Inviting him inside my apartment to see his human emotions makes no sense. When did I start to exert this much effort just to witness someone cry or laugh? Where did I pluck the courage to break my own rule of not inviting people to my home?

Inviting him so I won’t be out again to give him his shoes and money to save the remaining energy I have from the whole escapade tonight makes no sense too.

Before I opened my unit’s door, I made a glance at the impassive face of Cherry’s dad. He looks like a lonely painting dragged to an unfamiliar place where he knows he doesn’t belong.

Compared to Yohan, Cherry’s dad has nothing to boast of except his looks that no one in Milea Bay can surpass. It’s like he was born to make a long queue for the girls. He’s also rational and knows his responsibility. He even took me as a responsibility right on the spot.

I exhaled a small sigh as I ascertain why I came this far. I’m ultimately curious about him — his thoughts and his emotions — and to what extent he can handle me.

“Alexa, turn on the lights,” I ordered as I entered my humble abode.

Lumiwanag ang buong unit ko ng wala pang limang segundo. Lumingon ako sa likod para senyasan siya na puwede na siyang pumasok. Hinubad ko ang sapatos na suot ko at inilagay sa shoe rack malapit sa pinto. I winced when I saw him still holding the plastic bag which contains my stinky shoes.

“Iwan mo muna ‘yan dito,” turo ko sa rack.

Wala siyang imik sa pagpasok namin at nanatiling nakatayo sa may shoe rack matapos niyang ilagay ang bitbit niya roon. Habang ako ay dumistansiya ng kaunti para hindi naman halatang nakatitig ako sa kanya.

I saw how his eyes wandered around my strange unit. It was as if he was familiarizing all the corners and things of my unit. Nagtatagal ang tingin niya sa mga naka-frame na paintings na nakasabit sa dingding ko. Nang sundan ko ang tingin niya ay huminto ito sa tapat ng bedroom ko. Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagtataka kung bakit naroon ang kama ko. Hinayaan ko lang siyang magtaka at hindi na nag-explain pa.

Ang mga kwarto lang sa unit ko ay ang storage room, walk-in closet at ang bathroom. Ako lang naman ang nakatira rito kaya nasa akin ang buong privacy ng unit.

“Alexa, turn on the air conditioner.” saad ko nang maramdamang medyo umiinit na. Nanlalagkit na rin ang pakiramdam ko at gusto ko nalang tumakbo para magshower.

Napalingon siya sa akin nang nagsalita ako at muling napatingin sa mga paintings sa dingding. He’s a modern person after all. Akala ko magtatanong siya kung sino si Alexa.

Dahil hindi ko na kayang tiisin ang panlalagkit ng katawan ko ay pumasok na ako sa loob ng banyo at nag-bubble bath. It took me an hour and a half to step outside the bathroom because I fell asleep. Nadatnan ko siyang nakatayo pa rin sa harap ng paintings.

“Those are not mutilated body parts,” I announced, trying to get rid of the thoughts running in his head. “That’s my left eye, right hand, and neck.” turo ko sa mga painting.

When he averted his gaze on me, his eyes were half-closed. I could tell how sleepy his eyes were. Pagod na pagod ang awra niya at nasisiguro kong gusto na niyang humiga.

Although sleepy, he managed to give me a small reaction from what I said. He squinted his eyes, figuring out if what I said were all true. Naglakbay ang tingin niya sa mga parte ng katawan ko na binanggit kanina at ikinompara sa mga paintings.

“Those are all made by a local artist dito sa Milea Bay,” dagdag ko pa para makumbinsi siya at itinuro ang pirma ng pintor.

I don’t know if he’s into arts though he looks like one so...

“Hindi ko pa nakikita ang ibon mo,” he changed the topic tsaka inilibot ang paningin. He really doesn’t know arts.

I can sense an ounce of suspicion in his voice kaya nahila ko siya papuntang balcony para maipakita sa kanya si Yorkie. Baka akalain niyang ginawa ko lang props si Yorkie noon paa magmukha akong cool. When in fact, birds put me at ease, especially when they tweet.

In an instant, he found himself playing with Yorkie. Paminsan-minsan ay kinikiliti niya ito gamit ang daliri niya at hinahaplos ang ulo nito. Hindi lang pala siya malapit sa aso, pati na rin sa ibon. Si Yorkie naman ay friendly lang din sa kanya. 

“How did you end up at the dog pound?” tanong ko out of curiosity as he doesn’t look like he already finished school.

“Dahil gusto kong magtrabaho?” pabalang na sagot niya. I guess he’s building up a wall in between us. Sabagay, hindi kami close.

“Gusto mo o kailangan mo?” I follow-up.

Bakit ba siyang nahihiyang sabihin ang katotohanan? His visuals say he can be a rich man but his personality overall screams otherwise.

He stopped playing with Yorkie and chuckled sarcastically. “Mali bang magtrabaho para makakain? Para saan pa ‘yong kinikita ko kung hindi ko ibibili? Pang-display?”

His sleepiness faded away and his eyes were slowly filled with contempt. Inilagay niya sa bulsa ng kanyang pantalong ang dalawang kamay niya at matapang na tumindig.

I just stared at him until I yawned. His face is too good to be a bad dream kaya tumalikod ako sa kanya para humiga sa kama at matulog.

The way he looked at me earlier with contempt was not offensive at all. Rather, it was comforting in the sense that I am used to being looked at like that by people.

“Alexa turn off the lights,” I commanded. As the lights were turned off, I saw him getting inside the room with a face confused.

The little lamp on my bedside table was the only thing that lit up the whole room. It was dim yet I can feel how he was taken aback.

I’ll take the shift of his human emotions tonight as a preview of his overall human emotions. I’ll be looking forward to witnessing how his emotions change differently every minute of the day.

“Good night, Cherry’s dad.”

***

Gaya ng mga normal na estudyante, maingay ang loob ng classroom namin. Naglilista na sa whiteboard si Roquelaure pero hindi ito pinapansin ng mga kaklase namin. Minsan talaga napapaisip ako kung matalino pa ba si Roquelaure kasi alam naman niya na hindi na kami mga bata na masisindak sa paglilista.

Tumahimik lang ang buong klase nang pumasok ang Microeconomics professor namin. Naalala ko ang subject namin dahil sa lahat ng aming professors, siya lang ang tumatanggap ng opinyon namin.

“Before we proceed to the topic proper, we will have an oral recitation. You have nothing to worry about as the question only requires your personal opinion,” she instructed with her mellow tone.

All of us reacted in dismay. Nag-umpisa nang magsiyukuan ng ulo ang mga kaklase ko. Halos ang lahat ay hindi makatingin diretso sa harapan kung nasaan ang professor namin.

I saw the professor went through her class record before she scanned her eyes on the whole class.

After a few moments, she stated the question for the oral recitation. Isang tanong lang na hindi related sa dinidiscuss namin kaya maraming napairap.

If you’ll be the President, what are your measures to reduce or end poverty?

Before she can call any name, I confidently raised my right arm straightly.

“Okay, Miss Laurier let us hear your opinion,” she acknowledge and motioned me to stand up.

The question was the perfect question for me. I want everyone in the class to hear me and learn from me. Poverty is one of the reasons why the country’s still thriving. Even in Milea Bay, poverty is visible. Not all of them is privileged like me. And the root cause of their suffering is also themselves.

I cleared my throat before I speak. “Poverty is an illness. A contagious illness and even a hereditary illness,” I presented my introduction. “When a poor man and a poor woman decided to get married, of course, the family they’ll establish will be poor. Most of the time, poor parents cannot support their children’s needs. Their children cannot finish their studies and will grow up as poor people. As a result, it will become a cycle.”

The professor seemed to be immersed in my recitation which gave me the courage to proceed.

“This may be inhumane, but if I’ll become a President, I will impose a law which prohibits the marginalized sector to get married and bearing a child. In my reign, the people who’ll get the privilege of marriage and children will be those people who earn a minimum wage of twenty thousand a month.”

I could sense some of them getting weirded about my opinion. Lalo na ‘yong mga kaklase kong halatang mahihirap. Instead of feeling discriminated, they should feel thankful to me para hindi na dumarami silang naghihirap. Kung ang lahat ng magulang ay kayang tustusan ang pangangailan ng mga anak, siguradong buong bayan ang uunlad.

“Through this, the marginalized sector will be awakened and they will be willing to engage in fostering their education. Lahat ay makakapagtapos at magkakaroon ng professional na trabaho. Walang maiiwan sa baba dahil aangat ang lahat,” I ended my recitation like a campaign slogan. It was a brief peek at the wholeness of my opinion and I hope it touched all their hearts.

Pagkatapos ng klase ay nadatnan ko si Yohan sa labas ng classroom, tila may hinihintay.

“Hoy Laurier!” hinabol niya ako nang nilagpasan ko siya. Hindi ako tumigil sa paglalakad lalo’t tinawag niya ako sa apelyido ko. May pangalan naman ako, bakit hindi niya iyon gamitin?

“Axis!” tumigil ako sa paglalakad at nilingon siya. Isa pa ‘tong si Yohan na dapat tanggalan ng right to speak kasi puro panget lang ang lumalabas sa bibig niya.

“Pinapabigay ni Mommy...” inilahad niya sa akin ang isang kulay blue na sobre, halatang isang invitation card. Kukunin ko sana ito kaso binawi niya ang kamay niya. “Kukunin kita sa mamaya sa apartment mo. No worries, there will be no war for us tonight.” pangungumbinsi niya bago ibinigay sa akin ang envelope. Nang mabigay niya ay mabilis siyang naglaho.

I stared at the envelope for a moment and decided to open it when I get home. May family dinner ba sila mamaya at gagawin ako ni Vice M na date ni Yohan? It doesn’t make sense kasi wala naman siyang sinabi sa akin kagabi noong sinumbong ko si Yohan sa kanya.

A smirk crept on my lips as I thought of something. I’m gonna follow Yohan around and report his messes! Kailangan ko ng extrang pera para mabili ko ang bagong collection ng bag from Versace.

***

At the back of the school building, Yohan and his gang were busy smoking and I recorded the scene right away.

Ang iba pa sa kanila ay may mga babaeng kasama na halatang mga high school pa base sa mga uniforms nito. May babaeng aakbay sana kay Yohan kaso naiwasan niya ito agad sa pamamagitan ng pagtulak sa babae. Madali itong nadapa at napaiyak.

“Yo naman... ‘wag mong gasgasan si Devi baka hindi na ‘yan bumalik sa atin,” reklamo ng isa kay Yohan at dinaluhan ang babae. Ilang haplos lang mula sa tropa ni Yohan ay napatahan na ito. Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiwi sa nakita ko. She’s so weak and men-dependent.

“May mas magaganda pa d’yan kay Ady, Yo. Mas maganda pa nga iyong dalawa mong ex, mga tisay pa! Move on ka na Yo. Narinig kong mag-jowa na raw ‘yong taga dog pound at si Ady.”

Taga dog pound? Does he mean Cherry’s dad?

Yohan, on the other hand, did not care. Nagsindi ito ng bagong sigarilyo na parang walang nangyari.

Yohan and his vices should be stopped. Iyon ang sabi ni Vice M sa akin kasi baka matulad si Yohan sa lolo niyang smoker na namatay dahil sa tuberculosis at sa tatay niyang drunkard na namatay dahil sa impeksyon sa atay. Asthmatic din si Yohan mula pagkabata kaya gustong-gusto ni Vice M na tumigil na siya.

After ten minutes of recording, I sent the video to Vice M.  Luckily, she’s active and saw the video right away. Siya na raw mismo ang kukuha kay Yohan mula rito. And the notification that makes me giddy every time, popped up! It was a large sum of money but it wasn’t enough to buy the Versace bag I was eyeing.

Nevertheless, I can follow Yohan doing his mess and tell it to his generous mother.

“Una na ‘ko,” narinig ko si Yohan na nagpaalam sa tropa niya kaya nagmamadali akong magtago para hindi niya ako makita.

After I got home, naalala ko ang envelope na binigay ni Yohan kanina. I opened it and it was an invitation to the dog show tonight. May nakalagay pa na sa VIP seat ako uupo.

Matapos kong magbihis ay tumunog ang doorbell ng apartment ko. I grabbed my bag para makaalis na kami agad ni Yohan. But to my surprise, hindi si Yohan ang tumambad sa akin.

“What brought you here?” I asked, confusedly. Mukha namang hindi siya pumunta rito para makipag-chikahan kung paano ko siya tinulugan last night.

He stared at me and blinked several times before he could utter a word. Eh?

“Gusto kitang imbitahin sa dog show baka gusto mong dagdagan ang ibon mo, baka lang naman...?” he sounded so unsure and confused at his own words. At medyo hindi magandang pakinggan ang ibon mo. Puwede naman niyang tawagin si Yorkie ng Yorkie e.

“I honestly have no interest in dogs... unless it’s Cherry.”

“Ano?”

“Nevermind. Actually, pupunta ako sa dog show mo kasi I’m invited by an official and I will be seating in the VIP section. I didn’t bring water kaya give me later as soon as I arrive, okay?” I patted his back and ran off when the car for me arrived.