OXYGEN

XLVII

He was like a breath of fresh air

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3 years later...

I once wished to rewind the time.

If there's one thing I want to go back in my past, it was the time I first met him.

The guy wearing a white lab coat, standing in front of me, smiling, giving me the assurance that I will surpass everything. His dark hair, pointed nose and thick eyebrows. Everything about him is still engraved inside my head.

But it was three years ago.

Everything has changed. I was no longer the dreamer before, I became more contented of what I have right now. What happened three years ago was a mistake, I want to fix it, but it's not that easy, and it's too late.

Although regrets never came after that, maybe it's just probably because the pain I had back then is enough to wake me up from that dream. The overflowing of various emotions, the nostalgic scenery of him, the utmost admiration I had because of his wit and skills. It became a memory.

A memory that is too painful, yet very important to me.

"Cora! Ano? Hindi ka ba gigising?" Malakas na sigaw ni Herriene sa labas.

I slowly opened my eyes and tried to sit in my bed slowly.

"I'm wide awake!" Sigaw ko pabalik.

Napuyat ako kagabi sa kakabasa ng libro at hindi ko na namalayan ang oras. Kahit nakapikit pa ang isang mata ay minabuti ko nalang na tumayo at dumeretso sa banyo.

I still have a work later so kailangan kong mag-ayos at baka mapagalitan nanaman ako ni Lady Macbeth. After I finished fixing myself, bumaba ako at dumeretso sa kusina. Naabutan ko si Xylex na nagluluto at si Herriene na naghahanda na sa paglabas.

She was promoted to be the assistant head chef last month kaya super early siya lagi na umaalis ng bahay. Xylex on the other hand still has her job at sa tatlong taon ay naging regular na rin siya sa finance office.

And me? I'm a lady cleaner.

"Ikaw ba nag-plantsa ng uniform mo?" Tanong ni Herriene at kumagat sa tinapay niya.

I nodded my head and sat beside her.

"Marunong ako no!" I said and took a bread.

Tumawa si Xylex at napailing. Inilagay niya sa pinggan ang niluto niyang fried egg at sumabay sa amin sa pagkain.

"Tinulungan ko siya na mag-plantsa ng uniform niya. Ang kapal kasi at mahirap plantsahin," she said.

I nodded my head to agree with her. Last year I found a decent job which is in the cleaning department. Ito 'yong part ng government na nagbibigay ng kalinisan sa kahit anong building na sakop ng gobyerno. Lady cleaners ang tawag sa amin dahil araw-araw kaming ina-assign sa ibat-ibang bahagi ng East Acres para maglinis.

The salary is not that high, pero sapat na rin iyon para sa akin at sa gastusin sa bahay.

After I ran away from the Y.I.P program, they offered me different job opportunities. I was tempted to accept it, pero naisip ko na mas-mabuti kung lumayo muna ako sa kahit na anong lugar na posible ko siyang makita.

I tried different jobs and I've been selling tomatoes and other vegetables in the market to provide money. Noong una ay ayaw ni Xylex dahil kayang-kaya naman daw nila ni Herriene. But I still refused because the three of us are inside the house and I can't stand seeing them working while I keep on lurking in my room.