Pillows and Hoodies

Chapter 11

"Why am I seeing petals falling amidst a pinkish light?" Mom suddenly blurted out.

Can't help but smile. Mike and Kelly seemed like they didn't hear what she said, though.

"What petals are you talking about?" Dad interrupted her. "Let's drive home before it gets dark."

I am more like my mom but not a Mama's boy if you know what I mean. I got Mom's looks and she has Dad's features. Mom's also a sweet thing but easily freaks out like me. So, it didn't surprise me if my mom felt something special between Mike and Kelly because I'm the same.

The first week of school went by smoothly. We met our classmates and professors on each subject. We also jammed with our roommates. I have a roommate who lives in the faraway province of Batanes and another one in Sorsogon in the Bicol region. Because of the distance, they will only return home during the school break.

"Are you ready?" I asked. It's time for us to go home.

"Yeah, but let me just keep my pillow inside my locker."

He properly folded the blanket and put it on top of the pillow which Kelly gave him, then placed it at the topmost part inside the locker.

"Why would you do that?" I curiously questioned him.

"I don't want anyone to use it besides me. I'm privy about personal things," he casually said.

"But it's only a pillow," I fixed my eyes on him.

"It's my pillow. I just can't let others use it." He sounded like a possessive boyfriend.

"Even me?"

"Yes, even you," he said with a smirk.

"You're crazy!" I told him, shaking my head from left to right.

"I'm not!" he protested.

Outside of the campus, we took a bus going to Cubao, and from there, we booked a Grab going to Antipolo. It was a three-and-a-half-hour ride from Laguna to Antipolo.

"Let's have breakfast in our house before you go home. Anyway, your mom and dad are surely in the hospital by now," I offered.

"Yeah, they are. And I'm really hungry, too," he admitted. While inside the bus, I can hear our stomachs growling and we kept laughing every time. The dorm canteen is still closed when we left and didn't have time to go to the nearest fast food.

Inside the village, a few steps away from our house, we saw a boy, or a man, walking out of the door. Can't figure out if he's the same age as Kelly.

"Who the hell is that?" I asked. Mike simply shrugged his shoulders.

As soon as I opened the door, Kelly greeted us.

"Hey! You're here!?" she cheerfully asked.

We put our bags on the floor and went straight to the kitchen. Mike remained quiet.

"Did you just have a visitor today?" I started.

Mike washed his hands and took two plates. There's still some leftover fried rice and adobo on the table.

"Um, he's one of my classmates. He thought of dropping by after his jog," she said while pulling out a chair to sit beside Mike.

"This early?" I continued to question her.

"Duh? It's already 9:30 a.m. Besides, he's a friend. We've been classmates since the seventh grade," she said sarcastically.

Mike had started eating while I was questioning Kelly.