Naalala ko dati, may ikinukwento sa akin si Lola na storya tungkol sa ulan, na palagi niya saakin ikukwento pag tumutulo ito.
~❂~
In an island where rain never seemed to fall, may isang babae at lalaking magkaibigan. Their names are Espera and Abondo.
They bond over many things, pero mas lalo na sa pagmamahal nila sa dagat. Palagi sila pumupunta sa dalampasigan. Doon daw sila naglilibang at hanggang sila'y lumaki na binata at dalaga doon pa rin sila humahantong.
Palagi daw sila magkasama at pinagdaanan nila ang mga problema sa buhay ng nandiyan ang isa't isa; and always did they have the shore to hold them together.
Habang lumilipas ang panahon hindi alintana na sila'y hindi magkakaroon ng pagmamahalan na lagpas sa pagkakaibigan, kaya kalaunan sila'y naging magkasintahan.
They became a happy couple, maraming nagsasabi na bagay sila at totoo iyon. Masaya sila sa piling ng isa't isa at naging payapa ang kanilang buhay, pero nang sabihin ni Abondo na gusto niya malaman kung ano ang makikita niya lagpas sa munting dalampasigang saksi sa kanilang pagiibigan ni Espera, unti-unting naglaho iyon.
Naisipan ni Abondo na maglayag sa dagat, kahit hindi niya alam ang kahihinatnan niya doon. Pinangako niya muna kay Espera na babalikan niya siya, dahil kung hindi niya muna ito gawin ay tiyak na mabubuhay lamang siya araw-araw na may bato sa likod.
Walang nagawa si Espera, dahil alam niyang doon makokompleto si Abondo at ayaw niya ipagkait ang kanyang mahal.
Nandoon siya sa dalampasigan sa tinakdang araw ni Abondo na umalis sa munti nilang isla. Nandoon na hinihiling na sana'y magiging maayos ang kaniyang paglalakbay, na sana'y hindi siya masasaktan, na sana'y mahanap niya ang kanyang ninanais. Kinawayan niya si Abondo hanggang hindi na makita ang kanilang bangka.
Madalas ni Espera marinig na pinapagusapan ng mga tao and paglakbay ni Abondo, at madalas din niya naririnig ang awa ng mga tao sakanya.
Time went by, from weeks to months and finally came years, and nothing came back from the shores that were their favorite place.
One night she went to the shore, feeling the cold, chilly breeze, all alone. It has been 14 years since Abondo left her. She was no longer at her finest, and people are doubting the person she's waiting for all this time will even come back. With all that's left inside her, she cried and cried until the flood in her heart was no longer there.
Slowly rain dropped from the sky, falling to her skin, wetting the sand. When was the last time it rained in this Island? No one knew, that's why the sea became their source of water as well as streams and springs that came out of the land.
Was the sky feeling for the poor Espera? It was indeed. Espera sat there all alone, in a blue dress, the same color as the sea.
The next day, Espera was no where to be found. All that knew her couldn't find a trace of where she went to, until they went to the shore. They found the blue dress Espera owned with no owner to be seen at coast.
The people in the Island attributed the rain with Espera, knowing that the night the rain came again was the last time she was ever seen.
Ang bawat patak daw ng ulan na nahuhulog sa lupa ay isang alaalang nakalimutan, parang si Espera na nakalimutan, nakalimutan ni Abondo na balikan. Kasama na rin doon ang lahat ng alaala at mga pangakong kanilang binuo magkasama.
Nakakalungkot diba? Kung iisipin mo na maraming mga bagay ang nakakalimutan at hindi na maaalala muli, and somehow...
I feel like I'm a part of all these fallen and falling raindrops
~❂~
"Sa tingin mo kaya, dadating din ba yung tamang tao para sayo?" Tanong saakin ni Katelin.
"Of course! Hindi naman ata ako hahayan ni Lord na maging mag-isa habang buhay," I giggled, habang nakatitig sa kalsada na tinatamaan ulan.
Nandito kami sa waiting shed naghihintay ng jeep papunta town. May practice kasi sila kanina ng choir kaya pinaghintay niya ako kasi sabay kaming umuuwi sa Aurora.
Malas lang na naabutan kami ng ulan habang pababa kami dito. Naisip-isipan ni Katelin na magtanungan kami kaya heto kami.
It's my turn to ask. "Sa tingin mo may masmarami pa tayong kaya?" Tanong ko sakanya.
"Do you mean like kung pwede pa tayo tumalino sa math?" She chuckled.
"I mean like our capabilities. What if like..." Paano ko ba toh sasabihin? Will it even make sense?
"Nevermind."
"Sige... my turn na then! If you are given the chance to change something that happened in the past, would you take it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it happened for a reason. Even if it's something horrible, if it doesn't happen things would get worse, we'll probably in the same level as your grades, Low. " I answer in a mellow tone with a smirk on my face.
"An-drama naman nyan! Nadamay pa grade ko!" Humalakhak si Katelin.
"Sumagot lang naman ako true from my heart," Dramatically putting my hand to my chest.
She laughs at my response "Drama mo!"
Pakunware ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin at binalik ko ang atensyon ko sa ulan. Malay ko ba sa sarili ko, but I feel like sulking right now. I'm just trying my best to act jolly in front of Katelin na mukhang never nauubusan ng sigla.
To be honest I would take the chance, but I'll never get it anyway. I think that's what she'll want too, for me not to change anything even if it meant we'll still be together.
I just reverted by attention to the street with rain falling continously. Nakakalungkot tignan yung mababagal na magpatak ng ulan maslalo na kasi naalala ko yung kwento ni Lola.
This weird sad feeling always comes whenever it rains yung parang ako si Espera. Yung tanong pa ni Katelin kanina may pinapalala yung feeling na 'to. Parang dumagdag sa heavy feeling ko.
"If you were given a choice to be the 'worst' in something you really love and be the 'best' in something you despise, what would you choose?" I ask her trying to continue the conversation.
"Be the worst in something I love. Kahit naman hindi ako magaling sa isang bagay, basta gusto ko at masaya ako, nothing else really matters right?"
I nod. I guess basta mahal mo talaga isang bagay pipiliin mo talaga yun kahit anong lamang ng ibang mga bagay.
"What superpower would you have if it were possible?" Tanong ni Katelin.
"To be able to control the weather." I answer.
Why? Simply because I would stop the rain. I know it's important but I would prefer it to rain when I'm not around.
"Ako, gusto ko yung nakakabasag ng mga bintana pag nagsalita ako! Ano tawag dun?"
"Ultrasonic Vocals? Hindi pa ba sapat ingay ng bungaga mo?"
"Para mabingi kita! Tss." Lait ng lait saakin pero medyo pikon parin. That made me laugh to myself.
"Iiwanan mo ba ako someday?" Tanong niya
Natigilan ako for a second. What kind of question is that? Of course not, why would I ever? She's literally my only friend.
"No. I would be a fool Katelin,"
She smiled at me. "Magandang malaman yun,"
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~❂~
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