Cray
"Just leave the lights off."
Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang marinig ko yung boses ni Ember. Kadarating ko lang mula sa unit at plano ko sanang buhayin yung ilaw dahil wala akong makita.
"I'm sorry?" My eyes are still adjusting at the dark. Nakahawak pa din ako sa likuran ng pintuan.
"Just the leave the lights off." Ulit pa nito na hindi man lang ako tiningnan.
I saw her silhouette on the couch. She's laying on it while her arms are covering her eyes.
Natatakot man ako dahil hindi ako sanay sa dilim ay hinayaan ko na lang iyon. Sa halos tatlong araw naman na pananatili ako dito sa bahay ni Ember ay hindi naman niya ako palaging inuutusan. Mas okay nga iyon dahil feeling ko kung mag-uusap kami ay baka mauwi lang iyon sa awayan at sumbatan.
I silently took off my shoes at inilagay iyon ng maayos sa shoe rock. I know Ember will sanitize it after. Palagi kasi nito iyong ginagawa sa loob ng tatlong araw na nandito ako kahit wala naman akong sinasabi na gawin nito iyon.
"Have you eaten?" Hindi ko mapigilan na itanong dito. Lalo pa at nagpatake out talaga ng pagkain si Ate Leigh kanina para dito. "Ate Leigh asked me to bring you these.. edibles."
Mula sa hawak kong pagkain ay umangat yung mukha ko para tingnan kung interesado ba ito.
"Just put it in the fridge. I'll just reheat it pag nagutom ako."
Kahit hindi naman ako nito nakikita ay tumango na lang ako. Ito naman ay tumagilid patalikod sa direksyon ko. Indikasyon na ayaw na nito makipag usap pa.
I'm used to it. Ganito din naman ito nung mga bata pa kami. Pag ayaw nito makipag usap ay maglalagay na ito ng headphones. O kaya naman ay earplugs pag ayaw nito makinig sa klase. Ember is too intelligent for her age. She's having a hard time that time on not to correct our professors for teaching us based by the book and it's curriculum na kadalasan ay kulang o di kaya naman ay mali.
I even remembered her telling our Math professors that the problem we're solving that time was wrong. So it's normal that no one got the correct answer. Galit na galit noon yung professor namin at pinatawag sa prefect of the discipline si Ember matapos itong ireklamo. Ember defended herself but got sanctions afterwards. Tita Grant came rushing at the school telling they all suck and she'll transfer Ember to other school because ours can't handle a genius like her. But Ember insisted that she'll just serve the two weeks clean-up sanction and will stay.
But after that incident, Ember no longer listens to class. She's either sleeping or pretending listening with earplugs on. I felt sorry for her. She should have been commended for that but was shamed for being a smart-ass. Well, given that nobody wants a smart-ass. Siguro isa iyon sa kabulukan ng sistema. The school org does not want any form of questioning from the students. At kung sakaling in-admit ng mga ito na mali nga sila, it will lesses the credibility of the teachers and the school itself.
"You know.." mahinang bulong ko. Tatalikod na sana ako para tunguhin yung kusina nang mapatingin ako ulit dito. I heard her whimpered sniffs and muffled coughs. "-you should sleep in your room. Masyadong malamig dito. Sisipunin at uubuhin ka."
I stared at her again, expecting for any retort. Pero gaya kanina ay wala pa din itong imik na nakatalikod lang sa direksyon ko.
Inilock ko na lang yung pinto. Siguro naman ay hindi na ito lalabas dahil anong oras na din.
"I'm locking the door now. Hindi ka na naman na lalabas di ba?"
Again, Ember didn't say anything in return. Para akong nakikipag usap sa hangin. Pero itinaas nito yung kamay nito to confirm.
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BINABASA MO ANG
Mamihlapinatapai
ChickLit"You may not want to be in my head. You might find someone other than myself that you won't be able to forget. It'll haunt you like a nightmare you can't tell. " "Silly. What's in that tough demeanor, ate Cray?" tumawa lang si Ember at kumapit ulit...