Paradise (Book One)

Wide Awake

I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake
Yeah, I was in the dark
I was falling hard
With an open heart
I'm wide awake
How did I read the stars so wrong?
I'm wide awake
And now it's clear to me
That everything you see
Ain't always what it seems
I'm wide awake
Yeah, I was dreaming for so long

I wish I knew then
What I know now
Wouldn't dive in
Wouldn't bow down
Gravity hurts
You made it so sweet
'Til I woke up on
On the concrete

Falling from cloud nine
Crashing from the high
I'm letting go tonight
Yeah, I'm falling from cloud nine

I'm wide awake
Not losing any sleep
I picked up every piece
And landed on my feet
I'm wide awake
Need nothing to complete myself, no

I'm wide awake
Yeah, I am born again
Out of the lion's den
I don't have to pretend
And it's too late
The story's over now, the end

I wish I knew then
What I know now
Wouldn't dive in
Wouldn't bow down
Gravity hurts
You made it so sweet
'Til I woke up on
On the concrete

Falling from cloud nine (it was out of the blue)
I'm crashing from the high
I'm letting go tonight (yeah, I'm letting you go)
I'm falling from cloud nine

I'm wide awake
Thunder rumbling
Castles crumbling
I'm wide awake
I am trying to hold on
I'm wide awake
God knows that I tried
Seeing the bright side
I'm wide awake
I'm not blind anymore...

I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake

Yeah, I'm falling from cloud nine (it was out of the blue)
I'm crashing from the high
You know I'm letting go tonight (yeah, I'm letting you go)
I'm falling from cloud nine

I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake

"Gerald?"

"Good morning!" bati ni Gerald sa dalaga.

Bumangon siya.

"Anong..? Aray!" biglang sapo ni Asher sa kanyang ulo.

"Here, take this. It will ease the pounding of your head," sabay abot sa kanya ng basong may gamot.

"What's this?"

"It's just Alka-Seltzer. For hangovers."

She sipped a little.

"Go on. It's not harmful. After a while, mawawala na yang sakit ng ulo mo."

Inubos na ni Asher ang laman ng baso. "Paano mo nalamang..."

"Si yaya Luring. Nag-alala na rin sa 'yo ang matanda. Wala ka raw paalam na umalis kahapon."

"Balak ko namang tumawag sa kanya kagabi, kaya lang..."

"Kaya lang nilunod mo sarili mo sa alak sa kung anong dahilan. Bakit ka nga ba nag-inom kagabi?"

"Wala. I just tried," pagsisinungaling niya.

"And did you like it?"

"Nope."

"Then don't do it again. And it's not in you para maglasing. Hindi mo kaya. I'll go downstairs na. I'll leave you to your morning rituals." Then he left the room.

Iba ang naging interpretation ni Asher sa sinabi ni Gerald. Hindi niya kayang maging tulad ng mga babae nito.

Nawala sakit ng ulo niya sa sinabi nito dahil para siyang dinagukan ng mga salitang yon.