2- Kirsteen
"See you on Monday, Angel and Kirsteen!" Bonita waved her hand to us as she hopped in to her car.
Kumaway kami pabalik sa kanya.
"See you!" Tili ni Angel.
Her personal driver closed the door and reeled to the driver's seat. They drove off leaving me and Angel.
Soon enough Drake Wayne Mathildo appeared from the disruptive crowd of students to get his own vehicle. He straddled his Yamaha and crossed the street where we were standing.
"Nandito na sundo ko." I could hear the excitement in Angel's voice when Drake halted in front of us.
"Hindi ka ba sasabay sa amin, Kirsteen?"
"Hindi na. Dadaan pa ako sa Simbahan."
Ayoko munang umuwi sa bahay. Alam kong walang magandang bubungad sa akin doon.
"I don't mind. We will drop you off and-"
"It's okay, Drake. Matatagalan pa ako sa simbahan. Ayoko namang maghintay kayo sa akin." I refused adamantly.
Tumango si Drake. "Mag-ingat ka pauwi."
"Okie dookie. Amping." Angel hugged me so tight like she wanted her warm of care to linger in me. I caressed her back to send my reply that I'll be fine.
Drake smiled at us genuinely. He gestured his hand to get Angel's bag. Sinabit ni Drake iyon sa kanyang balikat paharap. Sumaklang si Anghel sa likuran niya. She laced her arms around him and they chased away like they usually do. I was left alone. I somewhat preferred it that way to give myself time to contemplate.
Pumunta ako nang Santa Cruz Parish ng mag-isa. Naabutan ko si Nanay Lourdes na isa sa mga katulong ng Simbahan na nagwawalis.
"Magandang hapon, nanay Lourdes. Nandyan po ba si Father Geoffrey?" diretsahan kong tanong.
"Oo. May kausap na binata. May bagong choral pianist." She swept the leaves from the star apple tree into a heap.
"Sino kaya?" I wondered to myself.
Hindi alam ni Nanay Lourdes ang panauhin. She seemed to be irritated too.
"Anak ni Giovanni Mathildo. Iyong maraming tattoo at medyo may kataasan ang buhok." He described Russel Ludwig Mathildo vividly.
"Si Russel..." bulong ko.
We had small talks before. They said Russel likes me. Their claims were not given justice when Karlo started courting me. But it was a short lived. Karlo eventually got tired of waiting for my answer and courted another girl. Mabuti nalang hindi ko siya naging first boyfriend.
Kung sakali man ay dehado ako. He seemed to be rushing me. He was also that nonchalant guy that Bonita hated to the brim.
"Hindi ko alam bakit tinanggap ni Father Geoffrey ang mukhang addict na iyon. Hindi talaga kaaya-ayang tignan ang lalaking maraming tattoo. Lalo na palagi na siya dito sa simbahan."
I felt ashamed to what she said. Seriously? I'd encountered people who were hypocrites, insensitive and possessed harsh hostilities to those people. Kaya natatakot silang magsimba, e. These kind of people in the church always had vile to say. I heard it in reality many times. This wasn't merely made up. They weren't always open-minded, compassionate and scrupulous.
They've lost it in the name of vain and they think they were right at all times.
"Hindi naman nakakapinsala ang lalaking maraming tattoo, Nanay Lourdes. Ilang beses ko na siyang nakausap. Mabait at pormal na tao si Russel." I defended him as I should.
