Divulge

Nakapaka-boring talaga dito sa bahay. Nakahilata lang ako buong araw. Panay laptop, nood ng movies, paghe-headset, pagsasalamin, at paglilibot sa kwarto ang ginawa ko buong araw.

"Yaya Ckyuk!", tawag ko.

"Yes ma'am Kyla?", pagmamadaling sagot at lapit nito.

Hmmm. . . . . How if suwayin at isantabi ko muna 'tong pagdi-diyeta ko?

"Ya, please buy me some nachos, steak, oreo cookies, green tea, potato chips, pocket sandwiches, lasagna, pizza, donuts, vegetable salad, white chocolates, packs of almonds, cheese sticks, and . . . . . hm? Ano pa ba? Ahh! One classic tiramisu ice cream. That's all." , I said.

"Sige po.", payuko nitong sambit.

"Wait!"

"Yes ma'am? May ibabawas ka po ba?", sagot niya.

"Ahh, wala naman."

"Oh sige po, mauna na'ko."

"Ahh wait! May idadagdag talaga kase ako yaya. Isang cullen skink tsaka porridge hehe." dugtong ko.

"Eh ma'am sa Scotland lang po iyan. Wala na ho tayo doon." sagot niya.

Oo nga pala. Parang kailan lang 'yon. I miss how my mom used to cook scottish food for me, especially those cullen skink and porridge. Super duper mega ultimate yung sarap.

"Ahh y-yes I know y-yaya. I'm just kidding. Go ahead, that's all I want and ingat ka po ya. Thank you so much.", respunde ko. Honestly, I'm not kidding, sinabi ko talaga 'yon unexpectedly. Nakakamiss kase 'yung mga panahong nakakakain pa 'ko ng ganoon kasama si mommy.

"Ahh teka pa pala ulit ya, may itatanong sana ako.", dugtong ko.

"Sige lang, iha."

Naalala ko ang maling apelyidong binanggit sa akin ni Andy noong isang araw.

"Ya, since matagal ka na naming kasama dito, at nasubaybayan mo na pati ang paglaki namin, baka may kilala kang taong Nailor ang apelyido?", tanong ko. Then, I saw the different emotion molded on her face.

"Wala naman yata. Ah, sige. Una na 'ko ma'am, naku baka maiwan ako ni Manong Obet ninyo hm, pinaaandar na ata 'yung sasakyan sa labas. Ba-bye!"

"Ah, o sige po. Ingat."

I checked the time after yaya left and saw it's 6 pm. Takte, malapit na pala 'yung dinner 'tas andami ko pang pinabili kay yaya. But, who said I can't eat those in the midnight? Hihihi.

Nakarinig ako ng yapak mula sa labas ng aking kwarto. Tapos na nga pala sa mga oras na 'to ang pasok nila kuya KKK. Sinara ko ang laptop at nahiga ako ng mabilisan sa kama at nagpanggap na natutulog dahil nangako ako na magpapahinga muna ako sa araw na 'to dahil ganun ang bilin nila sa akin.

"Jie, tulog na ba 'yon?", pabulong ngunit dinig na bigkas ni kuya Klaimoz.

As I hear their voices, I tight-lipped.

"Oo naman, lakas ng tama ng gin mo sa kaniya eh.", sagot ni kuya Khenjie.

"Nasan sina yaya Ckyuk at manong Obet? Tahi-tahimik masyado dito.", dugtong na tanong ni kuya Klaimoz.

"Baka nasa likuran naghaharutan ha-ha-ha.", biro ni kuya Kivon.

Dinig ko pati pagpipigil nila ng tawa para panatiliin ang katahimikan upang 'di ako magising.

"Siraulo ka tol ha-ha-ha.", sagot ni kuya Khenjie.

"May something talaga sa dalawang matandang 'yon ha-ha-ha." dugtong muli ni kuya Klaimoz.

"Osya, tama na ang tawa. 'Pag 'to nagising—"

"Shhhh. Oo, alam na alam namin, Von. Kala mo 'di ko din alam na ginagamit mo 'yang katalinuhan mo para akitin si Ulkushi ko, hah?", sambit ni Kuya Khenjie kay kuya Kivon.

"Oh, tol. Tama na 'yan.", 'pambabawal ni Kuya Klaimoz.

Putik naman oh, ingay naman ng KKK brothers na 'to, baka matawa ako bigla sa mga pinag-uusapan nila at madinig nila 'yon. Baka mahuli pa 'ko't pagalitan.

"Seryoso na kase mga tol, paano natin sasabihin kay Ky 'yung totoo?"

F*ck, I heard my nickname. Ano bang dapat kong malaman? Baka pag-usapan nila na may gusto pala sa'kin si Y or kung paano nila tutulungan si Y na umamin sa'kin. Shockzzz. Kakilig.

"'Di ba sabi ni 'mmy na siya na lang ang magsasabi?", sagot ni Kuya Kivon.

T-teka?! B-bakit nadamay si mommy 'di to? W-wait. Naguguluhan ako. Baka naman uuwi si 'mmy dito sa Pilipinas? O baka isasama niya ako ulit sa Scotland? Sadly, hindi ko nga lang makikita non muli ang kagwapuhan ni Y.

"Nakalimutan mo na ba? Na kapag hindi nakapunta dito si 'mmy, tayo na lang daw ang magsasabi sa kaniya.", pagpapaliwanag ni Kuya Klaimoz.

"Tsaka dude naman, hahayaan pa ba nating umabot siya sa 18 'tas humakbang paalis ng pagiging menor de edad at makapaglayas 'pag nalaman ang totoo?" , pag-aalala ni Kuya Khenjie.

"Tama, tama. But, how are we going to say na anak siya ni 'mmy sa ibang lalake?"

W-wait?! The F?! H-how?! W-why?! That time I ascertained the fact that came out from my brother's mouth, it felt like the heftiest thing banged my heart.

The pain . . . . .

The shock . . . . .

The dolor and the zillion oppugns made me opened my eyes much wider and made my face froze in shock.

I want to scream . . . . .

I want to ask . . . . .

I want to cry endlessly. . . . .

And then, my brain gathered again the words Andy told me last time we talked that keep echoing the truth.

"Shhhh." , muling dinig kong tunog galing sa pag-uusap ng mga kuya ko, or shall I say half-brothers. P*ta! Ang sakit. Dati, sobrang saya ko kapag ipinangangalandakan ko sa ibang tao na magulang ko ang may-ari ng academy, but the real owner is just my step-dad. All of my life, I believed that I'm a real Tarazona, I later catch on how preposterous I am. 'Di ko na mabilang ang sunod-sunod na pagpatak ng luha ko habang sakmal ng kanang kamay ko ang parte ng bedsheet na hinihigaan ko sa kadahilanan ng gigil, galit, at lungkot ko. Walang tunog ang pag-iyak ko, and trust me, 'pag ganito? Sobra pa sa sobra ang sakit.

Kyla, matapang ka, kaya mo 'to. Stop crying, you're not a baby anymore, at papatunayan mo 'yon sa Andy Rymer na 'yon at kahit sa kanino mang tao. Paulit-ulit kong sinasambit sa aking isipan upang piliting palakasin ang damdamin kong tibag na tibag sa katotohanan. I wiped my tears from my face through my neck then transversely rotated my pillow to hide the tears that fell to it. I created a fake smile and looked how I look in front of my mirror. I put some powder to my face to hide my nose tinged with some pinkish tincture to persevere my prima facie.

"Oh, hi. Gising ka na pala, Kyla." pangiting wika ni kuya Kivon.

"Andiyan na pala kayo, kuya." pagpapanggap ko at mabilisang umalis.

I don't know what to do next. I don't know where to go next. I don't know what to say next. I don't know what will be the next happening that may outcome. I don't know . . . . . Maybe I'm just too stupid to know.

...

I was walking beneath a porch leading me to the entrance of the academy, it is extended as a colonnade with a roof structure over a walkway enclosed by walls.

"Hi, Ky." , and then there was her again, the evil Andy Rymer. I didn't response on what she said and progress on walking. Ostensibly, I didn't anticipate she would actually bring a microphone to speak in front of plenty students. Before a syllable came out from her mouth, the mic buzzed in an annoying earshot then she speak.

"Good morning beautiful people of Tarazona Trespaderne Academy & College.", even the teachers, instructors, inclusion specialists, admins, cashiers, department heads, nurses, and mentors came out to know what's happening.

"Ms. Rymer, what are you doing?!", Mrs. Teagan rebuked in disapproval for Andy's manner.

"Madam, I just wanna discuss something that will make y'all like stop dead in your tracks and tremendously be shock for owing to know this news.", Andy retorted with her sweet fake smile that is imprinted to her face. Abundant of people were watching us that made my heart escape out of my ribcage. So soon as now, I need to be brave.

"Ms. Andy Rymer, would you just stop your dementedness.", I said while unleashing my dictatorial look. Suddenly, I saw my brothers watching us too. Seeing them reminded me of what I've heard yesterday. Then, there was Y toward at their back. It made me nervous and weaker.

"Oh, so you keep on persuading yourself to be stout?", Andy stated with her mic. Then and there, she get something out of an envelop and showed it to us.

"See this? This is the picture of Kyla Tarazona or shall I say Kyla Nailor. This is a photo of her with her mommy and her 'DADDY'. Kita niyo na? Ang lakas ng loob niyang ipagsigawan sa 'tin na, the owner of this TTAC is her father, pero look at this! Ito naman talaga ang totoong papa niya, anak lang naman pala sa labas. Napaka feelingera, right? Tapos—"

"Hoy hoy hoy, babae. Tumigil ka diyan." , pampuputol ni kuya Khenjie sa pagsasalita ni Andy nang makita niya ako na lumuluha kaya dali-daling niyang inagaw ang mic mula sa kaniya.

"Huwag niyong pakinggan 'tong babaeng 'to, may saltik 'to, pasensiya na. Sige, you can leave us now. This is just some sort of misunderstanding.", Khenjie explained.

"Ok, ok, ok. Students! Go back to your respective rooms." , isa-isang pangkukumbinsi ng mga guro't assistants sa mga estudyante.