Here, Under the Stars

CHAPTER 16

I can't stop thinking about Magui.

I noticed the time and it was almost lunchtime. Isa sa mga bilin ni Cleo ang pakainin si Magui dahil anorexic siya. It explains why she has the most leftovers or sometimes, she wouldn't eat at all.

Magui's only been here for 3 days but I already notice a lot about her.

Nagtingin ako sa ref ng maluluto. I decided to cook Tinola para may sabaw siya. I placed a cup of rice on a tray together with a bowl of Tinola. I also placed a glass of water before I knocked in her room.

She opened it after a while.

"Kain na." I entered her room and placed the tray on the side table.

"I'm not hungry." She said coldly.

"You have to. Papagalitan ako ni Cleo kapag hindi ka kumain." I told her before leaving.

I went to the kitchen to get my own food. After eating, I washed my dishes before I went back to the studio to continue composing a song.

"When I look into your eyes,
I see a paradise,
That no one could ever see,
Or ever feel, or ever get a glimpse of.
You're driving me crazy"

I looked at the timer and noticed that I have been composing for four hours already. Sa loob ng apat na oras, I only wrote 5 lines.

Hindi naman madaling magcompose ng kanta. I wrote Nights of December for almost 4 months so it's okay if I can't finish a whole song for four hours.

I decided to get some fresh air when I noticed Magui's tray on the sink.

"Wow, simot!" I commented when I saw that there was nothing left but chicken bones. There was not even a single grain of rice left.

I took a picture of it and sent it to Cleo.

To: Cleyow 🥁
[Photo]
She ate her lunch.

From: Cleyow 🥁
Kung alam ko lang, sana ikaw na lang pinagluluto ko araw-araw para lang kumain si Magui.

To: Cleyow 🥁
Raulo!

I cleaned Magui's dishes before I changed clothes. I was about to leave when I remembered Magui. It's unhealthy to stay indoors for the whole day so she should get some sun.

I knocked in her room once more and she opened it.

"Let's walk outside," I told her.

"I can't. I might overwork myself again."

"I'm not going to let you. Please, Magui. You need some sun."

Magui told me that she'll just change her clothes. I waited for her in the living room. She went out wearing an oversized shirt and track pants. One of her pant legs was a bit raised. She always wears her pants like that.

We started walking around the village. Magui was ahead of me so I can monitor her condition. While walking, I can't help but take a picture of her.

4shipr1v: You make me wanna reside in your presence.

After a 15-minute walk, I told Magui to rest first. She sat down by the bench while I bought 2 bottled waters in a sari-sari store nearby. I handed her the other one before I sat beside her.

"Thank you." She said without looking at me.

I didn't respond.

Instead, I took a drink before I ran around the park. I took 3 laps before I went back to the bench where I left Magui.