Chapter 3

Anthony Sergio. I knew him all my life.  

I left my hometown at the age of 7 after my parents died in an accident. I didn't speak for 2 years. I remember that Uncle Bern had problems in sending me to school for every time he takes me outside I start to cry. 

Uncle Bern started hiring tutors but before my tutor arrives I'll hide in the basement and they would search all over the house. 

I was 9 when he came home with a boy. A few years older than me. I used to think that I saw him somewhere but that was impossible because I never left the house and I quite don't remember my life back then.

His eyes remind me of someone I used to know or maybe gumagawa lang ako ng excuse para sa sarili ko para masabing I had someone other than my family and uncle. 

I remember how skinny Anthony was. Uncle Bern will always remind be to be nice to him for that skinny kid had a tough life. Pero kahit ganoon madali niyang makuha ang loob ng mga tao nasa paligid niya. Maybe it was because of his dimples. 

Noong una akala ko bisita lang si Anthony pero days, weeks, months and a year passed by pero nandoon pa rin siya sa bahay. He goes to school while I stay at home and still refuse to meet any of my tutors. 

I'm 10. Anthony was 15. At hindi pa rin ako makapagsalita. I feel useless. 

And then one night, I left my bedroom door open. It was around 11.30 pm and every one are already asleep. I saw a figure standing in my doorway.

 I can't see what the figure looks like kaya natakot ako, mas natakot ako nang gumalaw ito nag nagsimulang maglakad. I want to shout but I can't find my voice. 

I heard a click and then the lights are on. I found out that it was only Anthony. Hindi ko alam kung anong kailangan niya at kung anong ginagawa niya dito sa kwarto ko. 

"Skyla" 

Sa dalawang taong magkasama kami sa iisang bahay, ito ang unang beses na nilapitan niya ako at tinawag sa pangalan ko.I opened my mouth but close it again. He smiled at naupo sa tabi ko. 

"Do you believe in aliens?"

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. He must have seen it on face kaya nagsimula siyang mag-explain. 

Kinuwento niya sa akin na nasa veranda siya ng makakita siya ng ilaw na malikot sa kalangitan and he concluded that it was a spaceship. Pinanood din namin ang favorite movie nyang E.T. And if our Uncle finds out that we are watching a movie at this hour, I know he'd throw a fit. 

Nang matapos ang movie Anthony told me that he will talk to me again in the morning. Kaya ng makalabas siya ng kwarto ko ay pinilit kong makatulog agad para gumising ng maaga. 

The next morning, I was disappointed. Anthony left for school kaya naghintay ako sa labas ng bahay hanggang sa makauwi sya. 

And when he arrived home ay kinuwentuhan niya ako tungkol sa araw nya. Kung anong nangyari sa school at mga aralin na tinalakay nila. 

Hindi ko inaasahang magiging malapit kami sa isa't isa ni Anthony. Nagsusulat ako sa white board, that's how I communicate to him. He also encouraged me to meet my tutors and I did. 

And then we debated if aliens are real. While he thinks that they are real, I'll tell him that those creatures only exist in movies. 

"Maniniwala lang ako na hindi sila totoo kung kahit kailan man ay hindi ko maririnig ang boses mo." 

It was a foolish thing to say, really at galing pa talaga sa kanya. Matagal ko nang tinaggap na hindi na ako makakapagsalita pero Anthony thinks that I can and I will. 

But something strange happened. Or maybe it was a miracle. 

Dinala ako ni Anthony sa playground na madalas niyang madaanan pauwi. Ginala ko ang mga mata ko sa playground at nahagip ng mga mata ko ang isang batang lalake na baka nasa tatlong taon ang tanda sa akin. 

Nakatingin siya sa akin at may kunot sa kanyang mga noo. 

"I really like this place" I heard Anthony say pero hindi ko siya pinansin at nanatili ang mga mata ko batang lalake na nakatingin pa rin sa akin. 

I didn't know someone could be this handsome. 

Anthony is handsome too. I have always thought that no one can match his handsomeness but I was wrong when I saw the kid here. 

Naramdaman ko ang pag init ng pisnge ko dahil sa kanyang mga tingin. He watches me with curiosity and alertness. 

Rinig ko ang pag-drible ni Anthony ng bola pero ang atensyon ko nasa batang lalake pa rin. Then I saw another figure running towards him. 

It's a girl with a wavy brown hair. She's wearing a floral sundress at hindi ko masyadong maaninag ang kanyang mukha dahil natatakpan ito ng napakalaki niyang sumbrebro. 

But her smile is bright. 

Who is she? Is she his sister? 

"Skyla, bakit namumula ka? Are you okay?" Naramdaman ko ang kamay ni Anthony sa aking siko at napatingin ako sa kanya. 

Tumango lamang ako at ngumise siya sa akin. "Tara at maglaro na tayo." 

Wala sa sarili akong tumango sa kanya at tinignan ko muli ang lugar kung saan nakatayo ang batang lalake kanina pero wala na siya doon. Wala na rin ang batang babae na tumatakbo papunta sa kanya. 

Siguro ay umuwi na sila. Kung pupunta ba kami ni Anthony ulit dito sa playground ay makikita ko ulit sila? 

Tinuon ko muli ang atensyon ko kay Anthony at sa kanyang pagdri-drible. Gustong gusto niyang maglaro sa playground na yun pero sa tuwing pinakikiusapan niya ang bodyguard niya ay hindi sya pinapayagan. 

At sa tingin niya ay kailangan kong lumabas ng bahay para naman daw maarawan ako.

Naglaro kami doon ng basketball, gusto kasi ni Anthony sumali sa school team nila. Inaasar nya pa ako na hindi ko maagaw ang bola sa kanya. Tumalbog ang bola palayo at pareho namin itong hinabol pero nasa gitna na ng kalsada ang bola. 

"Ako na ang kukuha. Dyan ka lang, okay? Wag kang tatawid" tumango tango ako. 

In my peripheral vision, I saw a fast-moving object. It was a truck. I was thinking that the driver will slow down pero mas lalong bumilis ang takbo nito. I looked at Anthony, nasa kabilang lane siya at doon ang direksyon ng truck. 

I want him to watch out. Gusto kong bumalik siya sa tabi ko at kalimutan na ang bola. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin sa mga oras na iyon. Nangingibabaw ang matinding takot sa loob ko, hindi ko kayang may isa pang mahalagang taong mawala sa akin. 

I opened my mouth. I said his name pero walang boses na lumabas. I started to panic. I tried. And I tried again. And then it happened. 

"An-thony!" 

"Anthony!"

Ang bilis nang mga pangyayari. The last thing I saw was Anthony looked at me like I've grown two heads. And then the truck passed by and I didn't see him standing where I last saw him. I cried. Umiyak ako kasi hindi ko siya mahanap, makapal ang usok at bumangga ang truck sa isang puno. 

Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin kay Uncle. Ang alam ko lang ay masikip ang dibdib ko at nanginging pa rin ang buong katawan ko. That's when I heard his voice. 

"Skyla!" And then I saw him at the other sidewalk kumakaway pa sa akin. And I sobbed. 

Galit na galit si Uncle nang malaman niyang lumabas kami ng bahay ng walang paalam. At mas lalo siyang nagalit nang malaman niyang muntik nang maaksidente si Anthony. Dinig na dinig sa buong bahay ang sigaw ni Uncle. Pinagalitan niya rin ang mga nagbabantay sa amin dahil sa pagiging pabaya ng mga ito. 

"I heard her today" 

Everyone was looking at Anthony now. 

"What are you talking about, Anthony?" 

"I heard her, Uncle,"

he said feeling proud. "I heard her call my name" 

And then the next day, Uncle Bern made appointments for my speech and voice therapy. Sa lahat ng therapy ko ay nandoon si Anthony. 

Kailanman ay hindi niya ako iniwan. Lagi siyang nasa tabi ko. Lagi niyang sinasabi na kaya ko at wag akong mawalan ng pag-asa. 

And because of him, I found my voice again. 

"See? I told you aliens are real"

I gave him a knowing look. 

"Really? Why do you say so?"

I ask. My voice is still hoarse, there are times that I have difficulties in pronouncing and moving my mouth but my progress is good. 

"I heard your voice" 

Ever since that day, we are inseparable. 

"What are you smiling about?"

Anthony asks while we are stuck in traffic. 

"Wala naman. May naalala lang ako." And I smiled again. 

But the memory of the boy I saw at the playground also crossed my mind. Kamusta na kaya siya? I wonder if I'll recognize him if makikita ko siya ulit. 

I laughed at my thoughts because it would be impossible. I hope he's doing well. 

He frowned at me. "Are you thinking about your boyfriend, Skyla?" 

And his over protectiveness is on. Tinawanan ko siya. "Boyfriend? You know I don't have one" 

"Really? Your smile tells me otherwise" 

"Imagination mo lang yan, A" 

"I hope so. I really hope so." 

Tinawanan ko lang siya. Anthony is still single at kung bakit ay hindi ko alam. Puberty has been good for him. From a skinny boy to a very handsome man. I know Anthony so well. 

And the girl he'll love in the future will be hella lucky. 

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