Same Ground // Joao Constancia [ON GOING]

Chapter 7

I glared at him, isa pa sasapakin ko na 'to.

"Okay fine. Mind your own business then." At hindi ko na siya naharap. I don't care if he stares at me the whole god damn time.

Hindi muna ako tumayo sa kinauupuan ko dahil ayaw ko pa talagang umuwi.

"Bro, ang suplada pala niyang babaeng hinatid mo kagabi..." I looked at the direction kung saan ko narinig yung nagsalita.

I looked back at them and saw Joao and a guy that reminds me of Francisco Lachowski.

"C'mon Ethan, amg ingay mo narinig ka..." Joao hissed.

The guy looked at me in shock, magulat ka lang ang ingay mo kasi kaya ka naririnig.

I went to the buffet and get another meal, stress-eating at its finest. Mag-strestress eating ako today, and nobody can stop me.

I saw Joao lining up also, takaw din pala neto, but napansin kong vegetables ang kinuha niya.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay ng nakita niya akong nakatingin sakanya.

"Love what you see?" he asked me.

Wow, kung ano ang ikinapal ng kilay niya yun din ang ikinapal ng mukha niya.

"Yes, I love food." I replied. Narinig ko siyang tumawa.

"I'm not joking." seryoso kong sinabi. "Takaw mo," singit niya at tumawa siya ulit.

"Isa pa, Joao kakaladkadin kita papalabas dito...I am dead serious...Wala ako sa mood ngayon wag kang paepal..." at umalis na ako sa harapan niya. Ang bastos kasi, nangsisira ng araw.

I didn't look back at him habang ako'y papabalik sa upuan ko.

"That guy is getting on my nerves..." bulong ko sa sarili ko.

I stayed there for almost 2 hours. Wala eh, ayaw ko pang umuwi.

I was eating when my phone vibrated.

From: Mother Dear 👩
Where are you?

Bigla akong kinabahan sa nabasa ko. Lalo naman akong nawalan ng ganang umuwi. Naiiyak nanaman ako tuwing naalala ko yung nangyari kanina lang.

I was texting Mama back when someome threw a used tissue at me, nung una hindi ko muna pinansin dahil baka may mga batang naglalaro sa paligid baka di nila sinasadyang itapon yun.

To: Mother Dear 👩
I wento out saglit I'll be home soon.

May nagtapon naman sa akin ng green vegetables. Now I know who it did but I didn't mind.

From: Mother Dear 👩
Get home now. Wala ka nalang ginawa kundi maglakwatsa. Wala kang kwenta!

Tears pooled under my eyes. Amara, wag kang iiyak dito. Mapapahiya ka.

From: Mother Dear 👩
Get home now, Amara!

He then threw another vegetable at ngayon may kasama ng sauce o kung ano man yun.

Great. Lalo akong nagmukhang ulila.

I looked at him sakto't tumatawa siya but the other guy looked concerned. Tumutulo ang luha ko, tumayo ako bigla.

Yung kaninang patawa-tawang Joao ngayon napalitan ng gulat.

"Bastusan ba gusto mo?!" sigaw ko. I don't care if other people saw this. I don't care kasi punong puno na ako.

I walked out of the restaurant na amoy sauce ng salad. I looked terrible.

I went to the comfort room to clean this shit up.

Ang sakit ng puso ko, yung tila parang hindi ka makahinga tsaka naninikip dahil naipon na yung sakit sa loob na hindi mailabas-labas. Ang sakit, sobrang sakit.

I want to end my life. What did I do to deserve this fucked up life?

Ginawa ko naman lahat, naging honor student , naging masunurin akong bata kay Mama and everything that a perfect daughter may have. Pero bakit? Bakit ganito yung natatanggap ko?

I stared myself on the mirror, my eyes are bloodshot red from crying.

I'm not special, I'm just a mistake of two people. I'm not really destined to have a perfect family.

I stepped out of the comfort room and saw Joao leaning at the wall. May dala-dalang paperbag.

He saw me at dinaluhan niya ako agad.

"I'm sorr-" I cut him off.

"I don't need your sorry and don't look at me like that. Hindi ko kailangan ng awa mo." at naglakad papaalis.

Lumabas na ako ng mall at nag-iisip kung saan pwede pumunta next.

"Sorry na kasi,Amara..." sinundan pa talaga ako ng gagong 'to.

Kinalabit niya ako pero di ko siya pinansin.

"I'm done with your games,Joao..." iniwan ko siyang nakatayo doon habang ako'y pasakay na ng taxi.