Igniting a Heartbeat
 

You give me feels and I
Know that it, know that it, know that it's real

Feels Kehlani
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"Happy Birthday, Ellyse!"

 

 

 

My mouth formed into a huge grin as I made my way downstairs, where I saw my Mom holding a big tarpaulin with my face in it along with a very funny-looking birthday background of clouds– yung palaging nakikitang meme sa facebook na clouds-clouds na may text pa– and Mommylola holding a bouquet of flowers and balloons... with my wacky face imprinted on it.

 

 

 

Napatampal ako sa noo ko. Jusko, ang aga-aga pero dino-dogshow na agad nila ako.

 

 

 

And they even got Craig and Gregory– na bruskong-brusko ang katawan– wore a childish party hat!

 

 

 

Oh my gosh.

 

 

 

I looked at the clock, checking kung anong oras na ba to see that it's currently 6 o'clock in the morning palang and they were already this extra na.

 

 

 

But, that's what I love about them.

 

 

 

Dali-dali naman akong bumaba para salubungin sila ng mahigpit na yakap. Hindi pa'ko nakakaligo at bagong gising lang talaga. Naalimpungatan lang ako when I heard a loud noise downstairs which was this, their shenanigans.

 

 

 

"Happy Birthday, Anak. Ang grown up mo na talaga." My Mom greeted in her super malambing tone and my eyes almost swelled up in tears.

 

 

 

"Thank you, Mom." Masuyo kong bati pabalik sakanya and kissed her cheeks. Ganon din ang ginawa ko kay Mommylola.

 

 

 

"Anything for you, my love." Napangiti ako nang sabihin niya 'yun.

 

 

 

When Dad left, all of us became devastated. It was a hard time. Samahan pa ng after a year ay si Papalolo din ang sumunod which really took a heavy toll on Mom. Nawala kasi ang dalawang importanteng lalaki sa buhay niya.

 

 

 

It affected her bigtime.

 

 

 

She fell into a depression. Nagkukulong sa kwarto, hindi maka-usap ng maayos, palaging kulang sa tulog at hindi din masyadong kumakain. She looked like a zombie more than a human being back then and I was so scared na pati siya ay mawala din sakin.

 

 

 

But luckily, she got back on her feet thanks to the help of her siblings, Mommylola and Tito Jace– Dad's bestfriend and workmate– who never left her side and for also knocking some sense into her.

 

 

 

After some deep realizations, she immediately went to therapy and said her apologies to us– to me. Nangako din siya na hindi na siya ulit magiging ganon at aalagaan na niya ako ng mabuti.

 

 

 

She stayed by her promise.

 

 

 

Tinodo niya talaga ang effort niya sa pag-aalaga sakin. She gave me everything I wanted. She loved me despite my pasaway tendencies sometimes and noong nag-rebelde phase pa nga'ko ay hindi din 'yun naging alintana sakanya.

 

 

 

Instead, she helped me realized about the consequences of my actions. We also have this scheduled deep talks where we say what we wanted to say with no judgements.

 

 

 

Hindi din siya naging istrikto at controlling.

 

 

 

And because of that, she became the best mother out there, and I really couldn't have asked for more. 

 

 

 

Suportado din siya, sila ni Mommylola sa lahat ng gawin ko. Lahat own choice ko talaga and never once did they pressured me to do this and that. It was also my own accord to take up Business Ad. because I wanted to help them sa pamamahala ng mga negosyo namin dito sa Pinas.

 

 

 

They asked me pa nga kung 'yun ba talaga ang gusto kong kuning kurso and I replied yes in a heartbeat.

 

 

 

I picked Ateneo as my university kasi doon din sila nag-aral dati and mind you, they were both the top students and the Summa Laudes of their own batches. Kaya, sobra-sobra talaga ang pag-hanga ko sakanila. They are my role models after all.

 

 

 

That's why I also made it as one of my goals to become my batch's own Summa Laude just to keep the title going. 

 

 

 

I believe na kaya ko naman i-achieve 'yon. Nagpapatulong pa nga'ko minsan sakanila. I even asked them to make me some test questionnaires every week for me to answer para ma-test ko ang knowledge ko, and boy, let me tell you na hindi madaling sagutan ang mga ito.

 

 

 

I even complained once dahil parang hindi anak o apo kung makapagbigay ng questions eh. Pero tinawanan lang nila ako at sinabing ginusto ko daw kaya panindigan ko, hmmp. Legit, I felt like sasabog ang ulo ko everytime I would read the questions in every number.

 

 

 

Fortunately, na-aace ko naman ang questionnaires nila. Pati na din sa tuwing may projects kami sa business plan. I always ask their inputs about this and that.

 

 

 

I also have a few cousins who got a fair share of the company, but most of them went on a different route like Law, Engineering, Medicine and Architecture. Mga ayaw magsipag-business kaya sige, ako na. Chour!

 

 

 

Lima lang naman talaga kaming magpi-pinsan and I was the pinaka-bunso one. Plus, all of them are successful in their own profession na. Sumunod talaga sila sa yapak ng mga magulang nila.

 

 

 

Meron akong three uncles and two aunties pero dalawa dun ay walang anak. Si Tito Miguel– the second born– ay ine-enjoy pa masyado ang pagiging Bachelor niya.

 

 

 

While si Tita Cathy– the third born– naman ay devoted na sa pagiging single rich tita niya at patravel-travel nalang. Kaya, spoiled na spoiled talaga kaming magpi-pinsan sakanya everytime she would come and visit us.

 

 

 

I was even surprised pa nga kasi bakit walang agawan ng ari-arian like what I mostly seen in television shows? Chour! Hindi naman kasi hayok ang mga tita at titos ko at may mga kanya-kanya ding pinagkaka-abalahan.

 

 

 

I once asked them about it pero pinaintindi nila sakin, saying that they wanted to get on their own feet din, and that business was never for them. It was for my mother.

 

 

 

I even remembered being proud of Mommylola and Papalolo back then for raising them well kasi talagang napaka-solid lang ng angkan namin.

 

 

 

Anyways, maliit lang naman talaga ang lahi naming mga Riego at sobra pa sa limited edition ang breed namin. Kaya, ang swerte-swerte ng Leafy ko kung ganon dahil she got herself the one and only limited edition Karina Ellyse Riego at her feet.

 

 

 

Mayabang ba? Well talaga. Sabi nga nila, yumabang ka ng naaayon sa iyong ganda. Kaya tama at deserve lang na sobrang yabang ko hehe.

 

 

 

Pero, speaking of my Leafy. After our street food date ay hindi na nasundan ang meet-ups namin dahil I became busy as she was too. I also remembered her saying na nagpa-practice din sila for their P.E performance task na gaganapin bukas, Tuesday.

 

 

 

We always facetime naman at damn, mas lalo ko lang siyang namimiss. I always wait for her though na maka-uwi muna galing sa kanyang trabaho bago makipag-facetime. Halatang pagod din siya sa byahe but never once complained at nagiging hyper pa nga siya kapag nag-uusap kami.

 

 

 

Ang hindi niya lang talaga alam ay palagi niya'kong natutulugan haha. But that's okay. I understand naman and duh, I get to see her pogi at cute sleeping face everytime.

 

 

 

Natatawa pa nga ako kasi naka-nganga pa siya minsan at evident ang mga cute niyang hilik.

 

 

 

"Ang laki ng ngiti natin ah. Para samin ba 'yan o para sa iba?" Makabuluhang tanong ni Mom na nakapag-gising sa self daydreaming ko.

 

 

 

"Both, Ma." I answered, laughing.

 

 

 

Feeling ko, may alam na sina Mom and Mommylola sa kung sino ang napupusuan ko for real this time, and that they were only just waiting for me to open up to them.

 

 

 

Paano ba namang hindi, eh nadadakip ko lang naman sila minsan na nakikipag-chikkahan kila Craig and Gregory about my ganaps these past few weeks lately like a true Marités they are.

 

 

 

Yan daw ang spelling dahil they are the classy kind of Marites daw. Asus.

 

 

 

"That's good. Keep it kasi it looks pretty on you." She complimented while holding my face with her hands, smiling adoringly. Pero bigla ding nagbago ang timpla ng mukha niya. "Unlike your playgirl phase before."

 

 

 

Napangiwi naman ako. Pangit man pakinggan pero I also went to that kind of phase. Yung no-love attached at pa date-date lang sa kung kani-kaninong matipuhan ko.

 

 

 

I was exploring and impatient, yes. But I also realized that I was hurting someone's feelings while on the process.

 

 

 

When I became aware of that, I quickly vowed to myself na hindi ko na gagawin 'yun kahit kailan. I will be patient and devoted to the person that will took my interest, raised my standards high and of course, elevate my heartbeats.

 

 

 

In Jeno's case naman, last na 'yun. Naawa lang talaga ako sakanya and he seems like a nice guy 'nung una that I genuinely thought na magseryoso that is... until he became a jerk.

 

 

 

I gave chances though pero wala eh, that was his true colors talaga. Pero... may good thing naman siyang ginawa... and that is he lead me to Leafy.

 

 

 

My Winter Leafy Reyes.

 

 

 

Ang Baby Dahon ko na nagmu-mukhang galit na Chihuahua kapag nagsusungit pero ang poging-maganda parin talaga sa paningin ko, grr.

 

 

 

With Leafy, I become patient. Mas naging devoted din ako to know everything about her. Her likes, dislikes, favorite foods, movies, etc– basically all that stuff that makes her, her.

 

 

 

Nasusundan niya din ang mga trip ko sa buhay. Pero syempre magsusungit muna siya bago niya gawin ito. Not to mention, ang standard, mga beh!

 

 

 

She's such a gentlewoman at umabot talaga hanggang apdo 'yung kilig ko when she suddenly confessed that she was also crushing on me too!

 

 

 

It was unexpected. Akala ko nga ako pa ang unang magco-confess sa aming dalawa knowing that she sometimes lives by her name, halaman. Kaya imagine my shock when she did that.

 

 

 

Even got to the point na pinaramdam niya sakin ang tibok ng puso niya which made me feel relieved because hindi lang pala ako ang nakakaramdam ng ganon. That everything's mutual.

 

 

 

She was also very transparent with me which shows na may tiwala talaga siya sakin. That she really trust me as a person and not just her crush and it was the same with me.

 

 

 

We're living by the promise that we made to each other na ibahagi at ipakilala ang sarili sa isa't-isa ng buong puso at buong-buo.

 

 

 

With her, I'm very willing to lay down all my secrets kasi alam kong hindi niya'ko i-jujudge. Kahit pa na pasiga-siga lang yan sa kalye nila kuno na akala mo kung sinong astig pero ang totoo, ang super sweet at soft niya. She exudes that kind of aura.

 

 

 

Hayst, this just made me miss her more. Huhu.

 

 

 

"Asus. Where's my gift po, Ma?" Tinanong ko nalang si Mom, distracting her before she could start her sermons again haha. 

 

 

 

"Wala na. Kinulang na budget para sa regalo mo, Anak." She immediately replied in her obvious teasing tone. Dito talaga ako nagmana eh. Ningusuhan ko lang siya ng bibig.

 

 

 

Just then, she gestured at Craig kaya napatingin naman ako sa gawi ng mga maskuladong bodyguards ko.

 

 

 

My forehead creased at first in confusion when I saw that he was now holding a medium brown box with holes on top of it. But soon, my eyes widened when I finally recognized what's inside the box.

 

 

 

Excited akong napatingin kila Mom na nakangiting nakatingin na sakin ngayon. 

 

 

 

"No way." I asked, gasping and almost jumping in my spot. "Is that what I think it is?"

 

 

 

Umakto pa itong nag-iisip kaya I groaned in impatience. She laughed and shrugged before replying. "Hmm, madaming namamatay sa maling akala, nak."

 

 

 

"Mom!"

 

 

 

"Joke lang! Eto naman. Check mo kaya, nak. Baka tama nga ang hinala mo."

 

 

 

I didn't waste any more time and went straight ahead to where Craig is para mabuksan na ang box. What happens next almost melt me on the spot.

 

 

 

They just got me a Toy Poodle! And its fur was colored in a cute curly gray ones!

 

 

 

I gulped as Craig carefully put the box on the ground at ini-angat ng dahan-dahan ang aso. Tumahol pa ito but soon became maamo when it finally saw the people and I almost gushed when our eyes meet.

 

 

 

Unti-unti kong inilapit ang kamay ko dito and it immediately sniffed my hand until it it.

 

 

 

"Hala! Ang cute!" Napapatili kong sabi at hiningi kay Craig ang aso.

 

 

 

I smiled widely when the dog comfortably set its body around my hold. Ang liit-liit niya at parang isang sanggol kung ikarga.

 

 

 

"Mom and Mommylola, Thank you po." I thanked the two beautiful ladies in front of me habang karga-karga pa din ang aso.

 

 

 

"Welcome, Nak. You mentioned kasi na you wanted to adopt a dog, specifically in that kind of breed. So here you go."

 

 

 

That's true. I've always wanted to adopt a dog but hindi ko magawa-gawa kasi I'm busy and dead set of my responsibiliti