Chapter 1: Morning, Parcels, and the Scene

I yawned, looking at the blurred glass window of our apartment, which we might have forgotten to clean for a year. It was slightly opened as the early morning wind swooshed the light green curtain slowly. The sunlight was already blinding at eight-thirty, giving me a glimpse of the next building across from us. A guy in a white shirt, smart eyeglasses, and a sprinkler was in his hand, busy watering his plants.

I could even see an imaginary rainbow as he watered his plants, with a smile and dimples on his cheeks. He was cute. I knew him. He tried to ask me out once and I was about to give him a chance, but suddenly, he ignored me as if I had a contagious disease.

I wonder what happened.

I smirked and shifted my eyes in front of me. I sighed when I met Maya's eyes, she had been quiet for a while, standing there in front of me, her arms crossed while staring at me suspiciously.

What a morning...

Maya slammed her palm against the old wooden table, leaning forward slightly as her narrowed eyes locked onto mine as if she could read my thoughts. While I was sitting in my usual chair, feet tucked up on the seat with my knees near my chest, hands cupping my coffee, the aroma swirling around me.

I looked at her with a bored expression.

"Is this some kind of interrogation? Really? This early in the morning?"

Misty slammed her palm again. I ignored her and continued sipping my coffee.

Kababangon pa lang namin sa kama, hindi pa nga kami nakapagsusuklay, tapos ganito na ang isasalubong niya sa akin?

In the end, it was her who got more frustrated with our situation.

She frustratingly brushed her fingers through her hair, sat on the chair across from mine and she almost buried her face on the table. "At least, be honest with me, Ta—"

My eyes sharpened when she was about to call that name again.

"I told you to stop calling me that! Call me Joana Marie! Joana! Jom! Anything! But not that!"

She huffed, and looked at me, more annoyed. "Even if we're alone? Don't you think that changing your names made me see you more suspiciously?"

I averted my eyes, "I don't care. We have known each other for years. I just wanted to have more nicknames."

"Just answer me. I will not judge you. Those two... sugar daddies mo ba sila?"

Halos maibuga ko na ang kape na iniinom ko at sa pagkakataong iyon ay ako naman ang marahas na napahampas sa lamesa. "No way!"

"Then why? Bakit palipat-lipat ka ng apartment at pabago-bago ng pangalan? Pero sa tuwing naiipit ka sa isang sitwasyon malalaman natin na may tumulong sa 'yo. Who is Mr. Sullivan De Guzman? I even heard the name Mr. Javan De Guzman. Don't tell me they used to be your sugar daddies and then you ended contact with them? Like nabaliw at gusto ka pa pala nila. Magkapatid pa?"

Mas lalong umawang ang bibig ko sa sinabi ni Maya. We're both Tourism students, and her assumption was not new to me. In our university with high paying tuition— magkahalo ang iba't ibang klase ng estudyante, may talagang mayayaman, may tama lang ang yaman, may mahihirap ngunit doble kayod ang mga magulang at nagpa-part time ang estudyante para makabayad tuition, may mga iskolar, may pinapa-aral ng kamag-anak, at may ilan na sa kakulangan ng pang tuition ay pumapasok sa ganoon sitwasyon— pansamantalang solusyon. At ang ilan pa sa dahilan nito ay hindi lang kahirapan, minsan ay may mayayaman ding estudyante na biglang magagastos ang ipinadalang pera ng magulang kaya iyon ang siyang naiisip na paraan para makabayad ng tuition.

Humans have different problems in their lives, and everyone has their way of solving it. Kung ganoon ang paraan ng pagsagot nila sa problema ay wala na akong magagawa— at wala akong pakialam dahil may sarili akong buhay. Ngunit kailanman ay hindi pumasok sa isip ko na gagawin ko ang ang bagay na iyon— that I had to sell my body to earn money.

I couldn't blame Maya if she assumed that I already entered that world. Dahil madalas na kaming nakakakita ng mga Tourism student— well, not just them. Wala naman pinipiling kurso ang pumapasok sa ganoon, iyon lang kadalasang gusto ng mga daddy ang katulad namin na mapuputi, matatangkad at magaganda ang katawan.

Aakalain lang ng isang estudyante na inihatid ng isang ama ang kanyang magandang anak— iyon pala ibang daddy na.

"Maya, hindi pa naman pumapasok sa isip ko ang bagay na iyon. Tigilan mo nga ako."

I thought I'd see relief in her face, but her shoulders sagged, looking more disappointed. "Are you serious?"

Napailing siya, "Ask ko sana if puwede na tig-isa na lang tayo."

"Gaga!" sigaw ko.

Tumayo na siya at nagsalin muna siya ng kape sa tasa niya bago siya bumalik sa harapan ko. Katulad ko ay nakataas din ang isang paa niya habang hawak ang umuusok niyang tasa.

"Pero hindi nga. Who are they? Maybe your relatives? They started to help you when you turned fourteen. Nakausap mo ba sila? Why do I feel like you're running away from them? Paano kung may alam sila tungkol sa mga magulang mo?"

Mariin kong muling inihawak ang mga kamay ko sa tasa kahit wala na iyong laman.

"Should I know more about them? The monks told me that my mother's name was Sophia Sy, and she died of childbirth."

"And then?"

I sighed, "Alam mong hindi ko na inalam pa."

"But aren't you curious about your origin? Maybe you're an heir? Maybe in your family, it's in tradition to marry someone for convenience, maybe kasing yaman ng mother mo pero nain-love siya sa father mo, and her family disowned her."

Napangiwi na ako sa narinig ko. "You're reading too much romance novels, Maya."

"Taryn, you're very pretty. Chinita, ang kinis at ang tangkad, baka anak mayaman ka talaga at iyong sina Mr. De Guzman ang binigyan ng misyon protektahan ko or maybe convince you to please your family again."

Umiling na ako, "Tigilan mo nga ako, Maya. Agang-aga."

"Pero aminin mo, the two De Guzman had been a great help. You stopped accepting help from the monks who raised you, right?"

"Of course. Dapat naman talaga ay hindi na ako tumanggap sa kanila," sagot ko.

Though they told me that the money they sent me was my mother's savings for me, I felt like I shouldn't accept it.

Paano kung donasyon pala talaga iyon ng aking ina sa templo at sinasabi lang na sadyang iniwan iyon sa akin?

I couldn't just exploit the kindness of those monks who sheltered me and raised me.

"And you have these mysterious saviors. Have you ever thanked them?"

I already had an idea about them— which was too far from Maya's assumption, but I couldn't just accept it.

What was most annoying? These two had been giving me respect— distance. Despite how I tried to disconnect from them, ignore and live as if their help were non-existent, they just didn't stop extending their hands.

Kapag wala akong pambayad ng tuition, kapag biglang wala na kaming makain ni Maya sa apartment, at kapag hindi makabayad ng ilaw at tubig. They helped me—it was not luxurious, but it helped me survive.

"No..." I said, almost a whisper.

"So, maybe this is your time to face them and ask why they help you? Unless you really have an idea and you're not sharing it with me," she said suspiciously.

Paano ko sasabihin kay Maya na darating ang panahon ay tatawid ako sa lumang salamin na pilit kong isinama sa maliit na apartment namin at sa pagtawid kong iyon ay iaalay ko ang sarili ko sa isang prinsipe.

"Pag-iisipan ko..."

"Kapag nakipag-meet ka, puwede akong sumama? You know... baka suspicious sila. Kailangan mo ng friend?"

"Aren't you the more suspicious, Maya?"

She laughed, "Alright, nagbabaka sakali lang."

Tumayo na ako sa upuan ko at nagtungo ako sa phone ko na naka-charge. Nang makita ko na full charge na iyon ay bumalik ako sa upuan ko at nag scroll ako sa Instagram.

Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Maya at kapwa kami naging tahimik ng ilang mga minuto nang matigil ako sa pag-scroll.

"I've been seeing this account. Malapit lang ito rito, Maya. Puntahan kaya natin?"

Iniharap ko sa kanya ang Instagram account na many pictures ng isang museum. "According to the description, this museum started its renovation a year ago, look— ang ganda."

I had always been fascinated by seeing old buildings, items, and museums and learning undiscovered stories. Lalo na iyong hindi masyadong pinag-uusapan. Gustong-gusto ko rin ang mga makalumang lugar.

It was one of the reasons why I decided to take BS Tourism. Aside from the simple reason of dressing up and my ability to communicate in different languages, seeing the blue sky—the clouds made me at ease—as if I was born to be there- was my desire to travel the world and visit historical places.

"The Lainore Hermitage Musuem," she whispered.

Sumilip ako sa phone ko at ilang beses kong ini-scroll ang mga pictures na naroon hanggang sa umabot ako sa dulo.

"Siya ba ang may-ari? Ang bata naman," dagdag ni Maya.

The woman in a white suit with her long curly hair was cutting a ribbon, beside her were a few good-looking men and women, but what I noticed was the small figure on her right shoulder. I blinked twice, I tried to zoom but it vanished.

Namalikmata lang ba ako?

"Ano ang tinitingnan mo?" Maya asked.

"Parang may nakita ako sa balikat niya."

Maya laughed, "That's the effect of reading too many historical discoveries."

"Pero tama ka, parang may ka-edad lang natin ang mga ito. Even these men behind her."

"Ang daming pogi, lampas sampu yata sila. Sige na sasamahan kita. Baka may makita tayo kahit isa," natatawang sabi ni Maya.

Tatanggalin ko na sana sa account ng The Lainore Hermitage Musuem nang mapansin ako sa likuran ng maraming lalaki.

"They looked weird," itinuro ko iyong ilan na naka-uniporme pa na mukhang galing pa sa kanilang mga trabaho.

Someone had his military uniform, lab gown, and a chef hat, and was that one of known cabin crew's uniforms?

"Baka pinilit lang nilang makasama sa opening kaya ganyan."

I nodded at her. Bakit nga ba pati iyon ay napapansin ko?

I tried to ignore this account for a while since I knew that I'd get busy with my midterms, but it kept on appearing on my screen.

"Maiba ako, huwag na natin kausapin ang sugar daddy na 'yan. Kumusta naman kayo ng kapitbahay natin?"

I rolled my eyes. "Hindi ko na alam, biglang natakot sa akin."

Sumimangot si Maya. "Hindi ka ba nagtataka? Alam ko sa sarili ko na mas maganda ka sa akin. You're also smart and I can see how men glance at you. Pero bakit walang nanliligaw sa 'yo? Nagulat nga ako nang naglakas ng loob si Ian sa 'yo."

I clicked my tongue. I really don't know how to answer this. Kahit ako ay wala rin ideya. Alam ko rin ang sinasabi ni Maya. I knew how men look at me. Minsan ay iniisip ko rin naman na mag-boyfriend pero sa tuwing susubukan nila ng isang beses, sa pangalawa ay bigla na silang umiiwas.

"He's cute, to be honest, but it annoyed me when he started to ignore me. Hindi ko pagpipilitan ang sarili ko, Maya."

"You know... Taryn, nagsisimula na akong mag-isip kung bakit wala tayong love life dalawa."

"Maybe that's a way for us to realize that relationship is not what we need right now, but money. Hindi mo ba alam kung magkano ang gagastusin natin sa OJT?"

Ngayon ay nanlumo na ang mukha niya nang maalala iyon.

Hindi rin naman galing sa mayamang pamilya si Maya kaya katulad ko ay hirap din siya sa usapang bayarin.

"Parcel po!"

Kapwa kami napalingon ni Maya, ngumisi ako sa kanya. "That's mine."

Nagmadali na akong tumakbo patungo sa pinto at eksaktong pagbukas ko ay hindi lang ang deliveryman iyong sumalubong sa akin kundi iyong nahahabulang mag-jowa sa hallway ng third floor ng apartment complex namin at dito pa sila nagkahulihan sa likuran ni Kuyang nagde-deliver.

The handsome man caught her hand, and the woman turned to look at him— like in Kdrama.

"Wait, it's me."

"Don't touch me! I don't know you!"

Dahil chismosa si Maya, narinig ko ang mabilis na yabag ng paa niya bago ko naramdaman iyong dalawang kamay niya sa balikat ko habang nakasilip din siya sa labas.

Ang sikip-sikip ng hallway, siksikan pa silang tatlo, ang magjowa at si Kuyang delivery man na napalingon na rin sa eksena.

"Casper? No way. Hanggang dibdib lang kita noon! Dito!" the woman leveled her chest with her hand.

"Paano iyon?" bulong ni Maya.

"What do you mean? I can still reach you—"

Kapwa kami napasinghap ni Maya. Naiiling na napangisi si Kuyang deliveryman na inaabot na sa amin ang parcel.

"Stop! Are you one of his Kuyas?"

Nang mas mapagmasdan ko iyong babae, agad kong nakilala ang mukha. I think I'd seen her inside our university.

"Taray naman, girl, magkapatid pa? Tutuhugin?" sabat ni Maya na hinampas ko ang kamay.

Doon lang natauhan ang dalawa, agad namula ang babae ngunit nang sandaling nagtama ang mga mata namin ay bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya. "Please, excuse us."

I awkwardly smiled, trying to remember where I saw that familiar face. Hindi naman sa university.

Nang isinara ko na ang pinto, narinig ko pang bahagyang sumigaw ang deliveryman. "Ma'am! May parcel po kayo. Maria po ba?"

Before I could finally close the door, the cold handsome voice replied to the delivery man, "She is my girlfriend. I'll pay."

Maya and I looked at each other, and we rolled our eyes, and chanted in unison, "Edi, sana all!"