BROKEN SCALPEL

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Red's POV

"Saan ka ba nagpunta kagabi? Hindi kita namalayang umuwi," bungad ni Manang Cha nang pumasok sa kwarto ko. Ganito lagi ang ginagawa niya araw-araw. Papasok siya ng kwarto, kukunin mga labahan kong damit pagkatapos ay kakausapin ako at sesermonan.

Kakagising ko lang ngayon at ang masungit na mukha niya agad ang nakita ko. bumangon ako at umupo sa kama. Hindi ko siya sinagot dahil pansin kong papagalitan niya na naman ako. I covered my face with my hands while trying to remember what happened last night.

"May pinuntahan ka ba kagabi? Uminom ka ba?" muli niyang tanong na ikinainis ko. Tumayo na lang ako at kinuha ang basket na may lamang mga damit at inilapag sa harapan niya.

"Did I owe you something that I need to explain everything?" I said casually. Sinuot ko agad ang tsinelas ko at nilampasan siya. "It's my life after all. Just worry about yourself," dagdag ko pang sabi bago tuluyang lumabas ng kwarto at bumaba.

Alam ko namang concern siya sa 'kin kaya marami siyang tanong pero takot na kasi akong magtiwala sa kanya. I mean she gave me the reason not to trust her. Lahat kasi ng mga sinabi ko sa kanya dati ay nireport niya kay Mom. That's how my relationship to everyone in this house slowly fades. I will never consider it as a home.

Nang tuluyan akong makababa ay nakita ko si Mom. Napahinto siya sa kanyang ginagawa at tinapunan ako ng tingin. "You went out?"

"Yeah, my classmate had a party."

She smiled at me, "That's good to hear son! So, have you make friends?"

I don't get what she was trying to say but I felt the intensity in her word 'friend'. It reminds me how damn my life was way back then. I tried not to show any emotion before answering her. "I think so."

She snapped her finger and laid her eyes on me "Pretty cool. Would you mind if I ask their names? Just to be sure if their family is..."

"Stop," I cut her words. "You don't have to do that. Stop acting like an overprotective Mom that truly cares for her family. If there are two things that you truly cared about that would be your name and prestige. So please don't behave as if everything is fine."

"Red—"

"Mom, you have no right to dictate me who I wanted to be friends with. I can hadle myself. Just focus on your job," pinal kong sabi at pumanhik ng hagdan.

"Lauren called. She wanted to hear from you," narinig ko ang biglang pag-crack ng boses niya.

"Okay," tipid kong sagot.

I felt guilty as soon as I get inside my room. I know how painful my words are and it's enough to hurt her but that doesn't mean that I hated her to the hell and back. Who wouldn't love their Mom? Everybody does, so do I. Anyways, I have my reason to validate my actions.

Things really gone way too far. I can't even define what family is since our parents always left us. Minsan lang kami nagiging kompleto sa bahay. Kapag nasa bahay si Mom, wala si Dad. Kapag si Dad naman ang nasa bahay, wala naman si Mom. But most of the times, wala sila sa bahay dahil busy sila sa kani-kanilang trabaho. Mas ginawa pa nga nilang bahay ang offices nila. So in the end, my siblings and I are left in this house and were taken care of the maids.

It saddens me that they even missed our birthdays, special occasions, parents' meetings at school and other family gatherings. But we still survived living for the past three years despite the loneliness we felt. That's the reason why there's a huge gap between my parents and I.

I am not surprised anymore if one of them, suddenly goes home. I'm getting used to it. Pinapakisamahan ko na lang sila dahil sa mga kapatid ko na labis ang tuwa kapag nakikita sila. Naiinis lang talaga ako kapag kinakausap nila ako at umaktong para bang walang nangyari. No matter how hard they try to gain my trust, it will never happen.