Chapter 32 | Anything

We toured various famous places in the town of Paoay. Nagsimula kami sa pagsimba sa San Agustin church at nilibot pa ang likod ng simbahan. The tourist guide was knowledgeable about the place and we got entertained by his witty stories.

"Do you want to take pictures?" I asked Lierre.

Kanina pa kasi siya kuha nang kuha ng mga larawan sa lugar. Hindi pa niya nakukunan ang sarili.

There was hesitation in her eyes so I tried again.

"I can take pictures of you, if you want," I offered.

Lolo was now watching us and Lierre felt it, "Sure. Gandahan mo, ha."

I smiled as she handed me her camera, "The photo itself is beautiful because you are the subject."

Of course, I said that for the sake of my grandfather.

"Bolero," she whispered annoyingly.

She did poses at every corner we saw. My family would tease us, we were both smiling but I could feel her anger towards them. She was too kind not to demand anything... unlike before.

Noon, hindi mo talaga mapipigilan ang bunganga niya sa pagsasalita, nakasasakit man o hindi. She would tell you horrible things that you would never forget. It amazed me how she changed herself as years passed by. She was still the straight forward, savage and brave young girl I knew yet the only difference now was she became more rational and patient.

I enjoyed being her photographer. The next stop was at Kapurpurawan Rock Formation which was an hour drive from Paoay. Magulo sina Trojan at Marcus sa sasakyan, kami-kami na lamang kasi ang nandito sa van.

My parents together with lolo and tito Kyer, occupied the other van.

"Ang ingay niyo!" sigaw ni Lierre sa dalawa na aming ikinagulat.

I wanted to smile at her sudden action yet I restrained myself. Trojan softened his face and went beside his sister. He squeezed Lierre's cheeks, making her furious.

"Ang baho ng kamay mo!" Lierre ranted.

"Grabe?" Trojan reacted and smelled his hand.

"Hindi naman, e!" Trojan defensively said.

"Ikaw mismo, mabaho. Lumayo ka nga't manahimik," Lierre fired at him.

"Sungit naman nito, minsan ayaw ko talagang dinadalaw ka ng toyo, e."

"Hindi ako tinotoyo, okay? Natural lang na ganito ako tuwing red days. Ikaw, amoy suka ka na kaya lumayas ka sa tabi ko," Lierre said.

Hindi ko na napigilang ngumiti. Trojan didn't do what she said at mas lalo lamang inasar ang kapatid. Sa huli, tatlo na silang nagkukulitan sa van at si Lierre ang napikon.

"Hoy, Lierre Minah!" tawag ni Trojan nang mabilis bumaba si Lierre sa sasakyan.

We arrived at the entrance.

"Pakibantayan muna ang dalawa, baka magpatayan. I'll just check the other van para sabay-sabay na tayo pumasok," si Marcus.

"Sure."

Pasimple kong sinundan ang magka-away at naabutan ko silang may kausap na local. Nakasakay ito sa isang kulay kayumangging kabayo at sila ang kinaka-usap.

"Thank you po sa offer but I dislike horse back riding," Lierre politely said.

"Okay lang po, ma'am. Kayo po, sir?" the local asked.

"Naku, kuya, mukha naman na siyang kabayo kaya huwag na," Lierre joked.

The local unconsciously laughed, making Trojan frown.

"Kuya naman, sasakay na sana ako sa kabayo mo, pinagtawanan mo naman ako." Si Trojan.

"Sorry, sir, hindi naman kayo mukhang kabayo. Si ma'am po kasi nakakatawa," the local said in his native accent.

"Anong hindi? Kabayo po talaga 'yang kapatid ko since ancient Rome. Trojan horse pa nga po ang tawag sa kanya," Lierre cracked a joke again.

I chuckled because it was so funny.

"Ilan ba ang kabayo ninyo? Ikaw ba ang may-ari niyan?" Trojan asked the local.

"Oo, sir. Tatlo na lang ang kabayo namin. Matatanda na rin po kasi ang iba kaya bumigay na. Nahihirapan pa kaming magpadami ng alagang kabayo kasi walang espasyo at pera para sa mga ito," the local answered problematically.

"Matagal ninyo na bang negosyo iyan?" Lierre asked.

"Opo, ma'am. Ito na ang negosyo ng mga lolo ko noon. Nakalulungkot nga lang po nab aka ngayon na ito matapos," the local answered.

"Sige, hindi kasi ako marunong sumakay ng kabayo kaya hindi ko iyan masasakyan tulad ng offer mo. Magkano ba ang sakay kada tao?" Trojan asked again.

"Isang daan lang po," the local answered.

"I'll multiply the price by 5,000. Magkano na?" he asked the local, making me stunned.

"500,000 po, sir," nahihiyang sagot ng lalaki.

"Bibigyan kita niyan, okay lang ba? For you to continue your small horse business. Sa lupa, susubukan ko ring hanapan kayo. May cellphone number ka bang pwedeng i-contact?" Trojan asked.

"S-Sir? Nakakahiya, malaking halaga po iyan. Hindi ko kayang tanggapin o bayaran."

"You don't need to pay me back. Take this as a small help," Trojan said.

"Seryoso, sir?" naluluhang tanong ng lalaki.

"Oo naman," Trojan assured him.

"Don't worry, kuya, wala pong kapalit kapag kami ang tumutulong," Lierre said.

"Taga-rito ho ba kayo?" the local asked.

"Hindi po but we have a family living here. You know the Zorron?" Lierre asked.

The local immediately nodded, "Sina ma'am Contessa po ba ay kamag-anak ninyo?"

"Opo, pinsan," Lierre answered.

"Nako, kaya po pala ang bait ninyo. Sobrang bait po ni ma'am Contessa sa bayang ito, kahit po si Don Cage ay mabuti rin noong siya pa ang namumuno sa lugar, kwento ng magulang ko," the local said.

Their talked ended when Marcus, together with our family came. They exchanged numbers to keep in touch and the local was so thankful for the both of them.

I admired how they treated commoners. It was like they weren't disgusted or anything. They conversed like them and told jokes as if they were close.

I enjoyed the whole time walking and listening at their jokes. The tourist himself couldn't stop praising the siblings because of their kind attitude.

"Take pictures of me," Lierre handed me her camera again.

Kinuha koi yon at sinundan siya sa kung saang pwesto upang kunan. We were silent as I took pictures of her nang biglang sumigaw si Marcus mula sa malayo.

"Trojan, akyat ka rin!" utos nito sa katapid.

He was now sitting on the peak of a tall and rock. Trojan immediately went up too.

"Pupunta rin ako roon. Take pictures of us," maligayang bilin ni Lierre at sumunod nga sa mga abnormal niyang kapatid.

I saw them helping Lierre as she climbed. Nang na sa itaas na rin siya, pumwesto ako kung saan maganda ang anggulo ng litrato. Lierre pointed at my direction at tumingin naman ang dalawa niyang kapatid.

They did a pose and I clicked the camera. Marami pa akong kinuhang litrato para sa kanilang tatlo. I even risked my life and climbed up too upang makunan sila mula sa itaas.

Nang bababa na sana kami ay may umakyat na hindi namin inaasahan.

"Pwedeng makisama?" tito Kyer, their father, asked.

Walang tumango o gumalaw mula sa magkakapatid. They looked like they saw Medusa and got stoned.

"Sure," si Marcus ang unang natauhan.

They gave a space for their father. Tahimik na ang mga ito at hindi na makapagbiro.

Inisip ko na lahat pala sila ay maaaring hindi sanay sa... ama.

"Smile," I cheered.

They all smiled, including tito Kyer.

I made sure that the photo was well taken because I knew that this moment became memorable for them.

The whole time was well spent. Bago kami pumasok muli sa van ay napagdesisyunan ni Trojan bumili ng fresh buko, as in iyong nasa buko pa mismo.

He drank it habang na sa biyahe kami patungong Pagudpud. Naka-isang oras na kami at hindi pa rin niya ito ubos.

"Bobo mo, kuya. Ayan pa kasi ang binili mo," Lierre ranted because Trojan started talking nonsense again.

"Bakit hindi nauubos 'yong sabaw?" Trojan annoyingly asked.

"Kanina pa ako sipsip nang sipsip, kulang na lang ay malunok ko mismo ang straw. Hindi pa rin 'to ubos?" Trojan ranted that made me laugh.

Because of his craziness, na sa Patapat Viaduct na kami at hindi na maurong ang pagkulo ng kaniyang tiyan. Tawa na kami nang tawa dahil dito. Ang malala, nag-stop over pa kami sa tulay upang kumuha ng mga larawan.

We took a photo as a family. Tahimik muli angmagkakapatid nang kasama ang ama sa larawan. Lastly, one of our drivers took awhole photo of us.

Pagbalik sa van ay halos magbilang na hanggang milyon si Trojan upang pigilan ang kanyang tiyan sa pagkulo. His siblings didn't help and they only made it worse for Trojan.

Finally, after an hour again of long driving, nakarating na kami sa natatangging five star resort sa lugar.

The name of the resort was carved at their gates with real gold: Cosmos Isle Resort.

Their resort was a set of 7 hectares of hillside gardens alongside Blue Lagoon Beach. Sa parking space pa lamang ay kamangha-mangha na ang lugar.

I couldn't help but to admire the whole place. It was like you were at the States and chilling your life to the fullest. The decorations were many but not too annoying. There were sculptures of different faces and characters.

They had restaurants and a few common street vendors. They had two clubs, unfussy cabins, and functional dorms with bunk beds to relax on.

A worker from the resort showed us other amenities including 5 outdoor pools, a gym and a sauna, as well as kids' playgrounds and the beach. Water sports and bike rentals were also available.

We wanted to try everything yet the tiredness from the long drives got me. Tito Kyer got us rooms and finally, we ended on our respective beds.

I was about to stand up and go for a bath when someone knocked on my door.

I immediately opened it and saw Lierre.

"I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful shots," she said.

I got stunned. It was like she wiped off all of my tiredness away.

"No problem," I said back.

"They were really beautiful, thank you," aniya.

I lazily smiled, "Anything for you, Lierre."