TAKIPSILIM: Jian Glenn Villareal-Cardejas

xxix Jian

Chapter 29

As the youngest in our family I am always lucky in each and everything I have. My food, family, clothes, and everything I needed were provided. I don't need to think about anything just by myself but when time flies it makes me think a lot and hurts a lot seeing my loved ones cry.

They made me know the story of our parents. I saw them cry and worried for my sisters. I saw how ate Tistianna suffer. I witnessed ate Maesei cry and stand again. I saw them having no time for me because of dividend responsibility. I witnessed them hurt when our grandparents died because of aging. I hate it. I hate it when everyone is crying. It makes me feel sad and makes me cry too. 

I don't easily cry and I don't cry just for little things. 

I don’t actually have any friends, I grew up being friendless. All I have are my cousins, Nicka and Nico are my closest cousins. I already made friends with Tistianna's friends, and Bea, who is tita Andy and tito Xian’s only daughter. 

At dahil hindi ako pinipressure nina Daddy ni hindi ako pumapasok sa honor list. May iilan naman akong sinalihan bilang swimmer at minsan na rin ako tumugtog kasama ang band pero dahil ayoko sumali.

I know Lexus just by his name. I don’t care who he was.

Until one day my cousin made a huge mistake. Umamin sa lalaking nagngangalang Alistair Lexus Alarcon. 

“Samahan mo na kasi ako. Aalis na ulit ako, Jian. At least be a supportive cousin naman.”

I rolled my eyes on her. Nico is still not here kaya ako ang kinukulit. 

“Just don’t confess. Mapapahiya ka lang.”

“Huwag mo ako igaya sa paniniwala mo.”

Wala naman na akong nagawa. Hinila na niya ako. Wala man lang akong kagana-gana na sumama sa kaniya. Ang plano mag-eenroll ako sasama sila and then aantayin nila ako at si Bea then saka kami aalis. Wala ito sa plano.

At nangyari na nga ang nangyari. That guy Lexus rejected her. Ewan ko ba kasi sa kaniya. Hinding hindi ko pa rin makakalimutan ang gawi ng paninitig niya sa akin. 

At dahil sa pangako nina Daddy, Dad, at nina ate ay nagplano na akong maging active sa klase. Gusto ko rin naman paghirapan ang mga gusto ko. 

He’s the president of Grade 11 A while I am the vice-president. 

He won as a secretary in the Supreme Student Government while I won as Vice president. 

He’s busy taking pictures for the school publication while they let me capture memories for the student supreme organization.

He’s good at public speaking while I am into arts.

He excels a lot in English literature while I excel a lot in Mathematics.

He loves cats and he made me love cats too.

We’re not friends yet we’re not enemies, just academic rivals.

I topped the first semester in Grade 11 while his name was next to me.

When we were in grade 12 we became sergeant & arms in our room.

I became the president of the student supreme government while he’s the vice-president and the editor in chief of the school publication. As they say we’re friends but I don’t consider him as one. Just an accompaniment for me. 

“Hoy! Feeling ko talaga may nangyari, Jian. Bigla-bigla na lang tayo iniwan ni Lexus tapos kumain siya mag-isa. Hala! Ano nagawa natin?”

“Don’t ask wala akong pakialam.”