《Zeno's Sapphire》Begin

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Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang nahihiyang lumilingon lingon sa paligid. I want to cry but I don't want to attract people's attention... if ever someone will approach.

Where's mom and dad? Naluluha na ako I don't know kung bakit paglingon ko wala na sila sa tabi ko.

I remember kuya wanted to check out the fabric kaya napasunod ako sa kanya and out of a sudden, I'm lost. I don't know why I followed kuya, I wouldn't want to be out of sight from my parents pero si kuya naman kasi iyon. I got curious of the fabrics he mentioned.

Muli akong lumingon sa kalsada, tatawid ba ako? But there's a lot of people.... Umatras na lang ako nakayukong naglakad sa kabila, bakit para kasing ibang lugar na ito.

I don't have a cellphone with me.. akala ko hindi ko kailangan. I'm working out with my situation and I'm getting better pero mukhang babalik nanaman ako.

Hindi ko na napigilan at tuluyan ng tumulo ang mga luha ko. I feel so weak, my younger brother can already act independent while me, her older sister didn't even know where did I went.

I am wiping my tears using the end of coat as I continue walking with my head on the ground. I suddenly bumped into someone kaya mabilis akong napaatras without looking.

"I-I'm so-sorry.." Pilit kong pinapanatili ang boses ko pero nababakas pa rin ang panginginig ko. Malamig dito kaya sana nga ay 'yun na lang ang dahilan.

"I'll accept your apology if you can say that to my face," mataray na pahayag nito.

Marahan akong napaangat ng ulo at sinalubong ang tingin niya. Nakataas ang isang kilay nito at tila naghihintay ng sasabihin ko. "I-m... I-m..-"

"Are you from here? You look lost." Tamad na tanong nito habang pinapasadahan ako ng tingin. Natigil ang paningin niya sa nanginginig kong kamay kaya agad ko itong itinago sa loob ng coat ko at muling yumuko.

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"N-no.." There something about his eyes that I can't take. Maybe because he has gray eyes but I have seen a lot of different eyes back in highschool.

I heard him sigh. "So do you need help?"

"Uh.." Hindi ko alam kung tatanggapin ko iyon. Hindi ko kasi siya kilala, pero siya naman ang nag-alok ng tulong... okay lang siguro? I'm sure my family are already worried gusto ko na bumalik.

"What place are you from?"

Napatingin muli ako sa kanya. His head is facing our surroundings. Ang... gwapo niya pero may pagkakatulad sila ng asta ni kuya... I brush of my thoughts and answered, "Philippines.."

With that, lalong kumunot ang noo niyang napatingin sa akin. "You're from another continent? Yet I'm expecting..." tumigil siya at saglit na tumitig sa akin kaya agad kung iniiwas ang tingin ko.

"Nagbabakasyon ka?" tanong niya pero bakas pa rin ang pagka-strikto sa kanyang boses.

Gulat man ay nahihiyang tumango ako. Is he a filipino?

Nakataas ang isang kilay niya na para bang naghihintay pa siya ng sasabihin ko. Nang maisip ko na kailangan ko nga pala ng tulong niya, "Uh.. h-hindi ko alam.. I got lost earlier be-"

"Calm down," aniya. He handed me a handkerchief. Hindi ko namalayan na naiiyak na pala ako uli. "Let's have a seat first,"

Sinundan ko naman siya nang magsimula siyang maglakad. There's actually a lot of shops or restos around, biglang rumarami ang tao kaya napahawak ako sa likod ng coat niya kaya napatigil siya.

He raised an eyebrow at me kaya napabitaw ako. "S-sorry,"

"It's okay. Sabayan mo na lang ako. If you don't want to be lost again,"

Sumabay naman ako sa kanya. He stopped in front of an ice cream parlor, doon kami naupo sa nakahandang mga lamesa sa labas. This is actually a nice place but i can't help but to think of my family, hinahanap na nila ako.

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"Flavor?" He asked me nang may lumapit na waiter. I didn't understand their language, but what I know it's french.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Muli siyang napatingin sa kamay kong medyo nanginginig pa ring hawak ang panyo niya na nakapatong sa lamesa. Bakit ba kami kakain bigla?

He didn't wait for my answer. Wala rin naman ata akong balak magsalita, I want to go home.

"Okay. We'll make you calm down first before I can help you, Hindi kita pwedeng ideretso sa Pilipinas."

"h-huh?" Naguguluhang tanong ko. He massaged his temple and fix his front hair in a familiar manner.

"Little girl, I'll ask you questions and answer me clearly." Mahinahon pero bakas ang pagtitimpi ng iritasyon sa boses niya.

Tumango ako.

"Saan ka huling nanggaling?"

Umiling ako. I don't really know the place, ngayon lang ako nakapunta sa France.

"Landmark, at least?"

"Restaurant.." nahihiya kong sagot. Feeling ko magagalit na siya sa akin.

"Are you even aware of how many restaurants are here?" pagsusungit niya.

Napayuko ako at muling naluha. I know na mababaw ako but I can't help it. Naiinis na siya sa akin, what if he couldn't help me?

"Oh, gosh. Don't cry," agaran niyang sabi ng mahinahon. Bigla siyang tumabi sa akin at hinawakan ang nanginginig kong kamay.

Dumating naman ang waiter nagserve ng ice cream. "Bon appetit!" He greeted before he politely bowed and leave us.

"Okay. You eat ice cream first," aniya at inilapit sa akin ang isa. It looks so delicious kaya tinanggap ko ito.

Somehow, the ice cream really helped me to calm. I don't know if it's because the ice cream is delicious or ngayon lang talaga ako kumain uli ng ice cream. I'm not really into it, whenever Duchess is craving for it. Siya lang ang kumakain hindi ko siya nasasaluhan, feeling ko kasi nakakasawa.

Minutes had passed when I heard him cleared his throat kaya napatungo ako sa kanya. "T-thank you,"

Tumango siya. "What's your name?"

"Sapphire.." nahihiyang sagot ko.

"Hmm. Your age?"

"16."

He wiped his mouth with a tabkle napkin before glancing at me again. "What can else can you tell me?"

"A-ano... I was about to follow my kuya to the frabric store kaso.. hindi ko alam na." Tumigil ako. Ano pa ba? Wala na akong masabi?

"Fabric store? You should have said that earlier. Nagbabaksyon lang kayo rito diba?" aniya na nagkakaroon na muli ng pagsusungit sa kanyang boses.

"S-sorry. My kuya is studying here.. kaya nagpunta kami rito to visit him since bakasyon namin.."

Napahinto siya at muli akong tinitigan. He is currently analyzing my face kaya naiilang na inilihis ko ang paningin ko.

"Can you tell me your full name?" Nakataas na kilay na tanong niya.

"Sapphire Light L. Davids.." nag-aalangang banggit ko.

He shook his head bago napaikot ng mata at nag-dial sa cellphone niya. Nang sumagot ang tinawagan niya ay nginisihan niya ito. "I know you're busy you impolite freshman. You must be searching for someone,"

"Well. Sapphire's your sister, right?"

Lalo akong nagtaka ng banggitin niya ang pangalan ko. Is he talking to kuya Duke? Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag ngiti ko, I can say that all my nervousness from earlier totally subsided.

"Yeah. She's with me, just text me the adress."

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