Last night, after kong mag-change ng pambahay ay bumalik ako sa labas para nga makakain. The dinner went fine. Quietly. It was awkward. We didn't address the matter since nasa harap kami ng pagkain.

After we all ate, I tried to present myself para maghugas ng mga pinagkainan nami pero umangal si ate Jill na siya na lang daw. Ayun, wala akong takas sa 'talking stage' because of what I did.

Of course, I didn't tell them where I went.

I just told them na dumiretso ako sa isang internet café kung saan akong nagpupunta araw-araw. Kung saan ako dumidiretso pagkatapos ng klase, kung saan ako palaging nakatambay, at kung saa ako naabutan ng gabi.

Truth be told, I don't go anywhere else except dun sa place namin ni papa or kina Mars.

I lied, again.

They were angry. Of course. I mean, who wouldn't be? Apakapasaway ko, eh. That's what they think. And I go with the flow.

I don't talk back. Ever. Or even defend myself from them.

Because one, hindi siya tama dahil ng mas nakakatanda sila. Two, if I did, I'll just start tearing up. And three, baka lumaki pa.

Perks of being a soft-hearted maldita.

Now, eto na naman ako. Nagising ng mga ilang minutes parin before my default alarm. Pinagpapawisan at pilit hinahabol ang hininga.

"Shocks..." I said and nilagay ang tumbler pabalik sa night stand ko pagkatapos uminom.

I decided to just use my phone na muna since maaga pa naman. I know, kung kahapon nagmamadali akong umalis ng bahay para hindi na nila ako maabutan, now naman ay pinagsabihan ako ni mama na dapat nandito pa ako pagkagising nila.

Ah, breakfast with them.

As I was surfing through my phone, I decided to open my message app.

1 notification from Auntie R1sa

I opened it and immediately chuckled when I read her message.

From: Auntie R1sa

.

8:38 pm

Auntie Ana Theresia never fails to make me laugh. Siya palagi ang pinagbi-ventan ko if not Mars. Nahihiya talaga kase akong mag-open up kina mama or my ates, eh.

"Nicolette," I heard a knock from the other side of the door. "Maligo ka na raw at para makakain na tayo."

Hala, andali naman ata ng oras. Alas kuwarto pa lang nung gumising ako, ah. Now, it's already almost six.

"Opo..." I responsed.

I went straight to the bathroom afterwards and napaisip kong tagalan ang pagligo para kaunting oras lang ako mamaya makakaharap sakanila pero panira talaga ang tyan ko.

It burped like an angry Dinosaur.

After showering, I changed into some usual comfortable clothes. Today is Friday so wash day ng school. We're free to wear a non-uniform outfit as long as nakakapasa ito sa outfit guidelines thingy ng school.

"Sit down, Sam." Mama said when I got to the dinning. She was still wearing her sleeping clothes just like my ates but may apron siyang suot. "Bacon for you, Tortang talong for your ates as what they have requested to have."

I'm allergic to eggplant. Nangangati ang tongue and throat ko'y sumisikip.

"Good morning, mama, ates..." I shyly greeted them at mahinhin na umupo sa silya. They all greeted me back at nagsimula na kaming kumain.

Breakfast now isn't the same awkward dinner last night. They chitchat and sometimes I talk and speak, too, when I get spoken to.

"I'll brush my teeth na po." I said when I finished my last piece of bacon tsaka tumayo at nilagay sa sink ang plate na pinaggamitan ko.

"Iwan mo nalang ang plate mo jaan, aki ko. We'll be the one who'll wash it na." I gave them a smile and went to brush my teeth.

I was busy putting stuff in my bag when I heard a knock from my slightly opened door.

"Cole, diretso uwi pagkatapon ng school, please." It was ate Pat.

"Ate, one hour and thirty minutes lang po, please." I begged. I'll use that time to go to papa. Kahit kaunting oras lang. Kahit hindi ko na tapusin ang 30 minutes na hinihingi ko.

"Computer shop na naman, bunso." Naiiling niyang sabi. "You have a computer here naman, ah. You can download there. Or better use your PS5."

Anak ng... Lumusot ka, mareng JL.

"An hour and thirty minutes lang talaga, ate. Kahit hindi ko na sasagarin ang thirty, please po." I gave her my sweetest puppy eyes. "Please, ate Pat ko..."

"You're being unfair, Missy. You're always using your puppy face to me, ah. You know that I can't tanggi you with that. But sige na nga. Wag lalagpas, baka ma-late pa tayo later." We both laughed. I decided to walk towards her to give her a thankful hug with a small "thank you, ate..." As we were hugging, she spoke, "you, ha. You're meeting someone there, 'no?"

I pulled back from the hug and made a face. "What? No!" I said, feeling embarrassed kahit na wala naman talaga. Well, si papa and si Mars lang.

"Hmm." Pangaasar parin ng kapatid ko. "You ha, you're only fifteen." I didn't speak and just waited for her to continue talking. "Pero kahit na. You're growing up too fast, Nicolette. Laki na ng bread buddy ko."

"Ate naman..." I said and sat down on my bed's edge. "Promise po, wala akong special someone right now. And, I'm turning sixteen soon, 'no. And again, I'm still and always will be your pandesal partner."

We both talked for a lil bit more before I bid my goodbye to her dahil baka ma-late ako sa klase.

"Labs na labs ka namin, bunso..." I just gave her a smile as I continued to lock my room and began to walk away. "Always remember that..."

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