Woke Up In August

Chapter 01

City

Naging tahimik uli ako nang nasa biyahe na kami. Gusto ni dad kumain muna bago kumuha ng flight pabalik ng cebu, kaya we're heading on a restaurant right now.

Nagulat ako kanina nong makita siya. Ever since I was a teen, he wants me to live independently. So I did, kahit ayaw ko kasi mas gusto ko kasama sila, sumunod ako, because he said para sa akin din naman daw 'yon.

Sometimes, it's just sad that I want to live with them but I also want to get way from them. Because I knew, from this time, they might control me, and that's the thing I'm afraid of.

Nang makapasok na kami sa pina reserve nilang restaurant, a waiter guided us to our table. I don't know why Addison is not here, I didn't ask Maddie earlier kasi panay lang din tanong sa 'kin si mommy kung kumusta ba ako, kaya I just always answered, I'm fine.

"What do you want to eat?" Kuya Enzo asked nang makaupo kami. Katabi ko siya while sa kabilang side ko si maddie. Mom and Dad are right each other in front of us.

Hindi ako sanay na makasama si Maddison sa amin. Because when we have a time to take this kind of breakfast, lunch or even dinners'. It's always the four of us, kaya I looked at dad, looking if he was okay about it, though hindi ko naman nakitang may angal siya.

It made me smile a little, baka nasanay lang siya kay Maddison.

"August? What do you want?"

Napagutla ako, "huh?"

Kuya looked deeply at me, "Never mind. I'll just order the same two," Aniya. tumango ako. Hindi naman ako mapili. My gaze went to mom nung magsalita din siya, "Are you okay?" She asked. I smiled.

She raised her eyebrows ng hindi ako sumagot sa kanya. tumango ako, "yes, just.. jetlag."

"Oh, um," kaagad siyang tumingin kay daddy, tinignan ko rin si dad, kunot noong may binabasa sa cellphone niya. I glanced at kuya who's also busy with his phone and maddie who's now talking to the one who's waiting for our menu.

"Lorenzo," tawag pansin ni mom kay daddy. "I'll book a hotel after, August needs to rest a little. Hindi naman puwede na bi-biyahe na uli na kadadating palang nung bata." My father looked at my mom as what she was saying. "If you want, you can go home first, but we'll stay here a bit." Mom insists.

"Enzo-

"I'll stay." Kuya cut dad off. Ilang segundo siyang tinignan ni dad, and... I already know what look was that.

Kaya nung dumating ang pagkain namin, nawalan ako ng gana. I thought nagbago na, wala naman palang nag bago. I sighed.

At habang kumakain kami panay ang kuwento ni mommy sa mga co-developer niya. She's a Fashion Designer. Isa din sa dahilan kung bakit siya pa balik balik sa Paris. My mom's simple, kaya hindi talaga halata na graduated sya sa fashion.

"Aurora."

I looked up nang marinig kong tinawag ni dad ang pangalan ko.

He wiped his lips first bago ako tinignan muli. I placed my spoon and fork muna sa gilid bago humarap sa kanya.

"Where do you plan to stay?"

Sumagot ako kaagad, "City."

He calmly nodded.

"Your unit?" Referring to my condo unit.

"Yes, dad."

"Okay, it's good. Anyway don't you want to handle our properties?"