Monarch High: War of the Brats

CHAPTER 47

I sat over a plate of bubble and squeak topped with two fried eggs and contemplated the canvas, all blocked out and ready for colors. The brushy tail, almost touching the piece of cloth framed as a surface for a painting, created a smeared mark on its skin.

Kaagad kong binitawan ang paintbrush na hawak at mabilis na inalis sa aking hita ang canvas at inilagay sa pinakamalapit na sofa. I focused on eating my breakfast, but my mind drifted to something else. Successional shakes of my head almost made me feel so dizzy. Kinagat ko ang labi ko at bumaba ang tingin sa pagkain.

How I wished there's someone with me to distract me from whatever I'm thinking, now. It feels so hard to be alone because this is always the time when frightening thoughts come over to fill the distracted space in my mind.

I was eating breakfast when my phone vibrated. I checked who was the one who messaged me. Kaagad kong nakitang si Mae iyon, I read her message.

Mae:

Where are you? Nasa condo ka?

My brows furrowed. She must be free today. Baka naisip nito na pwede kaming lumabas. I wanted a distraction, and she's exactly what I want.

Ako:

Yes. Why? Libre ka? Labas tayo.

I took a morsel of my breakfast. Kahit ayokong kasama ang babaeng 'to dahil sa kaingayan nya, sya talaga ang kailangan ko ngayong araw. Maliban sa sya lang ang libre, madaldal sya at alam kong makakalimutan ko ang mga iniisip ko.

I read her reply.

Mae:

'Wag kang umalis sa condo mo, okay? Papunta na ako dyan. Anong room number mo?

Napakurap ako saka nag-reply ng room number ko. I put my phone down and ate my breakfast. When I was done, I cleaned my dishes before watching a movie. Medyo natagalan pa bago ang reply ni Mae.

Mae:

Saan ka?

Ako:

Sa condo nga.

Hindi na sya nakapagreply ulit kaya tumutok ako sa netflix series na pinapanood ko. I baked cookies from earlier, and that's why may kinakain ako ngayon habang nanonood. My phone vibrated again.

Mae:

Coming.

Mabilis kong binalik ang cellphone sa bulsa ko. I quickly focused on what I was watching when someone knocked on the door. Hindi ako tumayo nung una dahil malapit na 'yung climax ng pinapanood pero lalong lumakas ang pagkatok. I paused the video and stood up.

I was frowning while pulling my hair into a bun. Habang binubuksan ko ang pinto ay nagtatali ako ng buhok. I thought it was Mae, but when the door opened widely, I instantly froze on my place. My eyes widened, and I was startled for a moment that it made me utterly speechless.

I didn't know Pip had this effect on me.

But, wait. What is he doing here, anyway?!

Nakita ko kung paano nya ako padasahan ng tingin. I suddenly felt uncomfortably conscious with his critical observations, sabayan pa nang sunod-sunod na paglunok nya. His eyes stopped on my exposed stomach. Kaagad kong ibinaba ang kamay ko mula sa ulo ko. I was wearing a crop top and a short pants that's only reaching a small part of my thighs.