Her Lost Realm (TagLish)

Chapter V: Your Glimpse

"When you catch up with that glimpse of the unknown, it's impossible to look away. My dear, can I see that beauty more?"
- Anonymous

V: Your Glimpse

- May 02, 2024 (partially edited)

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(Dann's POV)

TWO boxes of pizza to compensate for my words and actions, a tapping foot and a beating heart. Ito ang mga dala-dala ko ngayon habang nakatayo lamang sa harapan ng bahay nila Aleng Santal, nagmimistula na ngang takas mental kahit napakatino ng uniform na suot ko. Halos nagsawa na nga 'yung mga lamok kakatitig sa malagwapo kong pag-aalinlangan dine. Biruin mo 'yon, kanina pa ako naghihintay tapos hindi ko pala sigurado kung bahay ba talaga 'to ni abunjing.

Wait, sino nga ulit kausap ko? O ako lang?

Sometimes, may point nga si hipo.

I took my phone out of my pocket to check the time. 7:01. Alas syete na ng gabi pero magpasahanggang ngayon hindi parin ako makapagdecide kung ilalantad ko ba kakapalan ng mukha ko through blasting their door open, o ipapakita ko nalang ang kakapalan ng budhi ko by politely knocking.

Or maybe both?

A sigh escaped my lips, contemplating the foolish deeds I've done today, highlighting the time when we argued over someone else's privacy.

Fighting over a fingerprint neither was wrong nor right. Stalking her by stealing her information from my mother was an offense though. Might be a type of data breach already...?

Tsk. Need ko nang kausapin si Elena. Bahala na kung bahala.

Nakahanda na akong harapin ang tadhanang nakalatag sa aking harapan, that's when I heard a loud explosion coming from inside. Fear rushed through my body as I immediately struck their door wide open, expecting for worse.

I was anticipating a complete disaster, pero ang nadatnan ko lang ay ang nanay ni Marie at ang sa tingin ko'y bagong linis niyang kusina. Walang anumang senyales ng sira or pagkawasak sa paligid.

She then stares at me as confusion gets her, while both shame and guilt starts to get me.

Oh.

"Um... nandito ka for Elena?" She hesitates after a defeaning silence, para bang ineexpect niya na may darating. Maybe, ineexpect na niya na ako ang darating.

Wait, ineexpect niya ako?

Ay hele... ang iw. Ehe.

Isang mahinhin na tango ang ibinigay ko sa kanya, habang ang ulo ko'y unti-unting yumuyuko dahil sa hiya. Mga pinaggagagawa ko kasi.

Pati tuloy lakas ng loob ko'y lumipad na kasama nina mareng Jessica.

"Oh, so you must be...?" She began, as she rummages on the counter, preparing something.

"Ano po... Dann po. Elena's classmate."

"Wait, parang kilala na kita," Turning around to face me, she giggled. "Ikaw ba 'yung anak ng kapitbahay namin noon...?"

"Ma'am, you don't need to flatter me." I insist with a direct glance, instigating to stop this madness before every secret that I felt she knows is laid.

"Ay hala ka. Tiya Ayeena nga ang itawag 'diba?"

At sa hindi ko namamalayan, may dalawa nang kape ang nakapatong sa ibabaw ng lamesa, a gesture that shows she welcomes me in.