pero hindi ko alam na ganito pala siya kasaya kasama. We actually clicked and I am now enjoying her presence here, just like that. "Baka nga mainlove ka pa sa'kin eh!" dagdag ko, hindi natatakot dahil alam kong hindi siya nakakaintindi ng Tagalog.

"You think so?" Amusement is evident in her eyes while her smile won't leave her lips. Muntik namang mahulog ang hawak kong ulam sa sinabi niya.

"Nakakaintindi ka ng Tagalog?!" gulat na gulat kong tanong. Mabilis akong lumapit sa kaniya at inilapag ang ulam sa island table. Natawa siya sa reaksiyon ko.

"I sure do. Unti lang." Natawa ako ng marinig ang kaunting accent niya sa pagta-Tagalog. How can she be more cute?

"All this time! Buti na lang hindi ako nagkomento pa ng kung ano-ano kahapon because I was so tired! I thought you can't understand us!" Gulantang ako. Muntik ko pang masambit na ang ganda niya kahapon. Nakakahiya, buti na lang!

"I guess, that means you should not judge my capabilities..." Biglang nawala ang nawala ang ngiti niya sa labi at nag-iwas ng tingin. Her eyes lost it's shine, too. Her face looks darker, more serious. Too different from her usual laid back face. "And the things I say." Ramdam ko ang pagsasalubong ng kilay ko sa pagkalito. One minute she's smiling, and now she's scaring me.

She must've felt that it was too silent for quite a time and looked at me. Sinubukan kong magsalita pero walang lumabas na kung ano sa bibig ko kaya tinikom ko na lang ito. Ngumiti siyang muli.

"I was just kidding. You're too serious." She stood up from her seat and tapped my left shoulder before turning her back on me. "Anyways, I'm gonna go rest at my room for some minutes. Prim told me that we will leave around 3 to buy supplies for school so just call me if we're good to go." And then she left just like that.

Napakamot na lang ako ng ulo bago hinanda ang countertop para makakain ako. Habang kumakain ay napaisip ako. Ali is such a cute and funny, but weird girl. I know few about her, but she seems nice, but certainly mysterious. I'll just go solve the mystery then, after all, she'll be with us for a year, just enough time to know her more. Napangisi na lang ako sa naiisip. Who are you, Aliyah Jane de Guzman?