ASHER
CHESKA STAYED quiet after what I told her and I did the same. Nagulat parin siya sa sinabi ko while I stared at her blankly, giving her hints that I'm serious.
"Seryoso ka talaga?" Gulat niyang tanong. I nodded. She looked at me intently and said, "I hope you mean those things, Asher."
"I mean it," I seriously said.
"Okay," She bit her lower lip and looked around the roof. "You know what? This spot is my favorite. It has witnessed everything that happened to my life. Dito ako umiiyak, dito ang takbuhan ko tuwing iniisip kong mag isa na lang ako at dito lang ako nagkakaroon ng peace of mind." She stated.
"Is staying here, that bad?" I asked.
"Hmm... Let's just say, half yes, half no." She answered. "Half yes, dahil dito ka matututong lumaban and Half no, dahil dito ka rin pwedeng mawala." She sighed.
"Tragic" I commented.
"Yeah," She agreed. "How about you? Napansin kong hindi ka man lang dinadalaw ng mga magulang mo. I'm curious about you, Asher." Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya.
"My dad died two years ago. And my mom? I consider her dead when she got a new husband named Calvin. I think pabor pa siya na manatili ako dito sa hospital para masolo si Calvin." Umirap ako sa kawalan.
"Why?"
"Anong 'why'?" Napatingin ako sa kaniya nang nakakunot noo.
"Why won't you let your mom find her happiness? Why won't you let her be? Everyone deserves to be happy, so is she." She told me.
"Exactly! Everyone deserves to be happy and so do I. Hindi ba pwedeng maka move on muna ako sa pagkamatay ni Dad bago siya kumuha ng kapalit niya?" I argued.
"May point ka," She softly chuckled. "Pero, Asher, Hindi naman porket hindi ka pa naka move on hindi mo na papayagang sumaya ang mama mo." Sabi niya sa akin.
Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako hindi na lamang nag salita. After a moment of silence, nakatanga lang ako sa kawalan nang biglang tumayo sa Cheska at nag sisigaw ng kaniyang kabaliwan.
"Asher! Ang pangit pangit mo!!!" Sigaw pa niya. Nagulat ako at sa takot na may makarinig sa amin ay agad rin kong napatayo at tinakpan ang bunganga niya.
"What the fuck?!" Gulat at inis kong singhal sa kaniya.
"Tanggalin mo nga kamay mo sa bunganga ko." Kinagat niya ang kamay ko kaya tinanggal ko ito sa bunganga niya. "Si Asher ang pinaka bobong tao na nakilala ko!" Tumatawang sigaw niya at tumakbo.
"Nababaliw ka na ba?!" I yelled at her.
"No!" She laughed. "Come on! You need to loosen up a bit."
Hindi ko siya pinansin at lalayo na sana nang hawakan niya ang braso ko at hinarap sa kaniya. Napatigil a ko sa ginawa niyang iyon kaya gulat ko siyang tinignan.
"Para makatulog, kailangan mapagod ka. Iyong tipong magpapawis ka para mamaya masarap tulog mo." She poked my nose. But then stopped when she realized something. "That sounds bad," She pouted but then she laughed.
Bigla siyang tumakbo paikot ng rooftop at tsaka ito humarap sa akin. Nababaliw na itong babaeng to.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" Nagtaas ako ng kilay.
"Tara, habulan tayo." Humagikhik siya. "Taya!" Parang batang sabi niya tsaka ito tumakbo. "Huwag ka nang KJ! Halika na!" Sigaw niya pa.
"Ayoko! Ano ako bata?!"
"At bakit? Bata lang ba and pwedeng maghabulan?" Nakapamewang na aniya. Lumapit ito sa akin at bigla niya akong tinira sa baba kaya napangiwi ako.
"Gago ka ba?!" I shouted at her while wincing the pain. Paika-ika ko siyang linapitan pero tumakbo ito ng tumakbo.
Sa huli ay nauwi kami sa habulan at tawanan sa rooftop. Pinagmasdan ko siyang tumawa ng tumawa at sa di malamang dahilan ay napatigil ako sa paghabol.
"Oh! Bawal tumitig! Baka mainlove ka sa akin!" Sabi niya at tumawa. Ni hindi ko namalayang lumapit siya sa akin.
"I am not!" I pinched her nose.
"Weh? Titig na titig ka nga eh!" She argued.
"Ngayon ko lang kasing nakitang pangit ka pala kapag tumatawa. Nagmukha kang masiyahing itlog!" I argued back and laughed.
"Ah! Basta! Nakatitig ka eh!" She ruffled my hair as she scrunched her nose. She looked like a playful kid- well she is.
We we're both panting because of running around the rooftop na parang asong ulol. I sat down on the nearest wall and rested my head on it, while Cheska was standing in front of me.
"Oh," Inabot niya sa akin ang ice cream sandwich namin na hindi pa pala namin nakakain. Umupo na rin siya sa kabilang side ko.
"Thanks," As soon as I opened the plastic I bit on the sandwich but then screamed in pain when the cold ice cream penetrated on my teeth.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I heard Cheska laughed when she saw me. "Iyon na ang pinaka tangang stunt na nakita ko!"
"Masaya ka?" I sarcastically asked but then started to eat again. She only laughed but then started eating too. "You mentioned that iyong kanang kamay ng daddy mo ang bumili nito. Do you really mean it?" I asked.
"Hay nako. Don't you know sarcasm? Pinabili ko lang ito kay Shan." She laughed that's why I glared at her.
We were having different conversations about our life and I have learned many things about her life.
After eating, I yawned and got teary eyes after yawning. I smiled as I gaze upon Cheska who was still talking. I think she did it. She succeed on helping me.
I wanted to listen to her stories but my eyes where tired and after a moment they shut close.
"PAANO SIYA nakatulog?"
"Alam ko ba?"
I heard voices around me but my eyes were still closed. I silently opened my eyes and adjusted on the light.
"Am I in heaven?" I asked while my eyes were half closed because of the light.
"Sa impyerno bagsak mo, Asher. Huwag feeling banal." I heard Shan's voice followed by Chloe's laugh.
"Oh, akala ko makakalusot ako doon eh," I smirked as I sat down.
"Buti nagising ka na," Humawak si Shan si balikat ko at mahinang tinapik iyon.
"Sana di na nga nagising eh," Tawa ni Chloe kaya inirapan ko siya. "Joke lang! Ito naman hindi na mabiro." She raised her dirty finger instead of giving me a peace sign. "You know what? You look like a cute piece of shit when you sleep." She told me.
"Oh really? I didn't know." I sarcastically told her.
"But, how did you sleep?"
"I was with-" Natigilan ako nang mapansin kong wala na si Cheska at nasa kwarto na ako.
"Ni'no?" Chloe asked.
"I was with my p-pillow," I hugged the pillow beside me and acted that I slept on my own- If they got that dumb idea.
"Don't lie idiot," Chloe told me. Piningot niya ang tenga ko kaya napasigaw ako sa sakit. "I know that you were with Cheska. I hate liars, Asher. Stop it." Seryosong Aniya
"Nagtanong ka pa," Inalis ko ang kamay niya at hinawakan ang tenga ko. "Masakit! Sadista!" Singhal ko but she just glared at me.
"Wait, you were with Cheska? Tinulungan ka niya? Paano?" Sunod sunod na tanong ni Shan.
"Isa isa lang, okay?" I told him. "Yes, Cheska was with me last night and she also helped me sleep to repay me for the help I gave her." I answered. "Happy now?"
"Chloe, paano mo nalaman na magkasama sila?" Bumaling si Shan kay Chloe.
"Sinabi sa akin ni Cheska," Proud niyang sabi. "Actually, sa akin siya lumapit para magpatulong na ipunta dito sa Asher." The latter answered while glaring at me. I hope her eyeballs would come out.
"Binuhat mo'ko?" Gulat kong tanong.
"Tanga, hindi! Mabubuhat ba kita eh lumpo ako?" Inirapan niya ako.
"Eh kanino kayo nagpatulong?" Gulong gulong tanong ko
"Sa guard na naka duty." She answered. "We used my charm para mapapayag si manong guard." Pagmamalaki niya.
"Baka pumayag siya dahil naiirita siya sa so-called-charm mo." Shan glared at her.
"Pakyu!" She raised her dirty finger- again. I can't believe this girl! She not capable on lies but on saying dirty words?- Nevermind. "Alam mo? Kung hindi kita kaibigan matagal na kitang pinatay!" Gigil na sabi niya pa.
"Ah talaga? Banta ba iyon? Matatakot na ba ako?" Sarkastikong tanong ni Shan pero sa huli ay nag irapan lang ulit silang dalawa.
"Wala na ba kayong tanong?" I asked them while raising a brow.
"Meron akong tanong," Bumaling sa akin si Chloe. "How did you befriended Cheska?" Usisa niya pa.
"We're not friends," I answered.
"Eh ano? Enemies?" Singit ni Shan. I stared at him with a blank face.
"I don't know. But we are not friends. That's all." I said. "Iyon lang ba?"
"Naguguluhan ako. Eh kung hindi kayo magkaibigan, How the hell did she helped you sleep?" Singhal ni Chloe.
"She just returned a favor and told me she will do anything just to repay me." Sagot ko at bumuntong hininga. "Do have more questions to ask?"
Nag isip muna si Chloe bago nagsalita, "Sold na'ko. Baka si Shan, meron." Chloe pointed Shan with her thumb.
"Nah! I don't know what to ask. Just leave it," Shan told me.
"Bobo ka lang. May pa english english ka pa." Narinig kong bulong ni Chloe. "Oh well, since wala na kaming tanong, mauuna na kami, Asher. We'll let you take a rest." Hinila niya si Shan patayo. "Bye!" She said as they both got out of my room.
"Weird patients," I whispered.
I sighed when the room was filled with a moment of silence. I got up and drank a bottle of water from my mini fridge. And after drinking I recalled what happened last night.
Cheska helped me. She did it. She made me fall asleep.
But, how about tonight? Paano ako makakatulog mamayang gabi at sa susunod kung hindi niya ako matutulungan? Paano ko siya pakikiusapan? Papayag kaya siya?
Nang dahil sa inis ay wal sa sariling ginulo ko ang buhok ko. Tumunganga muna ako para maka-pag isip and after a moment I found myself knocking on her fucking door.
Nang bumukas ito ay bumungad sa akin ang makinis na babaeng mamula mula ang labi at pisngi. Kahit wala siyang buhok na nakatago sa ilalim ng beanie niya ay nangingibabaw parin ang ganda niya- Why do I sounded like a fucking gay?
"Yes?" She raised a brow. "Anong kailangan mo?" Tanong niya.
"Ikaw," I answered.
"Me?"
"Yes. You." I stared at her seriously.
"Bakit naman, aber?" She puts her hands on her chest and looked at me. "Wala na akong maibabalik na favor sayo dahil tapos ko na. Nagampanan ko na." She told me, using her on-a-matter-of-fact tone.
"Then do it again," I confidently said that as if she'll agree.
"Why? We're not even friends. Why would I help you?" Tanong niya. I expected her answer. "If I would help you, what is it for me then?" Biglang tanong niya.
Sa pagkakataong iyon ay lumambot na ang mukha ko at sinserong nagsalita. Ibababa ko nalang muna ang pride ko. Para sa akin din naman ito.
"Please. I'll do anything. I can be your slave, your toy, anything! Just help me sleep, please." I desperately told her.
I may look like a desperate bastard but if it's the only thing to make me sleep, I'll do anything- everything, to make her agree on helping me. She looked at me intently while I was there standing like an idiot waiting for her answer.
"You'll do anything huh?" She smirked and started thinking of her answer. "Okay then. Since you said you'll do anything, pumapayag na akong tulungan ka." Nagliwanag ang mukha ko sa sinagot niya.
I almost jumped in joy but then I remembered what I told her, earlier. I sighed, our tables are now turned.