We came home few days ago, at sakto nun China flew to Singapore para kuhain mga anak niya dahil dadalhin na niya sila sa Fourniere Mansion. Kaya pagpasok pa lang namin nun, ang nadatnan namin eh mga aligaga na tao dahil inaayos nila yung bahay. Maraming furnitures ang inaayos, at inaalis din yung mga gamit na hazard sa mga bata.
Woah, Van's commitment is admirable, good for him. He is pretty hands on too, muka siyang excited na dumating yung mga bata at yung pagdating ni China pero she won't be back for a few more days kasi alam ko sabi niya sa akin, imaasikaso niya papers nung mga bata para alisin apilido ni Leon at gawing mga Uy yung mga bata. Since this time wala nang hahadlang sa kanila, she wants to bring her family to where her heart is at.
Nasa mission ngayon si Xander. The moment na nakauwi kami, pinalayas agad siya ni Van para sa isang assignment sa Tondo kaya kami lang nasa bahay ngayon. Ayaw ko naman tuminganga dahil kita ko kung paano sila ka busy kaya gusto ko din naman tumulong. Excited din ako magkabata sa bahay.
Nag shorts na ako at t-shirt. Kumatok na ako sa office ni Van na may dalang juice at meryenda kasi kanina pa siya tutok sa trabaho niya.
"I'm busy" sabi niya.
"It's me, I have food." I heard him put down his pen, at rinig ko din pagtayo niya.
Naghihintay ako sa labas ng pinto, waiting for him to let me inside. Ayaw ko naman pumasok basta basta mamaya sabihin niya I am invading his privacy. I leaned sa pinto dahil mga i-isang minuto na ako naghihintay, pero na-off balance ako at naramdaman ko hawak niya sa braso ko.
"You're okay?"
"Good catch, Van!" Sabay thumbs up sa kanya. Kinuha niya na yung tray sa kamay ko and led the way papunta sa office niya kaya tumingin-tingin na ako sa paligid. Hmm... ang gulo. Ang gulo gulo nang kwarto niya. Yikes, there's paper everywhere!
"Ano 'to Van, den nang mga kalat? How can you work in a place like this?"
"Do you think I have time to clean?" Sabi niya while leaning on his table with his arms crossed.
"Wag ka magalala, I'm a good friend, I'll clean for you in a cheap price of wag kang magmumira sa harap ng mga bata na dadating."
"Tsk, I'm not that stupid. Fine, deal." Nilahad niya kamay niya and I shook it as a deal. Tinaas ko na yung buhok ko at tinali yun. Nagsimula na akong puluyin lahat ng kalat siyempre binuksan ko mga windows para lumabas yung alikabok sa office niya and dusted each crevice of his area.
Habang busy siya sa pagta-type, busy naman akong i-organize sa sahig mga papeles niya. It's easy to sort them out because they are color coded depending on its urgency. Hindi ko naman binabasa yun, I know its confidential kaya color lanh tinitignan ko.
I felt that weird Van instinct again. Sumulyap ako sa kanya, and he's just looking at me! I knew it! Tama lago instinct ko kapag nakakaramdam ako ng titig ni Van.
"Stop staring at me Van! Nagkaka goosebumps ako."
"You used to like it when I stare at you."
"Eh hindi na, na wi-weirduhan ako. Stare at China not me."
Umupo siya sa sahig sa harap ko, at tinulungan akong mag organize.
"Kala ko ba wala kang time?"
"I'll make time for this."
"Van."
"Yeah?"
"Excited ka na dumating sila no? You're baby proofing everything. I know you've always wanted a family. I'm happy for you."
"I guess you could say that. I just want it to be a safe environment for them. If it makes her happy, I'm fine with anything."
I continued stacking the paper, Van is smiling, sumilip ako kung ano binabasa niya. It's a newspaper article about China. It looks really old.
While checking the papers, meron akong nakitang isang maalikabok na photo album? I opened it, at bumungad sa akin ang isang rare na photo. Extremely rare sight of a teenage Xander smiling while looking behind.
"Van, kailan to? Ano meron dito?" Turo ko sa photo na pinapakita ko sa kanya.
"Hindi ko alam yung exacto na moment. I just knew that it has something to do with his first love. He is looking behind right? He saw her for the first time again, someone called her name I think, and he looked behind."
"Oh... akalain mo yun, may first love pala yun!" Thank God he went through a somewhat normal teenage life, buti na lang he had a first love.
"Yea..." he sounded different, there was bitterness to it. I shrugged it off. I heard cars, agad akong tumayo pero naramdaman ko paghawak ni Van sa braso ko.
"Bakit? May kailangan ka pa?"
"Can you stay here?"
"I'll come back later!" Inalis ko na yung pagkakahawak niya at tumakbo na pababa para salubungin sina Xandy!
I rushed going down the stairs dahil nandun silng lahat, wait... why do I hear sniffs?
"Achooo! What the fa—aaaachoooo!" Estavo kept sneezing kaya tinulak ko siya playo kay Xandy mamaya mahawa pa siya! "Aray!"
"Chuu! Doon ka! Mamaya makahawa ka pa!"
Tinignan ko na si Xandy pero nanlaki mga mata ko kasi sobrang punangy ng mga mata niya, it's watery and kind of red. He looks really tired.
"How's your day?" Tanong niya sa akin while patting my head.
"Naglinis ako ng Office ni Van! Sobrang kalat, jusko... how can he even breathe inside all that soot!"
"Thank you for cleaning it for him."
Uwu. Soft boi. Must protecc!
"Ang tahimk dito sa bahay nung wala kayo, hindi ako sanay! Next time nga isama niyo ako nang hindi ako mabato dito. Kapag nandito ako feeling ko sobrang useless ko, buti nga ngayon he ket me clean his office."
"Ganun ka ba ka-bored nang hindi ako naasar all day?"
"Gosh, Xandy! If you just saw how bored I was! Bakit naman kasi parang sira ulo si Van, may jetlag ka pa pinaalis ka na agad!"
"Umiinit na naman ulo mo, take it easy, you're too young to be high blooded."
"Achooo!" Nagulat ako sa bahing ni Estavo that I farted in front of everyone. It was a complete silence for ten seconds. Nagpipigil sila ipakit yung disgusted na muka nila, tumingin ako kay Xandy. Waaah! Nakakahiya umutot ako sa harap!
He farted... Xandy also farted. "It's normal, farts are normal."
"What the fuck with you guys farting!" Sigaw ni Rivere while pinching his nose.
"Sige na, kayo na, kayo na weird." Sabi ni Stridge sa gilid na nakatakip ilong pati sina Estavo.
I tipped toed to his ears, "Thanks sa save."
He winked at me at inalis na yung gloves niya "Always."
~
The next day, pag-gising ko labas pasok ulit mga tao pero this time marami silanh dala na humidifier at air purifier at nilalagay sa lahat ng kwarto.
"Ate, anong meron?" Tanong ko sa mga tao dun.
"Ma'am lahat sila may sakit!"
I had a flu vaccine kaya I'm fine pero these idiots are not. Bumukas pinto ni Xandy, at lumabas siya in his pajamas with a face mask on. He's red, as in flushed. He was slowly walking towards me, it's so unsual to see him unbalanced. Agad ko siyang tinulungan maglakad.
"Why are you up? You should rest!"
"But I want to say my daily good morning to you."
Uwu, soft boi. Must proteccc!!!!!
"Good morning!"
"Good morning." He said softly and kahit may mask siya I know he is smiling.
I heard a deep cough coming from Van's room. I opened it and he is also red, what the heck. 'Tong katabi ko pabigat na nang pabigat, at rinig ko na yung tuning na magsusuka siya, kaya tinakbo ko siya sa loob ng CR ni Van and let him puke it all out. Nakarinig din ako ng ganung tuning muka kay.
"Wait lang, I'll be back."
Tumakbo ako papunta kay Van, and grabbed a trashcan at pinasuka siya dun. He's burning too! Jusko, mahihirapan akong alagan sila ni Xandy kung magkalayo sila! I need them to stay in a clean safe room.
Tinulungan ko muna si Xandy papunta sa kwarto ko at hiniga siya sa kama ko. Then bumalik ako kay Van, helped him up at dinala din sa kwarto ko. Gold thing there's an extra bed dun nung dun pa natutulog si Xandy weeks ago.
Pinagdikit ko yung mga kama. I check their temps, they are both burning.
Wew, isa isa lang. si Van muna. Nilabas ko sa drawer ko yung cooling pad at sinalpak ko yun sa ulo niya. Kumuha din ako ng basin at towel para punasan siya. Wala na naman 'tong malisya, it happened before anyways. I cleaned his upper body just to make sure na presko siya.
He opened his eyes, "K-Kien..."
"I'm here, just stay put. May sakit kayo, jusko, diba uso flu shot sa inyo eh ang yayaman niyo."
I changed the water at yung towel, pumunta na ako sa tabi ni Xandy and checked his temperature again. It's really high! Tsk, patay sakin si Estavo for spreading this!
Hinawi ko buhok niya and cleaned his face, the water seemed to be too cold kasi kada dampi he flinches. Sorry, pero kailangan kong i-cool down katawan mo, Xandy.
I put some alcohol sa water and cleaned his upper body. Para presko siya pag-gising niya. He opened his eyes, kaya I took the opportunity to grab a medicine para painumin.
"Can you sit a bit, just drink the medicine."
He sat, and drank it. Sinalpakan ko din siyang cooling pad sa noo niya. Pinahiga ko na ulit siya at kinumutan siya ng maayos.
"Comfy? May kailangan ka ba?"
"I should get sick often, it feels good being looked after by you."
"Gagi ka." I leaned towards him at pinagdikit mga noo namin, "I can always do that, just don't get sick."
Kumuha ako ng tali at inipit buhok niya para hindi nakaharang sa noo niya.
Kumuha ako ng upuan, and grabbed a book habang hawak hawak ko niya braso ko.
I peeked over to see how Van is looking at, he looks comfy and well asleep, good, he should let his body rest.
Nagbabasa ako pero patuloy pagbantay ko kay Xandy kasi mas mataas temp niya keysa kay Van. Habang natutulog siya, pinaglalaruan ko buhok niya, he's facing towards me at pawis na pawis siya kaya punas ako ng punas.
Inalis ko yung hawak niya sa braso ko kasi kukuha sana ako ng pagkain sa baba.
"Please... please don't leave..." I looked back because he muttered that habang nakapikit, is he dreaming?
Umupo ako ulit, and patted his back. "Hindi ako aalis, I'm here."
"T-Thank you... don't leave..." para siyang bata, begging someone to stay with him.
"Idiot, I would never leave you." Sabi ko habang sinusuklay ko buhok niya. I checked his temp again, it went down a bit. Thank God.
I reached over a but kay Van to see his temp. He's a bit better now, good.
Si Chicken, tumaas sa kama at hinigaan si Xandy. Even my cat loves you. Mmm...
~
Van's POV
I woke up with the most fucked up headache. I looked around, this is not my room. I want to get up but I don't have the strength to do so. I faved the otherside, I can see Xander's back. Why is he in this bed? I slightly glanced over too look.
Kiersten is sitting on her chair at bedside, but her face is on the bed facing Xander.
She's snoring... why is she so unladylike? Kaya ba nagising ako because of her fucked up snoring?
She created one big snore, even she woke herself, that's how loud it is. I pretended sleeping. She looked so startled and sleepy. She placed her hand in Xander's head and wiped his sweat.
"Hmmm... why are you awake?" He said.
"My snore woke me up, I'll sleep elsewhre, baka magsing kayo."
She was about to stand, but Xander oulled her back to him, "It's fine, it doesn't bother me... just sleep."
"It's loud..."
"You're probably tired, that's why. Tapos nakaupo ka pa... let's switch. Let me sit, you sleep here on the bed."
"Shunga ka ba? Ikaw 'tong may sakit. Fine I won't go, I'll stay here kaya diyan ka lang."
"That's my girl..."
I did not comprehand what he said, because my lids became really heavy, and I just want to sleep. But one thing is for sure, I didn't like what he said.