Chapter 4: IV.
Tantan's eyes began searching for the recipient of the message. Then he found him. In front of the ticket booth ng roller coaster is a bench at naka-upo ang isang binata almost the same body frame and age to Tantan.
He and Paloma run to him, worried sick. ''Patingin ako bhe ano nangyari? Punta na tayo ng ospital?'' Tantan sits down beside him. The boy faces them, his cheeks are red, a runny nose, and his eyes are watery, a dam waiting to explode.
''Potahamnida ka Justine anong nangyari?'' Paloma drops her bag and sits beside him, pinuluputan niya yung braso and rests her head on his shoulder as more tears ran down on his cheeks.
Tantan can't do anything but pat his back. ''Patingin ng pilay'' He was about to check his legs pero pinalo ni Paloma ang kamay niya. ''Aniyo! Meaning no. Iba ang napilay sa kaniya, hindi legs. Yung puso niya! Napaka-manhid mo chingu-yah''
He doesn't get it. ''Ha?''
''Ay babo, meaning bobo. Heart-broken yan pag ganiyan'' He finally gets it. ''Hala bhe nag-break na naman kayo ni Kevin? Akala ko motmot niyo ngayon?''
Justine stood up, hinubad niya ang over-sized hoodie which Tantan suspects na galing kay Kevin at tinapon sa lupa, tinapakan tapos he jumps on it, continuously. His face is squeezing in anger, sweat tracing his forehead. Paloma jumps from her seat and joins him. They look stupid as they get attention from passersby.
Tantan can't handle the scene so he also stood up and inserted his body between them breaking them apart. He picks up the hoodie which is now covered in dirt from the ground and throws it on a trashcan nearby. After doing this he saw Justine pull a rose from his pocket and tear it into pieces thrashing it once again on the ground.
He's never seen his friend this way before. Ilang beses nang nag break si Justine at Kevin pero laging kampante ang kaibigan niya na magbabalikan sila. He personally doesn't like Kevin dahil madami itong pangako kay Justine na hindi naman niya tinutupad but his friend is too head over heels for him.
Gusto naman niyang pag-sabihan ito pero ayaw na niyang maulit ang unfaithful day ng August 2010, Sabayang Bigkas competition, division level. Kung saan pinag-talunan nilang dalawa ang tungkol kay Kevin since he was so against him.
Nauwi ito sa pagbato ni Justine ng gunting sa kaniya, naka-ilag siya and the scissor went straight to Genevieve Matalang, classmate nila. Dumaplis sa pisngi niya.
Napunta sila sa guidance after that, napatawag ang mga guardians nila. Dahil anak ng PTA president si Genevieve, her mother requested na i-pull out ang section nila sa competition. From that day madami nang galit kay Justine.
Love makes someone stupid and do stupid, out of this world things. Ito ang reason kung bakit ayaw ni Tantan maramdaman 'to lalo na at bata pa siya. He wants to save this feeling when he grows up.
Finally, nahimasmasan na si Justine. He wipes his tears away. ''Putang ina niyang Kevin na'yan. Pinagpalit ko tong gala natin para makasama siya tapos makikipag-break siya sa'kin dito pa. Sa lahat ng lugar. Tang ina nun akala niya naman ang laki ni tite niya!''
''Bibig mo bhe, huy. Ang daming nakakarinig.'' Tantan protests.
Justine's destructive mode was shut down when the three of them found themselves screaming their hearts out sa roller coaster. They tried other rides, tasted all the food in every food stall and spent the 200 pesos from Paloma's secret admirer to their hearts content, they talked shit about Kevin pero Tantan can feel na mahal pa ito ni Justine. Until they reached the horror booth as their final destination.
Katulad ng pag-hihintay, Tantan doesn't like ghosts, for all the wrong reasons. But here he is in front of a wooden door. Nasa gitna siya ni Paloma at Justine who cornered him na sumama sa kanilang dalawa. They walk inside, into the darkness and beyond.
Inside, Tantan was completely lost dahil nagkahiwa-hiwalay sila nina Paloma at Justine. All he could remember is that they're running for their lives noong hinabol sila ng isang lalaking naka costume ng barong tagalog at may zombie make-up.
Sa isang madilim na sulok pumwesto si Tantan. Sitting on the floor with his arms hugging his knees, burying his head para hindi niya makita ang mga haunting images and figures.
Kinekwento lang ito sa kaniya ng nanay niya dati. Kapag hindi siya natulog every 3pm kukunin siya ng tikbalang, kapag hindi siya tumulong sa pag-hugas ng plato kakainin siya ng tiyanak at marami pang iba.
All he can hear is the buzzing sound of an unknown machine. Then footsteps. He hears it louder papunta sa direksyon niya. He can feel it, someone is standing in front of him now. His legs started shaking like cooked noodles. He saw its shadow crawling in the floor, invading him and he's helpless.
''Hey. It's me'' a familiar voice ring in Tantan's ears. Dahan-dahang niyang inangat ang ulo. His face brightened up when he saw the person. Thank God, he is safe. Mapapayakap siya dito, locking his tiny body to the person. He can feel him return the hug as he dives deep into his chest. It was soft and he felt the safest.
The person reeks of a certain scent. Like a rose.
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