O L I V I A   V A L E Z

The thunder's loud and glorious voice shook my whole room, followed by the blinding lighting that sliced the dark clouds. My hurt thumped with the same intensity as the thunder gave. I let go of my warm blanket and started walking towards my enormous window. The floor was ice cold underneath my feet. The chilling sensation crawled into my spine up to my heart. I put my slender hands to the glass of my window and stared at the scenery in front of me. 

I'm not too fond of rainy days. 

I used to love the comfort of rain gave off, but then as I continued living my life...I realized my life has been rainy every second it passed—a never-ending rainstorm.  I got fed up. I don't want rain anymore. It always made me felt forlorn. 

The lightning strikes again, forcing me to close my eyes due to the blinding light. I bet the shadows now dance to my face because of the light. I wish I could also dance to the rain and shout with the thunder and shine as lighting did. 

I jolted my hands away from the chilly window glass like it was a knife piercing through my skin. I run towards the door like some monster was chasing me. I panicky gripped the doorknob as cold sweat dripped on my forehead. I screamed together with the thunder when I opened the door. My horrified face seems to freeze. 

Atlas Mate's balled hands were up in mid-air. He slowly put it down and looked at me like I was a crazy person.

"Do thunders really that scary?" he asked boredly and put his right hand into his sweat pants pocket.

I closed my slightly opened lips tightly. I breathed out the air that I didn't know I was holding. I faked a cough and composed myself. With my slightly trembling and sweaty hands, I comped my unruly hair. 

"No, but seeing your face suddenly made me...," I looked at him up and down then smirked at him, "Terrified." 

Ayon lamang ang naisip kong paraan para matakpan ang kahihiyang ginawa ko. I know that I looked stupid as I shouted terrified a while ago. My cheeks painted color as I recalled what I just did. Groud eat me, please! Kahit gusto ko mang maging prim and proper ngayon sa harapan ni Mr. Mate ay hindi ko magawa. I was too humiliated to even thinking about being a well-mannered person. 

Atlas Mate looked at me, amusement dancing to his astonishingly pale blue eyes. I bet na hindi lamang ako ang nabibihag ng ganiyang mata. Halos lahat siguro nang makakikita sa taong ito ay mabibighani sa kaniyang mga mata. You'll be lured and lost in his eyes forever. 

"You, Kiddo, is really something." he crossed his hands to his broad and hard chest, "The guts you have are truly astounding." 

Saglit akong natigilan nang ma-realized ko ang sinabi ko patungkol sa kaniyang dibdib. Broad and hard chest. Are you fucking real, Olivia Valez?! Saan mo ba nakukuha ang ganiyang bagay? May I remind you that you are just six-fucking-teen years old, and the man you are talking about is already in his thirties. Wake up from your stupidity. 

"What? Should I be some ordinary person?"

He pursed his lips and looked at me intently. Hindi ko nakayanang makipagtitigan sa kaniyang magagandang mata, kaya iniwas ko ang pangingin ko at umirap na lamang. 

"You really are a kid." 

Tumalikod na ito na para bang hindi ako karapat-dapat na kausapin dahil isa akong bata. I may be a teenager, but I know that I am mature for my age! How dare he turn his back at me while we are still talking! 

"Mr. Mate!" sigaw ko kahit hindi naman siya malayo sa'kin. 

Nasa harapan ko lamang siya pero nakaharap na siya sa kaniyang pintuan. Hindi niya ako nilingon, bagkus ay itinaas lamang niya an kaniyang kanang kamay at tamad na kumaway. I gasped audably and put my right hand on my heart. The nerve of this man!

"We are not done talking. Don't turn your back to me!" 

I heard him sigh, and he lazily turned to me with a bored look. "You see, Kiddo, it's bed weather. I want to jump into my bed now and sleep." 

"Don't call me Kiddo."

"Kiddo."

A smirked slowly crept to his lips, and he looked at me hauntingly. Why is this man so childish? Sinabi ko na ngang h'wag akong tatawaging Kiddo tapos inulit pa talaga. Alam kong maloko siyang tao dahil sa ilang araw niyang pananatili rito ay napansin ko 'yon. He likes teasing and irritating my dad, kahit ako ay inaasar din niya,  just like what he's doing right now. 

"My name is Olivia Valez and not Kiddo." 

Maririin ang pag bigkas ko ng bawat salitang aking binitawan. Hindi na maayos ang aking mood dahil sa panahon ngayon, tapos iinisin pa akong ng lalaking 'to. May igaganda pa ba ang araw na ito? Gustong-gusto ko namang maging pormal at magalang sa kaniya, pero hindi ko alam dahil tuwing makikita ko si Mr. Mate may nararamdaman akong hindi ko maipaliwanag, at hindi ko gusto 'yon. 

"Hmm." umakto siyang parang nag-iisip. Nagawa pa ni Atlas Mate na ilagay sang kaniyang amay sa kaniyang baba. "If you don't want to be called Kiddo then... Little Girl it is." sabay ngisi sa'kin nang nakaloloko. 

"What?!" I shouted irritatingly and stomped my feet hard on the floor. My fist balled tightly and I am so sure that I'm clenching my jaw hard.

Atlas Mate's smirk got wider like a Cheshire cat that made me more annoyed. He tilted his head while looking at me intently then he turned around slowly. Sumipol pa siya pagkatalikod at nagkibit balikat. Nang mahawakan na niya ang doorknob ay saglit siyang tumigil, at bahagyang lumingon sa'kin. I could still see his devilish smirk even in that angle. I want to fucking wipe that mischievous smirk off of his lips. This old hag!

"Have a good day, Little girl." he even said that while copying the way I said it the other day. "Also, there is no such thing as an ordinary person. We are all uniquely made."

I just stood still in the hallway, as his words hit me hard. I keep looking at him unbelievably like he was the most irritating crazy man I had ever met...he is. Hindi pa nakuntento ang matandang Atlas na 'yon at nagawa pang dahan-dahang isarado ang pintuan niya, habang nakasilip siya doon nang may nakalolokong ngiti, at nakuha pang kumaway sa'kin. Talaga naman!

Nang maka-recover ako sa ginawa niya ay nagsisigaw ako sa aking pwesto ko.

"You old asshole!" I shouted with all the range I felt in my whole being as of the moment. Galit akong kumatok sa pintuan niya, at hindi niya ako pinansin kaya sinipa ko ito nang malakas. 

"Shit!" napamura ako sa sakit na aking natamo dahil sa pagsipang ginawa ko. 

Hindi ko alam kung nababaliw na ba ako, but I think I could hear that old man laughing like he was so happy that he annoyed the hell out of me, and I made myself look so stupid. 

I hated it when someone calls me a kid or a little girl, or when they reminded me that I'm still a teenager because of this youngness my dad has to work hard. He has to work overtime, forgetting that he has someone waiting for him. Nakalilimutan din siyang alagaan sarili niya dahil kailangan niyang magtrabaho dahil bata pa ko. My Dad needs to sacrifice many things because his daughter is still young, kaya ayaw na ayaw kong tinatawag ako bata o ipinamumukhang bata pa ako.

Biglang nagtatakbo si Tessa na aming katulong papunta sa'kin. May dala-dala siyang walis, at halatang kinakabahan dahil sa pagsigaw na aking ginawa. Si Tessa ay anak ng katulong namin dito kaya kahit bata pa ay tumutulong na sa gawaing bahay. Halos kasing edad ko lang yata siya.

"Ma'am Olivia, ayos lang po ba kayo?"

Hinihingal pa siya nang makarating sa'king pwesto, halos makita ko na ang pagtaas at baba ng kaniyang dibdib dahil sa hingal ni Tessa. Hindi naman ako masungit sa mga trabahador namin at mga katulong. Never ko pa silang nasigawan at minalditahan. I always treat them klindly and respectfully. Ito ang unang beses na narinig nila akong sumigaw dahil sa galit. 

Nakayuko at hawak-hawak ang aking paa dahil masakit pa rin ito. Inangat ko ang aking paningin kay Tessa, at hindi nawala ang sama ng expression ng aking mukha. Ang mga galit kong mata ay nakatutok ngayon sa kaniya, kaya napapitlag ito sa takot. Bahagya pa nga itong napaatras, at humigpit ang hawak sa kaniyang dala-dalang walis. 

Mabilis akong tumayo at diniretsyo ang likod. Itinaas ko pa ang aking baba para magmukhang okay lang ako, na parang walang nangyaring ka-gagahan. I-flipped my hair and smile at Tessa formally. Nakita kong nag-relax ang katawan niya, dahil ang mga balikat niya ay bumaba na mula sa pagkatataas dahil sa takot kanina. 

"I'm f-fine." I faked a cough then continued, "You can go back to your work."

Hindi ko na siya hinintay na sumagot pabalik, at tinalikuran na siya agad. Dali-dali akong pumasok ng aking kwarto kahit masakit ang aking paa. Pagalit akong tumalon sa kamay at pinagsusuntok ito. Gigil na gigil kong pinaghahagis ang mga unan ko sa lapag habang nagtitili sa galit.

"I cursed you to hell! You fucking asshole!" 

I cursed loudly as I try to rip apart my soft blanket with my clenching hands. The ripping sound of the fabric rang into my ears, and I imagine it as his shitty face that I'm ripping. I could feel my face heating up because of anger, and my veins almost popping as I shout curses along with the thunder and lighting. Mabuti na lamang at wala si Dad ngayon, hindi rin naman magsusumbong ang mga katulong kung sakali. I bet Mr. Asshole Mate is now sleeping like a babe, kaya hindi na niya ako maririnig na magwala rito. 

Flames of anger shot through my insides as I lay on my bed. Nagtalukbong ako ng aking kumot na may punit. Nagpatuloy akong sumigaw sa galit doon habang sinisipa-sipa ang kumot na walang kamalay-malay. Para akong bulate na binudbudan ng asin kagugulong sa kama habang nagwawala. Alam kong para akong tanga pero kailangan kong ilabas ang aking galit sa ganitong paran, baka kasi kung kanino ko paito biglang maibuhos at pagsisihan.

Hindi ako ganitong klaseng tao, pero hindi ko talaga alam kung anong mayroon sa taong 'yon. Atlas Mate can get into my nerves excellently. 

Marahas akong napabangon nang marinig ko ang pagtunog ng aking cellphone. Agad kong sinagot ang tawag ni Prim. Satong-sato ang tawag nito dahil kailangan ko ng ma-ra-rant-an. Gusto ko sanang kay Liberty sabihin kaso alam kong tulog pa siya sa oras ng New York. 

"Yo!" 

"Prim! Thanks, goodness. Did you know na we have an old insect living in our house!" mabilis kong sabi sa kaniya, ni hindi ko na nga siya nabati katulad ng ginawa niya.

"Ew, bitch. You should kill that insect before it causes more damage. I hate insects." sabi ni Prim in her usual bitchy tone. 

Sanay na kaming dalawa ni Liberty na tawagin niyang 'Bitch'. It may seem off for others but it's Prima Donovan's love language to her friends.  

"Right! That's actually a good idea. You're a genius, Prim."

"I know right. Duh, pinagbibigyan lang kita para ikaw ang nasa honors, baka pagginalingan ko wala kanang makuhang awards."

Natawa naman ako sa sinabi nito. I sigh and smiled. I'm really blessed with my friends. They can easily make me alright by driving away from my worries and problems. I know na na-se-sense ni Prim na hindi ako okay, and that's her way to cheer me up. She joined me by laughing at her own joke. 

"Whoever is that insect remember that you are Olivia Valez. Magaling kang makisama sa mga taong nasa paligid mo. Always remember who you are." 

Mas lalo akong napangiti dahil sa sinabi ni Prim. Tama nga siya. Ako si Olivia Valez. Isa akong prim and proper na anak ni Oliver Valez, pero bukod doon sino ba talaga ako? Who am I as my own person? Sino ba ako bukod sa pagiging anak ni Oliver Valez? Unti-unti na namang bumaba ang pagkangingiti ng aking labi.

Prim cleared her throat as if sensing the direction of my thoughts.  

"Yes, you are right." pinilit kong pasiglahin ang aking boses para hindi na siya mabahala.

"Oly..."

Hindi ko pinansin ang nag-aalalang tawag niya sa'kin, "Anyway, bakit ka nga pala napatawag?" pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

"Well, hindi pala ako pwede bukas kaya kung gusto mo ngayon na lang tayo bumili ng violin mo."

Niyaya ko kasi kagabi na samahan ako bumili ng kailangan kong musical instrument. Ako na ang bibili ng para sa'kin at hindi na si Dad. Masyado na iyong abala, at isa pa makagagala pa ako. Gusto ko ring masinsinan at personal na piliin ang violin ko. Para kasi siya ang magiging partner ko sa mga oras na aaralin ko kung paano tumugtog. We should be the ones who should be picking our partners whether in life or whatsoever.  

"Sure, patilain na lang muna natin ang ulan."

"Okay, I'll text you na lang if paalis na ako ng bahay later."

Binaba na ni Prima ang tawag, at ako ito naiwang nakatulala sa kisame habang nasa tainga pa rin ang cellphone. I'm just halfway through the day but I felt so tired already. God, that Gaffer drained my energy in less than an hour! I can't believe this.  I hope that my violin class will help me breathe. 

~TBC~

Wala talagang pinapalagpas na panahon para manginis si Pareng Atlas. 

May sasabihin ako sa inyo rapat, e kaso nakalimutan ko. HAHHAHA

Feel free to share your thoughts, and keep safe everyone!

Love lots. :>>