As soon as Florence was able to open her door, agad niyang hinagis ang bag niya sa sofa at sunod binagsak ang katawan sa parehong sofa.
"My god, kapagod," saad niya at unti-unting pinakiramdaman ang sarili na makatulog. At kung kelan tuluyan na siyang makakatulog, saka naman tumunog ang kanyang selpon na nagsasaad ng tawag.
"Aaargh!" reklamo ni Florence at sinabunutan pa ang sarili.
Napilitan siyang tumayo at abutin ang cellphone sa kanyang bag.
Claire calling...
"Yung tulog ko ante," nanghihinayang na reklamo niya sa kanyang kaibigan... at landlady.
"Pasensya na madumb," pang-asar na sorry ni Claire.
Napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Florence.
"Bakit ba kase?" tanong ni Florence na may konting inis.
"Wala ka namang balak bayaran ng buo yung renta, anek? Parentahan ko na lang yung kalahati para may mapala naman ako," yun naman pala ang sadya niya.
"Kanino naman? Kilala ko ba yan?" tuluyan naman nang nagising si Florence at nag-inat ng katawan.
"Hindi, teh. Kakakilala ko nga lang sa kanya last week eh. Mabait naman 'to, don't worry," pagrereassure ni Claire at halata sa late na reply ni Florence na hindi siya kumbinsido.
"Okay, so kelan lilipat dito?" tanong ni Florence.
"In about... five minutes,"
"Ha— what?!"
"Bye!" agad na binaba ni Claire ang tawag and even if Florence tries to call her back, Claire won't answer.
"She's out of her mind!" Florence literally shouted and right after, the door bell rang.
There they come.
Florence sighed before approaching the door. She looked around the house for a second and she knew it. The house was a mess and it was something she was worried about. Sumilip siya sa peephole and her eyes widened when she saw her new roommate.
It's a guy!
Putagina mo, Claire! She mumbled to herself.
She put on her welcoming smile and opened the door.
"Hi, you must be my new roommate," welcomed Florence.
"Hello," the guy paused for a moment.
"...Claire didn't told me anything about you," he must've realized just now that he'll be staying with a girl, too.
"Same here," she chuckled and opened the door wide.
The guest came in with his luggage.
"I'm sorry the house is a mess," she apologized and closed the door behind them.
"Yeah, it is," he finally hit a nerve.
Florence's head started throbbing in annoyance but still managed to smile.
"Your room's going to be on the right side of the second floor," Florence informed.
Giving the house's architectural layout, nasa gitnang banda ang hagdan and it completely divide the rooms on the second floor. It's easy to tell where's the right and left side rooms. So as for this situation, nasa left side ng second floor ang kwarto ni Florence and she's grateful she won't have to walk pass the new guy's room.
Pakitang true colors na agad? Sige, mas okay na 'yun. She thought to herself.
The new guy went on upstairs with his stuff at tiningnan lang siya ni Florence. She finds it rude how he didn't even feel "welcoming". Naturally, kahit sinong tao ang first time mong ma-meet, you try to show them a friendly front to at least assure that you're a good person. But right now? She's not sure if the person she let in was a good person like what Claire said on the phone.
But he knows Claire!
Boba! That doesn't solves it!
Florence conversed with herself.
This is the perfect time for insomnia to kick in but she could feel her body is tired. Ikaw ba naman magdamag nakatayo, maglakad, at makipaghalobilo?
Since she's really concerned of her safety at the moment, napagdesisyunan niya na kumuha ng kutsilyo sa kusina and kept it close. She decided that she'll sleep on the couch tonight and stay awake for as long as she can. Tinago ni Florence ang kutsilyo sa ilalim ng unan sa sofa at bilang isang manunulat na kung saan-saan na lang nakatutulog sa bahay, she has some blankets kept inside the living room's cabinets kung saan nakaligpit rin ang mga notebook at ballpen na halos hindi pa nagagamit just so she could write her thoughts and ideas anytime.
Her situation was so sudden and she wanted to complain so bad, but she concluded it won't do her any good.
I'll get my peace of mind tomorrow. She told herself to stay awake. She'd rely on the small possibility that her knife will keep her safe if ever she fall asleep.
Let's just hope she'd make it the next day.
YOU ARE READING
Street Lights and Starry Night
General FictionFlorence left all of her unfortunate events in life in the past. She's moving on forward. But what could go wrong in a perfect life, perfect fame, perfect story, of a writer's journey with a painter housemate called Von?
