When you hear echoes from the east & other stories of a modern Filipino

I Promise You

A long time ago, a strong bamboo wall separated two powerful neighborhood families who always fought for land. Little did theyknow that their children fell in love. Beautiful Rosita had many suitors but the only man who captured her heart was Delfin, the sonof her family's enemy. It was forbidden love, but every night, Rosita and Delfin secretly met at the end of the wall. One day, their twofamilies declared war. Rosita missed the chance to meet with Delfin before he left for war. In the battlefield, Delfin was fatally wounded. He requested to be buried in the secret place that he and Rosita meet every night. When Rosita heard about the death of her lover, she fell ill. Everyday, she grieved for Delfin and became weak. She was buried next to Delfin's grave in their secret meeting place. As years passed, residents in the neighborhood could hearsweet whispers in the wind saying, "Sumpa Kita!" (I promise you) near the two lovers' graves where white flowers with a beautiful fragrance grew.

Since Lira's arrival in Manila a week ago, it has been raining. It was a good thing that there was not going to be another typhoon. People did not have to worry about covering their windows, food shortages, or worse, climbing to the roofs of their houses when the flood gets toohigh that could reach up to their chins. Her vacation with herparents' relatives would have been a disaster. But she was glad to behere despite the awkward relationship with her older sister, Arny.Even though Lira visited her sister four years ago before going backto the United States for college, things between them still haven't changed. Living apart made their relationship distant.

It was a Sunday afternoon. The rain stopped, but the ground was stillwet. Tired of their lifeless interaction, their grandmother made the two sisters (or rather forced them, shouted at them, and pushed themout the door to do something. Anything! "Walk to the market!"she said.) to buy pandesal—breadrolls or whatever. From the corner of her eye, Lira glanced at her older sister who was wearing a casual t-shirt and pants compared to Lira's branded outfit. Walking side by side, they didn't look likethey have anything in common. If it wasn't for Lira's cropped hair,tanned skin, and a taste in fashion trends, she and Arny would havelooked like twins despite the age difference.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Arny said. She caught Lira staring at her. They were walking through the narrow streets between aligned houses facing each other. She stared at Lira's outfit. "Youknow we're not going to some party. We're just going to buybread."

It was true. There was no point for Lira to dress nicely if it was just a ten minute walk to the market just to buy breadrolls.

"I don't know. I'm just used to it."

"Must be nice to dress like that."

They walked in silence except the squishing sounds of their steps on thewet earth. Lira found it hard to have a normal conversation with hersister. It was intimidating. With her Western friends, she can almost talk about anything: clothes, movies, school, work, or life problems.With Arny, she can only respond with one or two sentences (How are you? Good...What are you doing? Nothing...Do you know what to do withyour life? I don't know...). It was always the same boring talk.Whenever Arny asked about something, she wanted to know more.Whenever they talked about deep stuff about life like Lira's future,she would say, "Could you be more specific?". Specifics. Arnywanted specifics. That annoyed Lira.

Although their walk was awkward, the neighborhood was lively. The women gossiped in their own little groups and scolded their drunk husbands for drinking too early in the afternoon. Groups of teen boys and girls breakdanced in the middle of the street with loud music permeating the area. People clapped and shouted "Whoa!" and"Woohoo!" And some screamed to keep the noise down. The men played chess, some were fixing their cars, and some were drinking.One of the drunk men, complimented Lira how she was so young and preetty.He joked around that he should marry her, and his friends laughed.But Arny came to the rescue and talked to them as if they werealready good friends. They offered her a small cup of liquor. Arny hesitated but chugged it one go. Then they continued walking on,hearing drunk laughter behind them. The children, dressed in raggedclothes, were playing with a muddy soccer ball. When they saw Lira,they came up to her and begged for some money or candy. They weretouching her nice clothes. Lira tried to step back because their hands were dirty. Shedidn't mind being touched, but she didn't want to get dirty.