Heat Wave (Disaster Series #2)

Kabanata 18

Past

I woke up feeling the unbearable heat on my face. Today, the sun rose with its casual elegance. It wrapped its alluring tentacle of light around me, as if engaging me to give her back the same glaring smile.

She shines at me with all her glory but today, I couldn't seem to shine back and give her the same energy.

I am tired, worn out, and lost.

"I'm sorry to have wake you up. Pwede kang lumipat sa backseat para maiwasan ang sobrang init ng araw," that same warm voice made me realize where I was.

I am in a car with a woman named Therese. I met her yesterday as Tita Reesa's guest but I personally don't know who she really is. Basta na lang akong sumama sa kanya dahil sa bugso ng mga emosyon.

Napatingin ako sa kanya habang nakaabang na ang mga mata niya sa akin.

Her eyes seems to be a reflection of my hazel brown eyes. Only that hers are brighter and seems to be painted by a pure and refreshing hope. I don't have that. It faded just yesterday and left no traces to be seen today.

"Nasaan po tayo, Ma'am Therese?" Napalinga ako sa labas ng bintana ng kotse pero kaagad ding nasilaw sa sobrang liwanag ng araw.

"We're in front of your Tita Reesa's house. I'm sorry... I know you just said that you wanted to go somewhere far away from here. I've been driving in circles since last night but I can't seem to decide where to take you. Kailangan mo pa ring magpaalam sa Tita mo, sa Mama mo..."

Marahan siyang ngumiti sa akin. Bahagya akong natigilan dahil sa ekspresyon niya. Alam kong hindi ko siya kilala pero para bang may kakaiba sa kanyang nagpapagaan ng loob ko.

And her presence even soothed me all throughout our conversation with Tita Reesa.

"Why are you deciding this all of a sudden, hija?"

Tita Reesa stopped sipping on her tea and brought the tea cup down the table. She examined my expression and her thoughts seem to submerge even deeper.

Hindi ako sigurado kung sasabihin ko ba sa kanya ang totoong nangyari. Ayaw ko ring idamay pa sila tungkol sa nangyari sa pagitan namin ni Mama.

Ni Mama... Sinabi ko na kahapon na gusto ko nang putulin ang koneksyon sa pagitan naming dalawa bilang mag-ina. Pero sanay pa rin akong tawagin siya ng ganoon. Dahil kahit papaano, naging ina naman siya para sa akin.

"Gusto ko ko pong manirahan ng malayo rito, Tita." Napayuko ako dahil sa isinagot.

How could I possibly live far away from here, anyway? I don't have the money and the means to live on my own.

Pero makakahanap rin naman siguro ako ng trabaho. Ng kahit na anong gawain kahit pa gaano kaliit ang suweldo. Ayaw ko na rito.

There's nothing in El Valencia but all the reminders of how I don't belong anywhere in here. The town has deemed me a worthless and cheap woman. The school almost expelled me for doing absolutely nothing wrong. The students always look at me with their eyes mockingly. And the woman I used to call as my mother only used me.

And then the only person that made me feel alive and feel perfect despite my imperfections, now doesn't want to see me.

I have nothing left for me to stay...

"She can live with me, Reesa. I'll take care of her," sabat ni Ma'am Therese.

Hindi ko maitago ang gulat at pagkamangha ng lingunin siya. I just came to meet her yesterday and she's now willing to take me under her care. We're basically complete strangers.