THE BRIDGE TOWARDS LOVE
“Do you guys know about the legend of Agape Bridge?”
Tanong ko habang nag-aayos ng gamit for our new adventure. Me and my friends like to try new things and we decided to hike the highest mountain in the Philippines; the Mt. Apo, and to reach the summit.
“Agape Bridge? The last bridge na dadaanan natin before the summit?” Mariel asked.
“Yeah, the last bridge. It is where you can see the sea beautifully, because the end of the river looks like it goes directly to the sea, pero hindi. The river just falls beneath, which we call the Bongolanon falls.”
“Legend? Is that some kind of horror stuff because if it’s about that then I’m done. I’m not going.” Saad ni Janmar nang may pagtaas pa ng dalawang kamay, acting like he’s surrendering.
“Agape nga ‘di ba? It’s about love obviously, duh!” Maarteng sagot ni Grace sa kaniyang nobyo na may kasama pang irap.
“Love, my ass.” My bitter friend, Keisha, retorted.
“So Margotte what about it? The legend of Agape Bridge?” Angel boredly asked me. But I know deep down she’s already curious.
“It is also called as the bridge towards love. It is about a man and a woman who built the bridge together, but only one of them went to the other side.”
“Why only one of them? And why is it called as the Bridge Towards Love?” Tanong ulit ni Angel, halatang hindi na makapaghintay.
I was about to tell them the story but Jethro’s eyes pierced at me, giving me a ‘hurry-up-packing-your-things’ look. I rolled my eyes.
Okay mister, as you wished.
“How about I’ll just tell you while we’re hiking na?” Saad ko nang may pagtaas baba pa ng kilay.
_
“Rise and shine gorgeous me!” bati ko sa sarili habang nakatingin sa repleksiyon ko sa isang basag na salaming nakuha ko sa mga manlalakbay.
Estrelita your beauty can’t be defined using any vocabulary that even the goddess Venus will be envy. Ay, tama ba? Duh, ako pa ba.
I mentally praised myself.
Hayyyy. Bakit ba ako nabuhay na may mala diyosang mukha. Hindi ba nila alam na isang mahirap na responsibilidad ang pagiging maganda? Paano nalang ako na sumobra sa kagandahan? Eh ‘di patong patong na responsibilidad, ganoon ba?
Lumabas ako sa kubo at bumungad sa akin ang sirang tulay. Yeah, heaven really is so good to me. I can eat three meals a day because travellers seek help from me to cross the broken bridge. And just now, somewhere further, someone is approaching this bridge. Good heavens! Estrelita loves you.
Nang makalapit na siya at tsaka ko lamang nasilayan. Mamma mia! Ang gwapo! I didn’t realize that I was holding my breath since I saw his face. Why would someone as stunningly handsome as him, more like a God, went this way?
“Mister, perhaps you’re lost?” I asked after I gained composture.
Luminga linga siya. “No I’m not.” Pormal nitong saad.
So he’s really planning on crossing this bridge? How lucky of me!
“Oh, so you’re crossing the bridge. Sadly the bridge is destroyed. But don’t worry! I will lend you my help! Tutulungan kitang makatawid sa kabila.” I said with a smile.
But this handsome guy just looked at me, more like, stared at me intently.
Oh, this is not new. Who wouldn’t be mesmerized with this kind of beauty?
“Your eyes…” He said.
“My eyes, yes?”
“Your almond eyes is like telling me you have some wicked scheme.” He bluntly said.
What? Just what? He wasn’t mesmerized but–JUST WHAT?
“Like it wanted to steal.” He continued. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Just who the hell is he?
“Ano? Mukha ba akong magnanakaw para sa iyo?”
“Hindi ba? Kung hindi, tulungan mo na lang ako.”
“With what?”
“Fixing this bridge.”
“Fix the–NO WAY!”
“I wanted to fix this bridge so that others can cross too. You can help me if you want.”
“Okay fine!” Pagsuko ko. “I’m stealing. I’m pretending to help anyone who crosses this bridge and when they lend me their belongings I would run with it. I need to survive, obviously. Now can you leave and stop ruining my business?”
“Stealing isn’t business.”
“It is.”
“Then go steal in other bridge.”
“I can’t. There are other robbers in the other bridges too. Just leave okay!”
“No. I’m fixing the bridge.” It looks like I can’t really stop him.
“Okay then. Once you fixed this bridge, I’ll destroy it again.” I started walking to my hut.
He smiled, “Alright.”
He started fixing the bridge all by himself. He cut trees and turned them into lumber. He started building the foundation of the bridge, a lot better and stronger than before. He would work everyday, and he’s making slow progress! But at least there is progress but what annoys me is that he’s giving so much effort while having just a little improvement in return! Like, can’t you see it’s not worthy of your time? Just leave it be!
“Hey! Hindi ka pa ba napapagod? Hello? Ang tanga mo!”
Pabalik balik siya sa pagkuha ng mga tabla. At kahit halatang nahihirapan ay patuloy pa rin siya sa pagtrabaho. Argh, how annoying!
“Kung sinabi ko bang napapagod na ako, tutulungan mo ba ako?”
“No way!”
“Then just shut your mouth and watch,” bara niya sa mga reklamo ko, naiingayan na ata.
Dios mio. May pa gano’n?
He would always work. Humihinto lamang siya kapag kakain, magpapahinga saglit, at matutulog. Kahit ang ulan ay hindi nakapagpapahinto sa kaniya. Kahit bumabaha na ang ilog, patuloy pa rin.
Hanggang sa hindi na ako makapagtimpi, “Argh, stupid!” I started picking up the lumber at ginaya ko ang mga ginagawa niyang kabisado ko na sa dahil pabalik balik niyang ginagawa, he would cut trees to make lumber, then attach it to the foundation and viola! You make a very little progress!
“What are you doing?”
“Can’t you see? I’m just helping so that it would be finished sooner at masira ko na rin!”
He smiled, “thank you.” I rolled my eyes.
This work is tougher than what I imagined! Pagod na pagod na ako umaga pa lang. Palagi akong napapatingin sa kaniya but wala man lang akong makitang kapaguran sa kaniya, ang gwapo niya pa rin! How unfair is that?
Napatingin siya sa akin, “are you tired? Magpahinga ka muna,” he said.
“As if!” Singhal ko.
We continued what we were doing.
He would wake up before the sun rises, at bago pa man ako magising, ay nakapagluto na siya ng pagkain namin. And I am always full. He would always greet me good morning bago kami magsimula, and kahit sa pagtatrabaho ay palagi niya akong kinukumusta, hindi lang iyan, kahit bago matulog he would tell me stories as if I’m a child. I find it annoying at first ngunit ‘di kalaunan ay nasanay na rin ako.
I woke up earlier this time, the sun hasn’t risen yet, nakita ko siyang nagluluto ng almusal but he didn’t notice me. I went to the bridge para, wala lang, magtulala. And after a few minutes our eyes met, he was shocked seeing me up this early. He just smiled.
And I don’t understand myself but that annoyed me.
The whole time we were working, he would always ask me what’s the problem, and I just rolled my eyes, like the usual.
And when we were about to sleep, he spoke. “Really, Estrelita, what’s the problem? Kanina mo pa ako hindi kinakausap.” Saad niya ngunit hindi ko pa rin siya pinansin.
“Okay then, hindi na muna kita gagambalain. Siguro naman bukas kakausapin mo na ako.” He was about to stand up when I stood up first–
“You didn’t greet me good morning.” I spatted and went straight to my hut. He stared at me as if he can’t believe what I just said.
I heard him laugh so hard outside.
And after months, finally, we finished fixing the bridge, or rebuilding it rather.
“It’s done! Ignacio it’s done!” Sobrang saya ko habang patalon talon sa tulay na ginawa namin.
“Puwede mo na sirain ulit.” saad niya.
“Are you crazy? Bakit ko sisirain ang pinaghirapan ko? Ano ako, stupida?”
“Hindi ba?” Tukso niya. Aba’t–
He gave me the most genuine smile so far, “You look prettier when you’re happy.” he said out of the blue.
I was startled. I mean, I’m a self proclaimed beautiful. I’m used to people complimenting me but when it comes to him, it’s different. I could literally feel...