It's 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and my alarm clock rang at the exact same time as yesterday morning. I had no idea I had it set for this early in the morning again the night before. My alarm clock appears to have a mind of its own and will wake me up at a time that is convenient for it. That's fine with me, even if it's a little creepy because that's how this alarm clock works. This clock was purchased from a vintage shop near our school. I went there to get a camera case, but I ended up getting this alarm clock as well. It wasn't me who noticed it first; rather, it was the alarm clock who did. It was almost as if it was calling my name, and when I saw it, I immediately fell in love with it and decided to buy it. There's a chance that this alarm clock is cursed. Who knows, right?
Anyway, when I went downstairs to eat my breakfast, I noticed that the house was still a little dark because the windows were still closed and that it was completely quiet.
'It's the weekend. Where are the people living in this house?' I spoke to myself in hushed tones.
Mom and Dad usually take the weekend off and prefer to spend their time at home. I went into the kitchen to see if there was anyone else there, but there wasn't. I went out the back door, thinking they were eating breakfast in the backyard, but there was nothing there as well. When I returned to the house, I saw Nanay Dehlia emerge from the comfort room.
As she looked at me, Nanay Dehlia smiled and said, 'You're awake.'
Okay, so my parents aren't here because Nanay Dehlia is, which is good. When they travel to a distant place and intend to stay for a few days, they frequently ask Nanay Dehlia to accompany them and assist them around the house.
As a greeting, I said, 'Good morning, nanay. Where are they?' My greeting now includes a question.
'They said they'd be in Singapore,' Nanay Dehlia replied.
'Singapore?' I asked, surprised by what I had heard.
'They didn't tell you?' she said as she opened the refrigerator to get some eggs.
'No, but how long do you think they'll stay?'
'Henry said that it is business-related and that it could take two weeks.'
'And what about my mother?'
'I honestly don't know. I believe she just wants to accompany your father.'
Wow. This is novel. Are they telling me that I'll be free of them for two weeks?
'And they just let me stay here for that long?'
'Yes. How exciting for you!' Exclaimed Nanay Dehlia, who is also aware of how my parents treat me.
No. This is unusual for my parents. I have a feeling this isn't going to be good news.
'Maybe,' I replied, taking a glass from the shelf to get water from the refrigerator.
'You can go out with your friends. Of course, I won't tell your parents,' she said as she also focus on the ham she was frying.
'I appreciate it, Nanay Dehlia.' I give her a friendly smile.
That sounds like a lot of fun, Nanay Dehlia, but I don't have any friends.
I exit the kitchen and enter my parents' room, leaving the glass I had used on top of the table. I'm hoping they didn't lock the door.
'Audria, where are you going?' Nanay Dehlia asked.
'I'll go get my phone,' I responded.
'OK, since I'm done with your breakfast, go ahead and eat it while it's still hot.' She continued to speak.
'Thank you very much.'
I went upstairs to my parents' room.
I turn the knob to see if the door to my parents' room is locked, but it isn't, so I open the door and walk inside.
I can't remember the last time I freely entered their room. I don't recall ever spending time in their room to bond with them when I was younger.
Looking around their room, I notice how dark it is, so I open the window curtains to let some light in. Their room is spotless, and everything is neatly arranged. My mother is extremely organized, and my father will not tolerate a disorganized environment. Their clothes are neatly hung on the dresser, and my mother's accessories and cosmetics are meticulously arranged on a table. Their shoes are neatly organized in the shoe rack, and my father's books are alphabetically filed away on the bookshelf. The entire room is really tidy, which reflects their personality. My mother's favorite color is grey, and my father's favorite color is white, so they decided to paint their walls in those colors to match.
As I continued to look around their room at my leisure, I came across this photograph, which is the only one in the room and is displayed on the top of their center table.
I take it in my hands and raise the photo for a better look.
It was a photograph of the three of us taken at the same time. Even though I can't remember which photo it is, we appear to be having a good time in it. I was dressed in a red dress with a red ribbon headband on my head, sitting on my father's lap, and smiling so sweetly, while my mother stood behind my father, her arms tangled around my father's shoulders, and my father sat on a bench. I believe we were on an island because I see coconut trees and what appears to be a seashore in the background of the photograph. I just can't remember what happened. But there is one thing I remember about this photograph.
'That shirt Dad was wearing didn't go over well with him because it was too small for him.' A grin spread across my face as I remembered it.
'Mom, on the other hand, liked it.' I tacked something on.
That's all I remember about the photo; the rest of the backstory has long since vanished and faded away.
'This picture must mean a lot to them because it's the only one in their room,' I reasoned to myself.
'I'm curious what kind of memory they have of me based on this photograph.'
I still wanted to look around their room, but Nanay Dehlia called my name and told me to eat my breakfast.
'I'll just come back here,' I muttered.
As I closed the door to their room, I had an epiphany. Despite the fact that my parents treat me like garbage, I still know them. Even the smallest details about them are still familiar to me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I had to leave my house because I needed to see my doctor for another weekly check-up. To be honest, visiting the hospital on a regular basis is extremely exhausting. Even the sound of the car makes my ears tingle and dealing with all of the traffic on the road is also exhausting. I really wanted to spend the rest of my life in the hospital, but I can't. That is not an option for me because I have classes to attend, and my parents will not let me miss them. Despite the fact that I enjoy my time at the hospital, I believe there is nothing I can do if I die today. We are all going to die, after all. I'm prepared to die at any moment, but the universe is simply telling me to be patient and wait for the right time.
My car was parked in the parking lot of the hospital, which is located in basement B. I don't want to park in basement A again after getting lost there the first time. I spent nearly an hour looking for my car and had to call for help just to get to my freaking car. During that time, I was worried that someone had stolen my car and that my parents would kill me if that happened. But I was lucky because I had simply parked my car a long distance away from where I was looking.
I get out of the car and put on my earphones to listen to music while walking around. I enter the elevator from the basement where I was previously located and press number 4 to get to the fourth floor, where my doctor is. The elevator is quite spacious, and I'm the only one inside until I reach the ground floor when a guy my age enters. He was also wearing earphones and appeared unconcerned about his surroundings. He also presses button 4 and moves back of the line. The elevator doors open as we approach the third floor, indicating that someone is about to board. I was really taken when a nurse and his patient, who was lying on a stretcher, rudely entered the elevator. As a result of the stretcher's size, I was pushed back behind it and stepped on the foot of the guy behind me. Because I was off-balance, I unintentionally grabbed the wire of his earphones, and the guy attempted to keep me from falling to the floor unintentionally grabbing the wire of my earphones as well. We both ended up on the floor. Even though it was embarrassing, the most amusing part was when our earphones were disconnected from our phones and the music started playing loudly. And can you guess what happened next? We're both listening to the same music! It's exactly the same song!
I jumped to my feet and apologized, saying, 'I'm sorry.'
He then rose to his feet and apologized, saying, 'It's all right, I'm sorry, too.'
The nurse just stares at us, his laugh suppressed as he tries not to laugh out loud because of what he witnessed. To be honest, it was entirely his fault. He simply entered the elevator without saying anything to us.
When the elevator reaches the fourth floor, the doors open. Along with the patient and the nurse, the nurse exits the elevator. The guy exits the elevator immediately after the nurse, I am the last person to leave the elevator. He didn't say anything, and he didn't even bother looking at me after that.
'Perhaps he's just not in the mood or is feeling something.' I said this as my gaze followed the guy as he walked away from me.
Do you want to know what song we were both listening to? Okay. We were both listening to "Adore You" by Harry Styles.
I never expected a man like him to listen to Harry Styles because most men believe Harry is gay. That irritates me so much.
'He has good musical taste.' I make a statement.
My phone rings as I'm walking to my doctor's office, and it's Nilliam calling to speak with me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nilliam and I meet at a coffee shop near the hospital where I am being treated for my illness. As I got closer to Nilliam, I noticed he was staring at me from inside the shop. He looks especially dapper today, thanks to his simple white shirt and blue jeans. As I walk into the shop, Nilliam is sitting alone at a table. He looks really clean and proper.
'Didn't you say you were on your way from the hospital?' As I sat in the chair in front of him, he asked.
'Um... I just... went to see my grandmother,' I explained. I'll admit that I obviously stutter.
'Oh, is she all right?' As he looked at me, his eyes were wide with concern.
'Yeah, yeah, she's fine now.' I replied. 'All she needs is a good night's sleep.' To hide my deception, I give him a fake smile. 'And you? What made you want to see me so urgently?' I asked as soon as I could.
'I just want to see you.'
'That's all? We'll see each other at school on Monday.' I responded.
'Well, yeah, but that's a different story.' He gave me a warm smile. 'So, what do you want to order?' he asked, passing me the menu.
'I'm not particularly hungry, Nilliam,' I explained.
'OK, how about a cup of coffee?'
'I don't drink coffee.'
'Are you sure?' He was taken aback. 'Me, too,' he said.
'So, why are we in a coffee shop?' I make a statement.
'It's just a coincidence,' says Nilliam, smiling. 'How about we go somewhere else?' he suggested, chuckling.
'Do you want to come to our house?' I stated. I asked him as I looked him in the eyes.
'To your house? Now?!' He exclaimed in amusement. His eyes have a glint in them.
'Yeah.'
'Are you sure? What about your parents?' He's a bit concerned.
'They're not at home,' I stated emphatically. 'Do you not want to go?'
'Of course, I want! Okay. Let's go then!'