Loving This Bitch

CHAPTER 13

"Where are they?" Tanong ko sabay lapag ng bag sa sofa.

She led me to the kitchen where Mommy and Sheldon were. As I entered, I saw them talking. I glanced at Sheldon's face, which had a smirk on it. They paused when they saw me.

"Hey, sister, you're here," he tapped the chair next to him, "Sit here," he ordered me.

I gave him a dirty look, but he just smirked again. He raised his eyebrows and stared me in the eyes. It felt like we were having a conversation through our eyes. I rolled my eyes at him and sat in front of him instead of beside him, before Mommy could notice.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I sat down. I didn't bother getting food yet; my mind was too preoccupied to eat.

"Nothing much, just Sheldon checking in on me," Mommy replied with a smile. I wanted to laugh at her act right now.

This is how she is in front of other people. She portrays herself as a kind mother, but it's the complete opposite when people aren't looking.

"Well, it's good that Sheldon checked on me now because I've been stressed out these past few days," she said, glancing at me. It's like she's implying that I'm the reason why she's stressed.

I rolled my eyes, barely concealing my annoyance. "Of course, blame it on me," I muttered under my breath, loud enough for her to hear. Mommy shot me a warning look, but I just smirked in response. She thinks she can manipulate everyone with her fake smiles and sweet words, but not me. I know her true colors.

Ignoring her, I excused myself from the table and headed upstairs to my room. There, I could finally relax and forget about Mommy's facade for a while. Nawalan ako ng gana kumain. Well, wala naman talaga akong ganang kumain lalo na't sila ang makakasabay ko. Wala akong balak kumain kasabay nila.

Nanood lang ako ng TV at gumawa ng kung ano-ano. Inayos ko ang vanity table at closet ko dahil medyo nagulo dahil sa pagmamadali ko kapag late ako sa school. Maya-maya ay naramdaman ko ang pag-ingay ng alaga ko sa tiyan.

Ghad, I'm hungry.

Siguro naman ay nakauwi na si Sheldon at wala na si Mommy sa sala. Alas diyes na ng gabi. Ganitong oras ay sarado na ang ilaw sa ibaba at wala nang tao. Pagkatapos kong magligpit at maligo ay bumaba ako para kumain. Binuksan ko ang ref at tiningnan ng pwedeng makakain. Nang makita ko ang tirang ulam ay agad ko iyong ininit. Habang nasa microwave ay kumuha ako ng kanin at nagtimpla rin ako ng gatas para mabilis akong makatulog.

I hurriedly finished my meal, fearing that Mommy or Manang Vicky might catch me here. I washed my dishes thoroughly to leave no trace behind. Once upstairs in my room, I turned on the TV. They say you shouldn't lie down or sleep immediately after eating. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was already midnight. I checked in with myself, but I didn't feel sleepy at all.

Restlessly, I flipped through the channels, searching for something to distract me from my racing thoughts. The quiet hum of the television filled the room, but it did little to ease the tension coiled tight in my chest. Despite the late hour, my mind buzzed with a whirlwind of emotions and concerns.

How could anyone be fooled by such transparent deception?

With a sigh, I turned off the TV and retreated to my bed, hoping that sleep would offer me some semblance of peace. But as I lay there in the darkness, the silence of the night whispered secrets I wasn't ready to confront. So I closed my eyes and willed myself to drift away, if only for a few precious hours.

The first class had ended, so I stepped out to grab some juice from the cafeteria. As I descended the stairs, I noticed a group of students gathering in front of the sliding door of our building. They cheered as it opened, revealing three guys entering. Since I was standing on the stairs, I could clearly see who they were.