Taste of Life

17

The ring of my phone woke me up. It was Eli calling on facetime. 10am na rito, so 10pm na sa Pilipinas.

"Nasend ko na listahan ng mga gusto ko." She said habang naghhighlight ng libro.

"Good morning naman talaga." I said and she chuckled.

"Puro yon skincare kaya bilin mo nalang bago umuwi."

"Noted. May exam ka?"

"Wala. Advance reading lang baka mamaya magpa-surprise recit si Doc eh." I just nodded and watched her read her book. I went to the bathroom para maghilamos at mag toothbrush.

Eli's explaining now what she's reading to me. It's something about Lymph Nodes, I think. I just let her be. Pagbaba ko, breakfast is waiting for me, the helpers greeted me at sinabing my mom went for a jog.

Maybe she needed that.

"Nagdinner ka na ba?" I asked noong Eli's done discussing her reading.

"Yeah."

"Please tell me hindi noodles ang kinain mo." Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. But she smiled like she was caught doing a bad thing.

"Wala akong time talaga." she admitted

"Pero may time ka makipagdaldalan sa akin?"

"I am actually reading habang nakikipagdaldalan sayo."

"Starting tomorrow I'll ask someone from the Grid to deliver you food." I seriously said.

"Gags. wag na. Mamumulubi ako sayo."

"No. for free. I'll ask Dad about it. Kesa magkasakit ka dyan. Baka akala mo nandyan ako para alagaan ka. Baka mamaya nahihimatay ka nanaman dyan ah."

"Tatay kita?"

"Ewan ko sayo Eleanor."

She just chuckled and started discussing another topic to me. I tried to listen this time and ask her questions after.

Maghuhugas sana ako ng plates when a helper told me not to. Sinabi ko naman na kaya ko but she insisted pa rin. So I just said thank you.

"Miss ko tuloy si Mamshie." Eli suddenly said when she saw me walk away from that scene. She calls her yaya, mamshie.

"I actually don't know bakit hindi mo nalang siya isama sa condo mo to take care of you. Siya lang rin naman magisa sa bahay niyo."

"Cause my parents said I need to be independent." She rolled her eyes at that statement. I sighed.

"Just try to cook real food, Eli."

"I tried once. I used the groceries you bought. I ended up doing chores the whole night at hindi nakapagaral."

"Okay. I'm gonna ask Dad na talaga for delivery."

"You know I can pay naman sadyang masakit lang sa bulsa."

"Maybe I can make Dad do a budget meals for student. I don't know."

"Hala. Grabe. Business minded ka na talaga." She made her softie face bago tumawa.

"Shut up. Liligo na ko, mom and I will visit NYU today."

"Kung dyan ka magcocollege, bilhan mo ko ticket every summer vacay ah." she seriously said.

I just nodded. Kahit short courses lang naman talaga ang tinitingan ko and I really want to roam around lang.

"Good night Eli. Please kumain ka ng breakfast tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir!"

I rolled my eyes and ended the call. I realized that I'm worried for nothing these past few days. Akala ko everything's gonna change, hindi naman pala. Either Eli's okay now or she didn't mean whatever she said. Maybe she got carried away lang by the feeling of loneliness since magisa siya sa condo and all.

I fixed myself and wore a black shirt, denim pants and a khaki blouson jacket.

Pagbaba ko, I saw my mom she's drinking water and her eyes soften upon seeing me.

"Saan ka pupunta?" She asked and went near me to fix my jacket.

"We are going to NYU diba?"

"Ay sige palit lang ako pants. Kaligo ko lang rin. Nag breakfast ka na?" I think she's avoiding my question.

"Why did you cry last night?"

"Did you know bakit I can't contact your Dad? Hindi siya nagfacetime kanina."

"He's in his flight going here."

"Huh? Bakit? Ang aga pa. Paano ang The Grid?"

"I called him when you cried, so tell me now why did you cry?"

She didn't want to say it. I can see that she's thinking of something para makalabas ng topic na 'to.

"Let's just wait for your father, then we'll tell you. I'll breakdown again if ako lang." she gave me a weak smile. So I nodded.

"Palit lang ako pants, then we'll go to NYU. Btw, your outfit, para ka talagang taga NYU." She smiled and eye me from head to toe. Napailing nalang ako at tumawa.

"Kilig mukhang new yorker." She teases me habang paakyat siya ng kwarto niya.

So I sat in the sofa waiting for my mom.

Diary Entry #36
If things are for me, it'll find me. Right?