STRINGS (UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 2

"Go pack your things na."

***

"Have you already told them?" Mina asked.

Billy sighed. He opened the canned beer and drank a little before answering her sister.

"I don't know how to tell them, Mina. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula. Ano na lang ang magiging reaksyon nila pag nalaman nilang hindi na talaga kami magkakabalikan ng daddy nila?"

"At least you're not giving them false hopes this time. Ate, I think they should know."

"Kung ganon lang sana kadali. Alam mo ba kung ano pa ang sinabi ng gagong 'yon? He told me it's not my fault that he fell out of love with me. Ano sa tingin mo ang mararamdaman ko dahil don? Gusto kong ipaglaban yong pamilya ko because I don't want my kids to end up like me. Like us. Hiwalay ang mga magulang. Pero paano ko ipaglalaban yong pamilyang pinakaiingatan ko kung yong mismong pinaglalaban ko sumuko na?" Billy sniffed and wiped off her tears.

"Ate.." Mina pulled her sister for an embrace. She let Billy cry her heart out. She needed it. She needed to let go.

It took Billy almost an hour to finally calm down. Her eyes were red and swollen but she felt light.

"What? You mean Natasha Elizarde? Seriously?" Mina exclaimed when she told her about her new job.

"Bakit? Kilala mo siya?" She asked confusedly, pulling a couple of tissue from the box.

"She's a famous influencer, ate. She owned the Couture."

"Yes, nalaman ko lang din kanina. And?"

Mina pouted at her dull response. "Palibhasa kasi napaka oldie ng fashion sense mo kaya di mo siya kilala. Here.." Mina brought out her phone and showed her an instagram account. It was Natasha's. She has hundreds of thousands of followers. She didn't know she was that famous. Mina then showed her a couple of her posts. And she finally understood her sister's disappointment.

"How is she in person, ate? Totoo ba ang sabi nila na suplada siya?"

Billy recalled her first day with her new boss. She was not that haughty. Maybe because she was just too pretty that people would misunderstood her. She was pretty nice actually.

"Hindi naman. Mabait naman siya. I don't know. I just met her today so I can't really tell."

"Sobrang ganda ba talaga niya? Does she look like the photos on the web?"

Billy laughed at her sister's query. "Sira. Malamang. Mas maganda siya actually in person."

"Can you get me her autograph, please?"

"Naku, ayoko nga!"

Mina locked her arm around her. And Billy knew to well that her sister wouldn't stop pestering her unless she says yes.

"Fine, fine. I'll try but I won't promise, okay?"

"Good to me. Thanks, ate. And I should be going. Baka hinahanap na ako ni Mama." Mina stood up and grabbed her bag on the table.

"Pakisabi kay Mama dadalaw ako sa susunod na linggo."

"You should! She's already bugging me because of it." Mina kissed her cheek. "Alis na ako."

"Ingat ka." Billy accompanied Mina outside. She waited until she got in the cab before going inside. She then cleaned the table before going to her bed after checking her sons who was so fast asleep.

Billy changed into her pajamas and slipped on the cover to finally sleep. She was tired. Just when she closed her eyes, she heard her door opening. Billy already knew who was it. She remained to be asleep and waited for her twins to join her on the bed. It has always been like that since she and David broke up. The kids will sleep in their room but still ends up on her bed, her, sandwich in between them.