Her

Galit ako, eh. Galit dapat ako. He made me wait for hours!

Pero wala. Tanga ako, eh. Yakap niya lang, nakalimutan ko na kung bakit ba ako galit.

"Sorry, si Papa kasi..." Mahinahon niyang sabi.

I sighed and didn't move away from his embrace. His arms are wide and comfortable, it felt something akin to sweater, warm and soft.

"Uuwi na ako." Malamig kong sabi kahit na nabuhusan na ng tubig ang lahat ng apoy na sana'y ibubuga ko sa kaniya.

"Okay. Ihahatid kita." Kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap at dinungaw ako, nag-iwas ako ng tingin at pinahid ang luhang tumulo kanina. Mabuti nalang talaga at may pagkain kanina dahil kung wala, baka tatlumpong minuto pa lang na pag-aantay ko ay sinugod ko na siya.

He reached for my face and wiped the few droplets. I glared at him but let his hands wonder around my face until accidentally— or intentionally? His hands grazed my lips.

Ilang minuto kaming nagkatitigan. Ako, kinakabahan, siya, hindi ko mawari anong nararamdaman.

He withdrew his eyes and pulled me out there. Nagpatianod nalang ako dahil wala naman yatang tricycle ngayong oras ng gabi. Kaya namang lakarin ang layo ng bahay niya sa bahay ko. Siguro'y mga trenta minutos pero dahil gabi na, baka may mga ligaw na hayop ang nasa punuan kaya mas maayos na magpahati ako sa kaniya.

And these heels, it's kind of hard when I'm walking. But I love it! Even when it's a bit painful, I still love them! I'd probably wear them all the time even if my feet bleeds in pain. That's how I love the shoes he gave me.

Tumigil kami sa isang kabayo na nakatali sa sanga. My lips parted and I wanted so bad to decline because the last time we rode a horse together, my heart nearly burst out of my chest!

"Hin—" Natigilan ako nang lumuhod siya sa harapan ko.

Hindi pa nga naging kami, magpo-propose na siya! Ang bata pa namin! Pero kung gusto niya... pwe—

Marahan niyang hinawakan ang sakong ko at iniangat. I held onto the nearest branch when he gently removed the heels off my feet. I was about to protest when he put my flats back but then he moved on to the other ankle and did the same.

"Binigay mo na 'yan, bakit mo pa kukunin?" Pinigilan kong magtunog naiirita kahit na naiirita na talaga ako.

"Hindi ko kukunin. Kinuha ko lang saglit dahil sasakay tayo sa kabayo." He explained and stood, holding my pair of heels with his right hand.

"Okay." Tinalikuran ko siya at inialsa na ang sarili para makasakay sa kabayo. When I successfully sat on the horse's saddle, I looked down on him but his brows were greatly furrowed.

"Ayusin mo." Paala niya dahil umakyat ang saya ng damit ko, eh sinadya ko naman dahil hindi ako makakabukaka kung hindi ko aakyatin ang saya.

"Sige na. Ihatid mo na ako." Utos ko.

He pouted and tried to move my skirt down a little bit but it's stuck in between my thigh. It was an accident, but his fingers lightly brushed my skin and it send tingles around my nerves.

"Erikson!" Banta ko.

He flinched as his eyes widened. "Huh? Wala akong ginawa!" Depensa niya.

I glared at him so even though he looked bothered with my thighs showing, he reluctantly hopped behind me. Here we go again with my heart that's about to explode seconds from now.

Mabuti naman at pinatakbo niya na ang kabayo. At least he'll be too distracted to hear the loud beating of my heart.

"You really look like a princess." He whispered at nothingness, I don't know if he was talking to me or to himself but I'm fucking flustered by that!

"Shut-up!"

"Sorry!"

I rolled my eyes and didn't talk. Mabuti naman at natahimik siya kahit na pansin ko ang madalas niyang pagsulyap sa mukha ko. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung guni-guni ko ba o talagang bumaba ang tingin niya sa labi ko.

I hopped off the horse and looked up to him. Bumaba siya sa kabayo at ibinigay sa akin ang sapatos ko na nakakandog sa kandunga niya. I accepted it and cleared my throat.

"Happy birthday." I said after a while.

His eyes twinkled like the stars as he gave me his precious and genuine smile. My heart fell in another cliff, but this time with sea on the ground, completely drowning me with no clue of when will my heart be saved. I guess it's too late. I'm drowned.

"Thank you." He said and my heart beat thrice its speed.

"Okay." Tinalikuran ko siya at nagmamadaling tumakbo papasok sa bahay namin.

That night, I slept with a smile on my face. Daydreaming the dance we had under the moonlight over and over again.

Ang laki pa ng ngiti ko nang nagising ako ng maaga para maglaba ngunit biglaan iyong napawi nang marinig ko ang usapan nila Drizzy at Ana.

"Sayang ang kaguwapuhan niya, mukhang tanga pa naman." Si Drizzy.

"Nagulat nga ako bakit niya 'yon sinabi! Ako ang nahihiya sa kaniya!"

Humalakhak silang pareho kaya kumunot ang noo ko at nagpanggap na pumasok sa kusina para maglinis ng pinagkainan nila.

"Kilala mo 'yong babaeng sinayaw niya kahapon?"

Natigilan ako. I stilled for a second as my heart beat run a mile. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa plato pero nagpatuloy ako sa paghugas sa kanila.

"Hindi pero mukhang cheap." Si Drizzy.

Inggit ka lang.

"Pero aminin mo, ha! Ako ang tinitigan niya no'ng pinakilala tayong dalawa! Wala akong pakealam sa babaeng 'yon, may feeling ako na may feelings siya sa 'kin!" Tili ni Ana.

"Duh, nakatingin siya sa buhok mo. Probably because you dyed your hair blond. Hindi siya nakatingin sa pangit mong mukha!"

And then they bicker, my ears almost went deaf. Akala ko magiging payapa ang paghuhugas ko nang bigla akong pinansin ni Drizzy.

"Ikaw, mahal na cinderella. Kamusta naman ang pagkakausap mo sa mga hayop mo? Masaya ba? Dahil sobrang saya namin kahapon!" Pang-aasar niya biglaan sa akin.

"Mas maayos." Walang emosyon kong sagot habang sinasabunan ang tambak ng mga platong hindi ma lang nila magawang hugasan.

"Alam mo ba na ang guwapo-guwapo ng nagbirthday kahapon? Nakakalaglag ng panty!" Mayabang na wika ni Ana. Great. Mukhang ako na ang pinagdiskitahan ng dalawa.

"Hindi." I remained nonchalant.

"And I bet liligawan niya ako!" Pagpapatuloy niya.

"Hindi! Ako ang liligawan niya at sigurado ako! Kapag nangyari 'yon, dapat magkulong ka na sa kuwarto mo mahal na cinderella!" Si Drizzy.

"Bakit?" Malamig ko siyang nilingon, she glared at me.

"Dahil baka landiin mo!"

Napailing nalang ako. Hindi ko naman kasalanan na sa tuwing nagdadala siya ng manliligaw niya sa bahay, ako ang unang napapansin. Minsan pa nga ay gusto akong ligawan matapos magsawa sa ugali ni Drizzy. Tinatanggihan ko naman dahil wala akong interes sa lalaki.

Until I met Erikson.

What the hell?

Napailing ako sa iniisip at bumuntong-hininga. Nagpatuloy ang dalawa sa pang-iinggit sa akin tungkol sa nangyari kagabi. Hindi naman ako nainggit dahil ako ang kasama niya halos buong gabi. Ako ang isinayaw niya. Ako lang.

Pagkatapos ko maghugas ng plato ay lumabas ako. para maitapos ko ang nasimulang kong labhan kanina. Plano ko sanang tapusin muna ang labahin pero dahil sa narinig kong usapan nila Drizzy ay inuna ko muna ang paghuhugas ng pinggan kaya natagalan ako.

Exactly twelve noon, I saw him outside our house. Sumulyap ako sa bahay namin at nakitang abala ang dalawang senyorita sa kani-kaniyang gawain nila. I stood and ran towarda him, trying my best to hide the smile on my lips.

"Hi!" He greeted.

"Hello." I grabbed his hand and pulled him out there.

Dinala ko siya sa palagi naming tinatambayan at tulad ng inaasahan ay nakatali na roon ang kabayo niya. We both sat on the tree branch, minutes of silence.

"Bakit palagi kitang nakikitang naglalaba?"

Bumuntong-hininga ako at napailing.

"Nasa ospital ang Papa ko at... wala akong pambayad sa gastusin kaya naglalaba ako." Iyon ang pinakasimpleng eksplenasyon sa komplikado kong buhay.

Papa used to be wealthy kaya malaki ang bahay na tinutuluyan ko ngayon pero isang araw, lahat ng negosyo niya ay gumuho sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan. We almost sold the house Mama loves so much but when he meant Madona, our house was saved. Naging sila ni Madona at siya ang sumustento kay Papa dahil galing sa kilalang pamilya si Madona. Papa accepted her and her evil daughters in our ancestral house and the three lived like a happy family until one day, Papa met an accident. That's when Madona's facade broke down. She used to ignore me, but now it seems like her whole purpose in life was to ruin me.

"Magkano ba? May pera ako." He offered. Natawa ako.

"Hindi kailangan! Ayos na ako rito!" Ngiti ko kaya sumimangot siya pagkatapos ay bumaba ang mata niya sa kamay ko.

"Ang kulubot na ng kamay mo. Ako nalang kaya maglaba?" He tried again. Mas lalo akong natawa.

"Marunong ka ba maglaba?" I asked, teasing him because he's obvious rich as a fuck.

"Hindi pero mukhang madali lang. Kukuskusin mo lang naman 'di ba?" Inosente niyang tanong, halatang gustong matuto.

Seryoso ba siya? Maglalaba talaga siya?

"Madali lang pero nakakapagod. 'Tsaka hindi ka marunong kumuskos! Baka hindi bumula kapag ikaw ang kumuskos." Pang-aasar ko.

"Kaya ko!" Depensa niya, halatang na-offend sa sinabi ko.

Napailing ako at ningisihan siya. Mas lalong humaba ang nguso niya dahil halata sa mukha kong hindi ako naniniwala.

"Sige." He sighed as if he was defeated. Nagtaas ako ng kilay.

"Sige?"

"Oo na, hindi ako marunong maglaba. Pero ako na ang magsasampay ng mga bedsheet! Ang laki-laki noon, ang liit ng katawan mo." Patawad niya pa.

"Huwag na!" Natawa ako dahil mukhang seryoso siya. 'Tsaka wala akong planong dalhin siya sa bakuran namin! Makikita lang siya ng tatlong bruha!

"Seryoso ako, Ella. Tutulungan kita. Kahit pagpiga nalang para hindi na kumulubot 'yang kamay mo." Seryoso talaga siya! Pati tono ay napakaseryoso!

"Ayos nga lang, Erikson." Seryoso ko ring sabi kahit na hindi ko mapigilan ang ngiti ko.

He sighed loud and shook his head. Natulala siya sa kawalan kaya siningkitan ko siya ng mata. Halata kasing gustong-gusto niya akong tulungan pero wala siyang magawa dahil ayaw ko.

The wind blew his dark hair as he looked at nothingness. His gray eyes shone against the afternoon sun and his presence radiates nostalgic warmth like a summer. All in all, I felt happy to be with him and I will never get tired of associating him to every single beautiful nature I see in this world.

"May kapatid ka ba?" He asked after a minute of comtemplation.

"Stepsisters, yes." I answered, still dazed at his handsome face. He's wearing a simple black t-shirt and cargo pants, giving a preppy look, gorgeous and popular type of guy.

"Mama?"

"Stepmom, yes. Real mom, died." I answered mechanically, fixated with his face.

"So you're living like a Cinderella, huh?"

Doon ako natauhan. I straightened my back as I stare at him. He was smirking at me and I curse. Tangina ang guwapo naman.

"Maybe." I shrugged, trying as well to shrugg off this feelings.

"Maybe I'll call you Cinderella. You hate being called Princess so I'll settle with Cinderella."

Napailing ako roon. "Bakit ba gusto mo akong tawaging Princess? My name is Ella."

"Ella is too common. I'll settle with a nickname. Aso ko nga may nickname, dapat sa 'yo rin."

My jaw dropped at his point. He did not just...

"Are you comparing me to your dog?!" Tumaas ang boses ko dahil doon.

His eyes widened as his lips parted.

"Hindi! Pero wala namang masama! Parehas kayong cute!" He defended like a cornered cat.

"Hindi ako aso!" I glared at him. Sa aming dalawa, siya ang mukhang aso!

I mean... something that radiates that of a dog! When he's happy, he looked like a dog wiggling his tail for his master. When he's sad, he looked like a puppy scolded by his mother, ears down and eyes almost white. Like a dog! Not me!

"'Tsaka! I assume you like Cinderella! You named your birds Gust and Jaq!" He defended.

That... is true. In fact, I'm a hopeless romantic girl who hoped my life would be like Cinderella. A damsel in distress, rescued by her prince charming who was willing to flip the world upside down just to find the girl he danced with.

Maybe because ever since I was just a child, I grew up to be independent, who stands for herself with no one to protect me until I lost all those courage the moment Papa went into coma. I lost hope of fighting. I lost hope of standing for myself. I felt tired that all I need was for someone to rescue me in this distress.

I do like Cinderella. My Mama used to tell me when I was still four or five years old that my blond hair resembles a certain disney princess. And ever since then, I always daydreamed of a prince charming.

Is he the prince charming? Maybe.

I hope so.

"Saan ka galing?"

I shriek and froze when I heard Madona's voice behind me. Ilang oras kasi kaming nag-usap ni Erikson kaya nakalimutan kong tapusin ang labahin! Mabuti naman at pinaalis ko na siya bago pa ako nahuli ni Madona.

Slowly, I turned to face her. Her eyes with wrinkled looked coldly at me. Hands on her back, she looked at me with those familiar disgust. I gulped and tried to act compose.

"Nagpahangin lang." Normal na tono kong sagot.

"Nagpahangin? May karapatan ka bang magpahinga? Hindi pa tapos ang labahin." She was awfully calm, very unlikely from her usual loud and chaotic shouts.

"Tatapusin ko." Kalmado kong sabi.

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa katawan ko. Sa hubog nito, pataas sa mata ko at sa buhok ko. I felt a sudden trepidation and I swallow it all.

"Anong ginawa mo kagabi?" She asked in her awfully calm voice.

"Naglinis ng bahay." I said, half-true. Totoong nilinis ko ang bahay bago ako umalis kaya hindi iyon kasinungalingan lang.

"Iyon lang?" Usisa niya pa, kinabahan ako.

Tanging tango lang ang sagot ko dahil sa kaba. She stayed there for a while, assesing me for a minute until she finally nodded. Tinalikuran niya ako at naglakad na palayo, I fought the urge to release a sigh of relief. Halos hindi ako makahinga dahil sa pang-uusisa niya!

Akala ko makakatakas ako. Akala ko magiging maayos na ang lahat. Pero nang umakyat ako sa kuwarto ko at nakita ang dalawang kapatid na nakapasok doon, kumalabog ang puso ko.

"Ano—"

"Ikaw iyong kasayawan niya kagabi?!" Umalingawngaw ang boses ni Drizzy sa buong bahay and I flinched at that.

My lips parted as Drizzy held my dress tight, Ana was holding the mask that I wore yesterday and... fuck. Madona was holding the shoe Erikson gave me!

"Bakit kayo nasa kuwarto—"

"Kapag tinanong ka, sagutin mo. Tama ba ang sinabi ni Drizzy?" Mahinahon ngunit puno ng galit na tanong ni Madona.

I paled at that. Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Kapag sinabi kong oo, magagalit si Madona dahil sa kasinungalingan ko. Pero hindi ko kayang sabihing hindi dahil hawak-hawak nila ang ebidensya!

I clenched my fist and shut my eyes tight. I breathe in deeply and let out a strong exhale to control my emotions.

"It doesn't matter. Ikaw ang sinayaw pero hindi siya sa 'yo ikakasal."

Just when I thought everything gould go worse, it came crashing like a storm.

Fuck this.