Silver Lining in the Clouds (Erudite Series #2)

Kapitulo 27

Habang nagha-highlight, I saw my phone light up. I checked it and saw my friends calling me through video call. I answered it and put my stuff down. Humiga ako saglit sa bed while talking to them.

"Anjel, my love, I'm sorry I wasn't able to go to you! Finals finished na talaga, I can come to you na!" Phyllis said.

"Me too, sorry, babe!" si Rose. "It's fine, guys, I know you're all busy. Nauunawaan ko naman." Agap ko.

"I still wish I went there, kung alam ko lang..." si Phyllis habang naglalagay ng facemask. "I can come there na, I'll have a sleepover!"

"You're not going to ask man lang the owner of the condo, Phyllis? Nako, Anjel, I say ban this girl!" ani Rose habang humihiga sa kanyang couch yata.

"Agreed, paki-ban, Anjel." Segunda ni Cian. "Grabe," natatawa kong saad.

"How are you, Anjel?" seryoso ang boses ni Trina. She's reading yata. I don't know how she's doing that while hearing all of our voices.

"Ayos lang. I've been trying to be thrifty," kumunot ang noo ng mga kaibigan ko ng sabay-sabay except for Cian.

"What do you mean? Why? Ang sabi ni Cian nag-away lang kayo nina Tita, ah?" si Rose.

"They also cut off my allowance, said they'll only pay for my tuition fee. Kaya ang ginagamit ko sa ngayon ay personal money ko,"

"She'll apply to my Tito's telecom company to work," sabi ni Cian. "Kaya mo?" pagkuwestiyon ni Phyllis.

"Let's see," I said. "If not, I can always freelance," dagdag ko.

"I hate your parents," malamig na utas ni Rose habang hindi nakatingin sa camera. Natahimik ang iba kong mga kaibigan.

And, I didn't feel the need to defend my parents because I know what they'd done. I know what they're capable of. And, these people are my friends—probably the people who love me the most.

"That's a strong word, Rose." Paalala ni Trina habang nagbabasa pa rin.

"I've always hated them, but I kept it to myself." Biglang sabi ni Phyllis habang naglalagay ng lipbalm sa lips niya.

"Sorry, Anjel, pero I can't see a strong reason for them to do that to you. You're their responsibility, and they deprive you of money now? Apart from the constant fucking nagging, ito pa? Hindi ko na kaya. You might get angry with me, Anjel, pero grabe na kasi." paliwanag ni Rose.

"Rose," pigil ni Trina.

"Hindi, I have to get this out, I might push our friend to finally stand up against her villains of parents." Sabi naman ni Rose.

"Rosalinda!" awat muli ni Trina. Hindi naman nakinig si Rose.

"I don't know how far they're going to go just to make you like them, Anjel. And, I know you don't want to be like them. Kaya nga you began to choose for yourself when college began, right? You were nervous pa nung una, you were telling us that. You already knew the consequences of your actions if you failed to always be a part of the DL, alam na alam mo na. It's heartbreaking that you've been killing yourself to produce the results that they want."

Nobody said anything after Rose's words. Her tone of speaking was even restricted even when I think she could have shouted or said those words loudly. Nagpipigil pa rin ng galit si Rose. Maybe even Phyllis.

"You're one of my best friends, and it's unfair for me to keep seeing you suffer like this when I know you're a good person." She adds after breathing heavily. "'Wag ka na matakot, magalit ka na sa kanila, please. Demand their respect, please. I know that you've been living in this fear of being abandoned if you weren't the best academically because that's how they raised you. But I'm begging you now to erase your fear, if you don't, you'll regret it."