CHAPTER 3

ELLIE

Nagising ako sa ingay ng nagpapatugtog sa baba I don't know the song but I know it's a heavy metal rock. Dito na kasi ko pinatulog ni Tita Sarah sa bagong magiging bahay namin.

"Oh hi good morning Elise" This girl She's the daughter of Tita Sarah.

"It's Ellie not Elise" Dumiretso na ko sa may kusina to make a tea. Nang bigla kong maalala wala nga palang tea dito.

Gusto ko sanang bumalik sa kwarto ko just to take another nap but I can't sleep with this kind of noise here. Then I notice the beautiful garden outside. Pagkaapak ko palang dito sobrang tahimik at kalmado. I think I found my favorite place here well pangalawa lang una yung kwarto ko.

"Good morning." Napatingin ako sa nagsalita. Her eyes again. Naalala ko yung nangyari kahapon the first time that I saw her, the first time that I felt that I'm connected with someone to a stranger who is not a stranger for me at all, the silence between us it's so comfortable I didn't feel the awkwardeness.

"Good morning." Ang balik kong bati sakanya.

"You want tea?" I take a gulp yes! Finally!

"Sure." Umupo ako sa upuan sa tapat niya while she's preparing for my tea.

"Why do you have that?" Ang naging tanong ko lang na curious kasi ko.

"Tita Sarah knows that I love to drink Tea. Here." Nilapag na niya yung tea. As I take a sip on it.

"A perfect tea for morning. You like the Black tea too?" I don't know I feel really interested in her.

"Well black tea is my morning tea but may natikman akong tea na kahit kailan hindi ko makakalimutan. Yung Dandelion Tea." Woah.

"Really? I like that too the slight taste of coffee and a slight of floral taste." Ang nasabi ko sabay higop sa tea.

"Marami kang alam na tungkol sa tea?" This is the first time that I met someone na pede kong kausapin bilang ako.

"Hindi naman but may kaibigan ako na mahilig sa tea si Mr.Yamamoto he own a cafe. Sakanya ko natutunan ang iba't ibang klase ng tea." She just nod her head then a comfortable silence atmosphere again. I just close my eyes to relax mabuti na lang at hindi dito rinig yung pinapatugotg ni Cici.

"Good morning girls sorry naistorbo ko ba kayo?" Napadilat ako at napatingin kay Tita Sarah.

"Nag breakfast na ba kayo?" Yes I forgot about the breakfast.

"Sorry po hindi pa po ako nakakapagluto." Patayo na sana ko ng pigilan ako ni Tita sarah.

"Ano ka ba Ellie okay lang. Mukhang nagkakasundo kayong dalawa sa tea." Napangiti na lang samin si Tita Sarah.

"By the way Ellie nandiyan na yung kotse na dala mo kahapon, do you have you're final decision now? About sa pag stay mo dito?"

"Yes po Tita. Kukuha lang po ako ng ibang gamit ko po sa bahay namin." I admit it ma sakit padin sakin ang lahat.

"About that alam kong ngayon lang kayo dito at medyo malayo ang totoong bahay niyo dito lalo ka na Ellie. My suggestion is kung gusto mo ay sa lumipat ka na lang sa school nila Luna and Cici.

I saw in my peripheral vision that Luna draws a little smile on her lips.

"If that is the best thing to do. It's fine with me tita."

"Good I'll help you para ayusin ang mga kailangan mong ayusin para sa pag transfer mo."

"Ako na po ang bahala, free day ko naman po ngayon aayusin ko na po." Hindi man niya sabihin alam kong busy siya at ayoko ng dumagdag pa.

"Are you sure? Ayaw mo bang mag pahinga muna?"

"I want my day to be productive Tita Sarah."

"Ok then. Tara kumain muna tayo may inutusan ako na magluto para satin." Sabay na kaming tumayo papunta sa may kusina.

"Cici pede ba alisin mo muna yang headphone mo na nakasukbit diyan sa leeg mo?" Ang pagsuway ni Tita Sarah kay Cici na agad din naman niyang umalis.

"Kagabi bakit hindi ka dito nag dinner nagluto pa naman si Ellie." Napayuko na lang ako.

"Ma nagkayayaan ang barkada na uminom hindi naman pedeng hindi ako sumama masasabihan akong KJ." Haist this is the one thing that I can't understand why did the people who have the same as me likes to waste their time and money to bar?

"Hay ang kulit mo talaga sabay sabay na kayo mag enroll tatlo sa school."

"Wait Ma you mean even Elise sa school na din namin mag-aaral?" Ang gulat niyang tanong.

"Oo at hindi Elise ang pangalan niya it's E-L-L-I-E. Ellie."

"Okay okay Ma." Pinagpatuloy na lang namin ang pagkain. Pagkatapos ko kumain ay nagpaalam na ko kay Tita Sarah na uuwi muna sandali para mag-ayos ng gamit.

I'm home. Lagi ko tong sinasabi sa tuwing papasok ako sa bahay. Dumiretso na ko sa kwarto ko para ayusin ang ilang damit ko nang marinig ko yung nag ring yung cellphone ko.

"ELLIE!!!" Haist it's Belle.

"What?"

"Wag mo kong ma what what diyan bakit hindi ka umuwi kagabi?"

"Look I already explained this to you last night na kila Tita Sarah ko matutulog don't tell me you didn't read it?"

"Well uhmmm I'm drunk last night that's why I don't understand your message but! Why you didn't answer my calls?!"

"I forgot my phone inside my bag."

"Where are you now?!"

"Not gonna tell you iistorbohin mo lang ako"

"Okay I'll go there, I know you're in your home now." Wait how did she know? She just ended our call at ako naman ay tinuloy na yug pag-aayos ko ng gamit. Wala pang 30 mins nandito na siya.

"Final na talaga?" Yan ang bungad niya sakin.

"This is the only best thing that I can do. Dadalaw din ako dito every free time ko."

"Wag kang mag-alala pede ko namang ipasuyo sa isa naming maid na linisin to para kapag bumalik ka dito malinis pa din."

"Thank you Orabelle."

"Ellie Leira Frod! Di ba ang sabi ko wag mong sinasabi yung full name ko?!" This is my way to tease her.

"By the say what's your plan in this upcoming school year?"

"Pupunta ako sa school natin ngayon para ayusin yung mg school forms ko then sabay sabay na kami mag enroll nila Luna sa new school." Then as what I expceted, her name caught the attention of Belle.

"You finally met her! So how was she?" Oh she means Luna everytime kasi na na kwe kwento ni Mom si Luna nandito siya.

"Well kung paano siya i kwento ni Mom ganun siya sa personal mas tahimik nga lang." Tumayo na ko at kumuha ng mga susuotin kong damit papunta sa school.

"Really? I want to meet her too" napailing na lang ako.

"Sasama ka ba sakin papunta sa school?"

"Of course!"

"I'll take a bath first just wait me here.. As in HERE! don't you dare to peek on me again!" Yes sira kasi yung lock nung pinto ng CR ko then last time I saw her na nakasilip, well I don't mind it at all mga bata pa lang kami ni Belle magkaibigan na kami.

"Ok? I'll try my best to stop myself" she's crazy.

After I prepare msyelf I get my car key then pumunta na kami sa school.

"Ms.Ford condolonce." Ang sabi ng principal namin. I don't know how to respond on that.

"So I heard na lilipat ka na daw ng school? Are you sure about that but you're running as our valedictorian." I see the dissapointment on her eyes.

"I really have to Mrs.Rice, Ms.Sarah Heron my new guardian ask me to do this isa pa po mas malapit po yung new school ko sa bagong titirhan ko." She just gave me a hug.

"Ellie you are one of the pride of this school always remember that." I hug her back too.

"Tgank you Mrs. Rice." Pagkatapos ko makuha lahat ng kailangan ko ay lumabas na ko si Belle naman ay tinawag ng isang teacher dahil nautusan.

"Hey." Tumingin ako sa tumawag sakin It's Lucas Wright, the president of the student council and he treat me as my rival.

"Hey." I said with my blank face.

"Really? Aalis ka na dito Ellie hindi mo man lang ba ko bibigyan kahit isang smile?" He always playing his game with me but tsss I'm not interested with him.

"Do I really have to do that?" Again he just started to laugh as hard as he can until she barely catch his breath.

"Are you done now Lucas?" He wipe her tears in his eyes before he faced me.

"I'm gonna miss you Ellie. Ikaw lang naman ang papantay sakin dito."

"Hindi kita pinantayan nilagpasan kita." Binigyan niya lang ako ng ngiti.

"Can we talk Ellie? I really need to tell you something." He said in his serious tone of his voice.

"Okay." Naglakad na kami sa school hanggang sa makarating kami sa library.

"Remember this? This is where the first time I first saw you Ellie." I just look at him and listen to whatever he says.

"Ellie hindi ko alam kung magkikita pa ba tayo but I want to tell you that I love you." Is he confessing with me? I don't know but I don't feel nothing, I know he's sincere but-

"Luc-"

"Shhh." He just put his index finger in my lips and just gave me his fragile smile.

"Don't answer me Ellie. I love you and I'm not asking you to return it to me, and I'm not asking you too to reject me. I just love you, just let me love you Ellie." I just take a deep sigh and remove his finger in my lips.

I don't know how to respond, but I didn't feel that I'm happy, I just feel nothing.

"Hays, sige na umalis ka na baka hinahanap ka pa ni Belle." He just hold my shoulder and push me palabas ng library.

"Wait Lu-" haisy I relly hate how he cut me off and shut the door in front of me, I'm about to open the door when I hear his sobs. He's crying.

"Tsss he's crying now? He didn't always bring his handkerchief." Of course I said that words in smooth so that he doesn't hear me, and before I leave I just leave my handkerchief there.

- - -

"Belle."

"Hmmm?"

"Ano nararamadaman mo kapag may nagtatapat sayo?" Halos mabuga niya yung chip na kinakain niya sa loob ng kotse ko.

"Well it depends. Why?! Don't tell me may umamin sayo Ellie?!"

"Tsss wala. Well I'm gonna drop you in your house dahil didiretso n ako sa new school ko to enroll."

"Nah! sasama ako sayo."

Haist napailing na lang ako nonsense din na makipag away sa isang to. Pero hindi ko padin makalimutan yung nangyari kanina...

Lucas Wright.