Kian Luis' Point Of View

Sampung minuto nalang at paniguradong darating na ang proctor namin kaya naman minamadali ko na ang paglalakad upang hindi ako mahuli ngunit may isang babaeng tumawag sa akin

I don’t know why I claim that name and why I say she called me even though I know in myself that’s not really my name.

"Gray..." Boses iyon ni Natalya. Her voice lingered in my ear. Hindi nagtagal ay bigla niya itong binawi at tinawag ako sa pangalan ko. Hindi pa din ako nagsasalita dahil wala akong ideya kung bakit lumapit at kinakausap niya ako ngayon ng walang halong sarkasmo

"I want to ask you something" Deretsong tanong nito. I looked at my watch and I can say that our PE exam will start in just 8 minutes

"Mabilis lang 'to kung sasagutin mo din siya nang mabilisan" dagdag nito nung hindi pa ako sumagot. Walang sarkasmo ngunit ganun ang dating sa akin nung sinabi niya

"What is it...Hazel?" Tanong ko at gusto kong tumawa sa reaksyon niya. Ito yung side na nakita ko na din sa kaniya noon pa. Childish, serious and sarcastic pero ngayon ay parang umiiral yung childish side niya

"Do you have a sister?" She asked directly. Natutulala ako sa kaniyang itinanong sa akin and something appear on my mind

'Masasaktan lang lalo ang mga anak natin kapag nalaman nila ang totoo, ma—'

'What do you mean by 'mga anak' Mom?'

'M-Maybe you just mi-misheard it son'

Just like what I say, fuck misheard things! At eto si Natalya na nasa harap ko at nagtatanong kung may kapatid ba akong babae eh mag-isang anak lang naman ako

...yun ay kung mayroon nga talaga at hindi lang sinasabi nina Mom and Dad

Napakunot ang noo ko nang parang may biglang nag appear sa isip ko. Masyado iyong blurred at hindi ko maaninag sa aking isipan ngunit tatlo iyong batang babae at isang lalaking naghahabulan sa isang park

She snapped her fingers to my sight just to call my attention and I blinked twice

"DO YOU HAVE A SISTER?" She repeated kaya naman mas lalo akong nacurios kung bakit niya tinatanong ang ganoong bagay sa akin

"Why are you asking me that kind of a question?" Tanong ko sa kaniya at pansin kong mukhang puno na siya

"Just straight to the point!" Sigaw niya, mukhang nagtimpi lang ito dahil ayaw niyang makakuha nang atensiyon ng iba pero nabigo siya dahil halos lahat ng dumadaan ay napatingin banda sa aming dalawa

"I don't have any siblings, why do you ask?" I don't really have a siblings. Why does she insist that I have one even if I don’t?

"Liar!!! Kung ganon, who is Ashley? Hindi ba't kapatid mo siya?" As-Ashley—what? Sinong Ashley ba ang tinutukoy niya? Is this girl's crazy?

"Ashley? Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo, Natalya? Are you on drugs?" She darted a death glare to me dahil sa sinabi ko.

She's insisting that I have any siblings but the truth is no one!! No fucking one so why is she insisted that I have?

"Just answer me honestly!!" Sigaw niyang muli at nakuha niya na naman ang atensiyon ng karamihang napadadaan

I answered you honestly but you didn't believe me. Gusto kong isatinig iyon but damn! This is not the right time to talk some unbelievable things like this

"Sinagot ko na ang tanong mo Natalya! I don't know why are you insisting that I have a sister named Ashley because I have no fucking one! Shit!!" I must admit that I'm so damm confused on what is she saying

Tinalikuran ko na siya matapos ko itong sabihin. I messed my hair in frustration

'Masasaktan lang lalo ang mga anak natin kapag nalaman nila ang totoo, ma—'

Mga anak? Hah! You've got to be kidding me mom!! I need to know what is the fucking truth behind this

I was walking up the corridor of the fourth floor of the ABM building and I saw Questly standing near the railings and looking down. She seemed to be deep in thought

Hanggang ngayon ay nagtataka ako kung bakit din siya lumipat dito sa BRIA. Hindi ko man siya close noong nasa Catarina kami ngunit nakikita ko na siya lagi noon pa man

Nilagpasan ko nalang siya at saktong-sakto ang ring ng bell nung makarating ako sa tapat ng aming silid. Madami namg tao duon ngunit wala pa si Ella sa kaniyang upuan kaya naman nagtaka ako

Wala pang dalawang minuto ay pumasok na din ang naturang proctor kasabay ni Natalya pero wala pa rin si Ella. Ayaw niya na kasing sinusundo ko siya sa bahay nila kaya naman sumang-ayon na lamang ako bilang respeto sa kaniyang desisyon

The test paper has already been distributed to us but she still not here. Won't she come in? Why now when this is the last day because it's already sembreak. We are also planning to go somewhere but we don't know where we want to go because there are so many suggestions. It's good that Erick also agreed to this because when we talk something like this, he really doesn't go along

Pasimple kong sinulyapan ang aking relong pambisig at napagtanto kong limang minuto palang siya wala kaya naman napanatag ang loob ko.

Pero makalipas ang sampung minuto ay wala pa ding Ella na nagpapakita sa akin. Nakapagsagot na din ako ng dalawampu sa test paper ko pero wala pa din siya

Saktong pag-angat ko ng tingin sa kinaroroonan ng pinto ay siya ding bukas nito

"Yes?" Tanong ng naturang proctor "Are you also part of this class?" Dagdag tanong nito pero kapansin-pansin sa kaniya na wala siya sa sarili niya kaya ako na ang sumagot

"Yes Miss" Sagot ko dahil halata pa din na wala sa sarili si Ella habang nakatingin sa...isang papel?

"Sorry Miss, I think she's not feeling well that's why she's acting like that" Dinig kong tugon ni Shane na nasa likod

Dahan-dahang pumasok si Ella sa aming silid at umupo na sa kaniyang upuan habang nakatitig pa din sa papel na hawak niya

Kumuha naman ng isang test paper ang proctor at inilapag iyon sa desk ni Ella. Iba pa mandin ang aura nitong proctor na ito. Masyadong seryoso "Fix yourself. Don't act like that. If you're not feeling well, you wouldn't have come in. Edi sana naayos mo pa ang sarili mo. You look pale but I know that you're not sick. You're just thinking something that bothers you so fix yourself and take this!" Maotoratibong aniya at naagaw na nga niya ang atensyon ni Ella at tumango ng bahagya. Yumuko na siya at sinimulan ng sulatan ang kaniyang papel ngunit nasa desk pa din niya iyong papel na tinititigan niya kaniya

Hindi ko siya katable pero isang pagitan lang ang agwat namin kaya naman nakikita ko pa din ang bawat galaw niya. Napansin kong itinago na niya ang papel na iyon sa kaniyang bag at nagsimula nang magsagot kaya naman ganun nalang din ang ginawa ko.

After the two exams, it's break time. Natalya, Shane and Celes passed between Natalya and me's table but I just ignored them

I approached Ella and she was still an spacing out until we got to the canteen, she was still like that so Justin, Erick and Oliver couldn't stop me from asking how she was. I just shrugged because I didn't really know why dhe was acting like this

We finished eating and the two of us were back in our building but I couldn't stop myself. I was curious what was happening to, I want to know what's bothering to her.

"Ella, care to tell me what's going on or what's bothering you?" I asked. Napahinto siya sa paglalakad kaya ganun din ako. Binuksan niya ang bag niya at kinuha duon ang papel na tinititigan niya pagdating palang niya

~A reunited poem with an hope~

To a mother and father I never knew, 
From a daughter who desperately misses you.

There were so many times I would imagine the two of you,
But you would never appear.
And there were so many times I would cry for you,
Tear after tear.

I have even begged for you,
On both knees,
To please come,
Just to embrace you

And even as the years passed by,
I would never lose hope,
Because it was hope
That kept this little girl afloat.

I would daydream about the moment
When I would finally meet the both of you,
And how I would cry and be speechless
If I finally see you.

My Mother and father gave me my talents and traits.
They taught me to embrace them.
They gave me my fears and doubts,
And then they taught me to face them.

They gave me my clumsy ways.
They picked me up from the mud.
They gave me my bright brown eyes,
And then she taught me to see the good.

I am not angry that my Mother and Father gave me away.
I know it was to give me the best
But I can say that being with them is the real best
And I know that someday, I can embrace my biological Dad, Mom and my two unbelievably siblings by that time.

Napatulala nalang din ako dahil sa nabasa ko.

'I am not angry that my Mother and Father gave me away'

'And I know that someday, I can embrace my biological Dad, Mom and my two unbelievably siblings by that time'

"What do you think?" Ella asked me. I gave her an apologetic smile

Base sa poem, patungkol ito sa isang babaeng anak na nawalay sa kaniyang totoong magulang. At base sa huling sentence nito'y sinasabing mayroon itong hindi kapani-paniwalang kapatid pala niya

'And I know that someday, I can embrace my biological Dad, Mom and my two unbelievably siblings by that time'

I smiled at her and I said something to assure her..."I think, your parents are still alive"

—°—

END OF CHAPTER 35!

[Credits: Edited Poem by Keith and Ellie C. Hammond]