When I reached my bus stop, I hopped off and made my way to my auntie's house. Along the way, I saw some of my neighbors sitting on their porches, and they greeted me with friendly hellos. I returned their greetings with a smile. I felt grateful that this town was welcoming and not racist towards us. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why my auntie chose to live here.
Would you like to hear why my auntie decided to settle here, embracing this simple life and leaving the Philippines behind?
If you're interested, I'll tell you why she made that choice. She also used to live in the Philippines in the countryside before she married an American guy. Yes, I know many Filipinas do that to secure their future. I mean, it can be tough to make a living in the rural areas of the Philippines. My auntie and my mom used to work as farmers back then. She got married and moved to America, I was about 8 years old that time. Before she left, she really loved me as her niece. She used to say that if she ever had a daughter, she wanted her to be just like me.
She would send chocolates from America to us, and she even bought land and built stone house for my grandparents to live on and she also give my mother money to start her sari sari store. My mom was very happy for her because her life in America seemed great. But she never came back to visit.
When Skype became popular, they would talk all the time, although my mom had to work hard to get a good signal. Then, when I was 14, I found out that she had gotten divorced, according to my mom. She said my auntie had been through a lot, including two miscarriages, and her husband had left her, which left her in a deep state of depression. My mom talked to her regularly because she was worried about her and didn't know what my auntie might do to herself. Sometimes, I would talk to her too. My mom advised her not to give up and suggested that she come back to the Philippines, but she didn't want to. She said people would just laugh at her here in the philippines, and she had a good job as a government employee there.
My mom has accepted that, she should live wherever she's happy. She advised her to move to the countryside, thinking it might help her mental health. My auntie followed her advice and bought a house and land in Arkansas. She's been there for three years now, and it seems to have helped her. She's forgotten about her past and is starting a new chapter in her life there.
Then my auntie suggested that I study there, and my mother agreed without asking for my opinion. She wanted me to help her sister, knowing that my auntie Jennifer cared for me. I couldn't refuse, especially since my auntie had already renovated a room for me in her house. I bid farewell to my friends in the Philippines, and now, here I am, in America.
As I opened the door to my auntie's home, a delightful aroma filled the air, instantly transporting me back to the Philippines. Looking around, it was hard not to feel like I was back in my home country. "I'm home," I called out.
My auntie's voice echoed from the kitchen, "Good, magbihis ka muna, kakain tayo ng dinner sa next neighborhood natin (change your clothes first we'll visit our next neighborhood and we will eat dinner in their house) " my auntie sometimes spoke to me in Filipino.
"Okay po," I replied and then made my way to my room on the second floor. It was a lovely space with a generously sized bed, a study desk, and cream-colored wallpaper that gave the room a cozy feel. There was a soft rug on the floor, a white large drawer for storage, a mirror, and a bed with two elegant lampshades on either side. The room had a warm and inviting ambiance, making me feel right at home in America.
After I finish, I help auntie cook some dishes, there are 3 dishes she plan to cook, first is adobo, and it was cooked already second is lumpiang shanghai and third is bicol express.
"Okay lang, meron pala kami buddy system sa school and naging buddy system ko si damon," I replied. (Translation: "It was okay. I found out that we have a buddy system at school, and my buddy is Damon.")
"Damon Walker?" I nodded at her while frying the lumpiang shanghai. "Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagkaganun siya, tuwang-tuwa pa naman mama niya kapag tumutugtog siya ng violin sa simbahan o kapag may talent show sa school o dito sa town. Magaling nga si Damon at playing violin kaso mas gusto niya mag-guitar, kaso ayaw ng mama niya kaya nagrebelde siguro yun." (Translation: "I don't know why he turned out that way. His mother used to be so proud whenever he played the violin at church or during talent shows at school or here in town. Damon is really good at playing violin, but he preferred playing the guitar. Maybe he rebelled because his mom didn't approve of it.") She is cooking bicol express, the smell was so delicious, i can't wait to taste that with rice.
I listened to her, not knowing their past or what had happened here before. "Kamusta naman si Damon? Pumasok ba siya kanina?" (Translation: "How's Damon? Did he attend school today?")
"Opo, kaso hindi siya pumasok sa klase. Nag-over-the-bakod pa nga yun tapos bumalik lang din ulit sa school pero hindi na pumasok ng room." (Translation: "Yes, but he didn't go to class. He even went over the fence and then came back to school but didn't enter the classroom.")
"I see, hays, ang bata talaga, sakit sa ulo. Paano yan? Ang alam ko sa buddy system, kailangan mong tulungan si Damon sa academics niya, diba?" (Translation: "I see, kids can really be a handful. What will you do about that? I know in the buddy system, you're supposed to help Damon with his academics, right?")
"Opo, Auntie. Kailangan ko muna siyang maging kaibigan tapos kailangan ko siyang pakiusapan na pumasok sa klase. Kilala mo si Drake? Mas madali pa yung maging kaibigan kaysa kay Damon." (Translation: "Yes, Auntie. I need to become friends with him first, and then I'll have to convince him to attend class. Do you know Drake? It's easier to befriend him than Damon.")
"Isa pa 'yan si Drake, naging teenager lang nag-rebelde na. Ano ba nangyayari sa mga batang 'yun? Ang babait nung dumating ako dito. Si Candace nag-try din ma-influence si Damon at Drake sa pagiging diligent na student, kaso hindi pa rin enough. Nakita mo na si Candace sa school kanina? Student council president siya dun?" (Translation: "Drake is another one; he turned rebellious as a teenager. What's happening to these kids? They were so well-behaved when I first came here. Candace even tried to influence Damon and Drake to become diligent students, but it still wasn't enough. Did you see Candace at school earlier? She's the student council president there, right?")
"Opo, nakita niya ako kanina na nakatayo sa harap ng room kasi di ko alam gagawin, tapos tinulungan niya ako." (Translation: "Yes, I saw her earlier when I was standing in front of the room because I didn't know what to do, and she helped me.") I replied.
"Well, I know you can change him. I mean, you're so cute and pretty, you look like a kitten, and I like cats," my auntie said with a smile. I blushed at her compliment. It always surprised me when she said things like that. Her perspective was different from everyone else's; she was the only one who called me pretty and cute. My family, relatives, and friends never used those words. They were more likely to point out what was wrong with my face.
"Thanks, Auntie, but that doesn't mean I can change people based on looks alone," I replied. When I talked to different people, I might say, "Nah, you're prettier than me" or "cuter than me," When I talked to different people, I might say, "Nah, you're prettier than me" or "cuter than me." But if I was talking to someone I could joke with, I didn't reject their compliments, I chuckled to myself at my thoughts.
**:) Hope you like it and please vote, I appreciate it. More chapters to come.
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Unintended Influence: Taming the Bad Boy
Teen FictionA boy who becomes influenced by his surroundings and circumstances, leading him down a path he never intended to take. Into his world steps a girl from the Philippines, whose arrival begins to change the course of events. ***Warning: This book conta...
