Chapter Theme: Panic! at the disco - New Perspective

I was smiling from ear to ear as I watched my parents play a carnival game. They were throwing rings, trying to shoot it on a unicorn's horn. Mom kept making fun Dad since he couldn't shoot anything; she was pretty confident with her skills since she already scored a couple of times.

The city was celebrating Eustace Filimon's birthday, the founder of Filimon Heights, kaya naman nagbukas ang kaisa-isang carnival. Mom and Dad wanted us to have a family date and I couldn't say no.

There were so many people in the carnival but my attention was only to my parents. I still couldn't believe how lucky I was to have them back... together. 

My eyes glanced at Mom's stomach and remembered my future sibling. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and began recording Mom and Dad.

"Hey little bean, look at our parents. Aren't they disgustingly adorable?" I whispered jokingly as I took a video of them as they played. "You're still on Mom's stomach. No baby bump yet but trust me little bean, you're fcking there."

Natigilan ako nang mapagtantong nagmura pala ako. I blinked and sighed. I flipped my phone to my direction and smiled. "Don't curse okay? That's bad. Don't be like me." I heaved a deep sigh. "I'm recording this so you won't miss out on anything while you're still in the womb. Thank me later... ihanda mo rin ako ng food."

I flipped my phone again to my parents' direction and saw them clap happily. Looked like they finally won the game by scoring three times. I stopped recording and walked up to them.

"What did you win?" I asked.

Dad grinned and showed me unicorn headband.

"You have got to be kidding me..." I whispered to myself.

****

"Do I really have to wear this?!" Napangiwi ako habang suot ang unicorn headband na ipinasuot talaga nilang dalawa sa akin. 

"You look adorable with that!" Giit ni Mommy. Hindi ko alam kung sincere ba siya o pinagt-tripan niya lang ako.

I rolled my eyes. I was dressed in black from top to bottom tapos pagsusuotin ako ng unicorn headband! Todo dasal talaga ako na sana huwag naming makasalubong sina Sawyer o kahit na sinong nakakakilala sa akin. Nakisama naman ang panahon at wala talaga akong nakasalubong... o masyado lang ba akong focused sa pamilya ko kaya hindi ko napansin?

Inabot kami ng tatlong oras sa carnival. Kung ano-ano ang nilaro at kinain namin. Since Mom was pregnant, Dad had no choice but to accompany me to the rides they deemed to be "extreme" kahit hindi naman. 

When evening came, we decided to go to a restaurant and have dinner together before calling it a day. As we waited for our order, pasimple kong sinilip ang cellphone ko mula sa ilalim ng mesa.

Gayfriend:

Heyyyyy how about dinner later? Pwede ka na?

Despidida ni Lucho

Reika:

At dinner with my folks

habol ako mamaya

Gayfriend:

Huuuy you're dad is so pogi!

we saw u guys kanina

"Si Slade na naman ba yan?" Biglang sumilip si Dad sa direksyon ng cellphone ko kaya agad ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin.

"Hindi ba pwedeng may iba akong kalandian?" I joked, but it was a wrong move. Dad's nostrils flared as his eyes grew wide. 

"Rico, nagbibiro lang ang anak natin." Pataray na giit ni Mommy kaya tumango-tango agad ako na para bang isa akong maamong myembro ng kulto.

Dad heaved a deep sigh as he drank from his glass of water. 

"Joke lang Dad." I chuckled. "Don't worry, hindi ako lumalandi. Ako 'yong nilalandi."

Tawang-tawa ako at napa-palakpak pa sa sariling biro, si Dad naman napainom ulit ng tubig sabay hawak sa kanyang dibdib. Slade was right, mukhang aatakihin ulit si Daddy dahil sa mga kalokohan at pinagsasabi ko.

"Reika." Mom uttered in warning tone.

I closed my mouth, pressing my lips together, trying to suppress my smile. All of a sudden, my phone beeped. Knowing Dad might get angry again, nagpaalam na ako na papasok magbabanyo muna.

As soon as I got inside the restroom, I lifted myself and sat by the side of the wide sink.

6:43 PM

Reika's Guy:

How's your family date?

Reika:

110

Reika's Guy:

Glad you're having a great time

Reika:

Ba't kasi di ka sumama???

Reika's Guy:

That's your first outing as a family, Rei

that should be just the three of you

Reika:

Four

the little bean's inside mom

Reika's Guy:

little bean? hahaha

Reika:

That or little fucker

Reika's Guy:

Little bean it is hahaha

Reika:

kumain na kayo?

Reika's Guy:

Silver's still not home

daming pagkain dito sa bahay hahaha

Reika:

what u up to?

Reika's Guy:

Kinukulit ako ni Megatron

he wants me to teach him how to play the guitar

Reika:

ayaw mo? hahaha

Reika's Guy:

i actually want to teach him

i see myself in him 

the passion and eagerness to learn

Reika:

pero?

Reika's Guy:

but I don't want him to end up like me

Reika:

You don't want my cousin to end up being a brave and talented dude?

a good dude who is capable of breaking boundaries and moving mountains?

DO I NEED TO SAY MORE OR DID YOU GET MY POINT ALREADY?

I CAN DO THIS ALL NIGHT

Reika's Guy:

You make me feel like i'm not a piece of shit

Reika:

sounds good

I think i'll put that on my resume

Reika's Guy:

nga pala may tanong ako

Reika:

Shoot

Reika's Guy:

Hindi ba magagalit ang lolo mo kung tuturuan ko ang pinsan mo?

I was about to type more when the restroom door suddenly opened. I saw Mom enter with a smile on her face.

"Akala namin nahigop ka na ng toilet bowl sa tagal mo rito," Mom joked as she stood right in front of me.

"I just checked on Slade." I smiled as I raised my phone. "Baka kasi kung ano pa ang masabi ni Dad kung doon pa rin ako."

"Hey, don't mind your Dad. He's just being protective of you." Mom said as she fixed the headband up my head.

 Protective... I couldn't help but worry hearing that word.

"Mom can I ask something?" I couldn't help but sigh.

"Sure." Mom nodded quick, enthusiasm on her face. "What's it about?"

"Galit ka ba kay Lolo?" I asked and in that moment, the smile on Mom's face disappeared. She didn't answer my question... which I understood.

"Mom, ba't ganoon si Lolo?" My lips pursed down as tears welled up my eyes. "Tito Addam told me that Grandpa did what he did to protect both of us... Ganoon ba talaga ang mga ama? Ganoon din ba si Tito Addam? M-magiging ganoon din ba si Daddy kay Slade?" My chest tightened at the thought of hating Dad again. I don't want us to fall apart again.

"H-hindi. Anak, hindi." Mom quickly shook her head. "It was just that... Your Grandpa has a different way of thinking... of loving. He's not a bad person. H-hes just.. different."

I swallowed hard as I tried to stop my tears from falling. "B-but how about Dad and Slade? They used to be so close... I even envied Slade. And now..." I was unable to find the right words to convey the question that has bugged me for a couple of days. Pinagtatawanan namin sila palagi pero may iba na kasi talaga sa trato ni Dad kay Slade. 

"Sweetie, your father loves you so much. You'll forever be his little girl. He's just trying to protect you in his own way. He doesn't hate Slade, I can assure you, he doesn't hate him." Mom spoke sternly even if her eyes were welling up with tears as well. "It's a parent thing. Mahirap ipaliwanag pero kapag may sarili ka ng pamilya, maiintindihan mo ang Daddy mo. I promise you Reika, your Father is different from your Grandfather."

I nodded. Somehow, I could understand her point... or was it because I just trusted her words, and I trusted Dad. I learned to trust them again.

****

The following day, I attended school with sleepless eyes. Thoughts of Grandpa continued to bother my every waking moment. It didn't help that I kept receiving messages from him, asking me how I am or what i'm up to. My heart hurt every time I rejected his call. I felt like I was the worst person in the world but I knew I had to ignore him.

I have a nasty habit of letting my anger manifest into hurtful words. I hurt my parents because of it and I regret it so much. I didn't want to do the same to Grandpa... even if he broke my heart and trust.

To get Grandpa off my mind, I put all of my attention in my studies. After all, that was the goal... to fix my grades so that I can graduate on time.

I got too engrossed at reading books in the library that I didn't notice it was already lunch time. I quickly grabbed my things and ran to the cafeteria, I was about to buy food when all of a sudden, I heard someone scream.

"Maganda ka but bad ka so pangit ka! Super pangit ka!" It was Braylee's voice kaya agad akong napalingon.

Sa sobrang gulat ko, hindi ako nakakilos agad nang makita si Braylee na may kasabunutan. Sumali ang isa pang babae kaya sumali rin si Riley sa sabunutan. It was wild! 

"Bubbles!" I screamed at the top of my lungs when I saw another girl attack Braylee.

I lost it. Something in me just snapped.

Everything happened so fast. Next thing I know I was on the floor as well, savagely pulling a girl's hair off while screaming like a mad man. Her sharp nails dug on my arms as she tried to fend while another girl was pulling my hair and trying to pin me down. I could also feel someone kicking me from the side. 

I kicked and swayed my elbows as much as I could, trying to inflict pain in anyway possible. All of a sudden, my hand jolted up and a sharp sound blared... as if something was torn. My eyes widened when I realized that I was already clutching a chunk of hair. 

The girl below me screamed so loud when she realized what I had done to her crowning glory. Even the girl who was attacking me was shocked enough to pause. 

****

Sa daming beses ko nang nasangkot sa gulo, hindi na bago sa akin ang mapagalitan ng kung sino-sino, mula sa mga guards hanggang sa mga dean. Inasahan ko na rin ang magiging parusa namin. It was either suspension or community service. But in the end, none of that happened.

Habang nasa clinic kaming lahat, dumating ang dean na para bang handang-handa na kaming tustahin nang buhay pero natigilan ito nang makita ako. Tiningnan nito ang ID ko at sa isang iglap, biglang nagbago ang hitsura nito. He still look pissed but he looked composed. 

Pinagsabihan kami ng Dean at pinagbantaang huwag nang uulit, iyon lang, bagay na ikinagulat at ipinagtaka nilang lahat. Pati ang mga nurse nagtaka rin. But I know better... I knew just why the Dean didn't punish us all. It was because Grandpa was about to make another donation to his department.

I sighed at the thought of Grandpa. I got away from trouble thanks to him again but unlike before I didn't feel grateful at all, instead I felt burdened.

*****

I found myself lying in Braylee's bed. Imbes na umuwi, mas minabuti kong makitulog na lang muna sa kanila. I didn't want my parents to see me on my condition. Ni hindi ko rin masabi kay Slade at Silver ang nangyari at mas lalong hindi ko masabi kay Magno ang nangyari dahil baka kung ano na naman ang gawin nun. 

 Among all of us , I looked the worst lalo't marami akong kalmot sa mukha at braso. Ni hindi ko maalala na may kumalmot pala sa mukha ko dahil sa bilis ng pangyayari.

"You didn't tell me anak ni Wolverine ang kasabunutan ko." Natawa ako sa sariling biro pero napangiwi ulit nang makaramdam ng sakit sa likod ng sikmura. "I think I got beat up by Hulk too." Biro ko pa. 

"May bruhang kumagat sa akin kanina..." Braylee winced and raised her arm. Nagulat ako, hindi ko tuloy alam kung matatawa ba ako o maaawa nang makita ang bite mark sa braso nito. 

Magtatanong sana ako kay Braylee kung ano ba talaga ang dahilan ng away na kinasangkutan namin nang bigla na lang may kumatok sa pinto. Makaraan ang ilang sandali, bumukas ito at sumilip ang Mommy ni Braylee.

"Reika, your Grandpa is outside."

I froze.

▬ end of 58// thank u ▬