12-Drake

We played a game called spin the bottle. They changed some rules. Instead of kissing the person to whom the bottle points when it stops spinning. They altered it to truth and dare. If it pointed to your direction, you had to pick truth or dare.

It was really fun. May napa-amin ng mga crush nila. May mga admirers pa nga sila Russel at Khalid.

Si Angie napatakip sa mukha dahil sa hiya. Sino ba naman ang hindi?

Kaharap lang naman niya si Khalid habang inaamin nito na matagal na siyang humahanga sa kanya!

"Truth or Dare?" Tanong ni Khalid kay Jeaneth.

"Truth." sagot ni Jeaneth.

"Totoo bang mag loudspeaker kang bunganga, Ate?"

"Totoo! May loudspeaker akong bunganga, Khalid! Buong Campus ata makakarinig ng boses ko!" She blurted to prove her point.

"Marunong ka bang mag-modulate ng boses mo, Ate?" kalmadong usisa ni Khalid.

"Walang kontrol ang boses ko! Halata naman siguro, no!?"

"I wonder what your voice will be like if you try to modulate it."

Tawanan ang namayagpag sa malaking bilog na pagtitipon namin. Nagpaiwan kami ni Angel nang maglalaro na naman sila ng panibagong game. Tug and War. Although it was childish but we're not old for that.

Angel and I chatted as if nothing else was more important. Our conversation was like a taste of Brandy. It was getting better and tastier.

"What do you think my best qualities?" I asked her out of nowhere.

"Your intelligence and sincerity," she responded without even blinking.

I took a gulp of my beer para maibsan ang kaba ko. Her honesty was way lovely than I thought.

"If you were an animal, what would you be and why?" I inquired.

"A puppy." she answered with a pop sound on her lips.

"What is the thing that scares you the most?"

This was a perfect time to dig deeper with ourselves. I only knew the surface of her, where in fact there's more parts to know about her.

"Frogs." She scrunched her nose and shook her head. "I don't like frogs."

"Really?" I tucked few strands of her hair behind her ear when it covered her face.

"Getting doubled-crossed or when someone forces me to do something are the things that scares me..." she confided her fears.

Ilang mura ang nabanggit ko sa likod ng utak ko. If someone had doubled-crossed Angel or had force her to do something, he better not show his face in front of me!

"Too bad. I don't know how to do that." I tilted my head at her with a wink.

I bore my eyes to her pretty face to let her know I wasn't playing around with her. Neither had plans of double-crossing her and forces her to do something for me.

"Bakit ikaw itong maraming tanong sa akin? Birthday mo ngayon, Drake. Dapat ako ang nagtatanong sayo."

"I like that...Ask me anything under the sun." I swallowed another drink of my beer.

She took out her cards from her sling bag. It was her prepared questions for me. That was too endearing to handle!

Angel from the heaven of loveliness. Sana marinig mo ang sinisigaw ng isip ko.

"If you were a superhero, what would your name and special powers be?"

My heart was jumping up and down like a ball. "My superhero name would be Drake the Fastest Duck."

"Seryoso ka talaga? Bakit naman?" she right cheek raised in amusement.

"Joke. I'm going to make my own superhero name. What if Duiker na lang?"

"Duiker?"

"My special powers would be to run away with you and hide to a safest place for a meantime, when things get rough and it saddens you." I assured her.

She pursed her lips affectionately.

She flipped another card with her cheeks blushing like a tomato.

"Who is someone important to your life? Except from your Family." Tanong niya sa mababang boses.

"Can you be my important someone in my life?" I rested my elbows in the sand.

The light of the fire illuminated her face. Watching her under the night sky just had me thinking that these all were too good to be true. My heart started to race like a furious car.

"Is that even possible?" Naninimbang ang tingin niya sa akin.

"Why not?"

Angel was already important in my life. I wouldn't dare waste my time to someone's not important, right? I wouldn't be feeling blue when someone couldn't make it in my birthday.

"Can I be your friend?" she probed hesitantly.

She was utterly confused what kind of relationship we have. Bakit kailangan pa ng confirmation, pretty? So, our camaraderie wasn't true?

"Can we make it a very close friend? If you're still wondering, Angel..." I quipped.

"We're already friends, Drake." she clarified, waving her cards.

"Mabuti naman." I nodded my head.

Baka gusto niya lang kumpirmahin na magkaibigan talaga kami. No one confirmed that between the both of us. Mali ko rin naman.

"I wonder what your mother looks like. I haven't seen a single picture of her in your house. Ang weird naman." she wondered as she inserted her cards in her sling bag.

"Tinago lahat ni Papa, Anghel..."

My throat got tight abruptly.

I had to hide the swell of emotion behind a gulp of beer or otherwise risk blubbering like a baby. It wasn't a perfect time to open up about my biological Mother.

"Let's join them."

Russel, the DJ of the night settled the shore with an eardrum-rupturing noise. Everyone rushed in front of his table excitedly.

I helped her got into her feet. I held her hand and we both joined the fun. They shouted in joy because the music was pretty dope. Fun in the air, all were hyped up and having a good time. Angel and I bounced back and forth like we had been friends for years.

We hollered and leaped around at full action. My classmates and brothers were getting louder and rowdier. Jeaneth gave Angel a shot of palm wine.

"Hindi siya umiinom ng alak, Jeaneth."

"Kahit ngayon lang, pretty."

"Huwag mo siyang pilitin." I said stubbornly.

"Gusto ko. At isa pa hindi mo naman ako pababayaan." Angel insisted.

I let her twice. Ngunit si Angel pa mismo ang humingi ng pangatlo hanggang pang-apat na basong tubâ. Kaya sa pang-lima ay tinanggihan ko na si Jeaneth.

"Tama na, Jeaneth. Hindi siya sanay,"

After the dancing and jumping in the music. They continued on by harmonizing the DJ's music with a real voice. Scorpio got the mic. His voice would have been all right if he was focused on more - trying to sing normally than to babble words we couldn't decipher.

Russel wrestled the microphone from him and sang the song he perfectly.

Vlad picked up the bottle of beer from the sand, but the bottom part broke down. I laughed as he returned it to its natural piece.

Kuya Ranger and Gunner formed a tent outside for those who couldn't be at their home. Si Papa ay tulog na ata kanina pa. Umuwi na din sina Nanay Hermina at mga tauhan ng aming Farm.

Scorpio's eyes were out half-mast. If Malik wasn't standing before him. He would be likely face down on the sand. They shoved him to the tent.

Angel looked slightly red after shots of tubâ. Papikit-pikit na siya. She was too innocent to be drunk. She was standing there like she's lost in an island.

"Drake, kaya pa bang iuwi si Angel?" Kuya Ranger asked me when he noticed it too.

"Lasing na siya, Kuya. I'll be damn if her guardians found out."

"I know. And you shouldn't let this happen again."

Kinuha ni Kuya Ranger ang cellphone niya sa loob ng bahay.

Angel held her head to steady her vision.

"Bakit umiikot ang mundo, Drake?" She shook her head back and forth. "Hindi naman dapat ganito..." she sobbed in confusion and agony.

"Ako lang ba nakakaranas nito? Bakit ba kasi ang baho ng mga isda? Hindi talaga sila mabango, e! Kahit palagi naman silang nakalubog sa tubig!"

Halatang gulong-gulo ang isip niya. Her mind was wandering. I chuckled at her dry drunk humor.

Pambihirang Anghel.

Marahan kong hinawakan ang kanyang pupulsuhan. Namumungay ang kanyang mga mata.

"Happy Birthday, Drake..." She greeted me again, this time with a pop of kiss on my left cheek.

Angel got drunk for the first time. My heart was so hot that she acted like this with me.

Her steps were careening. I laced my arms around her waist to steady her.

"Wishing you a blissful 21th birthday, a good health." Her voice was everything yummy like wrapped into one bite of gummy.

My jaw dropped broken in the sand. My mouth sort of hang open when she kissed me on my right cheek with a smile of an Angel for the second time around.

I cleared my throat and frolicked my tongue in my cheeks. "Hindi naman siguro masamang mangarap na sana birthday ko araw-araw."

"Huh?" Sinisinok na siya.

Bumalik si Kuya Ranger habang nakakunot ang kilay. He dialed someone. It was probably Angel's mother.

He pressed his outdated keyboard phone on the shell of his ear. "Ma'am, Si Ranger Mathildo po ito. Masyado na pong malalim ang gabi." He paused and looked at us.

"I just want to ask your consent kung pwedeng dito nalang patulugin itong si Angel. Bukas na bukas ay iuuwi namin."

"Sana ay siya lang sa isang kwarto matutulog, Ranger."

May tiwala talaga ang Mama ni Anghel kay Kuya Ranger. Sa akin wala.

"Walang problema, Ma'am. Safe ang dalaga niyo dito."

Matapos bigyan kami ng pahintulot ay kinarga ko si Anghel. Hinayaan na ako ni Kuya Ranger na asikasuhin siya.

Napalunok ako nang niyakap niya ako habang nakaupo siya sa bingit ng aking kama. I took off her shoes, jacket, and hat. Hindi na niya natiis ang antok at humiga na. While everything was bombed outside, something inside of me had an opposite reaction. I felt at peace watching her.

"Drake, prettyboy..." She sighed my name like a holy prayer. She rolled over the side of the bed and hugged my pillow.

"Thank you pala sa bibingka, Drake...Ang sarap. muntlkikan ko ng makllimjtan. Nighty nighty." Her words were slurred and mumbled.

***

"Drake Wayne Mathildo!" Our classroom adviser called me for our daily attendance.

Limang araw na ang nakalipas mula noong masaya kong kaarawan.

"I am here, Sir! I just came from the Mount of Olympus!" I answered with confidence.

"Borit!" angal ng mga kaklase ko.

"Ang lupit ng hangin mo, Drake! May halong buhangin!" Scorpio volleyed in discord.

"Aba nanggaling ako sa seashore ni Poseidon!" I retorted.

Everything was back to normal.

I had a good allowance now. I had my Yamaha. After two subjects for the half of the morning session, I had gone to the bathroom by myself to smoke.

I was contemplating if I should stop smoking or not.

Angel wouldn't like this bad habit. Hindi ko rin gustong maagang magkasakit dahil sa paninigarilyo.

"We are! we are! Group 1 ah! ah!" sigaw ng mga Junior students sa kabilang building.

May isang grupo ng mga Senior High Students ang dumating. Nagpatuloy lang ako sa pagbuga ng usok sa gilid ng wash-stand.

"Nililigawan mo pa ba si Angel, Mathildo? Kalat na ata sa buong School na kayo na..." usisa ng lalaking may asul na department shirt.

"Oh, I like that rumor. Libreng maniwala agad." I emitted a cloud of smoke to his face.

Galing STEM department ang mga lalaking ito. Subalit estranghero parin sila para sa akin.

Tanyag ang aming apelyido sa buong lokalidad kaya walang duda na kilala nila ako.

"Naging kami na noon. Masaya naman kami. Talagang maganda si Angel. Palagi akong pinagseselosan ng mga barkada ko dahil sa palagi akong may dalang tropeo. Ang kaso lang ay masyadong inosente at conservative. Ayoko ko sa mga ganyang babae! Mas gusto ko iyong mukhang Anghel pero mabangis!"

I stomped my feet on the bathroom floor when they laughed mockingly.

"Gusto mong makatikim ng mabangis?" I chattered my teeth in anger.

He tapped my shoulder. "Paalala lang ito, Mathildo. Baka pumuti na buhok mo bago ka bigyan ng permiso ni Anghel na tusukin at pasukin ang kweba niya-"

My anger somersaulted from smolder to a burning flame. I couldn't understand the murderous rage that flow through me. I punched him straight to his face, hard and precise for five times. For five times he put Angel on shame.

Walang pag-alinlangan sigurong nakipag-break si Angel sa kanya!

I couldn't imagine her in a situation where this asshole forces her to do it with him! Makakapatay talaga ako ng tao ngayon!

"Yawa nga malaw-ay na animal!" I let out a string of nasty words.

I never felt satisfied with my whole life punching someone's face.

I tackled him to the ground. I dragged him by his collar to the nearest cubicle. I kicked his head to the toilet with a smeared poop and let his face covered with someone's shit. A dickhead like him deserved it.

"A guy who talks shit always end up in someone's shit!" I grumbled at him.

I faced his friends angrily and threateningly, "Kung sino man ang magsusumbong sa inyo tungkol dito. Just prepare yourself. Hindi lang maduming tubig na may tae ang ipapahilamos ko sa mga mukha niyong mga hayop! Kundi kumukulong tunaw na bakal! Kung hindi niyo naman gustong pumangit lalo, isara niyo nalang ang mga bibig niyo! Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo, mga pre?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata nila.

"Sige, Drake! Iwan mo lang siya diyan! Hindi namin siya tutulongan!"

"Labas na kami dito, Mathildo!"

Sumibad nang takbo palabas ang mga kasamahan niya.

I stoop down in front of him. His breath was rising and falling while lying on the ground.

"Ang baho ng mukha mo. Bagay sayo, pre. Para ka ng tae. Kagaya ng utak mo,"

I gripped his collar. He struggled with my tight grasp. I sucked my cigar and saved all the smoke in my mouth. Binuga ko lahat ng usok sa mukha niya. Napaubo siya dahil doon.

Dinurog ko ang upos kong sigarilyo sa sahig. I slammed the door and fled off with my heart infuriated with the things that pig said about my Angel.

***

I was pissed when I go back to our floor. I was kicking the things I see, the garbage can, the broomstick, and a pot of flower from the corner.

"Ayos ka lang, Drake? Para kang nakalunok ng sili." Scorpio asked with his jesting facial expression.

"Huwag mo akong istorbohin, Scorpio! Galit na galit ang demonyo sa loob ng katawan ko!"

Iniwan niya ako sa hallway. But someone tapped my shoulder after several minutes. I was about to shout at the person when all of the sudden, my bad-tempered system just melted away.

It was her. Goodness.

"Hi, Drake. Maayong buntag."

Parang binuhusan ako ng isang timba ng malamig na tubig.

"Hey, morning." I scratched the back of my head.

I opted for a gentler approach. Calm down your ass, Drake!

Angel was a calm and calculated girl. She wasn't raised to witness a raging animal. Muntikan ko pa siyang masigawan!

"Natapos ko na pala iyong gloves na ginawa ko." pahayag niya.

Tuwang-tuwa niyang kinuha ang kamay ko at nilabas ang dalawang leather gloves sa kanyang bulsa. Sinuot niya ito sa aking kamay.

"I want to ask if Jethro is okay? He's been absent for two days. Hindi rin siya nagtext sa amin na ipaalam sa Adviser nila na aabsent siya..."

"May lagnat..."

Pinagpawisan ang mga kamay ko. Sana hindi halata. Napakagaan pa naman ng mga kamay niya na parang wala siyang kakayahang manakit ng tao.

"Wala ba siyang pinadalang excuse letter?" she queried.

I shook my head. It was the same thing. If you excuse yourself in class, you were still marked as absent.

"Gusto mong bumisita? Ihahatid kita." I offered in a nick of time.

"Okay lang sayo?"

Her soft doe eyes were weighing.

"Kahit igala nga kita kahit saan walang problema, Anghel. Sa bahay ka nalang magtanghalian. Sabay narin tayong bumalik dito sa School."

"Okey dokey."

She zipped both sides of my hand. My mouth snapped. I was clearly taken back.

May sumilab atang apoy sa aking mukha at bakit tila impyerno ang pisngi ko.

Angel just made me a fucking leather gloves with my embroidered name at the back!

"Nagustuhan mo, Drake?"

Binitawan niya ang mga kamay ko.

"I made that for five days straight. Mahirap pala talaga kapag leather ang ginagamit sa pagburdado. I'm still a beginner in embroidering." Mayumi siyang ngumiti. "I'm not sure-"

"The word good would be underestimating to use, Angel. This is art. I will take good care of this. Hand-wash lang dapat ang para dito. I won't wash this in any fucking machine. I will keep this until my very last breath," I interrupted her with my erstwhile ardor.

"Ang seryoso mo ngayon..." she crunched her nose in a manner of jesting.

"Minsan ba ay mukha akong joke para sayo, pretty?" I could feel the corner of my mouth quirked up.

She nodded her head meekly. "Minsan lang naman, Drake..."

And she ran back to their classroom giggling while looking back to glimpse at me.

As simply as that, she hijacked all my anger to the wind. Angel was just one of a kind.

***

Bago nagtanghalian ay inatasan kami ni Miss Sheryl. Bawat student na napaloob sa kanyang klase ay dapat may dalawang bitbit na hollowblocks, galing sa main gate ng School patungong tabing dagat. Gagamitin iyon para sa gagawing pader.

Hindi ko alam kong construction worker ba kami o estudyante. Ganito lang siguro ang patakaran sa mga public schools pero masaya naman.

Ang iingay pa ng mga kaklase ko sumabay pa ang init ng panahon. Kaya hinubad ko ang aking white-T-shirt at binandana ito. Samakatwid, umani ng mga haluyhoy ang hubad kong katawan galing sa mga Junior at Senior Students.

Hindi ko sila pinansin. Para saan naman? May Anghel ako at nagmamadali ako. Our adviser scolded me that I should wear my T-shirt. But it was hot as hell!

Kailangan kong makabalik agad para buhatin ang kay Anghel.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang naabutan ko siya. She was carrying two hollow blocks without sweat on her forehead!

Inirapan siya ni Fritz na nasa likuran niya na maarteng dumadaing.

***

Sabay kaming pumunta sa bahay. I cooked champorado for Jethro.

Pero nauna kaming kumain dahil mahimbing pang natutulog ang kapatid ko.

Angel peeled some apples and oranges for him after he woke up.

She ushered it to his room while I was on the kitchen, washing the dishes we have used. Pagkatapos kong maghugas ng mga plato ay pumunta ako sa itaas. I found them chatting in his room.

"Ano ba kasi ang problema mo?" Angel quizzed when I buzzed in.

Ang swerte talaga ng gago. She was feeding him while he's sitting on the bed.

"Wala, Gel. Hindi lang talaga maganda ang panahon kaya nagkasakit ako." His voice was hoarse.

"Gusto sanang pumunta nina Bonita at Kirsteen dito. Pero baka magalit kana naman."

"Gagaling din ako, Gel. Don't worry too much. Paki sabi sa kanila na hindi na nila kailangan pumunta dito,"

May bimpo sa noo niya. Namumutla din siya. Walang naiwan dito sa bahay para bantayan siya. Busy sila Papa.

"Sinungaling! Dahil kay Margot 'yan! You're stressing yourself about her!" I asserted openly.

"Crush mo pala si Margot? Sinabihan mo na ba sila Bonita at Kirsteen?"

Tumango si Jethro. Inubos niya ang niluto kong champorado at uminom ng gamot. Angel checked his temperature and pulled up his blanket.

"Nagpadala ka na ba ng excuse letter sa Adviser mo?"

"Tinawagan ko na ang adviser namin kahapon pa. Sige na, Gel. Bumalik na kayo sa eskuwelahan." he exhaled a deep breath. "Okay lang ako dito..."

"Huwag mong ilayo ang cellphone mo sa tabi mo. Tawag lang, Jethro..." seryoso kong atas sa kanya.

Isang tawag lang galing sa kanya ay pupuntahan ko agad siya.

"Drake, amping sa pagmamaneho. Walang taros ka pa naman magpatakbo..."

"Safety is always my priority when I'm with Angel, bro."

Kinuha ko ang pink na bag ni Angel at sinabit sa aking balikat. Mapagmalaki kong sinuot ang gloves na niregalo niya.

Jethro stared at my hands with narrowed eyes. He didn't exaggerate this time. But I could clearly tell the unwavering warning in his gaze.

PERIEDOT