"Good morning," Kizealla greeted as I was sitting on the couch.
"Morning,"
She drink water first before heading herself towards me. I didn't budge and just continued playing a game in my phone.
This is fucking frustrating honestly.
"Ano oras kayo nakauwi kagabi?" she asked.
I looked at her seeing her eating bread. Bumili din kasi ako ng tinapay, palaman, at cup noodles sa convenience store kahapon bago umuwi. I know there are foods here at our hotel pero may bayad kasi iyon at mas mahal pa kaysa sa convenience store price.
"Around 11 siguro. Why?" hindi ko naman na napansin 'yung oras.
Pag uwi din namin kagabi ay tulog na sila. Chinat lang din ako ni Lhieon na si Ken nalang ng naabutan niyang gising habang nasa tapat ng laptop niya kagabi.
"Sulit na sulit kayo ah," she's chuckling while telling me that.
"Sulit 'yung silence," bulong ko.
Nag tanong pa nang nag tanong si Kizealla kaya sinasagot ko lang siya habang patuloy na naiinis sa nilalaro ko.
Kanina pa kasi ako namamatay!
Someone suddenly knocked at our door and Kiz went there to check. I still wasn't paying attention with things because of this game.
Wala talaga akong future sa online games.
"Si Ken," wika niya nang bumalik at itinuro ang dumating.
"Tulog pa 'yung dalawa. Ayoko gisingin. Try waking them up," Ken stated.
I looked up to him but I immediately bring my sight back on my phone. Inexit ko nalang 'yung laro kasi hindi na kaya ng utak ko. Mas gusto ko pa mag sulat ng research paper.
"Give me your key card," he handed my that.
Wala naman n akong gagawin. It was somehow boring staying at a hotel without any planned plans. Biglaan kasi nagyaya hindi manlang nagsabi kung anong gagawin or saan kami gagala doon. They even booked the hotel for one day and two nights. Sabi nila, sa second day ay pagkatapos gumala ay diretso na kami ng uwi.
Iniwan ko nalang ang phone ko sa couch at tumayo na para pumunta sa kabilang room. Pinagtabi daw nila 'yung room namin para incase na magkagutom-an daw kami. Baka nga sila lang.
I swiped the card at their door when I came in. Bumungad naman sa akin ang mga bag nila na nasa sala pa. I peeked through their room seeing Lhieon sleeping in the solo bed and Caleb in the other one, half asleep. He was already sitting but his eyes are closed.
"Caleb," I called him.
He immediately looked at where I am with wide eyes.
"Good morning! Kanina ka pa?" he was in panick.
I shrugged, "Kakadating ko lang. I was about to wake you guys up but I caught you half asleep," I told him and chuckled.
Caleb told me that he will head out now at hinayaan ko naman siya.
Lhieon was sleeping while hugging another pillow. His blanket was up until his neck. He looks like a baby sleeping comfortably. Tinitignan ko siya habang nakatayo padin sa tinatayuan ko kanina.
He moved a little by moving his head.
Tumigil na ako sa pagtingin sakanya at nilapitan siya. I started moving his shoulder.
"Lhieon wake up," I said calmly.
He groans cutely when he felt me shaking him. Para siyang bata!
"Aalis daw," I told him unsurely. Hindi ko naman alam kung aalis talaga ngayon, "Anong oras na din kasi,"
"5 minutes. Please?" he begged and hugged his pillow again.
"Bubuhusan kita ng malamig na tubig, Lhieon," pagbanta ko. Lagi naman ganon banta ko. Well, kung ayaw mo talaga bumangon bubuhusan talaga kita.
"5 minutes pa! Babangon din ako after exact 5 minutes!"
Hindi ko na siya ginising pa at umalis na sa pagkakaupo sa kama niya. Potangina ang hirap niya gisingin!
I just waited there for 5 minutes and I don't know why I waited. I could've just leave him and wait for him at our room but I waited! Wala sa vocabulary ko 'yon! I don't even wait that long for my friends. Madalas ay inuunahan ko na sila.
Binuksan ko nalang ang TV na nasa living room nila at nanood ng YouTube. Smart TV siya kaya hindi na ako namroblema sa paghahanap ng channels na papanoorin, direct na ako sa youtube. I mostly watch lifestyle and travel vlogs tapos pag nainggit ako ay pupuntahan ko ang mga pinuntahan nila.
I should've brought my assignments with me. Pero may bukas pa naman. Cram era ulit.
Pinagpatuloy ko lang ang panonood ng vlogs. It was vlogs about her vacation in New York. It is actually one of my favorite places. I already travelled there but I can't clearly remember everything that I did and saw there because I was around 7 when I last came there, and I'm already 17, turning 18 actually.
I started planning to go there after the sport's festival which is held three weeks from now. Our exams will be held the week before that. We usually have two weeks break after the second semester.
"Good morning," rinig kong sambit ng lalaki sa likod ko.
I turned off the TV and greeted him, "Good Morning. Grabe 5 minutes ah, katumbas ng tatlong 10 minutes na vlogs. Anyways, punta na tayo sa kabila, kakain muna," I said and stood up pero bago pa ako makalagpas sakanya ay hinawakan na niya ang balikat ko dahilan para matigilan ako sa paglalakad.
He's wearing pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Magulo pa ang buhok nito at medyo nakapikit pa ang mata.
Gwapo si Lhieon. Bagsak ang buhok nito, medyo singkit ang mata at tama lang ang tangos ng ilong. His lips are also pinkish. Mestiso din siya. Kung tatantyahin ang height nito ay baka umabot na siya ng 6 feet. Hindi ko lang alam kung may lahi siya dahil hindi naman close simula palang.
"Bakit ka pala andito? Nasaan sila Ken at Caleb?" takang tanong niya.
"Pumunta si Ken sa amin like an hour ago tapos sabi ayaw niya daw kayo gisingin kaya nagprisinta ako pumunta dito para gising kayo tapos si Caleb naman umalis pagdating ko kasi nakita ko siyang half asleep habang nakaupo so... yeah," pagkuwento ko.
Tumango naman siya at inaalis na ang pagkahawak sa akin, "Okay. I'll be there in a few," tinanguan ko siya at umalis na.
Pagbalik ko sa kwarto namin ay nanonood sila ng paranormal videos sa YouTube. Kung kailan umaga saka nila naisipang manood ng ganon.
Hindi ko nalang sila ginulo at pumunta nalang sa sofa kung nasaan ang cellphone ko at pumunta sa kwarto. I will be calling Dad to ask permission so I can go to New York after sport's fest.
I called Dad and after many rings, he answered, "Venus. Is something going on?"
What's with his sudden act?
"Uhh no po. I'm just going to ask if I can go to New York after our sport's fest. It's been a while since I last came there so..."
"No problem. I'll buy you plane tickets if you want. But I'll book your hotel, you're not good at booking hotels," he laughed. Luh parang 'di anak ah.
"I'm in a hotel right now in Tagaytay by the way,"
"Eh? All of the sudden? What are you doing there? Who are you with?" sunod sunod na tanong niya.
"Friends. You know Rivera, right? I'm with his friends a long with my friends," I said and he sighed in relief, "I wanted to ask them to come with me after sport's fest. Sagutin ko tix nila,"
"And let me guess... You are planning to buy business class tickets?" I chuckled. Well, "That costs hundreds. I'll help you with the hotel and your tickets. Use your money for yourself and stuffs there,"
Dad is basically like that. Kahit anong pilit ko, he will push himself to buy a high amount cost whenever I told him I wanted to go somewhere. Minsan lang ay hindi ko na sinasabi dahil nandoon na ako bago ko sabihin. Tambak na yung pera sa bank account ko pero hindi ko naman nilalabas incase I needed it. Yung cash allowance lang ginagamit at tinitipid ko.
"I'll book it for you later. Text me the date so I can give you the tickets when you pay us a visit," I thanked him and ended the call.
My Dad and I aren't really close but when I call him and ask something, he will immediately give it. He sometimes asked about the money that Mom and him send in my account but I told him that I will use them for future uses and I will continue spending my cash allowance for my everyday expenses. Hindi naman na siya umangal.
Si Mom naman ay mas close ko ngunit wala siya dito. Palipat lipat siya ng bansa for business. She was with us before but Mom and Dad fought so she needed to move and they needed to divorce. Sabi naman ni Mom ay dito muna kami ni Niri and we will move with her after shs.
"Kakain na daw sa labas," tinignan ko 'yung nagsalita at nakitang si Lhieon ito.
Tinanguan ko siya at sumunod na sakanya. Nakatayo na silang lahat at handa nang umalis. Sinundan ko nalang sila nang lumabas sila. I was just walking silently at their back while they're talking about school. Ken is taking ABM, he is in my class. Lhieon, Caleb, and Lia is in STEM. Kizealla is in TVL alone.
Nagrereklamo sila kay Kiz na TVL ang kinuha dahil puro daw luto luto lang iyon. Todo protest naman itong si Kizealla na nag-aaral padin naman daw siya at nagsasaulo ng kung ano ano. Pero kahit anong away nila ay nanatili lang akong tahimik sa likod.
Hindi naman talaga ako open sa tao. I will tell someone a story of myself in a not detailed way possible. Iilagan ko kung kailangan na talagang ilagan 'yung topic. It's not like I don't like people meddling with my life, I just don't want people to have something to say if ever I have a fight with them. Kung magsasalita man ako, sa mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko talaga iyon gaya nila Kizealla.
Naghihintay na kami ngayon sa lobby ng hotel kasi kinukuha ni Caleb 'yung sasakyan niya sa parking.
"Ang daldal mo kagabi ah, bakit ang tahimik mo ngayon?" Lhieon suddenly asked me while leaning a little.
"Kailangan ba lagi akong nagsasalita? Hindi naman ata required 'yon," I said, jokingly.
"Required 'yon. Mabubulok laway mo sige ka," I looked at him in disbelief. Wtf?!
"Masyado ka nang bored, tigil mo 'yan," iiling iling na sabi ko.
Tinawanan naman niya ako na parang napakalaking joke ng sinabi ko. Nababaliw na ata siya.
"Skyranch daw tayo mamaya. Busy ka kasi sa phone mo kanina kaya 'di ka namin ma-inform," he told me.
Wait, "How did you know that I'm busy with my phone?" I raised a brow. I'm at our room earlier.
"Sinilip kita kasi sabi nila tawagin daw kita but I saw you talking on your phone so I didn't bother calling you,"
Tumango nalang ako. Skyranch isn't a bad thing for me though. Pero hindi kasi nasakay ng rides kahit sa EK, hindi sa pagiging OA but I don't like the feeling of being dizzy.
Caleb came minutes later. Siya naman daw ang mag d-drive ngayon dahil napag-usapan nila na salitan silang tatlo sa pag d-drive.
Ken sat at the front passenger seat, Kizealla and Lia was next to each other in the middle seat and Lhieon and I was seating at the back.
I felt my phone vibrating on our way. I opened it seeing Lhieon's twitter messages popping through the lock screen of my phone.
lhieonkhaizer: pst!
I frowned while replying a simple question mark. Narinig ko naman siyang tumawa sa tabi ko kaya nilingon ko ito.
lhieonkhaizer: wala lang
lhieonkhaizer: ano gawa mo?
Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko sa reply niya. Nag jojoke ba 'to?
venusarchilles: We're just literally beside each other.
Nagpipigil siya ng tawa niya sa tabi ko kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin pero hindi siya lumingon pabalik at nag type nalang ulit sa cellphone niya.
lhieonkhaizer: ay sorry
lhieonkhaizer: may gusto ako itanong
venusarchilles: What?
When he replied, my eyes widen in shock. What does he mean?
lhieonkhaizer: if I admitted that I like you, personally, what your reaction will be?