The Conflict of the Past Pt. 2

Subsob na naman ang ulo ni Terrenz sa sketchpad na ginuguhitan. She was trying to create another design na project na naman niya. She was so busy na wala na siyang pakialam sa paligid niya. She is in their usual spot sa school field. Habang ang ibang estudyante is casually chilling and lounging sa schoold field, eto siya hindi na naman magkandaugaga sa pag-do-drawing. Nakakalat sa lamesa ang mga architectural stuff niya, tablet, notebooks and libro. May nakaipit na pencil sa tenga niya while she was sketching something naman sa sketchbook. She was too occupied na hindi niya napansin ang paglapit ng isang babae sa kaniya. She stroke her hair in frustration nang tila hindi niya makuha ang tamang angulo sa ginagawa niya. She harshly breathe in. Malapit na siyang mainis.

"Aaahhh... ano na ba 'to?!" turan ni Terrenz sa sarili. Napaangat siya ng ulo nang tila maramdaman niyang may nakatayo sa harap. Dahan-dahan siyang napatingin sa taong nasa harap niya.

It was a middle aged woman. Hindi niya ito kilala. She looks too formal. Medyo aristocrat ang datingan nito. But the woman is looking at her with full sarcasm. She is somewhat smiling but the smile is cold and sarcastic.

"You must be Katrenza," The woman said.

Terrenz didn't know kung nagtatanong ba ito o she is declaring it. She didn't respond. The woman looked at her straight as if sinisipat ang kabuuan ng mukha niya. Terrenz didn't know how to react but she felt she needed to sit up straight and fix herself. She felt na hindi gusto ng kaharap na ginang how lousy she looked right now. Pagkuwa'y nakita niyang umikot ang mata ng ginang sa mga gamit niyang nakakalat sa lamesa. Lalo siyang nailang sa inakto nito. Yet, hindi siya makagalaw.

"Tell me," the woman said commanding, "how long have you been dating Redentor?"

"Po?" Terrenz mind went blank. Hindi niya kilala ang kaharap. Hindi niya alam kung tama bang sagutin niya ito patungkol sa kanila ni Red. Nakaramdam siya ng takot na baka may mali siyang maisagot.

"I am Marga, Red's aunt. I am asking you how long have you been dating my nephew?" there was a slight feel of irritation in Marga's voice.

"M-more than a y-year..." Terrenz replied stammering. She knows Red has an aunt but she didn't know she was this scary. Besides, hindi naman ito masyadong binabanggit ni Red. It's as if Red's aunt was just simply there but has no connection to Red. Hindi niya alam na pupuntahan siya nito upang makilala.

Marga's lips twitched on the side giving a wicked grin. " I don't like you for my nephew," diretsong turan nito. "So I will say this once, hiwalayan mo si Red or I'll make him break up with you."

Terrenz was caught off guard. Hindi agad siya nakahuma. She thought this type of scenario only happens in dramatic melodrama movies. She didn't expect to experience it in real life.

But Terrenz is not the typical naive girl katulad ng mga aping bida sa mga telenovelas. She doesn't sit back or whip kapag may bumubully sa kaniya. She has respect for the elderly pero hindi siya papayag na basta sugurin na lang siya ng kahit sino and bantaan just because this woman didn't like her for Red.

"I'm sorry... Pero I'm not sure na nabanggit kayo sakin ni Red. I don't actually know you," she said somewhat controlling not to be so disrespectful.

"I don't need to tell you who I am. I am simply Red's aunt but I can make him do what I say. Red is engaged to someone else."

Terrenz sniggered. What the woman is somewhat too good to be true. Ayaw niya iyong paniwalaan.

"Look, I don't want to be rude to you, Madamme. But you are somewhat offending me. I get it that Red and I are different status in life but it doesn't mean that I am poor. Besides, I don't love Red because his rich. I don't even know how rich he is. Lahat naman halos ng studyante sa eskwelahang ito mayaman," litanya ni Terrenz.

She speaks the truth. She may not be as rich as Red or any of his friends, but her life is somewhat comfortable to live with. She might be in this school because of scholarship but that is more for achievement status hindi para makatipid sa tuition. His papa can provide. At sa panahon ngayon, batayan pa ba ang status ng yaman para masabing bagay kayo sa isa't-isa? The woman must be living the old fashion way.

"It's your opinion, but I meant what I said. Break up with my nephew. That's final," malditang turan ng ginang saka pairap na tinalikuran siya nito. The woman walked out habang napasunod na lang ng tingin si Terrenz dito.

She felt her face heating up. She felt more anger than dejection. Red's aunt has just step on her ego. She might been Red's family but she doesn't like the idea na minamata nito ang pagkatao niya. Besides, she remember what Red told her. Hindi naman talaga ito kamag-anak ni Red. She was just there as his guardian when he was not in his legal age yet. Anong karapatan nitong panghimasukan ang buhay nila ni Red?

Sa sobrang inis, lalong nawalang ng gana si Terrenz na tapusin ang ginagawang project. Naghihimutok ang sariling mabilis niyang niligpit ang gamit. Halos padabog na sinaksak niya sa bag ang lahat ng nakakalat at saka mabilis na nagmartsa palayo. Pupuntahan niya si Red sa gym. Alam niyang nasa warm up practice si Red.

She headed towards the school gym. Nakita niyang halos wala ng tao sa gym. Tila tapos na din ang practice ng varsity. Natanaw niyang nakaupo sa bleachers ang apat na miyembro ng warrior five. Wala doon si Red. Tinungo niya ang apat.

"Terrenz," bati ni Buboy.

"Si Red?" she asked. Hindi niya tinago ang kinikimkim na galit.

"He left," sagot ni Matt. "He received a call and he looked somewhat worried. We thought dadaanan ka niya?"

"'He said he'll drop in your dorm," turan naman ni Thor.

"I am in the school field. Wala ako sa dorm," sagot niya. "Did he say where he was going?"

Alanganing umiling ang apat as if tila tinatantiya kung isa ba sa kanila ang may alam.

"We don't know," sabi ni JV. "He was like in a rush."

Nangunot ang noo ni Terrenz. Unti-unting napapalitan ng pagtataka ang nagpupuyos na galit kani-kanina lang. She somewhat thought what could possibly happen. May kinalaman ba ang pagsugod sa kaniya ng tiyahin ni Red ang biglaang pag-alis nito?

"Wait. Let me call him," biglang sabi ni Matt. He took out his phone sa duffle bag nito and dialed Red's number. "His phone was off," pagkuwa'y sabi nito matapos makinig sandali sa kabilang linya.

Hindi na nagpumilit si Terrenz. She just took out her phone and texted Red.

'Where are you? What happened? Call me.'

Alam niyang hindi agad sasagot si Red but she was somewhat hopeful. Nevertheless, nagpaalam siya sa apat. Pinigil pa siya ng apat na umalis and niyaya siya to dine out. But she declined. Bukod sa marami pa siyang gagawin, she don't feel like eating. She also wanted to look for Llanie. She needed her friend to somewhat console her.

She went to her dorm expecting to see Llanie there pero wala ito roon. She tried calling her pero nakapatay din ang telepono nito. She felt confused. They have the same schedule. San ba possibleng pumunta si Llanie. But then alam niyang mafrufrustrate lang siya lalo if pipilitin niyang hagilapin ang mag taong gusto niyang makausap. Instead she dropped her stuff sa study table niya and just wanted to lie on her bed. Napansin niya ang sticky note na nakadikit sa laptop niya. It was Llanie's hand writing.

'I'm going home. My parents called. I'll be back late,' ani ng note. Napabuntong hininga na lang si Terrenz. She thought sarilinin na lang muna ang disappointment na nangyari sa kaniya on this day.

She decided to let it go for now...