"Come in, Amaris," said Tita Marina and opened the door for me.
Aunt Marina is Mama's younger sister and Mama entrusted me to her too while I was in Manila to study.
"Auntie, are you the only one living here in your house?" I asked with a mixture of amazement.
Because Tita's house is big and I will be really surprised if she is the only one living here. This is a very spacious house for just one person.
Aunt Marina's laughed. "No, my daughter is living with me. Lexi... she also just came back from the states."
Omg! Lexi? Did Lexi come home? For sure that girl is grown up and maybe she doesn't know me anymore. It's been a while since we've seen each other.
"Your daughter must be grown up, Tita, and I'm sure she doesn't know me anymore. We haven't seen each other in a while. I remember our last talk was 5 years ago," I said and looked around the living room of the house by Tita.
Aunt Marina's house is beautiful and big, it's like a palace because it's so big. If we have a big house in the province, it will be bigger. It's no wonder because Aunt Marina has the most money among their siblings. In short Mama is a middle class. We are not rich, my parents just work really hard. They're doing their best to give me a better life.
"She changed a lot, Hija. I don't even know what happened to that child. When she came home to the Philippines, she changed... she's not that bubbly and kind Lexi anymore," Tita Marina said sadly.
"Maybe she's just changing, Tita. It's been a long time since you two met or maybe she's used to living in the states, right? Let's just understand her, Tita because she needs our understanding," I uttered and looked at her. "Uhmm Tita, can I go to my room now? I'm a little tired from the trip."
She smiled. "Of course! Letty will take you to your room. Rest in your room first..."
Tita called what she said was Letty. Turns out she is his maid and quite old. Aunt Marina's maid seems to be in her 50's, and it seems nice.
I smiled at him and greeted him. "Hello! Nice meeting you, Manang Letty."
"How are you, Hija?" She asked me.
"It's fine, Manang," I answered politely.
Even though we just met, I have to respect her. She is older than me so she has to be respected. My mother did not raised me to be rude to someone I've met for the first time.
"I'll take you to your room because I know you're tired from the trip," Manang said with a smile and walked first to the second floor of Tita Marina's house.
I continued walking while dragging the suitcase I was carrying earlier. I don't want to bother people here. As long as I can manage or I can do it, I will do it. Mama didn't raise me to be a burden to other people. I'm also not used to just sitting on the sidelines. In the province there are maids in our house, but I really can't bear to look at them. I really help even to clean up the plate we used.
I can't live without doing nothing.
When I got to the room I was going to use, I immediately went inside. Manang Letty tour me in my room. The room I will use is beautiful. The color of the wall is black and white and I find it neat and clean. The color of the bedsheet and curtains was gray. It seems that Aunt Marina prepared for me to go to their house. She even knows my favorite color.
Yes, I'm a girl but I don't like girly colors such as the color pink. Not all girls love the color pink. I must prefer dull colors than light colors. Those light colors hurt the eyes.
Manang Letty left me in my room so I was left here alone. I let out a deep sigh. I hope my stay here will be fun and great. I just want to study and study, nothing more.
I have arranged my things and put them in the closet in my room. I put on my home clothes before resting and sleeping. I need some sleep because I woke up early earlier so I wouldn't be late for my trip here going to Manila
—
I woke up to a loud noise in my room. A female voice screamed and it sounded like Lexi's voice. What's the matter?
I got up and rubbed my eyes as I walked towards the door. I opened it to see if it was Lexi who was screaming outside.
I was right. It's Lexi shouting and screaming. She was calling Manang Letty's name again and again. I just looked at her and I couldn't believe that Aunt Marina was right that Lexi had really changed.
I watched her moving and stamping her feet with extreme annoyance. She is pissed off because Manang Letty didn't come. I cleared my throat so that I can get her attention. I'm not wrong because she looked at me but she wasn't happy to see me. She even raised her left eyebrow.
"Who are you? Why are you here? Who let you enter my house? And you even used that room! How dare you!" She shouted from the top of her lungs.
I gulped and gave her a smile. She didn't remember me? Well it's been 5 years the last time we saw each other. We were still young so maybe she won't remember and recognize me.
"It's me, Amaris your cousin," I uttered while smiling.
She tilted her head and stared at me more. She smirked and rolled her eyes. She turned her back on me and walked away. She closed the door of her room hard. I took a deep breath and shook my head.
What happened to her? She is no longer the Lexi I know. She changed... she changed a lot.
I don't know her anymore.
Lexi, what is happening to you? Why did you change a lot?
I let out a deep sigh and walked down the living room. I went to the kitchen to get some water. I need to drink water because I feel thirsty thinking about what happened to my cousin who used to be so kind. She was modest before and didn't like yelling but now? It's like her hobby is to shout. .
But who am I to judge her? Everything has a reason and I know she has a reason to change herself.
"You're awake, Hija."
I looked behind me and saw Manang carrying laundry. It's dry and ready to get fold. I helped her, I took the basket she was holding and put it on the big stool here in the kitchen.
"Manang, Lexi has been looking for you for a while. She's been shouting and she's very angry," I said weakly.
"Come on! I forgot..." she said confusedly and took some lettuce and other ingredients from the fridge. "I forgot to make her vegetable salad. Wait a minute, hija? I'll just make it."
I just nodded as an answer.
Did I hear right? Lexi is now eating a vegetable? Wow! Since when? I mean since she was a kid she really hates vegetables.
People change!
I don't really know you anymore, Lexi. You are no longer the cousin I know.