Chapter 2

Dei Pov

Aminado na akong matigas ang ulo ko. Alam na iyon ng pamilya ko. Lunes na lunes at ito rin ang araw na ihahatid nila ako sa probinsiya. Oo. Ihahatid talaga nila ako. Even Kuya Thales and Ate Theano didn't go to work just to send me to the province. Both of them work for our company and are very good at what they do. When Kuya and Ate turned sixteen, they started working part-time jobs at our company. Kuya even works as a janitor at our company. They want to explore different roles within the company, doing whatever jobs they choose and Mama and Papa allow them para na rin daw malaman namin kung gaano kahirap maghanap ng pera at para na rin daw alam namin kung paano gastusin ang pera ng maayos dahil hindi madali ang kumita nito.

Pero ako nang nag-sixteen na ako ay tinanong ako nina Mama at Papa kung gusto ko raw bang magtrabaho sa company namin at kumita ng sarili kong pera kaso humindi ako. Ayaw kong magtrabaho. At hindi naman nila ako pinilit.

Bakit ako magtatrabaho kung susustintuhan naman ni Kuya at Papa ang mga lakad ko? Ang mga travel ko? Ang mga pang-gastos ko sa mall ay sagot naman ni Ate o kung hindi naman ay ni Kuya? Kaya bakit ako magtatrabaho kung binibigay naman nila lahat ng gusto ko?

Kuya Thales and Ate Theano are working and earning money at such a young age, experiencing different kinds of hardships in their early lives, while I am just sitting, watching TV, traveling, strolling in the mall, and wasting money without earning even a penny.

Kaya heto ako ngayon. Siguro ay karma ko na ito. Siguro ito na ang sukli sa lahat ng katamaran at kasutilan ko. Pero kahit na alam ko na ngayon ang alis namin at ngayon nila ako ihahatid sa probinsiya. Hindi ako nag-impake ni-isang damit. Hindi ko ginalaw ang closet ko. Hindi ako humawak sa mga luggage kasi ayaw ko ngang umalis. Ayaw ko doon sa probinsiya.

Kaso nang matapos akong maligo. Pagkalabas ko nang toilet and bath dito sa room ko ay kinalkal na nang mga yaya namin ang closet ko at sinisilid na nila sa maleta ang mga damit ko.

My eyes went wide.

I was horrified by what I was seeing.

"NOOOOOO!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as if I were witnessing the end of the world.

I ran to my bed with the mountain of clothes. Agad akong sumampa sa malaki kong kama saka ko pinag-aalis ang mga damit ko na nasilid na nang mga yaya namin sa mga maleta. Pero matigas din ang mga yaya namin dahil ang mga damit ko na nilalabas ko sunod din naman nila iyong binabalik sa loob ng maleta.

"NO!!!" I screamed again, and this time my tears fell. The tears on my cheeks dripped onto my clothes as I tried to take them out of the luggage.

The four big walls of my room were filled with my screams and the sound of my sobs. The white door of my room sprang open, and Kuya Thales came in. I hastily wiped my tears, got off the bed, and ran to Kuya. In my haste, I almost fell off my pink queen-size bed. I didn't bother to wear my footwear as I ran to Kuya.

"K-Kuya. Please, please stop them, Kuya," I pleaded, pointing at our yayas who were packing my things nonstop.

Gusto ko nang humandusay sa sahig at magpagulong-gulong habang tinitingnan ko ang tatlong yaya namin na pinagtutulungang ligpitin ang mga gamit ko sa kama. I cannot accept this. I cannot! No matter how hard I try to ransack my brain with thoughts and pictures of me living in the province, my mind rejects and neglects the ideas and thoughts coming in.

I grew up here. We only went to the province for vacation, and it was only for a week. Then we came back home again. And now that I am seventeen? They want me to live in the countryside? What would my life there look like? How can I face the tall mountains, grain plantations, and carabaos in my Lala's province?

"Princess, makinig ka. Sabi ni Mama kung magpapakabait ka roon, kukunin ka rin namin kaagad doon. One month or two would be enough. I'm sure Mama cannot sleep without her princess in her—."

I stamped my feet on the ground in disapproval. Tears trickled down my cheeks once again. I angrily wiped away every tear and threw a sharp glare at Kuya.

"I cannot, Kuya. I cannot. I will die early if—"

"Damn it! Don't speak like that, Dei! You're overreacting!"

"I am not! I'm not overreacting, Kuya! I told you! I cannot live in the province. I'm not used to it. I'm not used to their environment there!" I retaliated. I felt like the veins in my neck were about to burst as I argued with Kuya Thales.

Kuya Thales facepalmed before pulling me into his arms and hugging me tight.

"Dammit!" he whispered. "Theano and I tried to talk to Mama earlier, princess, but her mind was already made up. We cannot change Mama's mind, not even Papa. So, please bear with it. Bear with this. Just treat this like a vacation. A retreat. Camping." Kuya gently pulled me away from him. He leaned down and used his thumbs to wipe my tears away. "I promise to talk to Mama when you're there. Just be a good princess in Lala's place, okay? Don't be a brat. Don't give Lala a headache. And always follow Lala's word, okay?" Kuya said, softly combing my damp hair.

Tiningnan ni Kuya ang hitsura ko. "You should change."

Napatingin din naman ako sa sarili ko at doon ko napagtanto na naka-bathrobe pa rin ako at naka-paa na lang.

I curled my toes.

"What if I cannot do all Lala's order, Kuya?" Mahina kong untag.

"Dei, Lala is not that strict. And of course, Lala loves you so don't fret, hmm."

I still can't accept the fact na aalis na ako sa bahay namin. I cannot accept na titira na ako sa bukid. I cannot accept na iiwan ko na ang buhay ko rito at ipapalit ko ang buhay roon sa bukid. Ngunit wala na akong magagawa. Heto na. Heto na ako. Wala na akong magagawa na desisyon ni Mama.

Hindi ko na inimik silang lahat. As in lahat! Mama, Papa, Kuya, and Ate, hindi ko na sila inimik. No matter how much they tried to talk to me, sweet talk with me hindi na ako umiimik sa kanila. Masakit sa akin. Masakit na masakit sa dibdib ko itong ginawa nila ni Mama sa akin. I don't understand why they have to do this to me. They love and cherish me like a damn porcelain doll, but look at what they're doing with their princess. They're throwing me into the province.

While our van continued at its own slow pace, Ate Theano nudged me, but I didn't pay it any mind. She nudged me again, and Ate seemed to notice that I didn't bother to respond. She hugged my waist and pulled me closer to her.

"Don't be upset over this, princess. Mama is just trying to discipline you. You're getting older, yet you act like a damn 10-year-old boy," Ate said, giving me a peck on the temple.

I hugged Ate Theano's waist and buried my face in her shoulder as my tears fell again. Dadating ata ako sa bukid ni Lala na mugto ang mga mata. Well, I don't really care. Basta iiyak ako hangga't gusto ko. Tingin ko kasi ito lang ang makakagaan sa pakiramdam ko.

"Shhsh! Para kang bata, e. Nagka-crush ka na pero heto ka't para kang bata. Paano ka ic-crushback n'yan ng crush mo?"

I pushed myself away from Ate and pouted my lips. Ate flicked my forehead and was about to say something, but Papa and Kuya intervened.

"Who the hell is that guy?"

"The heck with that!"

Sabay pang sambit nina papa at kuya na kinalaki ng mata ni Ate Theano. Kay ate ko lang kasi sinasabi ang mga naging crush ko sa school. Hanggang crush lang naman ako. Saka madali akong nakaka-move on sa mga crush ko.

Let's say for example Jack, my classmate, naging crush ko lang siya ng two days, then Kent, school mate namin na grade 9 naging crush ko lang ng four days.

So far, hindi ako nagkaroon ng boyfriend. Or any intimate relationship kasi ayaw ng mga parents ko. Well, kung magkakaroon hindi naman siguro ipapapatay ang future boyfriend ko. Gusto lang nilang makilala kung sino man iyon. Pero wala naman iyon sa isip ko. Ang pinakamatagal kong crush ay one week lang tapos, ayon, na iba na naman ang gusto ko, iba na naman ang natipuhan ko.

Ang posisyon namin dito sa loob ng family van namin ay nasa unahan sina mama at papa tapos sa harap ang ay dalawang driver namin. Sa likod nina mama ay kaming tatlo nila kuya at ate at pina-pagitnaan nila ako.

"Princess, who are these guys? Who are your crushes?" Kuya Thales asked.

I rolled my eyes, folded my arms in front of my chest, and sat properly between Kuya and Ate.

"Oh! Don't waste your time on them, Kuya. Matagal na iyon, hindi ko na sila crush. Wala na akong crush." Pahayag ko at nilakasan ko talaga para marinig nila mama at papa sa harap namin.

"Be sure about that Dei." Mama spoke.

"You're still seventeen, princess." paalala ni Papa.

Umikot na naman ang eyeballs ko.

"Hmp! Wala na nga akong crush. Also, I know that I'm still seventeen pa."

"Baka doon sa province maging sutil ka daw Dei at mag-boyfriend ka na. Natatakot lang ang dalawang hari mo." pabirong saad ni Ate Theano. Ang hari na tinutukoy ni ate ay sina papa at kuya.

I groanted. "Paano ako magkaka-boyfriend doon, Ate?" tanong ko kay Ate na para bang ang laking misteryo kung paano ako magkakaroon ng karelasyon doon sa probinsiya.

"Tsk! Syempre maraming magagandang lalaki sa probinsiya, Dei." Ate said.

Binaba ko ang aking kamay.

"Hmp! Do you expect me to have a boyfriend in the province, Ate? Really? Sa probinsiya talaga? Do you think, Ate, may papatol sa akin? Hindi porket prinsesa n'yo na ako, Ate, ay babae na ako. Bakla pa rin ako." I said, as matter as fact.

The big, sandpaper palm of Kuya Thales, a testament to his hard work, gently held my chin as he turned my head towards him. "You're gay, princess, but you are so precious and so beautiful for a gay."

"So, don't be decieve by your soon suitors, princess." Papa meddled.

"As if!" ako. "Matutulog ako. Don't disturb me." Maldita kong saad saka pinikit ko ang mata ko pero sa tono ko ay may pagtatampo pa rin.

My family already knows my attitudes and my manners kaya hindi na nila ako inano pa.

Naramdaman ko na lang ang pagkabig ni Kuya Thales sa akin saka niya ako pinasandal sa kanyang balikat at hinagkan ang sentido ko. I will miss Kuya Thales' kisses, hugs, and voice. I will miss Ate Theano's soft hands on my hair, doing my make-up, and dressing me up. I will miss Mama and Papa's kisses too, and their warm embrace.

Never in my entire existence did I imagine that I would be away from my family. I didn't see this coming at all. My life as a princess in our home has finally come to an end. Mama ended it today. Mama may be cruel, but I love her. I love her so much. I hope someday I'll understand why she's imposing this kind of punishment on me.

Dumating kami sa probinsiya ni Lala Fausta, sa Monte Alegri Province, kung saan lumaki si Papa Phill. When Kuya Thales wakes me up, it's because we have already arrived at Lala's huge and primeval house. Lala's house was really enormous, with over twelve servants, not counting the drivers, bodyguards, and gardeners.

The house was one of the oldest from the Spanish Era, though Lala's house had already been renovated. Unlike before, the house was more grandiose with a modern touch, but the old design was still preserved. Certainly, the Aldejar family is one of the oldest wealthy families in the province of Monte Alegri.

All my things are now inside the house. Lala Fausta greeted us and gave each of us a hug and a kiss. It was great to see Lala again after months, but my heart felt heavy. I didn't find everything around me pleasant. It was as if everything around me was dull and colorless. I couldn't bring myself to smile.

"Behave well here, okay? I love you, Dei, and I hope you'll understand why I'm doing this to you, princess," Mama finally spoke to me.

I remained silent but still listened to her, even though her words made me feel more gloomy than ever.

"Anak, huwag ka nang malulungkot. Dadalawin ka pa rin naman namin dito. And you can enjoy your stay here. You can still live your life the way you want," Papa said, giving me a tight embrace before planting a long kiss on my head.

Kuya Thales and Ate Theano hugged me, enclosing me between them, and kissed the side of my head.

"We will miss you, princess," Kuya whispered while his lips were still on my head.

"We'll just visit you, hmm. We love you, Dei," Ate said as she wiped her tears.

They said their final goodbyes to me, but I couldn't look at them as they turned their backs on me, leaving me behind. Aalis silang lahat at ako ay maiiwan dito sa Monte Alegri. Lala is here but I still feel lonely and sad.

"Don't be sad, apo. You'll be good here," Lala Fausta said. I doubt it. Lala is known to be a strict and high-mighty woman in the province. She once governed all of Monte Alegri. She became a governor but did not run again after Lolo died due to politics—ambush. My poor lolo was ambushed and died on the spot.

Giniya ako ni Lala paupo sa kanyang malaking sala na may kulang nude na mga sofa.

"I cannot live here, lala. I want to go home." sumbong ko sa kanya.

She sat beside me and tapped my shoulder.

"Phil tried to stop your mother from sending you here. But I think it was a good decision to put you in this kind of place, Dei. I heard what happened back at your home... and I didn't like it. You'll be fine here, Dei. I am kind, apo. Just be good here, okay?"

I don't trust Lala's word. She is kind, yes. But there's always a 'but' in that. She is kind, but she won't tolerate my behavior even if I am her grandchild.