Chapter 4: He was the stranger

Though he hated his dad, he still expected him to find time attending his graduation. His eyes subtly wandered around the auditorium in the hopes of finding his dad. Maybe he was just hiding behind those thick maroon silk curtains that covered the main entrance because he was late. But he found nothing. The fish he wanted was not in the sea. He just wished his dad would speak up about how he felt after the death of his wife. Maybe they could've figured out how they'll live their life after. His dad is physically present, but mentally and emotionally absent.

Flint noticed the sudden shift of Damien's emotion. His smile wasn't that bright anymore. He was hurting for the kid. His memories of his orphan years relived again in the present situation of Damien. Then he found an old memory in his mind. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he still hoped so.

"Hey, I'm starving. Let's get some food. And we'll be going somewhere"

Damien couldn't feel the joy of the day. His nod wasn't eager anymore. Flint wrapped his arms around Damien's shoulder as they walked out the auditorium. He tried to console Damien with stories back when he was at his university until they reached his yellow cooper.

During their trip, questions flooded his head. He couldn't stop it as he watched outside the car window. Why his dad blames him surreptitiously for his mom's death. Why can't his dad even look him in the eye and ask how he was doing at school. Why doesn't his dad listen to him? Why his dad couldn't stay at their house or even celebrate occasions with him. What if his dad purposely killed his wife to get the insurance money. That's why his father lost his love for him.

He has no idea what he did wrong to be left by the people he needed the most. What if his dad purposely killed his wife to get the insurance money. That's why his father lost his love for him.

Why was he the only one who suffered the pain…

He was so carried away that he didn't notice that they had stopped over at Betty's diner. Nostalgia came rushing in like wildcats hunting for their prey. No words could explain what he felt at that moment as he stood up in front of the diner. He looked back at Flint with wide eyes and shiny teeth. Flint smiled when his dimple appeared on his right cheeks then he gestured to Damien to come inside.

There were three sets of customers enjoying their food. One old guy, seated at the first table of the west wing. He was reading the newspaper that was delivered that morning. He was rewarding himself with one spoon of chicken soup as he filled in the black and white boxes game on the newspaper. Two tables away from the old man was another kid painting his whole plate omelet with a smiley face made out of a tomato ketchup, but he wasn't alone. He was with his parents. And across their table was a couple of young nerds. Two glasses boys and three skinny, clean cut haired boys. Their words danced to their jubilant yet cracked puberty tone as they narrated each other's thoughts about the latest Wolverine comics.

He couldn't stop wondering why they were so happy about those simple things. Would he feel the same state if his mother hadn't left the world? He looked outside the glass window of the diner. "Hmm, they seem to have taken great care of this place." He slid his finger slowly on the glass window. "I could still feel the old atmosphere of this place. Like it just happened yesterday" Damien let out a deep sigh on the glass, creating a circular moist.

Flint dug inside his coat and brought out a matchbox sized violet box and placed it on top of the table. Then slid forward to Damien. "Are we burning pot here?" Damien bursts into laughter after asking.

Flint joined him, but still got to reply to him. "See for yourself."

Damien knew what was inside the box after seeing Flint's smirk.

"Happy graduation, Damien, Ms. Elizabeth wanted to tell you that." Their ordered foods started to fill their table. He asked himself who is really the stranger between all of them. To whom he should be grudging? Who really left him alone?

Ala una na ng madaling araw kami nakabalik ng Baguio. Sa ilang oras ng biyahe na iyon, kaming dalawa ni Makee at Franco ang gising. Kaya hindi alam kung dahil sa antok na antok na si Makee kaya sobrang bilis niya magmaneho o dahil pinilit ko siyang magsinungaling. Pero kahit papaano eh maingat siya at hindi kami naabutan ng sikat ng araw sa daan. Tsaka buti nalang at kinakausap kami ni Franco para gising na gising kami.

Tanging nasa isip ko lang ng malapit na kaming ibaba ni Makee sa kanto ng aming apartment ay komprontahin si Marilyn. Alam kong natatandaan niya ang resort na iyon. At alam kong may alam si Papa sa pagpunta namin dun. Isang minuto pa ang lumipas at huminto na ni Makee sa mismong tapat ng apartment namin ang van. Si Franco naman ang gumising kay Marilyn na kala mo batang naabutan ng antok sa sofa. Kung ibang lalake lang siguro ang gigising kay Marilyn, malamang puro kalandian ang gagawing paggising nito. Kaya rin siguro hindi niya maiwan si Franco.

Nang magawang gisingin ni Franco si Marilyn ay tsaka lang kami naka baba ng van. Hindi pa sila agad umalis hangga't hindi ko naisasara ang gate ng apartment. Nang masiguro ko na ang seguridad ng gate at ang pinto ng apartment namin ni Marilyn ay tsaka ko pinlano ang pagkompronta sa kanya. Tila galing sa disco si Marilyn habang paakyat ng hagdan. Bahagya palang nagulo ang buhok niya at hindi ko lang napansin. Bago pa man siya tuluyang umakyat ng hagdan, agad akong naglakas loob na tumawag.

"Marilyn…"

Huminto nga siya sa gitna ng hagdan. "Hmm?"

"Alam ba ni Papa na pumunta tayo sa Baler? Dun sa mismong resort?"

Hindi siya kaagad nakasagot. Malamang dahil nagiisip siya ng isasagot na kasinungalingan pero nasa kalagayan siya ng antok kaya't imposible iyon.

"Oo, actually si Mama Bel yung bumili ng gift para kay Boss Dawn kasi nagpadala daw si Papa. And yung van, si Mama Bel ang nagrenta nun para daw may kitain naman si Makee."

Napatango nalang ako at hinayaan na siyang mauna sa itaas. Katulad ng inaasahan ko, hindi niya kayang magsinungaling. Pero ang isa nalang na tanong ay bakit kami pinayagan ni Papa na pumunta sa resort na yun? Naalala ko na umaga na kila Papa. Kailangan kong malaman ang sagot niya. Kaagad kong iniangat ang librong nakapatong sa ibabaw ng phone ko. Ngunit imposible ko pala siyang matawagan.

Litrato ng babaeng naka costume ng la muerte at masayang sumasayaw kasama ang dalawang lalakeng may mga dalang gitara. Naka tuxedo sila ng itim na pininturahan ng makulay na bunggo ang mukha nila. Hindi ito ang lockscreen ng phone ko… Nawawala ang phone ko…