Just the Ticket

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 #jttwbs

"Good morning," singhal na bati ko sa bago kong pimple sa pisngi.

Kinapa ko ang isang tila namamaga't namumutok na sa ilong na halos sugatan ang balat ko sa daliri. Hinog na hinog ito. Bumuga ako ng hininga. Sawang-sawa na ako.

I could even hear it greeting me back. Pati na ang mga iba pa sa pisngi at noo ko. The derma advised that I shouldn't make it a habit to touch it, but I can't help it.

Tumagilid ako ng higa. I let out a sigh. This is why I don't have any mirrors in my room. I didn't want to have. Kahit mga compact mirror lang, wala akong ganoon.

I don't fancy seeing my face.

Mirrors... they just show me my reflection. A reflection that is far from my liking. Far from anyone's. It's unable to be filtered. It annoyingly reveals the unwanted reality of my life.

Pero mayroon bang may gusto sa realidad? Parang halos lahat naman kasi yata ay tinatakasan ito.

Bumaba ako upang mag-almusal bago naligo. Nanginginig pa ako sa lamig dahil mag-a-alas sais lang ng umaga. Kahit hot na ang tubig mula sa shower, wala talagang binatbat. Ito talaga lagi ang kalaban ko bago pumasok bukod sa katamaran bumangon.

Nagsimula ang acne breakout ko kalagitnaan noong first year ako. I remember Camara comforting me that it was just my menstruation acting up. Kaso... matatapos ko na lang ang high school, hindi sila nawala!

Before, I used to visit a derma and indulge in skin care routines. It went okay at first. Kaso nang-aasar ang mga tigyawat ko at laging bumabalik. Until I got tired of the endless routine.

Hindi ko pa rin tanggap kaso parang mapagod na lang kasi ang natitirang choice ko.

My soul jumped out of my body, courtesy of the three consecutive loud horns from the multicab outside that interrupted my train of thoughts. Napaka-OA na naman sa busina ng service, oh!

"Ba 'yan. Diyan na agad," reklamo ko sa sarili. Iidlip pa kasi sana ako.

I went downstairs in haste, yawning several times. Kanina pa naman talaga ako nakaayos. I was just squandering the time with my newborn zit. I-welcome man lang! Welcome to the world! Sana hindi ka magtagal!

I grabbed my water-filled tumbler on the coffee table. Nakangiti akong sumulyap sa arko ng kusina.

"Thanks, Mamala!"

"Aalis ka na, Erisette?" her soft voice emerged from the kitchen.

It came along with the sound of dishes. Pinagkainan ko siguro kanina at hinuhugasan na. Originally, she was my nanny as a kid until she turned out to be our helper in the house.

"Bye, Mamala!"

Mabilis kong kinuha ang itim na sapatos sa rack. I polished it last night, reason why it appeared so matte. Sana naman hindi magdumi agad! Minsan pa naman ay natatapakan ako ng mga naghahabulan sa hallways!

I took the short cemented walkway that leads to our front gate while drinking just a little from my water tumbler. Parting the green ocean of our bermuda grass is that five strides path walk.

Hindi ko na nakita ang sasakyan ni Daddy sa labas at hindi na ako nagulat. My parents usually leave the house earlier than me for their respective jobs. Si Daddy, sa airport. Si Mommy, sa isang travel agency. Parehong dito sa siyudad namin.

The cold morning breeze attacked my skin that made my shivering worse, more so when I hopped in the vehicle and the air con greeted me. Pati ang baritonong tinig ni Frank Sinatra na hindi mawawala sa playlist ni Mang Emil at ang daldalan ng ibang ka-service.