When Day 32 Starts...

Chapter 2 - Red

"Bakit hindi ako pwedeng pumunta?"

"Ayaw ni tatay," sagot ko sa kanya.

"So? Ang laki-laki mo na. Can't you decide for yourself?" medyo iritado nyang tanong.

"Kapag nasa pamamahay nya ako, susunod ako sa kanya."

"E di lumabas ka ng bahay."

I rolled my eyes. Diyos kong mahabagin naman, nang nagpa-ulan Ka po ba ng katigasan ng ulo, nagpapalakihan ng pansahod si Kent at ang tatay ko? Why won't any of them listen to me? My father doesn't like compromising and Kent's just as stubborn.

"Kent—"

He sighed exasperatedly. "Jazz, it's been two days."

"I know." I slumped back to bed. Dalawang araw na kaming hindi nagkikita mula noong ihatid nya ako pauwi kaya pasyahan sya ng pagtawag sa 'kin. Si tatay naman kasi, ni ayaw papuntahin sa bahay si Kent. Kapag naman nagpapaalam akong lalabas, nagagalit ito. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin kaya nagmumukmok na lang ako sa kwarto ko.

Pagdating kay Toby, pwede lahat. Ako pa ang pinipilit na lumabas ng bahay para makipagdate. Ang unfair!

"You have to do something about it. Hindi ako tatagal sa gantong setup. It's worse than LDR!" reklamo nya.

"Well, what do you suggest? It's not like pwede akong pumuslit na lang—" Biglang natahimik ang kabilang linya. "So gusto mong pumuslit ako palabas ng sarili kong bahay?!"

"Sa 'yo nanggaling 'yan."

"But you were thinking it!"

I heard him sigh. "It's the only solution I could think of, okay?"

"Kapag nahuli ako ng tatay ko, ikakadena nya 'ko rito. Lalo ka nang nawalan ng pag-asa."

"Then let me come over there. I'll talk to him."

"He hates you," I said as a matter-of-fact.

Kent grunted on the other line. This is getting really frustrating.

"Kuya! Okay na 'yung potatoes. What should I cut next?"

"Teka, nandyan ba si Gale?"

"Yeah. She asked me to teach her how to cook."

"Kuya, si Jazz ba 'yan? Hi Jazzy!" I imagined Gale waving at the phone, wearing an apron and a curly hair. Why would she want to learn how to cook?

Oh... right. For Rico.

"I'll put you on speaker."

Maya-maya'y naging buzzy ang kabilang linya. Parang pumasok lahat ng sound. I must be on loudspeaker already.

"Hi Gale."

"Bakit hindi kayo lumalabas ni Kuya? He's been cranky. Nami-miss ka na yata."

"Hey! Go cut the bell peppers!" It became quiet again. "Forget what she just said."

"Why? I liked what she said," I teased.

"Shut up."

Tumawa ako. And then, a bright idea came to mind. Why didn't I think of that earlier? It might work. Walang masama kung hindi susubukan. At malamang sa hindi, hindi makakatanggi si tatay.

"Hey, may naisip ako. Why don't you ask Gale to come over here?"

"And?"

"Let her pretend na inaaya nya akong gumala or something. And then magkita na lang tayo kapag nasa labas na ako."