Ilang araw na ang nakakalipas at ang ginagawa ko sa araw-araw ay paulit-ulit lamang. Maglilinis, magluluto, maghuhugas ng pinggan, mag-aayos ng mga kwarto, at marami pang iba. Hindi naman iyon ganoon kahirap dahil lagi akong tinutulungan ni Everett! Lagi ko siyang pinipigalan sa pagtulong pero ang hilig magmatigas ng isang 'yon!
Buti nga ay naawa pa yata sa akin ang lalaki kaya tinutulungan ako. Nahihiya na rin ako dahil trabaho ko ang mga ito pero pakiramdam ko ay siya halos ang gumagawa lahat! I'm really thankful for his help, I just can't help but be embarassed. Sa tingin ko ay alam niya hindi ako ganoon kasanay sa mga gawain.
"Ako na riyan, Summer." Kinuha niya ang mop sa kamay ko, isang gabi na nakita niya akong naglilinis sa sala.
"Huh? Trabaho ko 'to. Anong gagawin ko?" litong tanong ko.
"Umupo ka riyan at hintayin mong matuyo itong nilalampaso ko." Inirapan ko ang mapaglarong ngiting iginawad niya sa akin.
Minsan din ay inuunahan niya pa akong gumising para siya na ang magluto ng breakfast na ihahanda niya para sa amin.
"But that's my job! Inaagawan mo na ako ng trabaho baka paalisin na ako dito ng papa mo," pagrereklamo ko habang magkakrus ang mga braso.
Nilingon niya ako at mukhang nagulat sa sinabi ko. Panic flickered in his eyes.
"Halika dito," tawag niya na kaagad ko namang sinunod.
"Tanggalan mo ng plastic 'tong mga hotdog," utos niya sa mapagmataas na boses.
Natawa ako roon at inirapan siya nang pabiro. Pinilit niya pang ikunot ang kanyang noo para mas maging kapani-paniwala ang pag-uutos niya na akala mo naman ay ang hirap-hirap ng pinapagawa niya. Wala namang hotdog sa breakfast na niluluto niya! Halatang binigyan lang ako ng gawain para hindi na ako magreklamo.
Napailing ako nang maalala ang mga iyon.
Pero mas ayos na ito kaysa manatili sa bahay. I've never thought I'd be this comfortable outside our house. I feel like the invisible chains that keeps me from doing things I want to do is untied. I feel free. I feel comfortable in someone's home. How is that even possible?
How I wish my friends are here pero hindi pa nila alam ang kalagayan ko. Simula nang dumating ako dito ay hindi ko pa binubuksan ang phone ko. I feel comfortable here now. I feel safe. The world outside is scaring me that's why I'm keeping myself hidden.
But they're my friends and I miss them. Should I tell them now?
Mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata bago magdesisyong buksan ang mga social media accounts ko. First thing I did was to open my messages. I went to our group chat to check on my friends.
Rosea:
What if puntahan na natin ang bahay nila?
Gerica:
Girl, her family literally said she's on a vacation /with a clown emoji.
I shook my head. Ilang araw na akong hindi nagpaparamdam sa kanila bago pa man mangyari ito dahil sa mga problema ng pamilya namin sa nagdaang araw. I can't help but appreciate their worry.
Summer:
I'm fine.
Gerica:
WTF!!! SUMMER ALYDIA MORADA!
Roseanna Romasanta is inviting you in a group call.
"Saan ka galing? Why are you not responding to us? Akala namin may nangyari nang masama sa 'yo," Rosea said in between sobs. It touched my heart, she's crying.
At least when I die, someone will be there to cry for me, huh? Napahinto ako. Is my mom's suicidal thought getting to me too?
"Uh, maybe you didn't know because my family is really trying their best to cover up the scandal but... we got scammed billions and they," tinatagan ko ang nanginginig na boses ko. "t-they sold me."
"What the- Where are you now?!" Gerica said almost hysterical.
"Don't worry about me, I'm in a good place. I-I'm... a m-maid for Esquivels," I assured them.
"Put- Seryoso ka ba? Esquivels? You mean family of Everett Esquivel?" Rosea said recovering from her break down earlier.
Nagulat ako doon. Kilala ba nila ang lalaki?
"What? You know him?" I asked to be sure.
"Who wouldn't? That man is head over heels for you!" Gerica stated and panicking at the same time.
That's ridiculous. We just met the first time here! How could they said that? They probably mistaken him for someone else.
"What? You don't know him. Sabi ko naman sayo, tigilan mo na ang kakainom, ngayon gumgawa ka na ng kwento?" I fired back.
I heard Gerica scoffed on the other line. I chuckled because she sound offended.
"Are you kidding me? You don't know the man," Rosea said, emphasizing the word 'you'.
Umirap ako sa kawalan at napa-iling na lamang. "Okay, sige. I believe you," I said sarcastically just so they would stop this madess.
"He is the face of the university! There's no way you wouldn't know him. Of course, Summer Alydia "I don't know anyone other than my whole university friends, so I don't care about anyone that doesn't interest me." Morada," Gerica mocked me while using a more girly voice, imitating me.
"Hey! That's not right! I don't sound like that!" I defended myself.
Well, true enough. I don't feel the need to exert my effort on making more friends unless they approach me first, which I will be open to. Sa dami ng kaibigan ko ay minsan nakakalimutan ko na ang pangalan ng iba. What more a stranger?
"Summer," rinig kong tawag sa aking pangalan ng isang malalim na boses
"I have to go. I'll talk to you later!" I told them before hanging up quickly. I even heard their muffled protest.
Nagmamadali akong puntahan kung saan galing ang boses ni Everett. Siya lang naman ang maaring tumawag sa akin dito dahil kaming dalawa lang naman ang tao dito. Bukod sa nasa bakasyon ang mga kasambahay nila ay hindi rin umuuwi si tito Edgardo sa bahay na ito. I was told that they have multiple houses in different places so I just guessed he was there, busy.
Ibinulsa ko ang aking cellphone at inayos ang sarili. Ang kaso nga lang ay hindi ako tumitingin sa dinaraanan! Tumama ako sa isang matigas at malapad na... gwapong nilalang. I-I mean malapad na dibdib ni Everett.
Muntik na akong masubsob buti na lang ay nahawakan niya ako sa bewang na naging dahilan ng pagkapit ko sa balikat niya.
I was out of balance.
Mabilis akong bumitaw sa kanya at lumayo. Hindi maganda ang ayos namin, baka may makakita pa sa amin.
Well, basically, we're alone in this house. But you never know!
"Uh... salamat."
Nag-iwas ako ng tingin dahil sa hiyang nararamdaman pero kahit anong pigil ko ay bumabalik pa rin ang aking mga mata sa knya. He was like pulling me into this darkness that I don't want to be in. He's coaxing me.
"It's nothing. My friends are visiting again. I just want to apologize if they made you uncomfortable. Napagsabihan ko na sila. They're just really curious," he said while scratching the back of his head.
I can't deny that he's really attractive. The way his large biceps tighten when he reached for his nape. He licked his lower lips that made his lips redder.
"Uh... okay lang," I can almost feel the awkwardness eating us up when I remembered what Gerica and Rosea said on our call.
Lalo akong nahiya nang may maalala. I don't want to open this up but...
"Pasensya na rin kanina sa sinabi ko, masyado akong insensitive. I'm sorry and condolences."
Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kanya nang marinig ko ang mahinang tawa nya. Bakit kasi maging ang tawa niya ay gustong-gusto ko?
"She's not dead. She has another family and she's in God-knows-where," he said, still looking at me.
"Oh, oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I should really shut my mouth." Great. Lalo lang nadagdagan ang hiya sa sistema ko.
You're so stupid, Summer.
He smiled, "I don't really mind, I like talking to you," he said absent-mindedly.
Natigilan ako. Natigilan rin siya ng marealize ang sinabi.
"Sige, maglilinis pa ako," paglusot ko para makatakas sa nakalailang na usapan na iyon.
I don't even know why I'm feeling this way. Okay, maybe I'm attracted, he's like a greek god personified for real! Who wouldn't?
Wala naman talaga masyadong lilinisin pa dito dahil nalinis ko na kanina. Kailangan ko lang talaga ng mga bagay na makakapag paalis ng isipan ko sa mga sinabi ng mga kaibigan ko. They're poisoning my mind!