Victoria

CHAPTER 13

Martes ng umaga. Isang araw makalipas ang nangyaring bangungot sa akin na si Adrian.

Unlike my usual self, gumising ako nang maaga hindi para magluto ng almusal o gumawa ng kung anong produktibong bagay, kundi para tumanga lang.

My arms were open wide, my eyes focused on the ceiling, particularly on a spider weaving its web at the corner. It was a tiny one. With black body and limbs so frail that it looked like it will snap with even just a tap from my finger.

How curious. The movement of its limbs crafting its nest was fascinating. I watched it for heaven knows how long until the spider finished what it was doing and slowly turned its beady eyes on me.

Why can I see it up close? Why are you looking at me, spider?

Everything was still at the moment. As if time stopped.

Until I heard the footspes coming from the room next to me. At once, I broke eye contact from the spider and looked towards my door.

"Victoria?"

Adrian.

"Yes?"

"Let's go down together."

"Okay. Give me a second."

Coming down from my bed, I straightened my pajamas and combed my hair.

Slipping into warm slippers, I took one last look to that spider on the ceiling and found it to be gone.

Then I noticed the tiny webs dropping from the ceiling to the wall until it led me down the floor.

I see. It left its nest and followed me, is what I thought as I stare at that tiny  creature moving towards the direction of my toes.

How little. How...vulnerable.

It'll take one step from me and it will die...

"Victoria?"

"One second."

It was only a hair-length away from my toes when I finally opened the door to my room.

Before I leave the room entirely, I stomped on that spider's body gently, crushing its entire existence with my foot.

Satisfied, I went outside and met Adrian's signature smile as he pulled me to his arm.

"Slept well?" he asked.

Tumango lang ako at ngumiti nang bahagya.

"Luto na siguro ang breakfast. Si Lola na naman ata ang naunang magising," pahayag nito.

"You should make dinner then."

"I probably should. Is there anything you would like me to cook then?"

I shook my head gently and hid my face to his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist.

Fuck, I want to punch his face so bad.

Anyway, we went downstairs afterwards and ate breakfast with Lola. Then we got into his car and went to uni together.

At that point, I was holding back so much. I tried my hardest not to smack his face, even when he held my hand and kissed my cheek a few times.

I stealthily left his side as soon as the customers started pouring in. I drowned myself with work, acting all business-as-usual.

Nakakapagod rin palang umakto na parang okay lang ang lahat. Pero ano pa ba ang magagawa ko? Nasimulan ko naman na ito.

"V, okay ka lang? Tulala ka na naman ah," untag sa akin ni Trixie nang madaan ito sa harap ko.

"Ayos lang ako. Baka gutom lang 'to."