I said I'll never fall but I did.

--

Nakita ni Dama na umiling-iling ang ama habang binabasa ang text message sa phone nito na she's guessing eh galing sa mommy nya. Nakangiti kase ito.

He saw her looking at him. Ngumiti ito sa kanya.

"Ang kulit ng mommy nyo."

"Bakit dad?" Naupo sya sa tabi nito.

"She's been asking kung nasan na ako eh kakasabi ko lang sa kanya na nasa office ako." Tumawa ito.

"Maybe she knows you're lying. Malakas pa mandin ang kutob nun."

"You're right. I should be going now. Magagalit na talaga sa 'kin yun." Tumayo ito at yumakap kay Dylan. "Happy birthday son. Enjoy your date with ate."

"Thanks dad. Do you think papagalitan din ako ni mommy?" Nag-aalalang tanong nito. "I told her I'll be going to lolo's house."

Dani patted his son's head. "I don't think she believed you son. But don't worry.. di yun magagalit sa 'yo kase birthday mo."

Hindi nakatiis ang dalaga at niyakap din ang ama. "Ang bilis naman dad! Aalis ka na!" Reklamo nito.

"Sorry sweetie... babawi ako sa 'yo some other time." He kissed the top of her head.

Hinigpitan ni Dama ang yakap sa ama. "Hug mommy for me, okay dad?"

"Sure kiddo. Hug lang? Walang kiss?"

She slapped her father's arm. "Adik ka talaga dad!"

He laughed. "Oh sheesh... miss na miss na 'ko ng mommy nyo oh. Tumatawag na." He pulled out his phone from his pant's pocket.

"Have fun, you two. Okay?" Hinalikan nya sa pisngi ang magkapatid. "Bye! I love you guys!" Pahabol nito bago ito tuluyang lumabas ng videoke room.

Dama slumped back to her chair. Tinabihan naman sya ng kapatid at hinawakan ang kamay niya.

"Ate..."

"Oh ano?"

Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "May boyfriend ka na?"

"Wala ah!" Mariin nyang tanggi.

"Weh? Bakit parang masyado ka naman atang defensive?"

"Wag ka kaseng tanong ng tanong!"

"Hindi nga ate?"

"Wala nga." Tanggi ulit nya.

"But you're in love with someone, right?"

Pinandilatan nya ng mata ang kapatid. "N-No! Of course not! Love's for the weak-hearted. I'm not weak."

"Eeee... you're lying ate." Tinusok-tusok nito ang tagiliran nya.

"Ano ba!" She slapped his hand away.

Tumawa naman ito. "You know what ate?"

"What?"

"Mali ka."

"Saan?"

Dyla looked at the wall in front of them. "Love is not for the weak-hearted. I think it takes a lot of courage and strength to allow yourself to fall in love."

"Where did you get that?"

Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "I learned that from loving you ate."

Medyo natigilan sya sa sinabi ng kapatid. She tried weighing in his words... will she be mad or not?

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that not anyone can love you and stay by your side in spite of everything. Mommy, daddy and I--we all love you ate. I don't know why you can't seem to accept that."

She didn't say anything. Wala syang masabi eh. He's right. She can't accept that love. She always think that people do things for her for money or out of pity--because no one loves her.

She kept on blaming the people around her for her misery. She forgot that she kept them out for a long time.

Para hindi sya masaktan, hindi na lang nya tinatanggap ang pagmamahal na ibinibigay nila.

"Naiinggit nga ako sa 'yo ate eh. You know what? Whenever lolo and I would play chess, hindi ka nawawala sa usapan. He's always comparing me to you. There are times that I kinda feel a little inferior to you."

"Eh?"

"Yeah. I understand naman... paborito ka ni lolo eh."

"Ikaw kaya." She corrected.

"No. You still are. Ikaw lang naman kase eh, you don't see him anymore. Miss na miss ka na nga ni lolo eh."

"Well, he likes playing chess with you." She retorted.

"Only because you don't accept his invitations."

Nag-iwas sya ng tingin. "Si lolo Stephen lang naman ang may paborito sa 'kin eh. You have dad and mom."

Again, her brother shook his head.

"They only settle with me because they can't reach you. Feeling ko nga..." Napansin nyang medyo nag-crack ang boses nito. She glanced at him and saw that his eyes are moist.

"Na...?"

"Na--" He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Sometimes I feel like they only love me because you're not there. Yung ganun... yung second option."

Nagsimula na itong umiyak.

"U-Uy..."

"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to cry." Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Let's sing again?"

Niyakap niya ang kapatid. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way." Sabi niya dito bago pa man niya mapigilan ang sarili.

He hugged her back. 

"I love you ate."

Binatukan nya ito. "Bakit ba ang bait-bait mo? Nakakainis ka!"

"If I'm not as kind... baka wala ng magmahal sa 'kin. Ikaw kahit ganyan ka, maraming nagmamahal sa 'yo. Unlike me..."

"Sira! I love you, okay?"

"Eh? Talaga ate?" Ngiting-ngiti ito. She rolled her eyes. Naisahan na naman sya.

"Wag mong sasabihin kahit kanino ha?"

"Ay..." he pouted. "Bakit naman?"

"Wala. Ayoko lang."

"Okay lang ate. Thank you. This is the best birthday ever!"

"It's not over yet." Tumayo sya at hinila rin patayo ang kapatid. "Come on! I'll make you eat street food."

--

Umuwi ang dalaga ng may baong ngiti... at ATM card na naglalaman ng sampung libong piso. Binigay kase sa kanya ni Dylan. Nakailang tanggi na sya dito pero mapilit ito.

Pagkauwi sa bahay ay nadatnan niya si Zelo na nanunuod ng TV. Pero syempre joke lang yun kase wala silang TV.

Nakahilata ito sa pangmahirap nilang upuan at nagbabasa. She's guessing na may quiz na naman sila bukas sa kung saang subject.

"Uy."

"Hoy." Pabalik nitong bati sa kanya.

"May quiz bukas?"

"Wala."

"Eh bat ka nagbabasa?"

"Masamang magbasa?"

"Tss. Galit ka pa rin?"

"Di." Sagot nito.

Ibinato niya ang ATM card dito. "Oh yan."

"Ano 'to?" Kunot noo nitong tanong.

"Budget natin for the next month."

"Bat mo binibigay sa 'kin?"

She shrugged. "Wala. Ikaw na maghawak. Baka magastos ko eh."

Ibinalik nito ang card sa kanya.

"Ikaw na maghawak nyan."

"Eh baka nga kase magastos ko."

"Kailangan mo ng matutong mag-budget. Pano na lang kapag wala na ako sa tabi mo?"

Sinimangutan nya ito.

"What do you mean?"

"Wala lang."

It's not nothing to her. It's like may gustong iparating sa kanya ang lalaki. Sa totoo lang, no matter how much she miss her old life... parang nakakasanayan na rin niya ang ganitong buhay. 

Simple...

Saka maraming nagmamahal sa kanya.

She have friends.

Wala syang kaaway... di tulad sa dati.

--

"Where have you been? I've been calling your office kanina pa! Wala ka naman daw dun!" Galit na salubong ni Megan sa asawa.

Dani laughed and greeted his wife with a hug... na galing sa panganay nyang anak.

"D-Dad--I can't breathe!"

"Sorry. That's from your daughter by the way." He said with a smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah. She even asked me to give you this." He stooped down and kissed her.

Bahagya sya nitong itinulak.

"She did not ask you to give me that!" She eyed him with suspicion.

"Yes she did." 

"Oh?" Meg raised an eyebrow. "So you kissed?"

"Haha! Oo nga no."

"Hmm... daddy ha."

"Yes mommy?" He nipped at her jawline.

"Stop--ano ba dad! Galit pa 'ko sa 'yo!"

 Tumawa ito. "Masama ang magalit ma."

"I hate you. You lied to me!"

He pinched her nose. "You lied to me too. So patas lang."

Pinalis ni Meg ang kamay nya. "No I did not!"

"Whatever ma... so... where were we?"

"Nasa sala." She rolled her eyes at him. "Tamo, pinagpipyestahan na naman tayo ng mga katulong."

Nagsingitian naman ang mga nakarinig.

"Anyway dad, how is she?"

"Ayun. Nananaba... parang ikaw."

Kinurot sya nito sa tagiliran. "Ako na naman." 

He kissed her again.

"Seriously ma... I think she's happier."

Megan smiled. "Good to know. Do you think it's advisable na pabalikin ko na sya dito?"

"I don't know. Do you?" Pagbabalik nito ng tanong sa kanya.

Hindi ito sumagot.

Will it be too early to bring her back?

xxxxxx

AN: Puyat. Good night.