Enjoy reading and Godbless!
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"Adora, wala na bang isda?" Fruga said with an annoyed look, checking each dish infront of him.
"Wala." Walang gana kong sagot, Sheesh.
I'm thankful na hindi pa siya nag-sasalita ng ganito noon. If he was this noisy when he was still my cat baka naka-murder pa ako.
"Huh? Are you kidding? Dapat kasi fish ang main dish natin ngayon Adora. You knew I'll be coming today, right?" Tuloy-tuloy lang ang reklamo ni Fruga sa pagkain.
"It is our main dish, idiot."
"It doesn't look like a main dish to me tho." Walang hiya niyang sabi, nag-rereklamo siya pero kinuha pa rin nito ang pagkain sa harap at sinubo.
"Ano?" Tumaas ang isang kilay ko sa narinig, Tamad ko itong pinagmasdan. I felt the sudden urge to cook this human-cat for tonight's dinner.
"Look! Ang konti masyado! Tapos puro gulay na 'yan, ugh I hate veggies! You should've atleast made me another seafood dish and---" Zoe suddenly tapped his shoulders with a smile. Nakasimangot na huminto sa pag-sasalita si Fruga at nilingon si Zoe.
"Hmmm it's okay Fruga! Eat these instead. Vegetable salad is good for you!" Zoe took a spoonful of vegetables and literally shoved it inside fruga's mouth. Maski ako ay napangiwi sa ginawa nito.
"Hey----" he nearly choked when Zoe gave him another bite. Nakahawak na si Fruga sa mga braso ni Zoe, sinusubukang pahintuin ang isa sa ginagawa.
"STAAHP." Fruga shouted infront of Zoe's face. Tumalsik ang karamihan sa pagkaing sinubo sa kaniya sa mukha at buong katawan ni Zoe. looks like he's about to drown with foods in his mouth. Hindi na maipinta ang hitsura nito.
Tinignan lamang siya ni Zoe at nag-pagpag sa damit, even me can't read what's on Zoe's mind. He may seems like he's too easy to read because he's still in a child state of mind but the fact that he learns quickly is scary at some point.
Para kang nag-alaga ng isang wild animal, there's no telling what's what in this kind of situation.
"Uggghh." Niluwa ni Fruga lahat ng sinubo ni Zoe sa plato nito, he immediately drank some water and glared at Zoe.
"Why'd you do that you little punk?" Fruga suddenly started shooting deadly glares while spitting fire towards Zoe. Inis na inis sa ginawa ni Zoe. Hindi ko malaman kung ano nga bang kailangan kong gawin, In the end--- sinubukan ko silang awatin at napagdesisyonang magmasid sa gagawin ng dalawa.
"Hey, cut it out. Zoe is still in the process of learning---" I tried to talk it out pero laking gulat ko ng sumagot si Zoe.
"You get angry because I gave you food. Ganun din ginawa mo kay Adora, you were angry even though she gave us enough food to eat." Seryosong sabi ni Zoe. Dahan dahang bumitaw ang pagkakahawak ko sa kutsara at tinidor, it made a sudden sound when the utensils hit the plate--- But still, my attention did not waver.
O M G.
What am I seeing...
"Do you know that you need money to get foods? And to get money you need to work. And to be able to work you need a job. To have a stable job you need extra time, energy and dedication." Zoe is talking in a different tone today, hindi ako nakapag-react at nanatiling nakanganga sa mga nakikita.
Para bang hindi siya yung taong inaalagan ko ng ilang araw, he seems different, like he actually have his own kind of judgement about everything.
"Adora is giving us food so we won't starve to death!" A sudden sprout of anguist suddenly came and that made me come back to my senses, para bang nag-aacting lang siya para sa isang soap opera. Ang sarap talagang sapatusin nitong baliw na ito, may pa gesture-gesture pa siya sa mga kamay na nalalaman.
Nope,
still the immature guy I've been baby sitting.
"Okay Zoe, san mo napanood 'yan?" Fruga asked, almost amused. Nawala ang bahid ng pagkainis kay Zoe dahil doon. Para bang gusto na nitong tumawa dahil sa nakikitang pag-aacting ng isa.
Biglang nag-ningning ang mga mata ni Zoe dahil sa tanong ni Fruga, he suddenly have that idiot-like smile on his face. Siguro'y kanina niya pa hinihintay na may mag tanong sa kaniya.
"Ohhhh! Doon! Sa T.V! I cried when I watched it! Kasi yung isa--- he was mad and then-- BOOM! they hurt each other doing this! And this--" he was swingging his fist in the air at todo naman sa pag-iwas si Fruga, who knows what kind of strength Zoe have within his body.
"Zoe, wag ka na ulit manonood ng drama, it's not healthy for you." I sighed, thinking why--- why? Bakit ba ako nasa ganitong sitwasyon? Am I somewhat a sinner in my past life or something?
I hope not.
"Ey Zoe! Stop watching weird stuffs! Y'know what? We'll watch a different kind of movies in my room. Promise." Fruga said with a confident grin, he crossed his arms and relaxed on his seat.
Now what are they planning? Wala akong tiwala sa pusa na 'yan.
"Really?!" Bigla yatang na excite si Zoe, I can almost see him shooting glitters out of his eyes.
"Yeah, just you wait, Boy." Fruga said cooly, made me almost puke.
"You called him a boy, naisip mo bang mas mukha kang bata ng ilang ulit kesa sa kaniya? He's like 30 or something."
"Well, technically. I am much younger than him, in appearance--- But not really. Medyo oo na hindi. It's complicated hehehe." Fruga smiled cutely, yup. Looks like my cat right now.
"Meron ka palang bahay, are you going to babysit Zoe now?" Tanong ko sa kaniya, I'm hoping that he would but not at the same time.
"No. Babantayan ko lang siya habang nasa trabaho ka, Adora. And about where I'll be staying, I'm going to rent your extra room there. Yung room #302." Bigla nanaman siyang nag-pacute sa akin. Sumimangot lamang ako dahil sa narinig. Siraulo yata 'to.
"Half prize sa akin. Hehe." Nag peace sign ito at ngumiti ng todo, nawala na ang mga mata niya dahil doon.
"What? No. Magbayad ka ng maayos! Or I'll kill you." Muli kong hinawakan ang tinidor at tinusok-tusok ko ang pagkain sa plato, mukhang namang effective yon, he seems scared about it.
"Hala bakit? Yung ibang tenants laging kulang yung bayad? Bakit pag ako? Ako na kasama mo for two years---- TWO YEARS ADORA. WHY?!" halos umiyak si Fruga sa frustration, O baka isa nanaman sa acting stunts niya.
"If I knew you were human, nilunod na sana kita sa banyo. Don't you know how creepy this situation is? Maski ikaw, being a cat and human at the same time is two times more creepier in my opinion!"
Agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin at para bang walang narinig. "Zoe, nagustuhan mo ba yung mga damit? Ako bumili nun!"
Binaling niya ang pansin kay Zoe, what a lunatic he's trying to avoid my attention. Asshole.
"Uhuh! Uhm, wait. I liked the toys too!" Sagot ni Zoe habang kumakain, uminom ito ng tubig bago tinuro turo ang luggage.
Fruga laughed out loud, para bang may sinabing joke si Zoe sa kaniya. Tinapik-tapik pa nito ang braso ni Zoe na naguguluhan na rin kung bakit siya tumatawa.
"Toys? Well, yeah. Technically they are." At muli siyang tumawa na parang baliw, nakahawak pa sa kaniyang tyan. "Oh boy, who knew it's this fun. Dapat pala dinamihan ko na!" Pinalakpakan niya pa ang sarili, feeling proud of buying things for Zoe, eh?
"Fruga." Tinawag ko siya pero hindi siya tumitingin akin at patuloy na kumakain.
"Fruga, about the contract----"
"HEP HEP! HUSH! HUSHFKJWHSCNRKZZZZ! SHHH!" halos tumalsik lahat ng kinakain niya sa mukha ko. Tulad ginawa niya kay Zoe kanina. Ang kanin ay bahagyang basa pa dahil sa laway nito. Dumikit iyon sa aking mukha. Langya, Dugyot.
"Don't talk ha! Kumakain tayo!" Palusot nito sa akin bago ako pinandilatan ng paulit-ulit.
"Yup yup. Eating is the best, sabi ni Adora dapat laging kumain at wag magtitira sa plato." Zoe showed Fruga his plate almost done, "See? Adora will be happy about this later." He beamed at Fruga.
As if problema ang pagsasalita habang kumakain, Fruga was talking all the time at ngayon ire-reason out niya sa akin na kumakain pa? What a jerk---
Kalma, kalma. Kalma Adora.
"So, how about after eating, Care to explain things now you little puss?" I'm gritting my teeth the best that I could para lang hindi siya palayasin sa bahay ko, he pisses me off big time.
"We will, when the time is right." He said.
"At kailan naman ang so called right time na iyan, huh Fruga?" I sarcastically asked, tumaas ang isang kilay nito sa narinig.
He looked at me with a serious expression, "we will know if it's the right time Adora---" pinunasan niya ang bibig niya gamit ang tissue'ng nakalaan sa gitna ng lamesa at uminom ng isang basong tubig.
"Hindi ba't may trabaho ka pa? Won't you be late?" He asked, hinihintay ang aking isasagot.
"Mamaya pang hapon pasok ko. I still have time for a small talk with you." My eyebrows shot up and Fruga nodded, napa-Oo nalang siguro sa pamimilit ko.
"Okay--- Sige na, care to take me sa bago kong bahay? I'm so sick of living in your house for years. I want my own too. tao rin ako, privacy naman!" Tumayo siya at nagsimulang mag-satsat ng kung ano. Lumapit ito sa lababo at naghugas ng kamay.
"I want to see the room Adora." He looked at me and smiled. Pinagpag at pinunasan nito ang basang kamay sa isang basahan.
"Sinong may sabi na ipapaupa ko sayo ang free space na iyon?"
"Me, or would you rather having an extra person here. I'm not really against living with you and Zoe here! Lalo na't dito naman talaga ako nakatira bago dumating si Zoe----" he said with a calm face, umupo siya sa sofa at muli akong tinignan.
"Your choice Adora." He just smiled sweetly and turned his gaze towards Zoe na naguguluhan yata.
"Ikaw Zoe? Want me to live here with'cha?" Tanong niya kay Zoe, Parang bata lamang niya kausapin si Zoe ngayon.
"Okay lang kung okay kay Adora. Adora makes the decision for me, so ask her instead." Zoe innocently said.
"I'm not fine with it. I don't trust you---"
"You don't trust me when I lived with you for years? Wag ganon--- it hurts my feelings." He chuckled and rose up, nag unat unat siya at maya maya pa'y pinasok ang kamay sa loob ng kaniyang Shirt at kinamot ang tyan.
"Adora, dalhin mo'ko sa room 302. Ngayon na." Utos nito at nagsimula na mag lakad papunta sa pinto. Napairap na lamang ako at hindi na sumagot, Nilingon ko ang table na madumi tsaka naisip na kailangan kong gawin ito bago i-entertain iyang si Fruga.
"Wait lang. Mamaya na, ililigpit ko pa ito." I yelled, this guy have his own way to do things huh?
"Mamaya na 'yan, this is more important that those dishes." Lumingon ito at mabilis na lumapit sa mga lugguage niya. May kinuha siya sa loob ng luggage at winagayway sa hangin, I tried to focus my eyes on it, mga papel ito at marami iyon.
"See? The contract." He smiled widely.
"Okay, Zoe let's go." Hindi na ako nag-dalawang isip at tumango na dito. I naturally called Zoe at agad itong tumayo at nag punas ng tissue sa bibig.
"No! Nope no no no. Adult business 'to, Zoe. Can you please stay right here? Pretty pretty please?" Nagpapacute na sabi ni Fruga kay Zoe habang pinipigilan na isama ko si Zoe.
"Why?" Zoe asked and he looks alittle sad about that.
"It's okay, he can come with us and---" Magsasalita pa lang sana ako pero muling sumingit si Fruga.
"Noooo! Adora, kailangan niyang matuto ng right manners. He needs to know that adults have to talk about certain things na--- na hindi dapat involve ang mga bata." Fruga tried to explain to Zoe.
Why? Bakit hindi isasama si Zoe? Technically, Zoe is an adult here.
Hindi niya kailangang i-outcast si Zoe sa ganitong bagay because sooner or later Zoe will understand how it works.
Napakasimpleng negotation lamang ito tungkol sa pag rent ng apartment and the contract about Zoe---
Wait, is that it? Dahil ba to sa contract? Why does Zoe have to stay out of it then? What's the reason, Fruga?
Pinagmasdan ko silang mag usap ni Zoe, Fruga is trying his best to act cheerful while explaining to Zoe na hindi siya pwedeng involve sa usapan namin.
Zoe on the other hand looks sad.
"Then, how 'bout you play with the toys? Marami akong binili dyan Zoe, educational toys. Very educational for boys." Fruga laughes frantically, para siyang isang evil villain na nagtagumpay sa masamang balak.
"What's wrong with you?" Iritado kong sabi kay Fruga, then I turn to face Zoe.
"Wait here, saglit lang naman kami. I'll just have to do this, it's my building afterall." I smiled to tell him that it's fine.
"Okay, if you say so..." He sweetly smiled at me, and I still can't believe what I'm seeing right now. Just wow. Isang master piece ang isang ito, very pleasant to my eyes.
"Eyyy stop smiling at each other! Nakakasuka!" Fruga interrupted, humawak ito sa kaniyang leeg at kunwari ay sumusuka.
"Bye bye!" Zoe said before running to get his luggages. Hindi na ulit siya lumingon sa amin ni Fruga habang palabas kami, he seems excited with the new things he got from Fruga.
"Okay Adora, paki-buksan ang bago kong bahay." Halos liparin ako sa dalang hangin ng isang ito nang makalabas kami at makarating sa harapan ng room #302.
"Fine." I took a deep breath, thinking that I should not kill him becaude it's a crime.
"Get in." Sabi ko nang mabuksan na ang room 302. And ofcourse, He went in like a king.
"Good old days, Adora. Naaalala ko pa noon na lagi mo akong pinagbubuksan ng pintuan sa bahay mo, you remember that? It was when I was a cat." He laughed at the thought.
"Shut up. Sabihin mo muna sa akin kung bakit hindi pwedeng sumama si Zoe sa atin dito." Agad akong nagtungo sa lumang dining table, it's dusty but still fine to use.
"Bago ang lahat, paki-pirmahan muna 'to." Nag abot sya sa akin ng papel at ballpen.
"Pano kung isa 'tong scam? Can I butcher you then?"
"Harsh!" He said with an ugly comical reaction.
"You look ugly." Komento ko.
"HARSH!!!" mas lumala ang mukha niya and I almost laughed.
Gosh this guy is too ugly too look at, unlike Zoe--- wait, what am I thinking?
"Ehem---" Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at naupo sa harap ko.
"This is the contract to your house---" He tapped on the paper infront of me at laking gulat ko dahil totoo nga.
"Bakit meron ka nito?!" I blurted out as I scan the paper infront of me. Talagang ito nga ang contract na ginawa ko.
"What do you mean? I lived with you! I know things about you! We're like a family, huh! Siyempre, family tayo kaya meron ako nito! Ano ka ba Adora!" Inirapan niya ako at bumulong bulong sa sarili.
"What? Sinong may sabing pamilya kita? We're not. It's a cat and it's master relationship. Hear that?"
"Hah! Ikaw na bahala kung pano i-define yung relationship natin! Pero bago ang lahat lahat! Paki-pirmahan!" He tapped on the paper twice and gave me an annoying look.
"Sheesh." I just want to hit his face right now, pero dahil hindi naman ako bayolente ay hindi ko iyon gagawin.
"I'll let you have a 50℅ off sa apartment, but don't you dare go to my house without my permission anymore. Isa pa, you said ikaw bahala kay Zoe pag may pasok ako---" I crossed my arms and gave him a cold stare.
"Take him here, but don't you dare teach him things that isn't even helpful for him." Babala ko sa kaniya at agad naman siyang umoo.
"Okay okay, Closed deal! Paki-pirmahan po para makapag proceed tayo sa main topic." Suddenly, naging magalang siya dahil sa narinig na 50℅ off.
Like what he wanted, I signed on the paper and there he is smiling like a tamed kitty cat.
"Okay na? pwede bang paki-simulan na yung about kay Zoe. I'm confused about all of this, about the situation." Reklamo ko sa kaniya, biruin mo, Both of them just popped out of nohere and I have to take care of Zoe, which hindi ko naman kaano-ano.
"Fine." He cleared his throat and began taking things seriously.
"Sisimulan natin sa pinaka-puno't dulo kung bakit kami naridito ngayon---" He slowly pointed at my back, Lumingon ako doon ngunit walang kung ano man doon.
"In my view, mayroon kang shadow of dreams--- it's supposed to stay in your dreams, pero dahil sa tinatawag nating stress and other ugly feelings tulad ng depression, anxiety, loneliness---"
"Fruga, I'm not depressed." I said as a matter of fact but he just continued.
"Longing, emptiness and dreaming of things that we sub-conciously wanted to have." Then, at that time I'm completely quiet. Thinking that maybe isa dyan ang rason kung bakit merong Zoe at Fruga sa harap ko ngayon.
"In your case, noong unang beses kitang nakita--- I saw the dark aura around you, Which might be a door for Zoe to come out in this world. We call it the soul-passage." He took out some papers and gave it to me.
"You know, tulad ng unang sinabi ko sayo. Noong unang beses pinapasok mo ako sa buhay mo, the contract between you and me started--- It has been sealed." I felt confused with what he said kaya agad akong nagtanong.
"Akala ko tungkol kay Zoe ang mga contracts?" Akala ko ay tungkol lamang kay zoe lahat ng ito, but Fruga is deeply involved in this too.
"Not exactly. My job have a long proccess, Adora." He confidently smirked.
"Actually, the first stage is between me and Zoe. Then, there goes the second one. Ito 'yung sa ating dalawa which is hindi ka aware--- third stage, there goes a contract between you and Zoe." He stated.
"It happened 6 months after you've met me, I think?" Sabi niya na para bang hindi pa sigurado sa sinasabi. Agad nag-init ang ulo ko,
HELLO?
I'M BEING DEAD SERIOUS HERE.
"what is wrong with you? Are you a dimwit or something?! Bakit hindi ka sigurado dyan sa mga sinasabi mo? O baka naman gagawa mo lang iyan?" He got shock with my sudden outburst.
"Woah, kalma wag mo'kong upakan Adora." He chuckled. "Wait, nandito yata yung other contracts natin." Agad siyang nag-kalkal sa dala niyang mga papel at biglang ngumisi at inabot sa akin ang tatlong papel.
I checked it and my signature in a blue writting is in it, #2 and #3. The #1 paper was signed in the name of Zoe Manuel Frank.
Zoe Manuel Frank.
Is that his name?
*Edited❤