Pito

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Bryce Bernardo POV

"To all passengers of this Airbus. We will bounding to your destination at any moment." Rinig kong sabi ng piloto.

Tinignan ko naman ang kasama ko na aliw na aliw sa mga nakikita niya. I saw Stephen look at me like his eyes were saying 'you're too obvious bro.'

Pumunta siya sa tainga ko. "Bro. You're too obvious." Bulong niya sa tainga ko.

"Really? What should I supposed to do bro?" Tanong ko.

"Just don't make her awkward beacuse it's too cringe for her." Aniya.

I just listen to him. "And if you want to make a move just don't show rustic, okay?" He added.

Tumango ako sa sinabi niya. "Okay." I muttered.

"Just think it wisely bro, because in the end you were be in vain if you did not do this thing anymore." He enunciated.

I just nodded at him even though It's too deficit for me. "Okay bro, I will do what you teach me." I responded.

He just nodded at me. I snoot and meditate the word he were saying awhile ago. Tama siya! I need to act normal in front of her.

"Bryce." She called me.

I inclined my head and faced her. "Yes?" I replied.

"We're here na." She notified me.

Damn that eyes of her. Nakaka lasing.

I just smiled at her. "I know." I replied.

Maya-maya lang we bounded in Manila.

"To all passengers of this Airbus we're already bounded in Manila. Thank you for choosing us. We were looking forward to your next flight." Rinig kong anunsiyo ng piloto.

Bumaba na kami sa eroplanong sinakyan namin as so with Stephen. He's so nice to talk. Actually naglalakad na kami ngayon palabas ng airport. I saw Stephen walking with us.

"Hey bro." I uttered.

"What's up man? Where do you go?" Tanong niya sa amin.

"Ahm...me I'm going home while her I don't know." I responded.

I saw him nodded. "Oh! Are you up tonight? I'm planning to go to Tegheytey." May accent niyang sabi.

I chuckled. "Bro it's Tagaytay. Ahm...me I can go with you but I don't know if Marian can go with us. Ask her instead." I replied.

Nakita ko naman na pumunta siya sa gawi ni Marian and he didn't hesitate to ask her. I saw my companion nodded at him.

"Great. Okay, I marked that as your promised. By the way I gotta go." He said while holding his luggage.

We raised our hand at him then wave. "Bye brother, see you later." He shouted.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Marian pagkatapos kumaway ulit sa kaniya.

"Keep safe brother." I shouted back.

He just smiled at us then I saw the car leave.

Bumaling ako sa kasama ko. "So pano? See you mamayang gabi?" I said while raising an eye brow.

I saw her pouted at me. "Do I have a choice?" She rolled her eyes.

I just smiled at her. "So pano? Alis na ako?" I uttered.

Tumango naman siya. "Keep safe." Sabi niya.

I just smiled at her. "Di mo ba ako ma mi-miss?" I asked eagerly.

"Ewan ko sayo." Saby irap niya sa akin.

I chuckled. "Biro lang. Ito naman ang seryoso masyado. So pano? Alis na ako ah, bye." Sabi ko sabay alis sa gawi niya.

— — —

Nandito na ako ngayon sa loob ng taxi papunta kaming white plains ngayon. Doon kasi ang location ng bahay ni mama. My mom is a pure bisaya. She abode in Cagayan de Oro city kaya fluent siyang mag salita ng bisaya. Ako rin naman fluent rin naman akong mag salita ng bisaya pero 'di ako lumaki do'n. Dad took me out of the country. We lived Canada for about a years bumalik lang kami dito no'ng nag high school ako kasi I told him na dito ako sa pinas mag aaral pagka high school ko.

Maya-maya huminto ang taxi sa tapat ng bahay namin. Binigyan ko lang si manong ng pamasahe sabay labas. Humakbang ako papuntang gate ng biglang may humarang sa akin. As I noticed the cap I found out na si Jeorge ito.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito? Pati ba naman dito Jeorge? At paano ka nakapasok dito?" I asked instantly.

He just sneered at me. "Well, I can go here whenever I want." He replied.

Ano na naman kayang balak nito?

"How dare you stealing my girlfriend from me." He exclaimed.

I just remained silent. Wala namang patutungohan 'to eh.

I faced him. "Ano bang problema mo? Hindi pa ba sapat 'yung nahawakan mo siya no'ng gabing 'yun?" He asked in annoyance.

I just heaved a sigh at him. "Ano bang pinuputok ng butchi mo, ha?" I asked in contempt.

He sneered at me again. "Tsk! Hindi mo talaga ako titigilan no? Pati ba naman kami Bryce? Ang kapal mo din no?" Sabay lapit niya sa akin.

Lalapit na sana siya sa 'kin para suntukin ako pero umiwas ako sa suntok niya tapos sinuntok ko siya sa mukha pagkatapos sinuntok niya naman ako sa labi at dumugo ito. Hindi ko ito pinansin. I grabbed his hand and I twist it hanggang sa 'di na siya nakagalaw.

"Get your hands off!" He exclaimed.

Mas hinigpitan ko pa ang pagkakahawak ko sa mga kamay niya.

"You wish! BITCH!" I replied.

Nagulat ako ng tinapakan niya ang paa ko at nakaramdam ako ng sakit sa paa ko. Nagkaroon siya ng tiyempo para bumawi sa akin pero 'di niya nagawa nang bumukas ang gate at bumungad sa amin si manang, may dala itong plastic ng basura. Nagulat siya sa nakita niya, naka awang pa nga ang labi niya sa gulat. As expected she shouted.

"Ma'am si sir Bryce napuruhan." Sigaw niya.

I saw Jeorge astounded sa gulat niya tumakbo siya ng mabilis paalis sa gawi ko. Pumunta naman ako sa gawi ni manang. I wiped the blood spewed in my lips.

"Okay lang po kayo sir?" She asked worriedly.

I saw mom walking through mine. "Oh my goodness Bryce. What happened to your lips?" Mom asked in awestruck.

I just smiled at her. "Ma wala ni (Ma wala to) It's just a inch of scars. Nothing to worry about it-" She cut off.

She raised an eyebrow. "Anong wala? Bryce look at your lips naa kay samad unya wala? (Meron kang sugat tapos wala?)" She exclaimed.

I just chuckled at her. "Si mama bitaw kay. Wala lagi ni. (Si mama talaga. Wala to)" Sagot ko.

Sinuntok niya ako ng mahina sabay irap. "Bahala ka diha (Bahala ka diyan)" Aniya sabay alis sa gawi ko.

I just sighed. "Si mama talaga napaka OP." Sabi ko kay yaya.

Umarko naman ang isang kilay niya. "Out of place po?" Seryoso niyang tanong.

I just chuckled. "Isa pa 'to si yaya. Sumigaw agad 'kala mo naman may nangyaring masama sa 'kin." I muttered.

She crossed her arms. "Aba siyempre naman no! Alaga kaya kita. Ako na ngang nag alaga sayo simula no'ng pinanganak ka hanggang sa nagbibinata ka na. Kaya 'di mo ako mapipigilang mag-alala sayo kasi mahal kita dahil para na kitang anak." She voiced out.

I hugged her in grimace. "Thank you yaya ah. You always there for me kahit na pasaway ako at masungit...minsan." Sabay halakhak namin.

21 years na 'tong nagtratrabaho si yaya sa amin. Simula noong ipinanganak ako hanggang ngayon nagtratrabaho pa rin siya sa amin. I told her before na mag resign na kasi matanda na siya. Nasa mid 50's na kasi siya kaya it's too risky for her to work at that age.

Sabay kaming naglakad papasok and I was in turmoil when I saw all the lights...OFF? What's happened? Natutulog na ba sila? Siguro nga.

Pagkabukas ko sa pinto I was flabbergasted when all the lights turned ON and I saw all of my relatives sat behind the corner. I saw Trixie holding a...CAKE? Awh, mah heart.

She goes to me. "Kuya welcome back. Na miss kita, daya mo naman 'kala ko ba mag play pa tayo ng toys ko but you maked me wait kuya. I almost wait you a months but you're insane! You broked your promise. But it's okay nandito ka na eh. Happy Birthday kuya." She said then she smiled widely at me.

I kissed her cheeks. "I miss you too Trixe na maganda," I paused.

"Trixie na mabait." She said.

"Trixie na makulit. Halika ka nga dito." Sabi ko sabay hug sa kaniya kahit na may dala siyang cake.

Pagkatapos naming mag-usap ni Trixie pumunta ako kay mommy. Still she don't bothered to talk with me. Galit talaga si mommy but later on mawawala din 'yan. Naka upo si mom sa isang stool sa kitchen namin. She's quite distant from me but bahala na.

"Mom." I uttered then I gave her a smile.

Still she didn't reply.

I heaved a sigh. "Mom can we talk." I forced myself so that I can't feel nervous.

"Anong pag-uusapan natin ABER?" Mataray niyang tanong. Naka tuon pa din ang tingin nito sa telepono niya.

Humugot muna ako ng lakas saka ako nagsalita. "Wa'g ka ng magalit sa akin mom. Wala lang 'yun. Wa'g ka ng mag-alala-" She cut it off.

"Wala lang 'yun? Nasisiraan ka ba ha? You even had a scars tapos wala lang 'yun? Tsk!" She exclaimed.

Mukhang hindi 'to good idea to talk with her pero bahala na nga.

"Mom 'yung nakita mo kanina, it's just a li'l bit of misunderstanding." I defended.

She sighed at me. "Sorry for being too over protective to you son. Gusto ko lang naman kasing maayos ka, 'yung wala kang pasa, 'yung safe ka. That's what mother wants to her child." She explained.

I nodded at her. "I know mom and it's quite awkward because I feel cringed about it. Pero now I know how you cared for me, how you worried about me. I marked this as the most greatest gift of having you in my life. I know I'm too a stubborn kid but still you loved me and I loved you too mom." My tears dripping down to my cheeks.

She pouted at me and commanded me to go near her. Pumunta naman ako sa gawi niya sabay hug sa kaniya.

"I love you son." She muttered.

My heart melt.

"I love you too mom." I replied.

———

After naming mag-usap ni mama, bati na kami. Nandito ako ngayon sa kwarto ko, nagbibihis kasi may lakad ako with Marian and Stephen. I can't imagined na magiging kaibigan ko 'yung briton na 'yun. Pinag-initan ko pa naman 'yun kasi ba naman todo titig kay Marian 'kala mo matutunaw na si Marian sa kaka titig niya but I was wrong. He's a nice person and a nice friend also.

After I dressed up bumaba ako at madaling pumunta sa garrage. Tulog na kasi ang mga bisita namin. Si mommy naman nag bi-bake ng cup cake, hobby niya kasing mag bake eh. Nagpa-alam na naman ako sa kaniya kanina. It's passed 10 o' clock in the evening.

"Manong can you open the gate?" Utos ko kay manong.

Tumango naman ito. "Sige ho sir." Sabay punta sa gate at binuksan ito.

Nagpasalamat lang ako sa kaniya sabay alis. Stephen texted me kung saan kami magkikitakita.

From: Stephen Gorchner

Hey bro, still up? Come on let's meet up at the sea side of the mall. Can you also please message Marian for this agenda.

Pupunta muna ako kay Marian first.

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Hi there, thank you for reading this chapter and I'm so much grateful for your kindred heart. Spreat this story. Thank you :)