Chapter 3

Snowflakes

The election has ended. Isang hindi makakalimutang eleksyon sa kasaysayan ng Enamel, malaking usapan na hindi lang sa loob ng bayan kumalat kundi na rin pati sa mga karatig probinsiya.

Hindi maipagkakaila na iba talaga ang impluwensiyang hatid ng dalawang naglalakihang pamilya ng Arellano at Olbes. Kung sabagay tuwing eleksyon ay inaabangan na ang sagupaan sa pagitan ng dalawang pamilya, pero mas malala ngayong taon.

Buong akala ko ay ito na ang pinakagugulat sa akin sa loob ng isang taon, pero napakabilis ng mga pangyayari. Ang mga hindi ko inasahan na mangyayari ay siya nang gumulat sa akin.

I pursed my lips. Pilit ko man hindi isipian ang mga naranasan ko nitong mga nakaraang buwan, bumabalik pa rin. It was like part of my system, at isa pa alam ko naman sa sarili ko na hindi ko rin iyon basta na lang makakalimutan.

"Are you really sure?" he asked for the third time.

Mukha ba akong hindi sigurado sa kanya? I was determined since day one. At ipinangako kong ipagpapatuloy ko ito, sa katunayan, marami na akong nakalap na mga pirma mula sa iba't-ibang mga kabataan dito sa Enamel.

I even had an encouragement letter from Aurelia, Euphie and even Autumn na may malaking koneksyon sa mga Samonte! I was glad that we shared the same sentiments at ng ilang mga kababaihan dito sa Enamel.

Hindi ko sinagot si Leiden at pinagpatuloy ko ang ginagawa ko. All I need to do was to pick a best date to proceed with the next plan. I need more supporters na katulad ko ay may matigas na paninindigan. Mas matigas pa sa mala-yelong mukha ni Keaton Samonte.

"Ashanti, do you hear me?" ulit ni Leiden.

Lumingon na ako sa kanya habang abala ang mga kamay ko sa pagbubuhol ng plastic na yelo. Since it's summer, mabili ang yelo sa buong Enamel at walang makakapigil sa akin magbenta.

I need money for my upcoming social project. At isa ito sa pinagkakakitaan ko, iba pa rin kasi ang tubig na lumamig refrigerator kaysa sa tubig na lumamig na nilagyan ng yelo. Well, sa tingin ko lang naman.

"How many times are you going to ask me that question, Leiden?" akma ko nang ihahampas sa kanya ang plastic ng yelo na may laman ng tubig nang iharang niya ang mga braso niya para protektahan ang kanyang sarili.

"Sa tingin mo ay pakikinggan ka niya?" katwiran niya sa akin. Mukhang gusto na namang makipagsagutan sa akin ng kamoteng Arellano na ito.

Hindi iilang beses ipinakita sa akin ni Leiden ang hindi niya pagsang-ayon sa gagawin ko. He told me that it was just a waste of time and energy, isa pa masyadong makapangyarihan ang mga Samonte para mapatumba ng mga pirma lamang.

I raised their promised before, na sa sandaling manalo ang mga Arellano sa eleksyon ang sabungan ang isa uunahin nilang tanggalin. But what now? Bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ang mga ito kumikilos?

Was it because Samonte's could offer a good amount?

"It will take time, hindi agad-agad." Ito lagi ang isinasagot sa akin ni Leiden na nagpapaikot lang ng aking mata.

"Makikinig siya dahil marami akong kakampi!" ngumuso si Leiden at nagpatuloy siya sa paglalagay ng tubig sa plastic ng yelo at mabilis niya iyong nabuhol.

"Or you're just doing this for revenge?" umawang ang bibig ko sa sinabi niya.

"Up for revenge? Excuse me? This is for the community, sa katulad kong anak na napupurwisyo!" napalakas na ang boses ko sa kanya.

How could he think of me like that?

"Not because Langston broke up with you?" My nostrils flared. Tuluyan nang naputol ang pisi ko.

Kung dati ay halos bulaklak ang nakikita ko sa tuwing naririnig ko ang pangalang iyon, ngayon ay tanging apoy na lamang.

Ilang beses ko bang kailangang sabihin sa kanya na huwag na huwag niyang babanggitin sa harapan ko ang pangalang iyon? O kahit sinong walang hiyang Samonte at ang ginawa nilang panggagago sa akin!

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong ihampas kay Leiden ang hindi ko pa nabubuhol na plastic dahilan kung bakit nabasa siya ng tubig.

I walked out annoyed. Sino ba ang may sabi sa kanya na tumulong sa akin na gumawa ng yelo? Sino ba ang may sabi sa kanya na sumunod-sunod siya sa akin?

"What the hell, Ashanti!"

"What the hell ka rin!" I shouted back at him.

Hinabol niya ako at marahas niyang hinawakan ang braso ko. Pinaharap niya ako sa kanya habang nag-iinit ang pisngi ko sa galit at matinding sama ng loob.

Akala ko maayos na ako, akala ko madali ko lang makakalimutan iyon. Langston was a prince-like kind of man, isang uri ng lalaki na pinangarap ko, mabait, palangiti, magaang kasama at gwapo! Wala na akong hihilingin pa sa kanya.

I thought I had a perfect relationship with him, na kaya kong ipagmalaki sa lahat, na aabot na talaga sa kasalan. Umasa ako na hindi man lang ako nahirapan sa paghahanap ng forever!

For the first time in my life, I'd learned to believe in fairy tales. Na darating ang panahon na may prinsipe na magmamahal sa akin.

But what he did to me was unacceptable! I could be the most faithful girlfriend in the world, pero niloko niya ako, pinaglaruan at pinaasa...

Ang dami niyang mahal na babae, ang dami niyang inalok ng kasal, prinsipe siya ng sanlibutan! Tang ina nilang magkapatid!

Pinahid ko ang luha sa mga mata ko.

Sa pagkakataong ito si Leiden naman ang nakaawang ang bibig sa akin at mukhang hindi inasahan na bigla akong iiyak.

"N-nahulog ka ba talaga sa kanya, Ashanti? It's just your ego. The insults coming from your sisters, and the pressure coming from your mother. He's a farce, you could easily identify that he's not sincere... he's an idiot." Sunod-sunod na sabi ni Leiden na parang mas kilala niya pa at mas nakasama ng matagal si Langston.

"Wala kang alam, Leiden!"

Sinubukan kong hampasin ang dibdib niya habang patuloy ako sa pag-iyak.

"I told you, if you want status... I am an Arellano..."

Napatigil ako sa paghampas sa kanya at napapadyak ako sa pagkairita sa sinabi niya.

"S-status? Iyan ba talaga ang tingin mo sa akin? That I liked Langston for that? That I am a traditional La Rosa? God! I've been trying my best to keep my life away from my sick family's track. Iba ako, hindi ako katulad nila..." nagsimula akong umiling sa harapan niya.

"But you're unconsciously doing it, Ashanti. You're competing with your sisters without your mother's help. Pinapatunayan mo sa kanila na kaya mo rin makahanap ng---" hindi ko siya pinatapos dahil sinimulan ko na siyang itulak.

"Out! Leave me alone!"

Laking pasasalamat ko dahil kami lang ni Leiden ang nasa bahay.

Sa ilang buwan kong pagtulong sa kampanya ng mga Arellano, hindi na nagugulat ang mga kapatid ko o si Mama sa tuwing kasama ko si Leiden, they even had the idea that I cheated with him, kaya ako iniwan ni Langston. I didn't even bother to reason out, wala na akong pake sa kanila.

And since I was in a good family of actresses with an overly powerful climbing ability in society, ang gagaling nilang i-plastic si Leiden sa tuwing kasama ko kahit sa tuwing nakatalikod ito ay diskumpyado ang kanilang mga mukha.

Sila ang isa sa malaking dahilan kung nararamdaman ko 'to. It's hard to admit that Leiden was partly right, I was eager to find a prince, I was desperate to fall in love, I was on search to find someone who was better than my sisters' boyfriends, I'd made a wrong move, and it wrecked me, big time.

In the end, I made a fool of myself.

"Ashanti, I am just trying to wake you up. I am not your enemy here." Mas lalong dumiin ang paninitig ng mga mata ko sa kanya.

How sure was he? Until now his consistent existence in my life was a mystery.

"Paulit-ulit ka na lang! Can't you just stop annoying me?! Hindi ko na alam ang gusto mo! Tuwang-tuwa ka siguro dahil iniwan ako ni Langston? Kasi may mapagti-tripan ka na naman? May tatawanan ka na naman? Do you think it is a fun joke? Do you think-" sa pagkakataong ito ay ako naman ang hindi niya pinatapos sa pagsasalita.

"I'm happy, yes! Because he's out! Wala nang panggulo! I like you! Can't you see it? I'm being nice to you since then. But you blocked me from the very beginning! Why? Because of what I've heard before? Iyon ba? Ikaw lang naman ang nag-iisip na may issue ako do'n!" natulala ako sa mahabang sinabi ni Leiden.

"W-what?"

"I like you, Ashanti." He said without even blinking his eyes.

What the fuck? What was that?

My forehead creased. My emotions started to crumble, from annoyance and hatred to confusion and disbelief.

"H-how? W-why? I couldn't remember a certain thing that..." you could possibly like me...

Ano na namang klase ng pang-aasar ang ginawa sa akin nitong si Leiden?

"I don't understand..."

Leiden sighed exasperatedly, he placed both of his hands on his waist and leveled his eyes on mine.

"Ashanti, you're aware on how Dwight stalked and watched Autumn for years. At ilang taon pa bago siya nagpapansin! Do you think I'll do the same?"

I couldn't utter a word, all I did was to stare at him.

"Winter in Canada, it was December... we're neighbors... I used to build-" I waited for him to finish his words but we were both interrupted.

I heard the door opened. Our heads turned in same motion to see the intruder, it was my sister, staring at us with her awkward look.

"H-hi?" she said hesitantly.

Naunang nakabawi sa akin si Leiden at tipid siyang ngumiti kay Ate Aliyah. "Hey, Aliyah."

Agad bumaling sa akin si Leiden. "I need to go, see you tomorrow."

Tinalikuran niya ako at nagmamadali siyang lumabas ng bahay na parang wala siyang sinabi sa akin na nakakagulat.

Was that even proper to confess to someone who was still suffering from heartache?

"W-wait!" I called him, biglang humakbang ang aking mga paa hanggang sa matagpuan ko ang sarili kong tumatakbo para habulin siya.

My sister just shrugged her shoulders as she witnessed the confuse look on my face. I dashed towards the door and swung it wide open to call Leiden's attention.

"Leiden! Y-you idioit, Arellano!" I called him with my huge voice.

His steps faltered and finally stopped.

I was expecting that he'd turn his face in front of me, but he stayed there standing arrogantly, just like an almighty Arellano he was, waiting for another pleading voice to call his attention.

He's a show off, as usual. A typical Arellano.

But that was not the point right now, it was his words... ang putol-putol niyang salita na alam kong hindi magpapatulog sa akin sa sandaling paalisin ko siyang hindi tinatapos ang dapat ay sasabihin niya.

"Winter in Canada... how did you know--" nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko.

I grew up thinking about who was my snowman's creator. Who was that little boy with a perfect hand?

Who was the mysterious boy who built my snowman?

Leiden tucked both of his hands in his pocket, and I unconsciously stepped backward as he started to turn his face on me.

My hands balled in fist as my heart flutters unexpectedly. And for the first time, my vision on him started to get clearer, it was like a thick mist had started to brush off around him.

I bit my lower lip, did I just purposely remove the colors around him? That I tend to disregard his existence because of what he'd heard about me and my family?

But Leiden Arellano was not a prince. He's a villain, he's my villain.

Just like the first snowfall in winter, as the first snow drifted from the sky with my bare hands waiting for it...

The time suddenly slowed down.

"Y-you're the one who-" my words were cut off when he finally showed his grinning face.

He was my childhood mystery...

Leiden extended his right hand on me with his boyish grin, his signature villainous' trick.

"Do you wanna build a snowman, Darling Snowflakes?"