Chapter 16

Bad Dream

That day I went out with my dad. We were inside the car going to the mall. Bata pa ako noon. And I only wanted to buy something at the mall and to also spend some time with my dad together. Ang hindi ko lang alam na huling beses na pala 'yon na makakasama ko si daddy...

It was an accident on the road. May isa pang kotse ang bumangga sa sasakyan namin ni daddy. And on that accident we lost dad...

"What happened, Rina? Ikaw ang kasama ni dad! Bakit siya..." Ate Eris cried.

While I was young and was still in shock, too. Halos hindi na rin ako makunan ng statement ng mga awtoridad patungkol sa nangyaring aksidente sa amin ni daddy. Because I couldn't speak for a few days too because I was still in shocked.

At tingin ko kaya nagagalit sa akin si ate at si Mommy ay dahil hindi ako nagsasalita...

The doctor already talked to Mommy. Sinabihan na rin sila na shocked pa rin ako sa nangyari. Nagtamo rin ako ng ilang injury o sugat dahil sa nangyaring aksidente. But I remember my dad enveloped me into a tight hug before our car crushed...

"Rina! Wake up!"

Nagising ako sa paggising sa akin ni Kalyx. I had the same bad dream again...

"Hey... what's wrong? You were saying something in your sleep and crying..."

Tumingin ako sa kaniya. I realized na dito ako nakatulog sa condo niya yesterday afternoon. Kahapon kasi ay nagpunta pa rin ako rito kahit medyo late na. Nakatulog ako nang hapon at pagabi na rin kaya hindi na siguro ako ginising pa ni Kalyx. Because I was tired too from the schoolworks na nakatulog na nga ako. And I remember that I slept in the living room. But now I'm here in his bedroom. He probably carried me here on the bed when I fell asleep.

And then now I woke up in the middle of the night...

Sinubukan ko pang umiling sa kaniya. Pero nang makita ko ang pag-aalala sa mukha niya habang nakatingin siya sa akin ay bigla na lang tumulo ang luha ko.

I was sad and scared in my sleep...

"Rina..." His lips parted as he watched my tears. Pagkatapos ay dinala na niya ako sa dibdib niya at niyakap ako.

"It's okay... It's just a dream... What were you dreaming about, anyway... You looked scared and sad in your sleep... I had to wake you up—" Natigilan siya nang maramdaman niya siguro na humigpit ang yakap ko sa kaniya.

And then I started telling him about it. I was crying as I told him about the bad dream I had...

"I had an accident before with my dad... And I was the only one who survived. Habang si Daddy..." I sobbed on his chest while he hugged me. "We lost him on that accident. And I've always thought na sana ako na lang ang namatay sa aksidente na 'yon..." I cried.

"Don't say that, Rina. Please..." And then I felt his hug on me tightening. Hinagkan niya rin ako habang yakap niya ako.

I continued to cry and Kalyx didn't stop comforting me as well until I have calmed down.

And telling Kalyx about it somehow made my heart feel lighter...

Until the sun started to rise outside and it was already morning. Kalyx stayed awake by my side, too. Pagkatapos ay niyaya niya ako na puntahan ang Mommy niya sa cemetery nang umaga rin iyon.

Sumakay kami sa sasakyan ni Kalyx papuntang sementeryo. At dumaan din muna kami para bumili ng kandila at flowers para sa Mommy niya.

Ay pagdating doon ay marahang nilapag ni Kalyx and dala naming bulaklak sa grave ng Mommy niya. "You know, my Mom was a really kind and gentle person. Bata pa ako noong mawala siya. But I remember how she took care of me when I was young. And she would even try to prepare food for me kahit hindi naman talaga siya magaling magluto..." Kalyx said as he smiled at his memories with his mom.

Tiningnan ko siya at bahagya na rin akong napangiti nang makita ko siyang ngumiti.

And I think that Kalyx understand me more dahil pareho kaming nawalan ng magulang...

And I understand his feelings, too...

Inabot ko ang kamay niya na nasa gilid niya lang habang nakatayo kami roon at hinawakan ko ito. Napatingin siya sa akin dahil sa ginawa ko at binigyan ko siya ng isang magaang ngiti. He smiled gently at me, too.

And then I went home later that day. At sinalubong din ako ni Mommy...

Natigilan ako nang makita ko siyang mukhang inabangan ang pag-uwi ko...

"Mommy..." I gripped on my bag.

Tiningnan ako ni Mommy.

"Hindi ka raw umuwi kagabi, Rina?" She asked me. "Saan ka galing?"

"Uh..." I was about to tell her na kina Bianca lang ako galing...

"I called Bianca's house. Wala ka raw doon."

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita at lalo pa akong kinabahan.

And then Mommy spoke again. "Are you dating someone now?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Mommy. At bahagya rin nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa tanong niya.

And then she sighed. "May boyfriend ka na ba? I don't agree with what you did last night na hindi ka umuwi. At hindi ka pa nagpaalam. And about it, hindi naman kita pinagbabawalan na sa pagkakaroon ng nobyo, Rina..." She sighed again. "Although I want you to focus on graduating and your career after that first. Pero ayaw ko rin na naglilihim ka sa akin." She said.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Mommy. "If you're dating...ipakilala mo rito sa bahay." Muling nagbuntong-hininga si Mommy.

My lips parted as I looked at my mom.

She was always strict. That I didn't exactly know kung ano ba ang mga pwede at bawal kong gawin, but I always followed ang mga sinasabi nilang dalawa sa akin ni Manang...

But maybe like she said that she didn't want me hiding things from her...

"But I still don't allow what you did last night. May bahay ka pa rin, Rina. At dito ka umuwi sa bahay natin. You can't sleep in other people's house..." she said.

And then I slowly nodded at my mom. "Yes, Mom... I'm sorry..." I apologized for my behavior last night, too. Na hindi ako umuwi.

And about what she said, I thought of Kalyx and thought of introducing him to my mom...

Tumango pa muli ako kay Mommy hanggang nagsabi na siya na aalis pa siya at may pupuntahang kaso.

"Ingat po kayo, Mom." I said.

She only nodded at me and went out of the house to the car and driver that was waiting for her.