Nights Like This

Chapter 03

Chapter 03

Advice

I woke up with an extreme headache. Sinubukan kong bumangon pero parang may drill sa ulo ko sa sobrang sakit. Damn it, I'm hungover!

Hindi pa nakakatulong na sunud-sunod ang katok sa pinto ng kwarto ko. I checked the clock and it's way past lunch time already. Baka kinakatok na ako para kumain? Pero ayokong bumangon!

Pumikit ako at hinilot ang magkabilang sentido. Gusto kong sigawan ang kung sino mang kumakatok pero wala yata akong lakas. Not when I'm nursing this throbbing headache.

Napamulat ako nang bumukas ang pinto. Bumungad sa akin ang galit na mukha ni Papa. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

Here we go. Good morning to me. My breakfast will be Papa's scolding. Served hot and raw.

"Bobbi!" panimula niya.

"Po?" namamaos kong sagot. Ayoko talagang magsalita pero kung hindi naman, baka mas lalong magalit si Papa.

"We waited for you at dinner but you went out to party?! Hindi ka talaga nakikinig sa amin, ano? Kababalik mo lang pero sakit sa ulo agad ang dala mo!"

"I don't want to be here, Pa. If that's not obvious, well, now you heard it from me."

Mas lalong nagkasalubong ang kilay niya. My father is getting old. And though I don't want to anger him because of possible health issues, I can't help it if he's manipulating my life like this.

"Hindi ka babalik sa maruming condo mo na iyon! You will live here and you're not allowed to go out as you wish!"

Umawang ang labi ko. What the heck is he talking about?

"Marumi? Pa, I'm not a slob! My condo is always clean and-"

He raised his hand to stop me from talking.

"Mikael found party drugs in your condo. Don't try to reason out, Bobbi. Huwag mo na akong galitin pa dahil sagad na sagad na iyon," aniya sa malamig na tono.

Party drugs- what?! Wala akong ganoon!

"Those aren't mine! I don't use, Pa! Hindi akin 'yon!"

Papa just stared at me. Base sa itsura niya ay mukhang hindi siya naniniwala sa rason ko. E hindi naman akin 'yon! Baka sa mga kaibigan ko! I hosted a party before I went to Orlando... Baka isa sa mga inimbitahan ko ang nagdala noon!

Bumangon na ako para ipakita sa kanya na seryoso ako.

"Pa, hear me out. Hindi sa akin iyon!"

"At this point, I don't know if I'll believe you."

Fuck. That stings!

"Test me, then! That will prove that I'm clean!"

Oh, my God. I may be a party freak but I never considered trying drugs!

"Wala na akong pakialam, anak. Just do as I say and stay out of trouble. No more partying, no more going out and no more spending a shit ton of money for your useless purchases! Your Mama is so mad at you that she doesn't even want to see you! Kaunti na lang, ganoon na rin ako kaya magtino kang bata ka," Papa said before going out.

Halos maiyak ako sa lahat ng narinig. How could he not believe me? Anak niya ako! I've done a lot of awful things but drugs aren't one of them! For God's sake! I am clean!

Padabog akong pumasok sa banyo at tuluyan nang umiyak. Ayoko talaga sa bahay na 'to. My childhood years were fine because I got my brothers. My teenage years were awful because they both moved out. I can't believe I'm about to spend my 20s in this house at puro pa sama ng loob ang mayroon ako!